It's hard to believe that this is my last week here. I just finished my final exam for my Spanish Composition class, and turned in my final paper for my Conservation Biology class. All I have left is my final for Spanish Conversation (which I'm not too worried about; we just have show up and talk with our professor), and then I'm done! Time feels a little strange right now, because I'm not used to the semester system. School-wise it seemed to drag on, but in every other aspect time has flown by. My last few days here will be filled with packing, getting a few more gifts for my family, and spending as much time as possible with my friends. Maybe we'll even be able to fit in one more beach day. I think I'm going to be in for a shock when I get home, as far as the temperature goes, heh.
Living in another culture/country can be quite interesting at times. There are definitely some things that I did not like about this place. For example, there is an over-grown population of stray dogs running around (and not just in San Ramon; a lot of them are grotesquely skinny or sickly, and it's sad; fortunately they are not aggressive), a lot more trash along the roads (San Ramon is actually pretty clean, which is nice, but when you get into the bigger cities it can be a problem), and there are a lot more mosquitoes and bugs here (I occasionally walked into my kitchen to discover a cockroach scuttling under the appliances). Some things were just different, such as the fact that pedestrians do NOT have the right of way and you have to be very careful while crossing the street because drivers here are nuts (my own host brother actually got in a car accident; fortunately it wasn't serious, but driving here is just scary). Another thing is that no (and I mean no) toilet paper can go in the toilets; every bathroom has a special bin for toilet paper. That didn't bother me, but it's going to be interesting adjusting to that when I get home. Also, the water and electricity services are not as reliable here. The water in San Ramon is completely clean and safe to drink, but there were several occasions where the water was shut off and we didn't know why. It was always turned back on by the next day, but my host mom had to go and buy some bottled water to get through the evening.
Then there are the things that I love and that I'm going to miss when I get back to the states. Here is a list:
-the geckos: there are always geckos hanging out on the walls around our houses; they are really cute and they make surprisingly loud kissing noises; it was fun to be in my room doing homework and hear them
-the scenery: the landscapes here are pretty breathtaking, as I'm sure you've seen from some of my pictures; I never wanted to sleep on the buses while traveling because I didn't want to miss something
-inexpensive and convenient transportation: it was always possible to get where we wanted to go on the bus, and I was able to travel to many places; also, the taxis around town were great for getting around at night; they cost less than a dollar and were much safer than walking
-salsa dancing: I'm so glad I took the dance class; we learned the Merengue, the Salsa, the Bachata, and the Cumbia, although Merengue and Salsa were my favorite. It was a blast to go out to the clubs on the weekends with my friends and Tico friends and Salsa dance
-the food: I personally really liked the food here, and I'm planning on cooking some of the same dishes when I get back to the states. Some of my favorites include gallo pinto (a breakfast dish consisting of rice and beans; in the Caribbean it was prepared with coconut milk and was absolutely heavenly), queso blanco (a specific kind of white cheese; I don't know if I'll be able to get it in the states), picadillo (ask me about this one and I'll explain it), my host moms rice dishes (eg arroz con pollo o camarones (shrimp)), and the fruit, such as papaya, mango, mamonchinos, and fried plantains. Rice and beans were eaten with almost every meal, so I'm probably going to cook a lot more of those when I get back.
-the coffee: this deserves its own bullet point. I'm sure I drink way too much coffee here, but it is delicious. It's also different than the states; the taste is different because it is much more pure (or so I've been told by the Ticos). I'm bringing some back, but it will be sad when I run out of it. Also, we have a favorite coffee shop directly across the street from the university campus, and you can get a cup of coffee for 300 colones (575ish colones = $1), and it's always pleasant to go in the afternoon and sit and relax.
-learning/improving Spanish: I feel that I have improved my Spanish skills immensely since I've been here, and it has been frustrating at times, also amusing, but most of all rewarding. I'm planning on working hard when I get back so as not to lose what I have learned.
