TravelStream™ news feed for member ccchrissie on TravelPod's free travel blogs service http://www.travelpod.com/syndication/rss/ccchrissie en-us Copyright ©2009 TravelPod.com Mon, 14 Dec 2009 12:19:03 -0500 http://www.travelpod.com http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/ccchrissie/2/1260228092/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/ccchrissie/2/1260228092/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/ccchrissie/2/1260228092/tpod.html Mon, 14 Dec 2009 12:19:03 -0500 Central America sin compromiso

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Drake, Puntarenas, Costa Rica

Was recommended to Rio Drake Lodge but it is several k's out of town and the public boat won't drop off there. Taxis are expensive ($10 ish) and there are only 2 buses a day.

Needed to be in town to organise Corcovado trip & diving at Cano, so stayed at Jademar as nice place & staff, cheap and has kitchen.

Did the Sirena station tour in Corcovado with them - don't bother - the guide was no good, didn't even have telescope or binoculars & tried to cut the tour short by an hour! Have to wade through numerous rivers so use wellies if you can.

Did come across and get quite close to a herd of peccaries (wild pigs) - you can smell them coming! Also saw some spider monkeys, toucans & other birds but sadly no anteaters or tapirs, which are still on my wish list.

Heard the Cabinas Manolo guide was good at spotting stuff but he's a complete ******.

Had a much more enjoyable day the next (and it was practically free!) walking the coast path from town to Playa San Josecito, which supposedly has the whitest sand & best snorkelling along the coast.

Stopped along the way to organise the next day's diving with Paloma Divers at their resort - not impressed with the other 2 main operators in town who were unwilling to commit to even attempting to going to Bajo del Diablo, the best site on Cano Island.

Saw loads of lovely desserted beaches, many with clear streamlets running down them - great to be able to rinse off after swimming before the long walk home. Saw toucans, capuchin monkeys, scarlet macaws and a hairy green caterpillar.

The path is muddy & steep in places so decent boots helpful though there is a major river, Rio Claro to cross. If you don't want to struggle against the strong current & painful pebbles underfoot, there is an enterprising guy in a canoe to ferry you across for $1. He does 1.5 hour tours upriver to the falls as well for just $10.

The path occasionally disappears and/or it is easier to walk on the beach in places so went as the tide was going out to give plenty of time to lie around on the beach & get there and back. Was tired coming back & had used all my water so hitched a ride (just bunged the captain a couple of bucks) with a passing boat returning to town, which dropped me at the "marina", a small sheltered area at the mouth of the river Aguilipas?

The first dive on Cano was a cave close to shore - deep, low and dark in there so glad I didn't run into a shark! Did see some white tips later & plenty of fish but vis not good.

Bajo del Diablo was way offshore so great current & vis - loads of whitetips again but sadly wrong time of year for many rays, though we did see some Devil rays jumping feet out of the water while sat on the boat - still want to dive with them and mantas.

After a good lunch back on the island, hopped in with the snorkellers. Strong surge & bad vis but did see some big schools of fish.

Early night as 3.30 am start to get 4am bus - no real stop, just ford the river at the bottom of the hill and wait!





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Santa Catalina, Veraguas, Panama

xxx
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Sierpe, Puntarenas, Costa Rica

Pretty drive down, last bit in the dark as decided to leave at last minute, abandoning plans to go inland in search of quetzales.

As dusk falling passed through more oil palm plantations - the older ones have beautiful 2 storey wooden homes for their employees centred around a green, which in practice ends up being a football field.

Was directed to the only cheap hotel in town "al fondo" but no sign - good job I asked as I discovered in the morning, if I'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 agreement El Indio is the best.

Lots of hanging around for the "ferry" - a lancha with cover & massive 200hp outboard which was stretched to capacity on the trip to Drake Bay. The book fails to mention this service - it's $15 and leaves about 11am though best to go in at least an hour or two before to reserve your slot.

Was a fun & beautiful hour's trip and we even stopped to check out a croc sunbathing on the way. Prepare to get wet as beach landing!
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Uvita, Province of Puntarenas, Costa Rica

Small village on the main road but Tucan Hotel set back. Not cheap and only 2 showers/toilets shared between up to 4 people in treehouse, 4 in hammocks, multiple others camping plus 12 people in dorms when fully occupied. Female shower/toilet always full of men as bigger - thankfully came when quiet.

