Sunday, May 2, 2010
Corriendo con Parrotas
While at Ojo Del Mar, I ran every day on the dirt road that stretched between the national park and Puerto Viejo. After the energy sucking hills, uneven sidewalks and diesel clouds of Quesada, running here was a huge relief. It was, for the most part, pretty flat and the surface was nice hard packed dirt. Some days I ran alone, and some with my dad, but either way, it had to be early in the morning and you still came back drenched in sweat. We forded small streams, saw Jesus Cristo lizards run across water, heard howler monkeys, caused a stampede in a herd of escaped Brahman cattle (one eventually just bust through the barbed wire to get back with its fellows) and saw tons of parrots!!!
There was this one tree that must have been a nest sight, as it was loaded every morning. It was magical to randomly see pairs of huge red macaws soar overhead, raucously calling to one another. Flocks of small parots and parakeets swarmed past and groups of medium sized bird casually chattered and dropped fruit and seed pods to the ground below, unconcerned with my presence. I have always enjoyed running for the sights I see, but this blew everything else out of the water. I saw something like 30 macaws in a single 6 miler one day. It was unreal!
Mi ultimo viaje por Arenal - la mejor!
When I finished school and was waiting for them across the road in the small parking lot, initially a worker from the Panadaria shipping company that ran out of there was concerned that I was lost. Not so much. My parents were quite late due to construction and I started to get a little nervous waiting and was considering taking the bus home when they drove by. Luckily they showed up and randomly decided that they wanted to go to Arenal that day, as it was super clear and you could already see el volcan for only about the third time since I'd been here.
We ate at a restaurant along the way, as they hadn't really had lunch (except for at the sketchy fast food place around the plaza that even Adam and I hadn't ventured into). The resturant that we were ate was next to a pineapple plantation and had a clear view or Arenal. Randomly while we were there, a really friendly local guide showed up and really recommended that we go see the volcano tongiht. We also talked about how much the area had changed in the last few decades. He had lived there most of his life and commented on how while the volcano had killed many people, it also saved many lives with the opportunity and prosperity that it brought to the area... interesting to think about. p.s - I also had some pretty killer lomito de chocolate and a really weird juice with lots of tiny little seeds in it.
We visited La Fortuna and then, after getting ice cream, headed up to the volcano. We drove up into a resort where we basically had to pay admittance, but got to view the volcano from a really cool porch. Driving up the mountain was an experience in itself (super steep!), but the while we were waiting for it to get dark at the resort, we saw some crazy parrots just hanging out on the side of this little path. They were small and green and chattering all over the place. My dad had already returned to the porch and my mom and I were heading back, pretending to run from an imaginary eruption when we felt it for the first time.
The ground actually rumbled, sending a tremble to our core. We looked at each other and rushed back to my dad. When Adam and I had gone hiking on the base of Arenal, we had seen nothing and half convinced ourselves that we had at least felt it. Later on, someone had told me that if we had felt it, that there was no mistaking it. Now, I was sure, I most definitely had not felt it before!
We rushed back to the porch and watched the sun go down over Lago Arena, anticipating, wtih each mosquito bit, the moment when it would be dark enough to see the lava. I had been expecting a slow, molten flow of red, but was surprised to see bouncing explosions of sparks tumbling down its slopes. The eruption sounded like hard boiled eggs spitting and bouncing around a pan and you could see the chunks splitting and exploding as they kit obsticals along there way. I did my best to record the experience, but could not do it justice on my small digital camera. However, I certainly felt grateful to have finally had the experience that many fruitlessly come to Costa Rica for.
On our way back down the slopes, we were nearly forced to stop crossing a bridge where the view opened up enough to see the sparks of the lava. We got out of our vehicle, leaving my mom inside, to cling to the bridge rails along with everyone who wanted a veiw without the entrance feel. It was still impressive. but a little nerve racking to share the bridge with whizzing vehicles. I couldn't help but think that if my parents hadn't come, that would have been my most ideal way of experiencing the flow.
Additionally, its interesting to think about how there are all of these hotels set up with grossly expensive rooms offering the possibility of a glimpse at the flow thought the clouds, when the volcano could just as easily change the angle from which it was flowing with a single explosion. They would be left worthless, and other similar resorts would spring up in that direction! Still, without ever really seeking them out, I am kind of taken aback by how many volcanoes I have seen and how much I enjoy learning about them!
