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[at-l] OT - Ecotourism trip report
- Subject: [at-l] OT - Ecotourism trip report
- From: garyticknor at starpower.net (Gary Ticknor)
- Date: Sun Feb 26 20:10:59 2006
Second try, this time inline and not as an attachment:
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Not very trail related. I did do about 10 miles of hiking, and it was
sort of on the way back from the Ruck. I also prominently displayed my
day pack's AT patch ;)
- Greenbriar
Best viewed with a fixed width font like Courier.
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This is a transcription of the trip notebook for my 2006 Guatemala & Costa
Rica trip.
It was written in a blue 3 x 5" spiral ring notebook, and was updated daily.
The text transcription below is literal with misspellings and other features
intact. There are 29 pages.
Text Notes
|----------------------------------------| -----
| (1) |
| Guatemala |
| & |
| Costa Rica | With breif stops in El Salvador
| 2006 | & Nicaragua
| mm |
| mmmm | Mayan Temple
| mmmmmm |
| mmmmmmmm |
| www .>>> |
| \\ /|\ | Rainy Volcano
| / \ |
| __/ / \__ |
| O | Toucan
| /L |
|----------------------------------------|
| (2) |
| THU 2 FEB | Up at 5:30 to cats' de- |
| lite. Coffee & wait for cab w paper. |
| Goodbyes to K & N. Dulles security | Washington, DC
| quick, but TACA had no gates so |
| no Starbucks. Flight on time - 1st | Only time I drink Starbucks
| trip where airline sold meals. | Sign of the times
| Saw "Alamo". Earbuds. Plane not |
| half full. Views of Yucatan & across |
| to San Salvador. Freeway below. Palms |
| but dry season. Short wait for flight |
| to Guat. Arr, Imm & Customs, found | *** Start Guatemala City
| bag with lock & straps ripped off & 2 |
| holes torn - not happy w TACA. |
| Short drive to non-descript hotel |
| but in center of tourist zone. |
|----------------------------------------|
| (3) |
| This is a razor wire & armed | Sawn off shotguns at every 7/11!
| guard town. Changed money. |
| Short walk while room gotten |
| ready. Bought water 4Q (~60?) 600 |
| ml. Repack at room. Another |
| walk to explore then short |
| nap in room. Dinner was Gaut. |
| mixed grille of 2 types of saus, |
| steak & pork, w beans, rice, salsa, | First of constant beans and rice
| great Guacamole, tortillas, rolls, |
| 2 cervesas - Gallo. Expensive, | Local beer
| but in native Indian huge "hut" |
| w serenaders & costumed waiters. | Great atmosphere!
| After dinner planter punch at |
| hotel (free) w Thomas. Bed early. | Thomas was Guat Trip Leader
|----------------------------------------|
| (4) |
| FRI 3 FEB | Long sleep, up at 6:30. |
| Bath. Brkfst got off slow - they |
| were not organized - but eggs ok |
| & beans great! Met other 6 over | 7 in Guat tour.
| coffee. Briefing at 9:00 by Tho- |
| mas, then into van for city tour, |
| which consisted of Berlin Wall |
| park w cloudy view of volcano, |
| tour of former President's palace |
| w folk dancing, and walk around |
| main square. I guess there is |
| not that much to see in Guat. |
| City. Water stop on way to Ant- |
| igua, trafic, Pan-American Hwy. Anti- | *** Start Antigua
| gua is beautiful! Volcan Agua |
|----------------------------------------|
| (5) |
| above cobbled streets oozing |
| charm. Had lunch - bean soup - in |
| posada. Lots of earthquake damage. | Posada means Inn
| Beautiful roman/baroque La Mer- | Cathedral
| ced, many shops, vendors, central |
| "got milk" park, band playing, crowds | Fountain spouted suggestively.
| of tourists. Jade factory. To room | No one bought ;)
| in Antigua Porta Hotel. Great |
| gardens w roses in courtyard |
| in front of room. Room has atmos- |
| phere. Antigua makes up for Guat |
| City. Met for dinner after wel- |
| come planters punch in bar & | Rum is the drink in C.A.
| exploration walk around hotel |
| resort. Drove to dinner - fish, |
|----------------------------------------|
| (6) |
| glass of wine - rather ordinary, |
| OAT controlling costs. Nightcap |
| w Bill in bar, bed. |
| SAT 4 FEB | Up at 6:30, bath, good |
| buffet breakfast w inter- |
| esting Guat foods w omelet. Off |
| in van on Pan-American Hwy | Pan-Am Hwy is mainly 2 lane, with
| past volcanoes, small towns, pover- | potholes! Better near cities.
