Today was definitely a rough one. Who ever twisted my arms to go to the bar last night is not forgiven! Winding roads in a bus with a NASCAR driver and an upset stomach are not the best combination.
It's depressing to think that we missed being able to see the Irazu volcano by a few seconds. It would have been something to see!! It was cold and wet and windy and I knew I should have worn pants today! Costa Rica has over 100 volcanoes and if I remember correctly, all are active. Maybe one day I'll be lucky enough to come back and see it.
Along the way, our tour guide, Fernando, showed us an old abandoned building that is said to be haunted. It was used to house people who had leprosy. No one wanted to be around them.
After leaving the volcano, we headed to Cartago, which used to be the capital of Costa Rica, but they changed it to San Jose. Here we were shown a market where they sell a variety of items from fish and chicken to dog food and fruits. The smell was quite unbearable though. While in the market, we tried two different kinds of fruits, guava and another but the name escapes me.
Next was an old church that was never completed. It was started in the 1600s. Today it's just stone walls lining a beautiful garden. The doors were locked so we were not able to go inside, but from what you could see it was quite stunning!
On the way to the restaurant we were faced with a few obstacles. On the first route we took, we were stopped by a landslide.. literally.
Our second obstacle was the bridge that was too small for our bus to fit through. We were turned around once again. By the time we finally reached the restaurant, I was beyond hungry! But of course I ordered the steak and the cow was still mooing on my plate. I just couldn't do it. Thank goodness I love veggies. The dessert was great also. It was a coconut flam. YUMM!!
After lunch, Fernando showed us a coffee bean tree that wasn't producing because it is not in season yet. We were unable to go through the field because of the rain. Basically, workers walk through the field with a basket and pick the beans off of the trees until the basket is full. They fill as many as they can everyday during the season and sell each basket for 2 dollars, working 7 days a week. Each tree produces quality coffee beans for about 25 years.
Then, we took a trip to a church that was built in 1912, Basilica de Los Angeles. It's a beautiful place where many people go to pray. Posted below is a picture of the story that goes with the church.
Well it's been fun, but it's time to fill my belly with a good old Wendy's burger!
No comments:
Post a Comment