Reposted from the Mount View Chamber Singers’ Facebook page
Friday, May 13, 2022Day 6:
Today we started our day off pretty early, got ready, and then had breakfast. We then loaded up on the bus and headed off to Manuel Antonio National Park. When we got to the entrance of the park, we checked in and began our hike. It took around 20 minutes and along the way we saw animals such as crabs, iguanas, an armadillo, and even a mother sloth with it’s baby. On the hike we also learned about a lizard called the Jesus Christ lizard, this lizard gets it’s name because it can run on water. We spent a while on the beach and we all swam and had so much fun.
After we were all done on the beach we hiked back on a different trail to the bus and saw many tribes of red ants. When we got out of the national park, many of us tried fresh coconut water right out of the coconut. Then we all got onto the bus to go back to the hotel for some lunch.
When we got back from the national park we all ate and then we all did our own thing. Some of us went shopping while others went swimming at the beach or pool. Later on that evening after dinner most of us went shopping to close up our incredible trip. Those of us that stayed at the hotel enjoyed a live mariachi band from the pool.
Though we are all sad to leave, we all had an amazing cultural trip with an amazing tour guide and of course our bus driver. On behalf of all the Chamber Singers thank you to everyone for making this happen!!
We are now all patiently waiting for our flight at the San Jose airport. Stay tuned over the following days as we compile and upload more photographs of our wonderful time here in Costa Rica!
Day 5 (Thursday May 12)
Today the group split into two different activities! Half of us went horseback riding and the other on a morning hike.
Several of the chamber singers and parents decided to spend their mornings going on a hike. We bussed from our hotel to a small trail head were people were selling fresh fruit juice and coconut water.
The destination for our hike was a mansion construction project that had been abandoned before completion. Along the trail there was a plethora of very intricate art work carved into a concrete holding wall. Halfway up the trail there was a scenic overlook where we were able to appreciate the beauty of Jaco and its beach.
After watching the waves we continued up the trail and eventually reach our final destination. The theme of intricate artwork continued into the mansion, nearly every inch of the place was home to well done graffiti and other pieces of art. The wall decor made the unfinished building more comforting as you walked through the shallow and empty rooms. Also making up for the overall creepiness was the view of the ocean and city.
When horseback riding, we all learned our horses names and took off for a short 30 minute ride. After that we hiked until we arrived at a beautiful waterfall, where most of us went for a swim. The pools went up to 10 feet deep! Some of us also had a fun time jumping into the pools, which was very refreshing. After that we rode back down and enjoyed some fresh complimentary fruit from our guides!
After our morning activities we hung out around the pool until later afternoon where many of us went to take surf lessons! The water was extremely refreshing after a long day and our teachers were all amazing. Coming back from the afternoon surf lessons we once again split. Some went to dinner, others went for a nighttime beach walk, and others rested after a long day. Overall, a very exciting day that gave the Chamber Singers new experiences and sights to see! We are all very tired!
Day 4
Today we woke up at the hotel by the volcano and ate breakfast there. We packed up and left the hotel in the morning and began the drive to our next destination, the beach town of Jaco on the Pacific coast. The bus ride was about four hours, so we stopped along the way to buy souvenirs, eat lunch, visit gardens, see a two-toed sloth, and look at crocodiles.
We arrived at the new hotel in the afternoon and shortly after checking in the group went to a Latin dance class. The class was fun and we got to learn about dance in Costa Rica and try doing it. We learned the Merengue, Salsa, Bachata, and a traditional Costa Rican dance.
After the dancing we had a few minutes to get ready before going to dinner at the hotel, after which some of us had a small mango eating party since we had extra mangoes from La Fortuna. After eating our fill of mangoes several of us went down to the beach to go in the Pacific Ocean and walk on the beach. Even though we couldn’t go far into the ocean because it was dark it was still fun to stand in the water up to your knees but be hit by waves that came up to your chest. The Pacific Ocean was also really warm and we all enjoyed being able to be in the ocean but have warm temperatures. After that we went to our rooms and got ready for bed and a day to do what we choose to tomorrow.
