Number 23   

Arenal Volcano and Los Fortuna, Costa Rica

On our return trip from Las Chiles, we stopped at Arenal Volcano and the adjacent town La Fortuna. One of Costa Rica's most notable natural features is the Arenal Volcano. There are 9 volcanos in Costa Rica. This impressive volcano resides within the 29,960-acre Arenal Volcano National Park, and the Arenal volcano measures at least 5,358 feet tall.  Although the volcano entered into a resting phase in 2010 – meaning that its eruptions have paused – it is still a stunning sight, and sometimes gives off smoke to remind you that it is still active, but just sleeping.

I caught the volcano letting off some smoke.

Lake Arenal

Rising above the rainforest that surrounds its base, Arenal frames the skyline with near perfect symmetry.  We loved the sight of this magnificent volcano.  Arenal is considered a young volcano and the age is estimated to be less than 7,500 years.  It was Costa Rica's most active volcano until 2010, and one of the ten most active volcanoes in the world. It has been studied by seismologists for many years including a team from the Smithsonian Institute. 

On Monday, July 29, 1968 at 7:30 AM, the Arenal Volcano suddenly and violently erupted. The eruptions continued unabated for several days, burying over 15 square kilometers with rocks, lava and ash. When it was finally over, the eruptions had killed 87 people and buried 3 small villages and affected more than 232 square kilometers of land. Crops were spoiled, property was ruined, and large amounts of livestock were killed.

At the height of its ferocious activity, the volcano flung giant rocks – some weighing several tons – more than a kilometer away at a rate of 600 meters per second. These explosions would go on to form three new active craters.

As the three towns were destroyed on the western side of the volcano, a town by the name of El Borio on the east side was untouched and unharmed. After the volcano ceased to erupt, El Borio (was founded in the mid 1930s) and was renamed La Fortuna, which means "the fortunate", referring to its luckiness that the volcano erupted to the west and not the east.

The town is quaint but also very much a tourist magnet.  It has lots of souvenir stores and tour groups.  Since we enjoy more of the natural environment, we didn’t spend much time in the town.  It is worth a visit since the people are very helpful.

We did spend a day at Baldi Hot Springs Resort & Spa.  Baldi  has 25 thermo mineral hot water pools flowing naturally from the base of the volcano.  The hottest pools start at the top and temperatures cool off as you descend ranging in temperatures from 152 116, 113, 110, 109, 104, 102, 100, 93 º F.  The top pools were way too hot for us, but I think everyone could find a temperature that is right for them.  It is quite impressive as you walk around the property.  They have built bars that extend into the pools.

The top and hottest pool

 

To spend any time at Baldi you have to pay!  It costs us $92 for us to use the pools and have a buffet dinner.  Please, please skip the buffet, unless it is quantity not quality you are looking for.  The food was bad in our opinion.  Also I feel like I should say something about the pools.  They bring in bus-loads of people who have also paid the entrance fee.  Some of the buses are only children.  They are allowed to run free and I do mean run.  

Next time we are there, we would much prefer to check out the natural springs and avoid the crowds at Baldi.

We stayed at the Arenal Observatory Lodge & Spa (AOL for short).  La Fortuna has its abundance of large resorts.  We decided on AOL because it is just over 1.7 miles south of the Arenal volcano and less crowded than the large resorts, with a spectacular view of the volcano as well as an impressive view of nearby Arenal Lake and surrounded by 870 acres of incredible rain forest offers the area's most stunning views of the volcano and Arenal Lake.  We elected the smaller AOL because we wanted to hike and bird watch and just watch the volcano.  We stayed in the Smithsonian rooms at AOL.  These rooms feature a huge picture windows giving you a majestic view of the volcano from the comfort of your bed.

Porch that overlooks the volcano

View from our Porch

Also AOL has its own waterfall right on the property.  We hiked to the waterfall in the rain.  It was great.  It was our own private waterfall for the day.  

And for those of you who know me I am totally afraid of heights, but I managed to walk across the hanging bridge.  My motivation was the swimming pool and hot tub on the other side.

Our private hot tub

If you are planning a trip to Costa Rica, we recommend a side trip to La Fortuna and a stay at the Arenal Observatory Lodge.  While you are there take a moment to stop and see nature at its finest.

Leaf cutters busy at work

Number 22

Our 90 Day Border Run From

Costa Rica to Nicaragua

From the first day we arrived in Costa Rica, Roger and I have been nervous about making our first trip out of this country before our 90 days visa expires.  Let me explain, US citizens (that do not have Costa Rican residency) are allowed to stay for a maximum of 90 days in Costa Rica. When you enter Costa Rica your Passport is stamped with the current date and the agent writes in 90 days.  Before that 90 days are up, you are expected to leave Costa Rica.  Then upon returning to Costa Rica your passport is stamped for another 90 days. Although I think this 90 day rule is foolish, it is what it is.

Our 90 days visa “expires” on June 16.  So on Friday, June 5 we set out to leave Costa Rica for Nicaragua. Yes I said Nicaragua.  You know the dictatorship, ruled by Daniel Ortega.   We read all that we could about the process of crossing the border into Nicaragua. So, what could go wrong?

So the plan was to drive to Los Chiles, (a small border town in CR).  Our plan was to take a boat in Costa Rica up the river to San Carlos, Nicaragua and then come back the same day. 

Well, we all know what they say about “plans”.  We arrive in Los Chiles and scout out the boats that go to Nicaragua.  We spoke with the woman who sells tickets for the boats.  She says we have a boat leaving at 3:30.  Wow, this is going to be easier than we thought.  So we ask what time does the boat return to Los Chiles, and her answer left us standing there in disbelief.  She tells us that there are no boats that return on the same day.  They leave at 3:30 and return the next day at 11:00.  So now we think we have to spend a night in Nicaragua, not ever in our plans.

