It was raining hard and flooded in my hostel garden when I arrived. It rained much of the day! Everything was wet and damp! The dorm here at Cabinas Tortuguero is basic, simple, comfortable and in this case, private! After two nights, I moved to a private room! It was nice to get everything dried out!
Niale, the woman here who came from Germany years ago, is intent on keeping this consistent with the traditiontal Caribbean spirit. Most places are now concrete. In this climate, they are easier to maintain. However, they tent to be hot and stuff and feel completely different! It’s more work for here but it feels really warm and comfortable here.
They added concrete bathrooms last year. The water issues there made them hardest to keep up. Now, they are tiled and comfortable with ample hot water! Hot water in a shower was rare on my trip last fall!
Savoring
The past week has flown by! Some of that has been me being busy receiving massage, healing sessions, relaxing, helping and such. It’s been great being with the family here and I can feel it’s been difficult for them. Very few guests for the past two years. I’m their only guest currently. When I asked “Mama” how much the rooms are now, she touched her heart. “Up to you. Whatever you feel in your heart is good.”
As part of the family, I make my own breakfast when I’m ready, help out where I can and have simply been resting. The heat and humidity has taken a toll in terms of energy and I’m finally adjusting, as much as I ever do, to the humidity!
Today, I said goodbye to a number of people I met here. I got a hug from Eva at the hostel. I paid my bill early since I am leaving around 4:30 in the morning. This afternoon, I walked to Budda Cafe. I had past there last night and Jennifer knew I was leaving soon. This afternoon, the staff said goodbye and suggested I come again next month! I bought my ticket for the morning boat from Yorlenny at the public boat office. She remembered me from when I asked questions days ago. She sold me a ticket. Then, she phone number on a post-it in case I had any problems in the morning. Then she introduced me to her daughter.
I love feeling like I have really traveled and connected with a place and the people there!
Travel: experience or escape?
Sorting through possible movies to watch and looking at previews, I came across this quote:
"Tourist travel to Escape life.
Travelers travel to Experience!"
I had a conversation with people here about the different types of tourist. What stimulated it was a question about how many days I had spent here. Normal is about 2 days. Some people come in, do a night and morning tour then leave. I told them have been here six days.
Why? Because I like to get to know local people, to walk slowly, to take time to sit and be still and know more about the local culture. So in their eyes, I’m an oddity but in a good way! They want me to come back and visit. We have connected! That’s a highlight of travel for me!
Turtle Experience!
My second night here, I went on a turtle walk with Israel the guide! Still, in reflection, that was an awesome experience. Not many people get to witness all three phases of the process. And I was fortunate to have Israel for a guide. This morning as I was walking back on a back path, a bicycle approached the corner. I moved aside to give him more room. He said, “Hello Larry Lorenzo!” It was Israel! For some, saying “Larry” is diffucult. Lorenzo…that’s easy for them.
I’m often asked if I travel alone? I’ve explained that before! I have really good relationship with myself so am traveling with good company. And because I talk to everyone, I’m literally traveling with everyone! Israel’s comment verifies that! I’m not simply a tourist passing through quickly. I love connecting with people! As I walk down the main street, locals recognize me and say hello! It’s a great experience!
Great tour connection! Caretta Tours Tortuguero
I talked with Verny my first afternoon here at Caretta Tours. He was highly recommended in several comments I saw online and I wanted to meet him. From the first, it was clear he cares about nature, about helping people, about creating good experiences and it was true for me as well. In a short conversation, he realized what my priorities are and recommended several options. One was the early morning canoe trip. The other, a boat trip that would go farther and show me other areas of the reserve!
They have a Facebook page, click the link to go there. I highly recommend them! Caretta Tours Tortuguero.
Quickly, we realized we have a common intent: experiencing nature up close and intimate. He has worked all over Costa Rica! He gave me his WhatsApp number and told me to contact him before I come back next time with any questions. He knows reserves, natural areas, guides and so forth. I’m sure he would be able to help me craft the nature experience I want!
Preparation! Tomorrow morning, I’m traveling. When the light was good, I organized everything this afternoon. I don’t like the harried morning trying to wake up and get ready. I prefer a relaxed flow, the path of ease and flow, that I choose to live from!
Not everyone does that!! I know, shocking! For the canoe trip, I was ready in advance! I’m ready to go when the trip is scheduled! I was at the office at 5:45 am ready.
Not everyone was. It took a little while to gather the flock, get life jackets, grab gear and so forth. We needed to stop at another hotel to pick people up. And finally, we were on our way. It was actually pretty smooth!
I loved this experience with the eletric motor canoe. We could travel farther silently. When we were in a place we needed to be quiet, two people could paddle. Intimate! Close to nature. In an area where no one else went. It was awesome!
Because of the rain, cloudy overcast sky and my long lens not working, I don’t have many photos. I’ll post what I do have!
