LOCAL COLOR 7: December 2009

Sunday, December 6, 2009

Costa Rica

Nov 18 Bocas del Toro to San Jose, Costa Rica by land

Today we take boat, taxi, and 4 buses to get to San Jose, Costa Rica. We arrive in the evening and check into the Hostel Pangea in Amor, just north of downtown. The hostel is American gringo city, packed with Lonely Planet readers.

boat, taxi, bus, bus, border by foot, bus, bus, taxi

Nov 19, San Jose, Costa Rica

Today, we walk around town, visit a museum, and check out downtown and the Central Market.

museum

tasty eats in a soda in the Central Market

Nov 20 San Jose, Costa Rica

Today, we take a terrible and expensive tour to Volcano Poais.

Unfortunately, the volcano is covered in thick rain clouds, and we can’t see anything. Our guide is crap and doesn’t make any effort to explain any interesting plants or anything. It wouldn’t happen in Ecuador! The second stop is to a coffee plantation, and again our tour guide disappoints.

The best part of the tour is running into Erin’s Mom, Marty, and family at the volcano; a true gringo trail moment!

hiking in the rain in Volcano Poais park

coffee plantation

Nov 21-28 Montezuma, Costa Rica

Chris Robertson’s wedding, snorkeling, diving, surfing, canopy tour.

To Montezuma by Erin and Chris wedding bus and ferry

Chris & Erin's beautiful wedding, no reasons for head scratching!

snorkeling

diving

canopy tour

tasty Mahi Mahi

surfing

lots of cool wild life in Montezuma!

CLICK HERE to see Chris & Erin's beautiful wedding.

CLICK HERE to see more wild life in Montezuma.

CLICK HERE to see snorkeling pictures.

CLICK HERE to see diving pictures.

Nov 28-29, Montezuma travel north to Isla de Ometepe, Nicaragua

We find Costa Rica expensive and touristy, and decide to pass through after the wedding. We only have a few weeks left on our trip, with several important stops to make.

We travel two days from Montezuma to Isla de Ometepe, Nicaragua, with a stay in Liberia, Costa Rica. The border crossing is a little messy with touts running around confusing things. Also, for some reason they require a copy of Vana’s passport because she was born in China. We arrive on the island with no problems and stay the night at the American Café and Hotel in Moyogalpa.

Bus, boat, taxi, bus, bus, taxi, hotel, taxi, bus, border by foot, bus, taxi, boat

Saturday, December 5, 2009

Panama - Bocas del Toro

Nov 12, 2009 Boquete to Bocas del Toro

Today, we take bus, taxi, and boat to the northern Caribbean coast of Panama. Climbing over the pass in a Toyota Coaster, we see both the Pacific and Atlantic oceans, as Panama is only 40 to 110 miles wide.

In Bocas, we stay at the Calipso Hostel, in the middle of town. It’s a great deal; $25 per night with AC in an attractive wood building with kitchen access. The owner from Barcelona is very friendly, and keeps her place clean. The four markets in town are run by Chinese immigrants; very convenient as our Mandarin is better than our Spanish.

Nov 13-17, 2009 Bocas del Toro

We spend three days diving with La Buga Dive, including our first night dive. The visibility is not very good because of all the rain runoff. But, our divemaster, Jose, is a super cool local who stops by our hotel to say hello and have a drink. Thanks to Jose for not losing us in the dark!

Monday, Nov 16, is Bocas foundation day. We are treated to four hours of parades, and several days of thumping music and drunkenness directly in front of our hotel.

One day, we take a pretty lousy tour of the local islands, although a break in the rain makes the boat ride very enjoyable.

We stay an additional day because it’s pouring rain till 2PM the day we plan to leave.

For tropical places, Bocas is not particularly special, but it is cheap and relaxing. We enjoy our stay, but are sorry to notify the owner of the Hotel Calipso when we catch a hotel employee in our room, who stole $20. She is crushed.