-the laid back lifestyle: San Ramon is very tranquil and relaxed. I don't feel as stressed out as I did before I came, and it's great. I'm hoping to keep this state of mind with me when I return.
-the people: There are only 16 people in my group here, and we all get along really well. We have become very close, and I know I've made some lifelong friendships. It has been a blast getting to know and spending time with everyone. It will be difficult to say goodbye on Friday, but I know that we will all keep in touch, and it won't be the last time I see everyone. I have also become good friends with a couple of Ticos, and I'm really glad I formed those friendships, because I was able to experience more of the culture that way. Keeping in touch with them will also give me a good excuse to come back and visit. Also, my advisors and professors have been amazing. They do so much for us, and I really appreciate everything. I hope to keep in touch with my ecology professor and potentially come back to Costa Rica for an internship in the future. Who knows.
This has been an amazing experience. This may sound cliche, but I do feel like I have learned a lot about myself while I have been here. It has also shown me how important my family is to me, and I am so excited to come home and see them on Friday! Overall, I am so glad I came, and I wouldn't trade it for anything. Thanks for keeping up with my blog. I hope you enjoyed it, and I'm sure I'll be talking to you soon!
Monday, December 7, 2009
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
Thanksgiving!
Hi everyone! I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving. Mine was good, but it definitely felt a bit strange. I had Thursday and Friday off, so a group of five of us did a longer trip down to the southern Pacific coast.
First we spent Wednesday night at a hostel in San Jose, and then left at 5:30 in the morning to head to Uvita. We arrived at around 11:00 am, so we had the afternoon to enjoy. We stayed at a nice little cabina, with our own kitchen. We first went to the beach. Marino Ballena National Park (next to Uvita) has a really nice beach. Uvita is a quiet little farming/beach town, and there weren't a lot of people there. It was very relaxing. That night we improvised for our Thanksgiving dinner, and we had mashed potatoes, vegetables, bread and cheese. For dessert we made mini peach cobblers (using mostly canned peaches and granola). It was definitely the most interesting Thanksgiving I've ever had. I missed the stuffing, sweet potatoes, cranberry sauce, and pies (and of course my family and friends), but we did our best. It turned out well.
Friday we hiked to a waterfall, and Saturday morning we spent at the beach again. Then Saturday evening we headed north to Quepos. Quepos is a bigger port town that is the gateway to Manuel Antonio National Park. Manuel Antonio is very famous, and incredibly crowded and touristy. We got up early Sunday morning and made it into the park before 8, and discovered it is famous for good reason. We were able to get within a few feet of monkeys (Capuchins, or white-faced monkeys, or carablancas in Espanol), and the beaches are breathtaking. It was a really good thing that we got there so early, however, because as we were leaving at around 10:30 there was a huge line to get into the park and hordes of people were coming in. I can't imagine what it's like during high tourist season.
Then we made the trip back to San Ramon. It was a nice trip and I'm glad I got the chance to see the south Pacific. It was my last trip while I'm here, because I am now finishing up school and starting to make the preparations to come home. 11 days! I'm excited.
First we spent Wednesday night at a hostel in San Jose, and then left at 5:30 in the morning to head to Uvita. We arrived at around 11:00 am, so we had the afternoon to enjoy. We stayed at a nice little cabina, with our own kitchen. We first went to the beach. Marino Ballena National Park (next to Uvita) has a really nice beach. Uvita is a quiet little farming/beach town, and there weren't a lot of people there. It was very relaxing. That night we improvised for our Thanksgiving dinner, and we had mashed potatoes, vegetables, bread and cheese. For dessert we made mini peach cobblers (using mostly canned peaches and granola). It was definitely the most interesting Thanksgiving I've ever had. I missed the stuffing, sweet potatoes, cranberry sauce, and pies (and of course my family and friends), but we did our best. It turned out well.