We ate at a restaurant along the way, as they hadn't really had lunch (except for at the sketchy fast food place around the plaza that even Adam and I hadn't ventured into). The resturant that we were ate was next to a pineapple plantation and had a clear view or Arenal. Randomly while we were there, a really friendly local guide showed up and really recommended that we go see the volcano tongiht. We also talked about how much the area had changed in the last few decades. He had lived there most of his life and commented on how while the volcano had killed many people, it also saved many lives with the opportunity and prosperity that it brought to the area... interesting to think about. p.s - I also had some pretty killer lomito de chocolate and a really weird juice with lots of tiny little seeds in it.
We visited La Fortuna and then, after getting ice cream, headed up to the volcano. We drove up into a resort where we basically had to pay admittance, but got to view the volcano from a really cool porch. Driving up the mountain was an experience in itself (super steep!), but the while we were waiting for it to get dark at the resort, we saw some crazy parrots just hanging out on the side of this little path. They were small and green and chattering all over the place. My dad had already returned to the porch and my mom and I were heading back, pretending to run from an imaginary eruption when we felt it for the first time.
The ground actually rumbled, sending a tremble to our core. We looked at each other and rushed back to my dad. When Adam and I had gone hiking on the base of Arenal, we had seen nothing and half convinced ourselves that we had at least felt it. Later on, someone had told me that if we had felt it, that there was no mistaking it. Now, I was sure, I most definitely had not felt it before!
We rushed back to the porch and watched the sun go down over Lago Arena, anticipating, wtih each mosquito bit, the moment when it would be dark enough to see the lava. I had been expecting a slow, molten flow of red, but was surprised to see bouncing explosions of sparks tumbling down its slopes. The eruption sounded like hard boiled eggs spitting and bouncing around a pan and you could see the chunks splitting and exploding as they kit obsticals along there way. I did my best to record the experience, but could not do it justice on my small digital camera. However, I certainly felt grateful to have finally had the experience that many fruitlessly come to Costa Rica for.
On our way back down the slopes, we were nearly forced to stop crossing a bridge where the view opened up enough to see the sparks of the lava. We got out of our vehicle, leaving my mom inside, to cling to the bridge rails along with everyone who wanted a veiw without the entrance feel. It was still impressive. but a little nerve racking to share the bridge with whizzing vehicles. I couldn't help but think that if my parents hadn't come, that would have been my most ideal way of experiencing the flow.
Additionally, its interesting to think about how there are all of these hotels set up with grossly expensive rooms offering the possibility of a glimpse at the flow thought the clouds, when the volcano could just as easily change the angle from which it was flowing with a single explosion. They would be left worthless, and other similar resorts would spring up in that direction! Still, without ever really seeking them out, I am kind of taken aback by how many volcanoes I have seen and how much I enjoy learning about them!
Mis Padres
I have to admit that my parents made me a little worried. I rushed home from school and walked right up to Noche de Paz, worried for the first time about my parents in transit. I remembered how stressful it was for me to travel to Quesada being young, reckless, y hablando espanol. Driving after two weeks in Costa Rica was stressful enough, and here they were, about to get off of the plane and drive through the crazy winding and mountain roads between Alejuela and San Carlos. How would they ever make it?
I was feeling antsy, sitting on the curb with Luna, when I impatiently looked up and saw a mini SUV pull into the drive with my parents inside. What a relief! I followed them to the padrking lot, hugged them, and checked out their vehicle. We then went over to meet Dagoberto and had an awkward translated exchange. I felt so desperate for them to like my place, and was relieved when they did.
We went down to get my things at Anna's house and I said my good bye's while my dad waited in the car. When I returned to the hotel, we walked down to find somewhere to eat, zigzagging through one way streets and being indecisive about where to eat. We ended up at the Mariscos place that I ate at with Cindie and J, after being directed by a concerned Tica.
The next morning, I ran, showed my dad where to get coffee (the only to go place is at the bus station) and headed on my way to school. feeling all the while strangely full circle being back at where I started my trip.
I was feeling antsy, sitting on the curb with Luna, when I impatiently looked up and saw a mini SUV pull into the drive with my parents inside. What a relief! I followed them to the padrking lot, hugged them, and checked out their vehicle. We then went over to meet Dagoberto and had an awkward translated exchange. I felt so desperate for them to like my place, and was relieved when they did.
We went down to get my things at Anna's house and I said my good bye's while my dad waited in the car. When I returned to the hotel, we walked down to find somewhere to eat, zigzagging through one way streets and being indecisive about where to eat. We ended up at the Mariscos place that I ate at with Cindie and J, after being directed by a concerned Tica.
The next morning, I ran, showed my dad where to get coffee (the only to go place is at the bus station) and headed on my way to school. feeling all the while strangely full circle being back at where I started my trip.
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