We decide to go to the Natural Lodge at Cano Negro where we are staying for 2 nights, and try to figure something out.  When we arrived, we were greeted by Tatiana and Jessica.  They spoke English better than we can speak Spanish, so we try and communicate our problem.  Tatiana said she knows a very helpful man in Los Chiles and she called him.  Later I talk to Oscar Fernando Rojas Esquivel about crossing the border.  He tells me that the two governments just (1 month ago) opened a new border crossing and it’s only a 25 minute drive from Los Chiles. The brand new crossing is in LAS TABLILLAS.  He tells us he will help with everything.  He drove his car to the crossing which is directly on Route 35 with us following in our rental car. One could not miss the border crossing!

The Immigration Building in Los Chiles

I will take you through the exact steps we took for crossing the border.

           

·         Before we arrive at the border, there is a police checkpoint, where a group of Costa Rican officers stand around with assault rifles.  Ok that was scary, but it was simple. After they look at our passports and we are asked to open the trunk of the car, we are sent on our way down the road to the border station.

·         Right next to the Costa Rica border building is a private home.  The border guard tells us the woman will be happy to watch our car for the day.  And, we can tip her whatever we want when we return. With Oscar’s help (he clears it with the woman in Spanish) and we drive in this woman yard and she points to where we can park the car.

·         We leave our car and walk right next door and up the sidewalk and are greeted by 2 guards sitting outside who want to look at our passports again.  We look around and realize there is almost no one there.  There are more border guards there than people crossing the border. There are NO lines! We have our forms fill out from the night before and walked up to the first window.  The guard tells us we have to pay the exit fee.  He points to an ATM machine and tells us to pay it there.  We walk over to the machine and pay our $5.00 per person exit fee right at the machine.  It provides us with a receipt which we take back to the same guard who is still not doing anything.  One side note, if you don’t want to use the machine, you can pay the exit fee at the government building in Los Chiles, they take cash. Important note:  the immigration buildings in both Costa Rica and Nicaragua are open from 8am to 4pm.  So plan your day accordingly.

The walk to the border of Nicaragua

·         So a couple of stamps later and we are told “ok you can go” and they point us to where you walk across the border.  We walk (not very far) down the road in Costa Rica and show our passports again.

·         Then magically we are in Nicaragua.  Really can it be this easy?

·         We walk up to the immigration office in Nicaragua and fill out their entrance paper work.  Now there is a line, there is 1 woman standing before us, yep 1 woman.  So we wait a grand total of maybe 5 minutes and it’s our turn.  We pay our $12 per person entrance fee. Our passports are stamped, and as Oscar had told us, there are taxis waiting down the road from the immigration building that take you into San Carlos. We begin to walk to the taxis and are just looking at each other and I will admit with a giggle…is this it?  Did we just leave Costa Rica and enter into Nicaragua that easily.

·         The taxi is really an old van. The driver fills as many seats as he can so you might have to wait a short time.  The ride into San Carlos is about 30 minutes and costs $4 a person.

·         We arrive downtown San Carlos and it is quite busy.  There are many people who want to exchange your money into córdoba for you, but Oscar told us that most places accept Dollars or Costa Rican, Colones.  We do not bother to exchange any money. We walk around San Carlos and decide to have lunch next to the lake.  Pleasant atmosphere with ok food.  

The drop off point in San Carlos

Streets of San Carlos.  

We head back to the bus and we are told the next bus leaves at 12:45.  Again $4.00 per person to return.

·         Now we do the entire process in reverse.  Immigration in Nicaragua (more paperwork to complete).  There is a $2 exit fee to leave Nicaragua.

The road to Costa Rica

We pay and start walking to Costa Rica. We arrive at the Costa Rica immigration office

and fill out more paperwork.  Then, the amazing moment, the sound of the stamp in our

passports and the 90 written clearly on the stamp.  Nothing else is asked for.  Although we

did have exit documents from Costa Rica (when these 90 days are up), we were never

even asked to show them.

We are happy to pass the Red,White and Blue Costa Rican Flag.

·         It costs us a grand total of $54 in government fees and taxi charges for the two of us to go to Nicaragua and back to Costa Rica the same day.

Oscar owns a restaurant in Los Chiles.  We ate dinner there when we returned to thank him.  I’m including his contact information, if you have the time please eat there the food was fabulous!

Carlos can be reached Heliconia Restaurant and Tours in Los Chiles.  His telephone is 8307-8585 and

email=  cocas34@hotmail.com

If you are standing in front of the Immigration Building Oscar's Restaurant is where the silver car is parked

Personal Observations:

·         What a total waste of energy being stressed about doing our border run.  It could not have been easier.  It is good to read everything you can and this is certainly only 2 peoples’ perspective but I am now wondering if all the stories are first person accounts? Or, are they “a woman who knows someone, who has a cousin etc, etc””.

·         The people from Costa Rica and Nicaragua are very nice.  I know you may have heard that before, but it is striking how friendly and helpful both the Costa Rican and Nicaraguan  people are.

·         As soon as you drive into Nicaragua, it becomes so evident of the poverty there.  We saw women washing their clothes and their dishes in brown colored streams.  The housing is primitive.  What is being sold as souvenirs’ in San Carlos is, what’s the right word…garbage.  What a difference in the quality of the items available in Costa Rica to Nicaragua.  Dictatorships leave the masses in poverty…very sad.

But what fun it is to share a road with cows walking down the street.