Friday we hiked to a waterfall, and Saturday morning we spent at the beach again. Then Saturday evening we headed north to Quepos. Quepos is a bigger port town that is the gateway to Manuel Antonio National Park. Manuel Antonio is very famous, and incredibly crowded and touristy. We got up early Sunday morning and made it into the park before 8, and discovered it is famous for good reason. We were able to get within a few feet of monkeys (Capuchins, or white-faced monkeys, or carablancas in Espanol), and the beaches are breathtaking. It was a really good thing that we got there so early, however, because as we were leaving at around 10:30 there was a huge line to get into the park and hordes of people were coming in. I can't imagine what it's like during high tourist season.
Then we made the trip back to San Ramon. It was a nice trip and I'm glad I got the chance to see the south Pacific. It was my last trip while I'm here, because I am now finishing up school and starting to make the preparations to come home. 11 days! I'm excited.
Monday, November 23, 2009
Last Field Trip
Hello everyone! I had my last field trip this past weekend, for Conservation Biology. We went to Palo Verde, which is a National Park in Guanacaste. It contains a large wetland area for migratory birds, so it is an important habitat. We stayed at the biological field station and did a couple of hikes through the park. Saturday night we accompanied a biologist during her data collection period. She was conducting a study on frog species in the area. She had set up a length of mesh fencing along the forest floor with a series of buckets embedded in the ground. Anytime a frog (or other reptile) comes to the fence, it gets funneled into one of the buckets. The scientists can then take measurements and collect data on the species that they find. We got to see a lot of frogs, a turtle, and a couple of snakes. One of them was a coral snake, and it was beautiful, but venomous. The scientists actually take venom samples from these snakes when they catch them to produce antivenom. It is an important job, but they have to be extremely careful. It was interesting to see research being conducted in the field, and I'm glad we got to go out with her that night.
Palo Verde was beautiful, but it was really hot and dry, and there were millions of mosquitoes. It was pretty miserable in those respects. One can always tell how bad the mosquitoes are by the sleeping accommodations. Each bed in the field station at Palo Verde had a heavy-duty mosquito net, and it was a relief to take refuge under it when we went to bed. I'm still pretty itchy though. Oh well. Part of the experience I guess.
Palo Verde was beautiful, but it was really hot and dry, and there were millions of mosquitoes. It was pretty miserable in those respects. One can always tell how bad the mosquitoes are by the sleeping accommodations. Each bed in the field station at Palo Verde had a heavy-duty mosquito net, and it was a relief to take refuge under it when we went to bed. I'm still pretty itchy though. Oh well. Part of the experience I guess.
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
More like Hawaii....
Well, a few of my friends and I (four of us total) took a trip to Tamarindo this past weekend. It is a beach in Guanacaste, on the northern Pacific (not as far north as Santa Rosa). There are a lot of beaches up and down this part of the coast, and they have the reputation of being the most beautiful beaches in the country. The beach in Tamarindo certainly was gorgeous, but the town atmosphere is also important. Tamarindo felt a lot more like Hawaii, or a beach town in Southern California. It was very touristy, with a lot of shops, night clubs, fancy restaurants, and fancy hotels. More people spoke English than Spanish, which was slightly disappointing. It was a different experience. I am glad we went, however, as we had two gorgeous sunsets and some relaxing beach time. Getting there and back was interesting though. We had one broken down bus on the way there, and we got on the wrong bus while we were trying to come home, so it ended up taking us an extra two hours. Oh well. Adventures in traveling. Enjoy the photos!
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
Field Trip #2
Hello All! I hope everyone's weekend was good; mine was very relaxing. We started off on Friday by heading to San Jose. A few people had to run errands in the city; namely to buy bus tickets for their Thanksgiving plans (some of them are going to Nicaragua for the break as we have four days off, so they had to buy tickets ahead of time; I am planning to go south down the Pacific coast to Dominical, Uvita and Marino Ballena National Park).
