Brittany's Costa Rican Birthday Bash

So did you miss me? I have been away awhile, escorting my long-time friend Brittany around the country. She decided she did NOT want to celebrate her 40th birthday in New York City so she hopped on a Jet Blue and spent nearly two weeks with Layne and me and our puppy Winston, who rather fell in love with her. In part, she was checking out Costa Rica as a possible place to relocate where life would be less stressful and less expensive than NYC. Although we spent one morning looking at apartments, mostly she and I made overnight trips to our favorite resorts, such as Bahia Rica on the Nicoya Peninsula and Finca Luna Nueva near La Fortuna.

But we started right here in Atenas with the El Toledo Coffee Tour, guided by our friend Gabriel who sells organic coffee at the feria each Friday. We were joined by part of the Santa Eulalia gang, Chris and Sue and Bonnie, along with Layne who handled wild dog Winston, for the long winding climb up the mountain to the El Toledo farm. Gabriel explained in detail the history of the farm and why and how they switched to organic permaculture farming some twenty years ago after his father realized that pesticides and chemicals were causing his health problems. It was a steep learning curve for them and not immediately profitable. In fact, even now they make less than before the change but as Gabriel said, "Our family's health and the health of the planet are priceless."

Gabriel explains coffee to Bonnie while Winston wanders

Beans fresh from the roaster

After Gabriel's educational talk and a delicious "coffee tasting" experience, we hiked along the steep trails through the farm, learning as we went and enjoying bites of the multitude of fruits that grow unaided among the coffee plants. Brittany really enjoyed the tour and we highly recommend it.

Next on our agenda was a sea kayaking trip to Bahia Rica, a rustic lodge near the Paquera ferry landing run by a friendly Norwegian couple, Vigdis and Thomas, offering tours of all kinds, from sport fishing to snorkeling to whale and dolphin watching. The kayak trip, however, almost did Brittany in as the vigorous paddling aggravated carpel tunnel and tendonitis in her right hand, causing so much pain that for the return trip, Thomas hitched her kayak to his and towed her back to the lodge. Even though Brittany was a bit discomfited to need the help, she did say it allowed her some leisurely sightseeing. And there was plenty to look at because the scenery among the islands there in the Gulf of Nicoya is stunning, although we were saddened to see how terribly polluted the Gulf has become.

On the Paquera Ferry... can she be 40??

Brittany on the porch at the lodge

Lucky for us, Thomas had just snagged a huge corvina or sea bass on a fishing trip the day before and the dinner he prepared with it was fabulous. We enjoyed lively conversation, much of it about food and cooking, with Deborah and Steven, a pleasant couple on vacation from Colorado. Since I had mentioned to Thomas and Vigdis that it was Brittany's birthday trip, he even baked a yummy chocolate cake and served it with ice cream and a candle on top!

Finca Luna Nueva pool

Finca Luna Nueva, a huge organic farm and conference center near La Fortuna, was our next outing and it allowed for some nice relaxation on the veranda of our spacious family bungalow. The afternoon of our arrival, I went for a swim in their big spring-fed, non-chlorine pool while Brittany opted for the hot tub. There she met Joseph who works for FLN as a microbiologist, studying ways to sequester carbon in the soil and plants. When I joined them after my swim, we all had a most fascinating conversation about soil biology and the principles of permaculture. For more information on the biodynamic systems used at FLN, visit Joseph's blog.

The next morning we were up bright and early for a horseback ride to Arenal Volcano.

View from my horse Luna

Brittany in control again

Brittany and Yours Truly enjoy the view

Brittany is not the experienced rider that I am so she had a few rather exciting moments as her mount had different ideas than she did on which way to go. But she managed to coax the beast along the steep and muddy trail to a high point beneath the volcano that offered us a splendid, if slightly cloudy view.

Hands-free! Brittany takes a picture of Cesar, our guide, volcano in the background

Finally, on Tuesday the 14th, it was Brittany's special day and along with Layne we headed to Jacó to celebrate her birthday. The weather cooperated with beautiful sunshine and a few drifting clouds. So with Mojitos and Margaritas in hand, we lazed around for the afternoon, wandering along the sandy beaches and taking a few dips into the powerful surf before heading home for her to pack.

All in all, it was a fun-filled holiday. We hope Brittany enjoyed it all as much as we did. Happy Birthday, honey! 

Check out Layne's novel "Moral Turpitude," Kindle edition now available for only $4.99 at Amazon.com. Five star reviews! High adventure with corporate intrigue, danger and romance; from the exotic jungles of Borneo and Costa Rica to the erotic jungles of San Francisco. A great read! Pick up your copy here -http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00HI25M1K/

Hammocks, Horses and Crazy Geese

A milestone: Fabulista de Costa Rica has now passed the 50,000 all-time page view mark! A big thank you to my loyal readers!!