Cocked up the directions to the falls, Cascadas Verde & didn't turn left before hardware store. Ended up crossing the river on a tree trunk bridge & going 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 roads to get to the free beach access and aa slightly shorter one returning from the main park entrance which was closer to the action - worth investing 2-3 bucks each way on a taxi.

The Whales Tail, a rocky promontory shaped as described, was supposedly good for snorkelling but trying to get to the outside edge was risky on the large expanse of jagged rock, yet alone trying to enter in all that surge - you would need fins with booties and to be brave or stupid to do it!

It was a beautiful expanse of deserted beach and the little bays protected by the whales tail good for swimmimg although the sand is always wet - often covered at high tide!

Because staying in a dorm & no lockers, attached my netbook to the bed with the kensington lock - sadly the key broke in the lock & had to saw it off the bed - the owner kindly obliged with his diamond tipped electric blade - sparks flew, but freedom was forthcoming.
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/ccchrissie/2/1260228240/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/ccchrissie/2/1260228240/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/ccchrissie/2/1260228240/tpod.html Fri, 11 Dec 2009 10:12:21 -0500 Central America sin compromiso

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Boquete, Panama

xxx
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Puerto Jimenez, Province of Puntarenas, Costa Rica

xxx
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/ccchrissie/2/1258925637/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/ccchrissie/2/1258925637/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/ccchrissie/2/1258925637/tpod.html Tue, 01 Dec 2009 18:49:33 -0500 Central America sin compromiso

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Tamarindo, Province of Guanacaste, Costa Rica

Spotted Cow not as priced in book - as with many places charge the same for a single as a double so ended back down the road at the first place I'd passed. Room OK but bathrooms pretty yukky - at least free decent coffee. Nice beach for sunsets on the sands - no beach bars with good views due to the 50M rule now being enforced. Chocked full of beginner surfers but pleasant for a stroll to the estuary.

Stayed here even though intended to stay at pricier location of Brasilito because bus driver said there were frequent departures & it was possible to do as a day trip from there. Brasilito is about a km from Playa Concha which the book says is the prettiest beach in the country, with turquoise water.

I discovered the true facts the next day as I waited for the 9.25 bus for more than an hour. Gave up then & decided to get the next at 11.20, only to find the actual departure time had been 11am. Even if I had got that I would have had to be back in an hour to get the only bus back and given it was a km from the road to the beach, I would have had to turn around immediately - no wonder the LP was so sketchy about buses on this stretch of the coast - impossible to get any accurate info!




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Santa Cruz, Guanacaste, Costa Rica

Quite nice little town with a great bakery with free coffee opening at 5.15am - ideal for the early bus.

This was Plan B to be here after earlier plans failed - the idea was to go to Puntarenas from here as LP listed there were departures - there were, but only all the way back via Liberia for many hours travel North in order to get south. Decided to go to Playa Naranjo & then get the ferry to Puntarenas - ferry cheap and I hate doubling back.
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Puntarenas, Province of Puntarenas, Costa Rica

The main port of the country & suitably gritty and untouristy - most of the hotels do hourly rentals if you know what I mean! Stayed at the most secure place with no hourly rentals but still their showers were designed so women can flash their tits at passing men - the above waist height air bricks, much more air than brick, were overlooked by the walkway to the rooms. The male manager was, as ever, completely unconcerned!

Met Bill for a swim, late lunch, drinks, and a catch up at the yacht club - hadn't met since Mexico.

Off for my second, but not last (due to lack of roads), crossing of the gulf of Nicoya.
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Montezuma, Province of Puntarenas, Costa Rica

Got the best located room of Costa Rica so far, right on the beach, but so full of mossies had to have the fan on high all night - could only just hear the waves crashing nearby.

Walked a couple of k's to a beach supposedly good for snorkelling, but only if you're happy to risk the strong surge & rip from the beach.

Went to check out the famous 3 level falls near the village but ugly brown waters due to recent rains and slippery as hell. There is no proper path so you're either ascending in mud or on slippery rocks - most people die here not from jumping from the 2nd fall into the pool below but slipping on the rocks. Wasn't prepared to risk myself or my ankle & gave up.

Montezuma was OK - a decent super, an OK surfy beach north of town and some nice restaurants, but for me the place did not have a nice feel.
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