I'm going to do a short side note about traveling here. I'm sure some of you are wondering how exactly we get around and manage to go to all of these amazing places. The bus system here in Costa Rica is pretty decent. One can get almost anywhere from San Jose, so it's really nice that San Ramon is so close. The buses between San Ramon and San Jose are frequent (every two hours), the ride is only an hour, and it costs less than $2. Many buses from San Jose also happen to pass right by San Ramon, so we just have to go out to the main stop on the highway to hop on the bus that we need. The only downside of that strategy is that the buses are usually crowded, so my friends and I have had to stand for an hour or so with our stuff until someone gets off and we can take their seat.
The other travel gateway is Puntarenas, which is only about and hour and a half from San Ramon. From there one can go north to Liberia or the north Pacific coast, south down the Pacific coast, or across on a ferry to the Nicoya Peninsula. So there you have it.
Anyway, my friends and I made a day out of San Jose on Friday. As we had already done the sightseeing of the city on a previous trip, we did something completely different. My friend Kelsey and I like to rock climb, so we found a gym in where we could go. Rock climbing is not nearly as popular in Costa Rica as it is in the US, but it was fun to get some exercise, meet some Ticos (what the Costa Ricans call themselves), and do something that reminded me of home. I'm glad I went.
The next day was our second field trip with USAC. All 16 of us went, so it was fun to travel with everyone for a change. We went to Arenal Volcano. We stayed Saturday night in the town of La Fortuna, which is a fun little town (although touristy) with the volcano as the back drop. We went to Los Termales de Baldi (Hot Springs) on Saturday, which was wonderfully relaxing. It is a huge resort, with about 20 pools of different temperatures. The hottest one is about 150 degrees F, which is ridiculous and there was no one in it. I put my toes in and it was not enjoyable. The other pools were much better. Anyway, the next morning we went to Los Puentes Colgados, or the Hanging Bridges. We took a stroll through the forest, stopped at a waterfall, and had some fabulous views of the Volcano and the scenery. We also saw some monkeys. It was a pretty nice weekend.
I'm going to do a short side note about traveling here. I'm sure some of you are wondering how exactly we get around and manage to go to all of these amazing places. The bus system here in Costa Rica is pretty decent. One can get almost anywhere from San Jose, so it's really nice that San Ramon is so close. The buses between San Ramon and San Jose are frequent (every two hours), the ride is only an hour, and it costs less than $2. Many buses from San Jose also happen to pass right by San Ramon, so we just have to go out to the main stop on the highway to hop on the bus that we need. The only downside of that strategy is that the buses are usually crowded, so my friends and I have had to stand for an hour or so with our stuff until someone gets off and we can take their seat.
The other travel gateway is Puntarenas, which is only about and hour and a half from San Ramon. From there one can go north to Liberia or the north Pacific coast, south down the Pacific coast, or across on a ferry to the Nicoya Peninsula. So there you have it.
Anyway, my friends and I made a day out of San Jose on Friday. As we had already done the sightseeing of the city on a previous trip, we did something completely different. My friend Kelsey and I like to rock climb, so we found a gym in where we could go. Rock climbing is not nearly as popular in Costa Rica as it is in the US, but it was fun to get some exercise, meet some Ticos (what the Costa Ricans call themselves), and do something that reminded me of home. I'm glad I went.
The next day was our second field trip with USAC. All 16 of us went, so it was fun to travel with everyone for a change. We went to Arenal Volcano. We stayed Saturday night in the town of La Fortuna, which is a fun little town (although touristy) with the volcano as the back drop. We went to Los Termales de Baldi (Hot Springs) on Saturday, which was wonderfully relaxing. It is a huge resort, with about 20 pools of different temperatures. The hottest one is about 150 degrees F, which is ridiculous and there was no one in it. I put my toes in and it was not enjoyable. The other pools were much better. Anyway, the next morning we went to Los Puentes Colgados, or the Hanging Bridges. We took a stroll through the forest, stopped at a waterfall, and had some fabulous views of the Volcano and the scenery. We also saw some monkeys. It was a pretty nice weekend.