| ty, landslides & chicken busses to | Old US schoolbusses brightly
painted,
| lake Atitlan. Drove down to | free lance & crowded
| lake, on boat cruised past |
| lake towns & rich villas. Stopped |
| at town, saw weavers, tried on |
| native Mayan outfits. Talk in | Outfits for sale
| church on civil war. Other |
|----------------------------------------|
| (7) |
| talks included marriage & birth |
| customs, litteracy, politics, cor- |
| uption, more. Visited local home | Extreme poverty. Open fire on
floor.
| w steam rooms, cookfire, cat. Van |
| to lake tourist town. So-so |
| Lunch w again good squash |
| soup & pork. Pineapple is excel- |
| lent here. Shopping stroll in |
| town, then goodbye lake & vol- |
| canoes, up, up out of caldera | Lake is colapsed caldera
| & 3 hour drive back to Antigua. |
| Margaritas & dinner - good chick- |
| en w cilantro at hotel & bed, |
| Despite loud party in next courtyard. |
| SUN 5 FEB | Up late at 7:30 leis- |
|----------------------------------------|
| (8) |
| urely brkfst w Bill & Sharon, then |
| walk to late rising town. Inter- |
| net email home - Uncle Billy died | Missed funeral :(
| :(. Stroll to market, shops, square. |
| People watching. Met Judy & Jan, |
| shopping in artisan's market. Cap- |
| ochino & sopa xochitil (avacodo & tur |
| key & jalopeno) - HOT! More people- |
| watching, heard Judy's Grand |
| Teton climb tale. Met up w others |
| at pool at resort, then dinner |
| in town: Guat sampler of tamale, |
| rice, tortilla, liver stew, chick stew,|
| turkey stew w wine. Back to |
| hotel, watched 10 mins of Super |
|----------------------------------------|
| (9) |
| Bowl (in espanol). Pack, bed by 9:00. |
| MON 6 FEB | Up at 3:30 - oof! Bath, |
| pack, OH NO! - suitcase ripped. Found | TACA'd - seam gave way.
| another tour's coffee in lobby. |
| Got box lunch (bkfst?) which promp- |
| ly tore. Off through dark in van | Grumpy morning.
| to airport, views of Gaut City |
| below in dark. No napkin, spoon in |
| box lunch :(. Flight to Flores w some | *** Start Yucatan
| views, Yucatan more civilized than |
| I had thought. Long drive to |
| El Remate to order lunch - beef |
| fajitas. Then to Yaxha site, which |
| was great. Many pyramids in all |
| states of excavations. Climbed |
|----------------------------------------|
| (10) |
| tallest. Howler monkeys & wild |
| parrots eating fruit! Stelae, pelota |
| courts, long jungle trek, stairways |
| to climb, & great Mayan educated |
| guide. This is what I came for! Back |
| for another mediocre lunch, but |
| good toucan topiary & hummingbirds. |
| Finally back to Villas Maya Resort |
| to try to sew suitcase. Short nap. | Which held for rest of trip.
| Then nature walk to poolside. |
| Sundown over laguna - Kingfisher |
| but no croc. Diner: cr(?) of broc | Not much cream.
| soup, tough dry fried pork cutlet |
| (vs spaghetti w tom suace) & banana |
| w honey - food not very good here. |
|----------------------------------------|
| (11) |
| Shower, 2 peptos. Read. Bed. | First traveler's diarhea.
| TUE 7 FEB | Up at 6:30. Bkfst - no buf-|
| fet, omelet, coffee. Off to Tikal - |
| oh no! Rain :( Ended up all day, |
| steady. Poncho to the rescue. Long |
| breifing, (after 1+ hour drive). Mus- |
| eum complex model was good. Saw |
| good ceiba, then market, sweat bath, | Ceiba is Kapok tree, a giant
| Temple 38 & into spectacular centra- |
| l complex w facing Temples I & II, | Magnificent!
