Hotel El Mono Feliz Ballena

We will post trip information here as soon as it starts. For 2010, we will continue planning the project and look for Sponsors that are willing to invest and support the Project. All indications in that regard is ...

... d gone a few feet further I'd have been in the drink!

Hotel was cheap because it had no windows maybe, just screened in orifices that admitted no bugs but plenty of noise.

Enjoyed a great foccacia bread at the biggest hotel in town, right on the river - the Italians that formerly had El Vago now work there. Not too pricey either.

Had breakfast at the Mexican - great to have chorizo again. Had a good chat about Mexico and its beer - we're in ...

... through the bamboo forest, but turned back just before the right fork that would have got me to other swimming holes.

Finally back on route, found the falls but the river was so swollen after recent rains I was dubious about going into the main flow & getting washed down to the lower pool from which there was no way out except down. Went in at the smaller side falls which were more sedate.

The Ballena National Park was a long hot walk on poor ...

After dropping Bev off at the airport we headed straight out of town. Of course this took us a good hour due to traffic and the inability to get proper directions! The map I we had purchased at a hotel the day when we came into the country was supposedly up-to-date, but so far I had counted around 10 mistakes. The San Jose portion was no different. By the time we got out of the city it was around 3 PM so we only had a few hours of daylight left and we still had to go ...

Just a quick blog to keep you up to date
Had to change plans as there was no space at Sirena Ranger Station. Margarita was able to organise alternative route into Corcovado
Got Marvi bus to Sierpe. Stayed in good cabinas and had excellent meal in their restaurant

... am OK, but the band music is still hard. It helps if I know the song and then sometimes I can follow. For me this is the biggest thing I have tried to get over!!! I am an "old san Francisco hippy" and love my music!!! So this my friend is my quest!!!! So that's encouraging... love to all. Ken PS I've included a pic from the school of a kd with a cochlear implant...not a fashion statement but she does well.

... they speak. Probably because we all share the same goal at that moment.

Inside the shelter, there is no hot water... the water comes straight from the nascent. Its the coldest water ive ever felt on me. So in order to take a bath I had to do some thinking first...There is only one phone. The phone line comes all th e way from the town, 15 Kms away,
from a line that is buried beneath the way ...

... I should have acknowledged it. We woke up with the sun just after 6am, an ambitious starting time but still well late for the one bus of the day leaving for the base of the highest peak in Costa Rica, Cerro Chirripo. We had decided that after a good week of beach time we were ready for something challenging, and the 3800m mountain seemed like just the thing. It is a two day affair, with a night spent in the mountain top hostel before decending the following ...

... informed me was the "good" bridge), up the steep hill, and up another hill on the road to catch the bus back into town. The next morning (back in San Isidro) before heading out to San Vito another leg of the bicycle tour was ending in San Isidro. So we were back in the central park watching. It was a peleton finish with a few stragglers. I thought it was very cool that after the race, you could walk right up to the riders to get an autograph.

... stores selling frog key chains, with a paved path through the first few meters of a degraded forest. It's not like that at all. It's overpriced, but we managed to find a place for $8 a night per person, which seems reasonable for Costa Rica. Our short walk from the hotel to the beach took us down a muddy, pot-holed road under a dripping canopy full of flowers and the occasional monkey. During the week, the town beach was nearly deserted, and the ...