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
I can't believe it is already November. This trip is going by really fast, but I am enjoying it. I will be ready to come home in December, however, to see my family and friends. I miss everyone.
On a happy note, I had a good weekend. Friday we celebrated All Hallows Eve. The Costa Ricans don't celebrate Halloween, so the kids from Puntarenas and Heredia came to San Ramon for the fiesta. There were about 90 of us gringos, and our professors, but it was fun. We discovered that the Puntarenas kids really like to party (hence I'm glad I chose San Ramon because I wouldn't have fit in with that group). Mostly everyone had a costume, and I was a scarecrow. It was a fun evening.
A group of my friends and I then went to Monteverde. We were there Saturday and Sunday morning. We stayed in a little hostel and cooked a family style spaghetti dinner on Saturday night, which was really fun. Monteverde was beautiful, but it reminded me more of a place in the US (Cannon Beach, Oregon, in particular). It was very touristy (fancy hotels, Italian restaurants and art galleries and souvenir shops everywhere), everyone spoke English, and the activities were all very expensive (it even cost money to hike, which was annoying. We were lucky on Saturday to find a trail that no one was guarding, so we didn't have to pay. We found a little waterfall, and saw some monkeys. We also visited the cheese factory. I'm glad I went, but it was definitely a different experience.
On a happy note, I had a good weekend. Friday we celebrated All Hallows Eve. The Costa Ricans don't celebrate Halloween, so the kids from Puntarenas and Heredia came to San Ramon for the fiesta. There were about 90 of us gringos, and our professors, but it was fun. We discovered that the Puntarenas kids really like to party (hence I'm glad I chose San Ramon because I wouldn't have fit in with that group). Mostly everyone had a costume, and I was a scarecrow. It was a fun evening.
A group of my friends and I then went to Monteverde. We were there Saturday and Sunday morning. We stayed in a little hostel and cooked a family style spaghetti dinner on Saturday night, which was really fun. Monteverde was beautiful, but it reminded me more of a place in the US (Cannon Beach, Oregon, in particular). It was very touristy (fancy hotels, Italian restaurants and art galleries and souvenir shops everywhere), everyone spoke English, and the activities were all very expensive (it even cost money to hike, which was annoying. We were lucky on Saturday to find a trail that no one was guarding, so we didn't have to pay. We found a little waterfall, and saw some monkeys. We also visited the cheese factory. I'm glad I went, but it was definitely a different experience.
Sunday, October 25, 2009
Hey Everyone! I just got back from my mid-semester break. It was fabulous. First, we went over to Tortuguero (on the northern Caribbean) for two days, and then we went down to Bocas Del Toro, Panama, for three. And now, for more detail:
This trip was organized by the USAC program, so I just had to sit back and relax while the directors worried about everything. We (11 of us from San Ramon) traveled with the Heredia program, so there were about 45 of us. Occasionally it was a hassle to travel with so many people, but it was fun to get to know the kids from Heredia. We all fit in a tour bus, so that made it easier.
We left at 5 am Monday morning, which was rough, but we had to get an early start. Tortuguero is only accessible by boat or plane, so after we drove over to the coast (about 5 hours) we had an hour boat ride. After some engine trouble we arrived at our hotel, the Pachira Lodge, at about 1:30. That afternoon we wandered around the town of Tortuguero, which is a colorful little town with a relaxed feel. We hung out by the pool after dinner.
The next day started with a stroll through the selva (or jungle). We saw some tropical birds, including a Toucan, and plenty of monkeys. After lunch we had some free time to swim or kayak, and then we had a boat tour on the river. We saw a lot of birds that time, including three Great Green Macaws, which are very endangered and really rare. That was exciting.
