Summer Vacation 2021

After having several vacations cancelled due to COVID and liver complications we were finally able to plan an international trip for this summer.  I am going back to work in July so the trip needed to be in June.  We were originally going to go to Yosemite and Sequoia National Parks but when I actually sat down to finalize the reservations, I found that it was the same price to go to Costa Rica.  We discussed the options as a family and decided that the change to Costa Rica was too juicy to pass up.  

 This was actually our second time going to Costa Rica for me, Tom and Taylor, but the first time for Isaac and Nick.  The first time we went, there was an active volcano that was erupting and our hotel was at the base so we go to sit on the veranda and watch the fireballs roll down the mountain at night.  We were disappointed this time that the volcano is no longer erupting but we took the opportunity to visit some different places from last time.  

Our first stop was called Rincon de la Vieja.  It is a national park that is Costa Rica's version of Yellowstone, without the geysers.  They have mud pots and boiling pools of water with fumaroles.  There are areas where you can see that the old trail had to be changed due to new boiling pools and fumaroles developing.  It was pretty cool to walk around, plus, while walking underneath the dense canopy of trees we were accosted by a group of monkeys.  They were very high up but when we stopped to check them out they slowly moved closer and closer.  They were as curious about us as we were about them.  The kids were thrilled to actually see wild monkeys.  

Our next location was Monte Verde Cloud forest.  This is a jungle forest that is located at very high elevation.  It is always foggy and misty and many of the plants just get their water from the air and don't need it to rain.  We brought our flashlights and went hiking in the dark on the nature trails around our hotel.  We found glass frogs, tarantulas and a scorpion.  Taylor and Nick also found lots of mosquitos... We weren't as lucky with our wildlife hunts during the day but were able to see lots of pretty tropical flowers and some wild parrots.  We also splurged on an adventure park and went zip lining through the jungle canopy, walking on a trail of hanging bridges and getting a personal tour of Costa Rica snakes, frogs and sloths.  This was probably the most fun day. 

Continental Divide at Monteverde

The last place we visited was the Poas Volcano and Peace Waterfall just outside of San Jose, the capital city.  Poas was definitely a tourist trap.  We got charged about $15 per person to walk to the rim of the volcano and look at the acid lake for 20 minutes.  No other hiking or museums or anything else available.  Hmmm, I'd give this one a skip next time unless they develop some new trails.   The Peace Waterfall was actually a group of 4 waterfalls along a river.  We were able to hike from the top waterfall down to the bottom waterfall.  They were so pretty.  The hotel also had a butterfly garden, an orchid garden and our room had a balcony that we spent time just watching the humming birds visit the nearby flowers.  

Acid lake at Poas

 

We were there during the rainy season and it did rain every afternoon.  We were so glad to finally get home and have dry clothes, but overall, it was such a great vacation.  We are so thankful that we were able to make it happen. 

Playing in the waterfall at Rincon