When we returned, I had lunch, loaded my day pack, and headed into the National Park before it closed at 3:00 pm. It was scorching hot!!! Plus, I was tired from waking before 5:00. On the walk back, I noticed the tongue of my left shoe fell out completely! It had come out my second day here but I managed to keep in in place by tightening the laces. For some reason, it disappeared. I walked for a c0uple hours exploring and went back!
From the Canoe Trip and National Park Walk
Monday boat tour with Joel
The next morning, I was at the office at 9:00 for my boat trip. It was raining. Verny suggested we postpone the trip to 11:00 or even 2:00. I was ready to go but decided to wait. The skies cleared a slight bit!
I returned to the office and Joel was ready. He got things together so we could be off. While waiting, two young ladies were in a bit of a challenge. They hadn’t gone online to fill out and pay for the National Park Pass. It’s the ONLY way to do it! They complained that no one had told them about that! Verny told them he had asked them to do it. Complain, complain, search out passports, etc. They were still working at it when Joel and I left!
Everyone I heard Verny talk to, he told them to go online to get the pass. Wherever I read about the national park online, they directed people to go online and get a pass. I couldn’t get online so I gave money to Verny on Sunday. Eventually, he was able to buy them for me and sent electronic copy of the pass.
Patience is essential for a good travel experience. So is being responsible!
Traveling alone, it is easy to make decisions and go! When a group in involved, it gets more complicated. Like people debating if they wanted to go in the rain. Me, I knew I wanted to go. I was not attached to seeing anything particular, I simply wanted to feel the embrace of this rich tropical forest!
And, in my case, the other person who signed up cancelled. The company got paid for two, I was the only one and we set off on my private tour!
Joel is a great guide. He’s knowledgable, communicates well and has a great eye for spotting things. As we started, he asked if I had seen the “hill”? It is the highest place around where the river meets the ocean. I hadn’t! He asked if I wanted to go with him after out tour. He needed to get gasoline, it was in the direction and he was happy to take me along! YES PLEASE!
The forest was more quiet. The animals were nor very active. The forest was amazing. So many different colors of greet! We went down a stretch of river where he has seen jagual and crocodile. We didn’t see any. They we headed to an area more remote. It was interesting feeling and hearing the ebb and flow of the jungle. The rain stopped. It would be quiet for a moment. Then, the howler monkeys would howl. The birds would become more active. The rain started again, the silence and quiet returned! We took the boot up a remote channel where no one else was until a downed tree prevented us from traveling farther.
As he turned the boat around and lined up in the small channel, he turned off the motor. We listened and experienced the silence and energy of the forest. Ahhhhh! I love that!
From the boat!
Boat tour...continued.
Yes, we saw a lot! Lots of birds, iguana, heron, toucan and such. We heard the bluejeans frog and others singing in the forest. We saw aracariThey liked the rain. We saw monkeys and sloth and crocodile. Once we headed to get gas to the North of the village, the trees and habitat changed. It was no longer raining. Joel scooted the boat across the river to have a look at a dead tree with no leaves. The top was full of birds! Toucans. Parrots. Oropendualas. It seemed like they went to the tallest branches in the area to dry out and warm up after the rain!
We headed, slowly, farther North along the river. We spotted a sloth drying in the top of a tree. Then, a commotion got out attention. Toucan, oropendula and small birds all making a lot of racket and darting around one tree.
We got closer and Joel let out a surprised, “A toucan eating an iguana!!! I’ve read about that but never seen it”! That is what was happening! Several toucans were jumping around one area. One toucan sat on a branch with an immature green iguana dangling from its beak! Amazing encounter in nature rarely seen! But we did! We sat there quite a while and noticed a lot of other green iguana on branches. Some were clearly too large for the toucan to attack.
Eventually, the toucan dropped the iguana. It bounded down the branch but couldn’t find it! Then, it went hunting. And we watched.
Iguana’s use stillness as a camoflage and defense mechanish. Once the toucan began bounding from branch to branch, another smaller one moved. The toucan pounded! Grabbed. But not good enough. The iguana fall and quickly swam away. We watched this go on for a while until it grabbed for another iguana which also fell!
What an amazing trip! I’ve been blessed by seeing several unusual things on this trip. It seem like I have very good luck with this when traveling. Of course, I ask for it ahead of time!
We were on the boat over three hours! I got on a dry shirt and headed to the National Park. After the rain, it was much cooler and a more pleasant experience!
Today has been a quiet day. I walked early and came upon an almond tree with a half dozen or more green macaws screeching as the gorged on their favorite nut. At the beach, I could see tracks from the turtles last night. It was cool. Quiet and lovely!
Now, I’m wrapping up packing. Editing photos! And preparing for a 5:00 am departure tomorrow morning. I have the afternoon in Alajuela near the San Jose Airport and then am home the next day!
Below…some images of the village and Budda Cafe.
Love your comments and the stories so glad you got to do this
Thanks Sis! Interesting adventure. Feel like I learned a lot and am more clear on my personal priorities! That’s cool!