Now, since I was in Tortuguero, you are probably wondering if I happened to see any turtles. Because of the conservation program, turtle viewing at night is very controlled. You have to go with a guide, there are a lot of rules, and it costs $25 per person (our tour didn't cover that). Not everyone in our group wanted to pay the extra money (especially since turtle sightings weren't guaranteed), but I decided that this would probably be my only chance to see turtles in Costa Rica. It was absolutely worth it and I am so glad I did it. My friends Morgan and Kelsey did it with me too. We left our hotel at 7:45 pm to go over to the beach. We were split into groups of about 8, and then had to wait until our guide got a signal that a turtle had been sighted (obviously they didn't want a lot of people wandering around on the beach). Fortunately we didn't have to wait very long. At this point we weren't allowed to have cameras or lights of any kind so as not to disturb the turtles. The guides (mine was named Dennis) had the only lights, and they were red. Our first turtle had finished laying eggs and was covering up her nest. She was huge! Several hundred pounds. These were Green Turtles, which aren't even the biggest (Leatherbacks are). While we were watching her, someone noticed two babies that had hatched from another nest and were scrambling over the sand down to the water. That was really exciting, and we walked with them to see them swim away. Next, we got a report of a mother turtle that was heading back to the water after finishing her nest. She didn't have far to go, but it took her a while because she was tired after her hard work. At this point I was very satisfied with my turtle experience and would have been happy to head back to the boat. However, our guide gathered us and informed us (he spoke completely in Spanish and I was able to understand everything, which was exciting) that they had another turtle farther up the beach that was in the process of laying eggs and if we hurried we might get there in time to see it. So we started walking at a brisk pace, and after about 15 minutes we arrived. We got there just in time! It was so cool to see the mother laying the eggs. They seemed so fragile, and were about the size of golf balls. In about 70 days they will hatch. At this point it was nearly 10, so we went back to the boat. We had been out there for about two hours, and they had gone by really fast. It was a great experience.
The next morning (Wednesday), we left Tortuguero to make our journey down to Panama. It took most of the day. We crossed the border at 5, and then had an hour bus ride, followed by a 30 minute boat ride. Bocas Del Toro is located in a group of islands, so boats are the main form of transportation. I loved it. That evening we relaxed at our hotel. (below is me crossing the border)
Thursday and Friday we spent at various beaches on the islands. They were all beautiful. The sand was soft and white and the waters were warm and clear and lovely shades of blue. We also did some snorkeling, and ate a lot of delicious food (mostly fish). It was paradise. Thursday we went to Cayo Coral, Playa Estrella (star beach; I loved this beach because of the numerous star fish in the water), and Red Frog beach. That night we hung around town. Bocas Del Toro is a quaint little town. Pretty touristy, but we had a lot of fun. The next day we went to Bahia Delfines (Dolphin Bay). Yes, we saw dolphins on our way there. We had two boats, so one boat drove around in circles while the dolphins played in the wake by swimming and leaping out of the water. We also went to Zapatilla Cay. It's a little island, and it would be hard to find a more perfect beach. It also had great snorkeling. It was probably my favorite. Well, all of it was my favorite, but if I had to pick one it would be Zapatilla.
The next morning was Saturday, and alas, we had to head home. It was a long day of traveling, but the trip was amazing. If anyone is interested, I highly recommend Bocas Del Toro. I hope I get the chance to go back. Now I have to get back into school mode, but this week was definitely a nice break.
This trip was organized by the USAC program, so I just had to sit back and relax while the directors worried about everything. We (11 of us from San Ramon) traveled with the Heredia program, so there were about 45 of us. Occasionally it was a hassle to travel with so many people, but it was fun to get to know the kids from Heredia. We all fit in a tour bus, so that made it easier.
We left at 5 am Monday morning, which was rough, but we had to get an early start. Tortuguero is only accessible by boat or plane, so after we drove over to the coast (about 5 hours) we had an hour boat ride. After some engine trouble we arrived at our hotel, the Pachira Lodge, at about 1:30. That afternoon we wandered around the town of Tortuguero, which is a colorful little town with a relaxed feel. We hung out by the pool after dinner.