| North Acropolis, stair terrance, ste- |
| las. Climbed Temple II on steep |
| rickety stairs. Hardest was desce- |
| nt. Along causeway to temple IV |
| but no one climbed - too wet. Lunch |
|----------------------------------------|
| (12) |
| was good chicken at concession |
| restaurant, everyone dripping. Saw |
| museum w stela pictograph writing | Lecture on Long Count Calendar
| & tomb exhibit. Back to van & |
| into Flores to Ac'tun Caan cave |
| for $3 - half wild, few lights, good |
| rooms & formations & intriguing |
| 2 miles to alt exit not taken. |
| Drove around Flores town in is- |
| land & back to resort for show- |
| er. Strung clothes line. Farewell |
| filet turned to be hamburger - |
| oh well. Group photo, paid bill, re- |
| packed, read, bed. |
| WED 8 FEB | Travel day, up at 5:30. |
|----------------------------------------|
| (13) |
| Same brkfst at 6:00. No crocodile | Great croc at dinner - ate rolls.
| today. Off at 6:30 to airport. Wait, |
| fly to Guat City. Long wait. Sec- |
| urity officaldon, luggage. Lots of re- |
| ading. Fly to San Jose, good views | *** Start San Jose
| most of trip of Guat, S.Salv, Costa. |
| Arrive. More officaldom, luggage. Meet |
| Carlos, drive to Marriott Courtyard, | Trip leader
| way out of town. Fighting sore | In safe suburbs, and close to AP
| throat all day. Into room, took |
| 1 hour nap, tried "Imperial" Tico beer.| "Pilsen" brand was better.
| Went to din w J & J in great Tico |
| fusion restaurant w live sax music: |
| Shrimp w tarragon & anchovies, w black |
| beans & chardonay, at a fair price! |
| Read then bed fighting cold :( |
|----------------------------------------|
| (14) |
| THU 9 FEB | Up at 7:00 w 8+ hrs |
| sleep. Bath, coffee in room, pack, |
| breakfast buffet w 1st pinto gal- | "Speckled Rooster": fried
black beans
| lo. Carlos breifing & meet remain- | and rice, a brkfst staple.
| ing 8 in tour. On to bus (cramped) | Now 15 total
| and into San Jose to National Museum |
| in ex-army base w good exhibits | Costa has no army! Also no
coups ;)
| (& giant stone balls). Next out of | Of unknown indigenous origen
| town past volcanoes up to coffee |
| finca w local lunch & explanat- | Finca means ranch/farm
| ion of coffee processing. Over |
| mountains & cont. devide, missing |
| 2 toed sloth, but seeing quetzels | Gorgess quetzels!
| (!), hummingbirds, hawk, water- |
|----------------------------------------|
| (15) |
| falls, even pet tarantula, while |
| fighting cold - I can barely |
| speak :(. Into lowlands & Sara- | *** Start Sarapiquis
| piquis Resort w neat if non air- |
| con'd rooms in palenques. Un- | Palenques are huge huts, 100"
tall
| pack, drink, buffet after breifing & |
| optional tour sales talk. Read, bed. |
| FRI 10 FEB | Up at 5:00 for elective |
| birding at dawn: saw toucan! Also | First of many
| wild/tame squirrel. Brkfst buffet, | Climbed on my back
| lots of coffee, then changed for | Great coffee in C.A.
| white water rafting. Safety gear |
| & talk, instructions, then 12 km |
| of Sarapiquis class II rapids, many |
| birds, herons, 1 2m king snake in |
|----------------------------------------|
| (16) |
| tree. We hit a wall & I went in |
| but was hauled back by raft |
| guide. So-so lunch on river, |
| then 2 hour free time, almost |
| fell asleep. Next complete tour |
| of Dole Pineapple finca, growing, |
| packing. Pineapple samples great. |
| Then pottery demo at hotel & cons- |
| ervation lecture by naturalist. |
| Dinner was spaghetti, but good |
| salad bar. After din bat lecture |
| w scared caught bat, little fly- | Very soft.
| ing mouse. Shower wouldn't turn |
| off, had to go to desk. Long day. |
| SAT 11 FEB | Up late at 7:00 coughing |
|----------------------------------------|
| (17) |
| all night :( Started Cipro. Brkfst |
| acutally worse. Walk suspension bri- |
| dge over Sarapiquis to Tirimbina |
| Bio Reserve, seeing bagged boa | Farmers had turned him in
| along way. Saw sloth, great white |
| face monkey, ceiba, walking trees. | They can walk 2 1/2" per year.
