Day 4-5: Monteverde

Today marked an enriching chapter in our journey through Costa Rica, as students embraced a diverse array of experiences that highlighted the natural splendor and cultural vibrancy of this remarkable country.

Beginning our day along the tranquil shores of Lake Arenal, we embarked on a scenic driving route that took us through a diverse array of small lake shore communities, ending in MonteVerde, where we immersed ourselves in the captivating Santa Elena neighborhood. Amidst bustling markets and authentic eateries, students had the opportunity to engage with local culture and showcase their rapidly improving Spanish skills through exploration and gastronomic delights! 

After enjoying a satisfying local lunch, our students explored Equus Farms, gaining insight into traditional Costa Rican agriculture. We learned how coffee is processed from plant to cup, how cacao transforms from plant to nib to delicacy, and witnessed the intricate process of sugar cane production using antique instruments driven by docile oxen. Students also had the opportunity to feed and milk dairy cows (and pet an adorable and incredibly friendly - or hungry - two month old calf). Last, we made and ate fresh sugar cane candy.

We capped off the day with a majestic horseback ride led by the famous vaqueros (Leo and most importantly Pablo-go team Pablo!) into the sunset, on some of the gentlest horses ever, which was comforting for those of us not familiar with riding. The ride treated us to breathtaking panoramic views of the Costa Rican landscape, helping deepen our connection with the beauty of this country. 

We started off day 5 rested, as we decided an extra hour of sleep would be to everyone's benefit, and how right we were ¡Pura vida! We ate together in the hotel and hopped on our mighty stallions (the busses) and drove to Bosque Nuboso (the cloud forest) where our guides Herson (vamos) and Bernie gave us a guided biodiversity tour. Some of our favorite creatures were the blue Morpho, the motmot, coati mundi. At the apex of our nature walk we climbed an observation deck with breathtaking views just above the canopy. Leaving the Bosque Nuboso, we returned to Santa Elena, giving the kids another opportunity to strengthen their connection to the locals and their culture. Here are some of the students highlights from their adventures:

"I ate a great cassava chicken roll with an exceptional salad." - Oliver 

"Caminé en la naturaleza en un bosque nuboso y tomé muchas fotos de colibrís muy bonitos" - Ash

"Yo ví muchos animales interesantes en el bosque  y también muchos colibrís" - Tobin

"Me gustó el tiempo en silencio en el bosque porque me sentí muy pacifica" - Romy

"I had an empanada and saw some coatis on the nature walk" - Zoe

Following our afternoon in Santa Elena, we took a brief detour to immerse ourselves in the busy goings ons of hummingbirds at a local reserve. We then returned to our hotel for a few hours of siesta in preparation for our upcoming night hike (though I think instead of resting, some students played Frisbee!). We fueled up at the Mar & Tierra restaurant , which served a variety of delicious faire, including an impressive amount of fresh pasta along side fresh jugo de cas (sour sop).

Following dinner we traveled to the Kinkajou company for a night hike in the forest where we broke into small groups to take a guided tour of the local nocturnal fauna. We of course saw kinkajous (which are rare to see!), sloths, tarantulas, owls, sleeping toucans, motmots, scorpions (did you know they glow under UV light?!), frogs, lizards, and much more. 

Looking forward to some white sand beaches tomorrow.

¡Pura vida!