The next day started with a stroll through the selva (or jungle). We saw some tropical birds, including a Toucan, and plenty of monkeys. After lunch we had some free time to swim or kayak, and then we had a boat tour on the river. We saw a lot of birds that time, including three Great Green Macaws, which are very endangered and really rare. That was exciting.
Now, since I was in Tortuguero, you are probably wondering if I happened to see any turtles. Because of the conservation program, turtle viewing at night is very controlled. You have to go with a guide, there are a lot of rules, and it costs $25 per person (our tour didn't cover that). Not everyone in our group wanted to pay the extra money (especially since turtle sightings weren't guaranteed), but I decided that this would probably be my only chance to see turtles in Costa Rica. It was absolutely worth it and I am so glad I did it. My friends Morgan and Kelsey did it with me too. We left our hotel at 7:45 pm to go over to the beach. We were split into groups of about 8, and then had to wait until our guide got a signal that a turtle had been sighted (obviously they didn't want a lot of people wandering around on the beach). Fortunately we didn't have to wait very long. At this point we weren't allowed to have cameras or lights of any kind so as not to disturb the turtles. The guides (mine was named Dennis) had the only lights, and they were red. Our first turtle had finished laying eggs and was covering up her nest. She was huge! Several hundred pounds. These were Green Turtles, which aren't even the biggest (Leatherbacks are). While we were watching her, someone noticed two babies that had hatched from another nest and were scrambling over the sand down to the water. That was really exciting, and we walked with them to see them swim away. Next, we got a report of a mother turtle that was heading back to the water after finishing her nest. She didn't have far to go, but it took her a while because she was tired after her hard work. At this point I was very satisfied with my turtle experience and would have been happy to head back to the boat. However, our guide gathered us and informed us (he spoke completely in Spanish and I was able to understand everything, which was exciting) that they had another turtle farther up the beach that was in the process of laying eggs and if we hurried we might get there in time to see it. So we started walking at a brisk pace, and after about 15 minutes we arrived. We got there just in time! It was so cool to see the mother laying the eggs. They seemed so fragile, and were about the size of golf balls. In about 70 days they will hatch. At this point it was nearly 10, so we went back to the boat. We had been out there for about two hours, and they had gone by really fast. It was a great experience.
The next morning (Wednesday), we left Tortuguero to make our journey down to Panama. It took most of the day. We crossed the border at 5, and then had an hour bus ride, followed by a 30 minute boat ride. Bocas Del Toro is located in a group of islands, so boats are the main form of transportation. I loved it. That evening we relaxed at our hotel. (below is me crossing the border)
Thursday and Friday we spent at various beaches on the islands. They were all beautiful. The sand was soft and white and the waters were warm and clear and lovely shades of blue. We also did some snorkeling, and ate a lot of delicious food (mostly fish). It was paradise. Thursday we went to Cayo Coral, Playa Estrella (star beach; I loved this beach because of the numerous star fish in the water), and Red Frog beach. That night we hung around town. Bocas Del Toro is a quaint little town. Pretty touristy, but we had a lot of fun. The next day we went to Bahia Delfines (Dolphin Bay). Yes, we saw dolphins on our way there. We had two boats, so one boat drove around in circles while the dolphins played in the wake by swimming and leaping out of the water. We also went to Zapatilla Cay. It's a little island, and it would be hard to find a more perfect beach. It also had great snorkeling. It was probably my favorite. Well, all of it was my favorite, but if I had to pick one it would be Zapatilla.
The next morning was Saturday, and alas, we had to head home. It was a long day of traveling, but the trip was amazing. If anyone is interested, I highly recommend Bocas Del Toro. I hope I get the chance to go back. Now I have to get back into school mode, but this week was definitely a nice break.
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