| Good rainforest. Coffee, then pack |
| & lunch w fair ham. Anthopology |
| museum was fair, then on bus |
| for 2+ hours drive to La Fortun- |
| a w great volcano views. Fair | Turned out to be ONLY Arenal
views
| happening in La fortuna w horse |
| shows & C. R. bull fights. Stopped |
| in town along way to explore. | Bought local rum
| Bumpy 2 KM road to Chachagua | *** Start Chachagua
|----------------------------------------|
| (18) |
| Resort, pretty but rustic & need- |
| ing some repair. Got settled in |
| room. Met in bar, free OAT drink |
| gauro sour. Served buffet din of | Guaro is rotgut cane liquor.
| good resort raised tilapia. Weak |
| shower, read, rum, bed. Woke at |
| 3:00 am coughing, more rum, bed. | Effective cough syrup ;)
| SUN 12 FEB | Up 6:45, fair bkfst of |
| gallo pinto, salsa'd scrambled eggs, |
| dense bread. Lots of coffee, many |
| toucans at feeding station. Coolish | 65 degrees
| out, warmed up quickly. Off on |
| bad road but stopped at small |
| farm to milk cow! Also 2nd brfst | Moooo!
| of tortillas made by self, cheese, |
|----------------------------------------|
| (19) |
| yuca fritters, more. Nice family. On |
| to school, welcomed by kids (on |
| Sunday yet), then folk dances, tour, | Great folk dances
| play nat anthem, more. Grand Cir- |
| cle had pretty much re-built the |
| school. Then to home visit lunch, |
| which was elaborate, chic & chic peas, |
| tortillas, rice, great beans, corn&pim-|
| ento, yuca fritters, tomatoes, coffee, |
| lemonade. Played papas caliente & Who' | Hot Potato - kids were great!
| s Got the Colones? - Walt had spill. | Colones is a coin
| Cat, dogs, parakeets, small rooms, |
| lots of toys, at least 5 kids, 2 hers. |
| Back to resort, no internet. After |
| break, drinks at bar, walk around gro- |
|----------------------------------------|
| (20) |
| unds seeing flora. Volcano lecture |
| near admin (no slides), then dinner. |
| Extra: after din, 7 of us went into |
| La Fortuna to see fair/carnival - | Annual town feria
| rides, food, dancing, games of chance. |
| Saw sloth on telephone wire on |
| way & dying fer-de-lance on | Run over by car
| way home. Late bed - ~11:30 after bath.|
| MON 13 FEB | Up at 6:30, pack, pour- |
| ing rain :(. Brkfst, sad hungry |
| toucans to feed. Off to women's |
| herb co-op, then 2 acre mini |
| eco farm, including sugar cane |
| demo & gauro sample. Good |
| lunch of home grown produce. |
|----------------------------------------|
| (21) |
| Into La Fortuna to Volcano Lodge. | *** Start La Fortuna
| Unpack & next to hanging bridges |
| behind volcano over dam. 3 hour hike |
| in rain, no critters but birds, great |
| rain forest & many high bridges. Next |
| to hot springs, change to b-suit, into |
| hot pools & under hot waterfalls |
| w pina colada. Dinner of steak & sal- | Pura Vida!
| ad & good beans. Then back to lodge |
| to hanging wet clothes & gather |
| laundry. Read, bed. |
| TUE 14 FEB | Valentines Day. Up at |
| 6:30, cough better despite rainy hike. |
| Turned in laundry, brkfst buffet, good |
| sausage, omelet station. Off in pouring|
|----------------------------------------|
| (22) |
| rain north to Cano Negro area |
| for float boat on Rio Frio. Many |
| birds, kingfishers, monkeys, albino mo-|
| nkeys, storks, caiman. No rain, |
| even some blue sky. Picnic buffet on |
| Nicaraguan border. Ride back into |
| rain :( to La Fortuna. Internet, sh- |
| opping. Back to room, laundry, re- |
| group. Dinner at hotel, good tilapia. |
| Fair wine. Talk, bath, bed, read. |
| WED 15 FEB | Up 6:30, still some cough-|
| ing. Pack,room coffee,suitcase out.Brk-|
| fst omelet, conversation.Still pouring,|
| no volcano :(. Settle bill, off in bus |
| past volcano (ha!), over dam, over |
|----------------------------------------|
| (23) |
| rotten roads north of long Lake | ...and into blue skies
| Arenal w occasional town stops. |
| Wind surfers on lake, windmill |
| farms on devide - stopped at one. |
| Down Pacific slope to Pan-American |
| Hywy, lunch at river rafters. |
| Drive NW, then NE on worse |
| & worse roads in dry Guana- |
| caste to Rincon de la Vieja Bue- | *** Start Rincon de la Vieja
| na Vista Lodge. Cashew trees. View |
| of Pacific 25 miles west. Strong |
| winds. Saw Coati on road in mor- | Racoonish critter
| ing. After unpack, walk in forest |
| to mirador view for sunset into | And sundowner
| Pacific. Din was pork, pineapple sauce,|
|----------------------------------------|
| (24) |
| cilantro/lime salsa salad, yuca, rice, |
| beans & plantains - good. Read, bed. |
| THU 16 FEB | Up at 5:30, lots of sle- |
| ep, cough almost gone. So-so brkfst, |
| no meat, scr eggs, good coffee. To |
| stables, met Dulcepino, "Sweet Pine- |
| apple", instruction, mount up & off |
| across streams up up & down down |
| mountains, across rocks, roads, trails,|
| in streams - horse was doubtful | Me too!