Time to bring you up to date on our busy lives here in Costa Rica. I say "Costa Rica" instead of Santa Eulalia because we traveled last week to a different part of the country, the Monteverde area, to enjoy Bonnie's 60th birthday with her and Stephen at a beautiful secluded rancho. Monteverde is a popular tourist destination, a remote mountain region of misty cloud forest, centered in the small town of Santa Elena almost 4700' above sea level. The weather there is chilly and predictably rainy much of the year. Fortunately for us, after one night in Santa Elena, we spent our next three nights some 3000 feet lower - though only 18 kilometers away - near the small village of Guacimal at Rancho El Rio, a working ranch and rental cottage located along the banks of a river, where the days were warm and sunny and nights crisply cool. 

Rancho el Rio

 

Bonnie and Stephen had discovered this little paradise by virtue of their friendship with the owners, Veronica and Alex Alvarado, who also own Casa Cielo, an A-frame cabin further up the mountain with spectacular views of the Gulf of Nicoya. Casa Cielo was the first place Stephen and Bonnie stayed when they arrived in Costa Rica two years ago and they quickly became friends with their charming hosts. With Bonnie's big birthday coming up, we all decided Rancho El Rio would be an ideal place to celebrate.

Hammock-time for Yours Truly

If snoozing in a hammock to the sounds of a rushing river, communing with chickens, geese and horses, hiking through pastures or relaxing with a book on a patio swing are your idea of a holiday, then Rancho El Rio is a great choice. Veronica and Alex have spent the last few months renovating a dilapidated cottage on the 112-acre property, creating a comfortably rustic and handicapped-accessible retreat. Bonnie and Stephen, who had seen the building before its overhaul, were amazed at the transformation. 

Geese pay a visit - watch out for that gander!

With a focus on environmentally friendly construction, the Alvarado's have built a snug two-bedroom, two-bath bungalow with a broad patio overlooking the river and a big open-air kitchen fully equipped for a comfortable stay. Having stocked up on food in Santa Elena and with Stephen's excellent cooking skills (with a little help from the rest of us), we took full advantage of the barbeque unit as well as the ranch fruits, which Veronica supplied on our first day. Other than my having to fight off the aggressive gander once or twice, our days were relaxing and tranquil. 

Stephen readies the BBQ 

Layne mounted and ready to ride

The highlight of the trip for me was our Thursday morning horseback ride with Veronica to explore the ranch. The couple has a string of mostly rescued horses that with their wrangler Memo's help, they have brought back to health and trained to be reliable but energetic mounts for guests. 

The Palomino mare I rode, Soñadora (Dreamer), was their newest addition and although she was still thin to my way of thinking, she was an enthusiastic partner as we cantered up the hills or trotted along in that smooth Paso Criollo gait. For me, there's nothing like the view from the back of a horse!

View from aboard Soñadora

Bonnie gets inspiration from "Spirit Rock"

We wound our way up a long hill to an unusual rock formation, a huge monolith sprouting straight up out of a level plain. We mulled the mystery of that rock in that position and agreed it was a very special place. After an hour or so of exploration, looking at the baby water buffaloes and the herd of cattle, we made our way to the river, tied up the horses, changed into shorts and waded out into the rocks for a cooling dip in the rushing waters. Wow! What fun!

Bonnie & Veronica - ride 'em Cowgirls!

A refreshing dip in the river 

Afterwards, I helped Veronica and Memo with the unsaddling and then led Soñadora to where dozens of ripe mangos lay on the ground. Veronica joined me with her horse Raya and we laughed as we watched the horses gobble up the delicious sweet fruits. Oddly, Costa Rican horses don't seem to like carrots (I've offered them to several), but they sure love mangos!

The next morning I took a long solitary hike along the dirt road and enjoyed the pastoral scenery of white cattle grazing on steep hillsides.
Along the way, I noticed a gorgeous Turquoise-browed Motmot in a tree down below and tried to get a good shot. Then I looked up and saw two of them perched just above me on the telephone line and another half dozen in trees nearby. Slightly smaller than the ones we have around our house in Santa Eulalia, they were still stunning with their iridescent green and blue coloring and distinctive long tail. 

The ubiquitous Iguanas were also easy to spot, such as this guy crossing the road in front of me.

He scurried up the steep side of the hill and disappeared into the roots of a large tree that seemed almost suspended above me.

Layne and I hiked along the river

The incredible variety and abundance of wildlife in Costa Rica continues to amaze us and we feel lucky to have opportunities like this to enjoy it.

Check out Layne's book "Moral Turpitude," available for only $2.99 at Smashwords.com. High adventure with corporate intrigue, danger and romance; from the exotic jungles of Borneo and Costa Rica to the erotic jungles of San Francisco. Sample or purchase at --https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/159570