| at times. Saw monkey, iguana. Got |
| to hot springs. Change, steam house, |
| mud bath, shower, 107* pool, 75* |
| pool. Swim & float. Towels, change, | Ahhhhh...
| back on horse, back to lodge. |
|----------------------------------------|
| (25) |
| Internet, shopping. So-so lunch, id- |
| entical to din but w chicken. Next |
| hike up mountain to zip wire! 10 wires,|
| lots of safety gear, big adrenelin |
| rush! High in canopy, some w "taxi", | Some had guides holding them
| platforms, tied in? Brake halfway! |
| Way cool! Peccary at bottom. | Tamed piggy, wanted his belly
| Celebratory beer. Caiman watch- | rubbed
| ing. Then lecture on Guanacaste and |
| sundowning at mirador. Again, same |
| din. Bed w reading & bath by 9:00. |
| FRI 17 FEB | Up at 5:45 for birding at |
| 6:00. High winds so into forest - saw |
| Mot Mot, last night wild iguana.Brkfst,| Mot Mot is a bird
| then out for long drive south. Sto- |
|----------------------------------------|
| (26) |
| pped at Liberia, grocery store, got |
| postcards. South, had cevice & fish |
| for lunch - Dolores had purse stolen! | Police not interested :(
| Drove to Tarcoles for nature cruise, | *** Start Rio Tarcoles
| saw many crocs, maccaws(!), countless |
| herons, mangroves. Late buffet din |
| w good salad & ice cream. Read, bed. |
| SAT 18 FEB | Up at 6:45, brkfst: big |
| omelet, etc, one of the better |
| brsk's. Two hour bus drive up |
| to Puntoarenas, wait for motor |
| catmaran. Sail across gulf. Free |
| coffee & fruit, good views of beau- |
| tiful gulf. Finally to our island. |
| Orientation talk, swim w tide |
|----------------------------------------|
| (27) |
| out, appetizer of ceviche, beer |
| great lunch of telapia in walnut | Or macadamia nut?
| cream sauce, 93 yr old marimba |
| player, another table sang op- | He was great!
| era. Hike to Tortuga View. Laze |
| in hammock. Beautiful refuge! |
| Cat took long way back. Feed- |
| ing pelicans w fish shoals. Great sun- |
| set. Dock, into bus, through town |
| having yearly fest, drive in dark. |
| Met Carlo's girlfriend Sylvia. Back |
| to lodge. Shower, bought toucan, late | Souvenir carving
| din of dry chicken & dry fish. Talk, |
| read, bed. |
| SUN 19 FEB | Up at 6:30, pack. Omelet |
|----------------------------------------|
| (28) |
| & much coffee. Ride up up to Cent- |
| ral Valley, w views of blue Pac- |
| ific behind. Last present shopping: |
| hot sauce, coffee, coins. Emerald & |
| gold store. Indian store. San Jose | *** San Jose reprise
| modern mall. Hotel & repack & |
| tip chores. Drive up to ridge S. |
| of city to charming restaurant in |
| spectacular view of city & valley |
| w twinkling lights. Din w scotch of |
| good but lean steak. Toasts, songs, |
| farewells. Drive back down ridge. |
| Bed by 9:30 for 3:00 am rise. Bath. |
| MON 20 FEB | Up, final pack, coffee, |
| bun. Off to airport (before |
|----------------------------------------|
| (29) |
| TACA opened!) Switched to AA Fl- |
| ight direct to Miami. Inside seat :( |
| No views except Key West. Miami |
| Airport chaos, 4 hour layover, Oh |
| Well. Final flight to Dulles, |
| cab. Home by 7:30. |
|----------------------------------------|