Day 3
We started our morning by visiting a local school. We performed for them and learned about what they are taught. We also even got our hands dirty helping with the school farm. The children were very excited to lead us around their school while telling us their favorite parts. Students also have certain uniforms for each grade level which is to help with view each student equally regardless of their home lives. The director of the school said our performance was particularly special because of our all girl ensemble – many girls are no longer singing in Costa Rica. We hope to foster a long term relationship with this school from afar.
We stayed in town but split up for lunch and shopping. We saw many small shops and markets with a beautiful garden and waterfall on the middle.
We then took a short drive to go zip lining.
Although many of us were very anxious everyone enjoyed zip lining. The workers were full of enthusiasm making many jokes along the way and even going upside down on the line. The longest was 400 meters. At the end of the lines we were given the chance to rappel about 75 ft which some of us didn’t do but we all watched in amazement and terror of the ones who did.
We went back to our hotel and performed around the pools (which was partially live stream and you can view on our page). After that we drove down the street to more hot springs and pools ranging from 65-104 degrees Fahrenheit. We ate a buffet style dinner and this was our first place to offer desserts and even a chocolate fountain with strawberries and marshmallows. Sadly their water slides were closed but we all enjoyed all the springs and the overall favorite was the hot spring with 2 waterfalls and bubbles – almost like a hot tub back home. This was a great way to relax after such an eventful day.
Day 2!
Most of our morning ended up being a long drive from San Jose to Arenal, many of us admittedly getting motion sick with the winding rural roads. On our way we stopped at a souvenir shop and saw a ton of interesting knick knacks. We even got to pick out many souvenirs for our loved ones at home, including hand made crafts! Once we got to the resort we had delicious food for lunch including a dish of meat tacos, beautifully plated. As a group we also stopped to see howler monkeys and sloths on the side of the road!
Once we started to hike it was very hot. We learned about a specific plant that closes when you touch it. While on our hike we were learning about pineapples and how to tell they’re ripe, even in 87.7 degrees fahrenheit. Ever wanted to know how to tell a pineapple is good? Big eyes, symmetrical shape, yellow color at the very bottom, healthy green crown.
We reached the viewing point of the volcano and were able to take amazing photos of not only the volcano, but the Arenal lake! This is the largest artificial lake here and was created as a hydro-electric project after the 1968 volcanoe eruption.
Once we made the journey back down the mountain, we checked into the hotel to relax at the resort. With beautiful hot springs and pools it was a great way to relax after the hike. We swam and then ate a delicious dinner, a great way to end a long fun day.
Costa Rica – Day 1
Quote of the day: “Muy bien amigas, amigos”
Today we went on a tour of a Costa Rican coffee farm, saw a butterfly garden, ate a traditional Costa Rican dinner, and performed at a Catholic church in San Jose.
We had breakfast at the hotel; some of the favorites were rice and beans, chicken, pineapple, and other tropical fruit. After breakfast we drove two hours in our bus to the Doka coffee farm. Along the way our tour guide Christian taught us about the area and its history. One fact we learned was that Costa Rica has a population of five million people, three million of which live in the central valley area (where we are now). As we drove we were able to see a lot of the surrounding mountains which made for a beautiful view.
Upon arriving at the Doka estate we were given free samples of cold coffee with chocolate and cinnamon that were very good. We then took a tour of the farm in a cart pulled by tractor and learned about the process of coffee production from picking the beans to roasting them. Though Doka is not organic due to using fungicides to prevent a disease that affects the coffee plants (now necessary in the highlands due to hotter temperatures), it uses composted fertilizer and keeps pests away using a method involving fruit trees.
After the coffee tour we had a buffet lunch before going to the butterfly garden. At the butterfly garden we were able to walk around and see some beautiful blue butterflies. We then took the bus back to the hotel and had an hour and a half to do what we wanted before leaving for dinner and our performance. We had dinner at a traditional Costa Rican restaurant and had fun experiences with animals there including a cat, a peacock, and a parrot.
Before leaving for our performance we sang for those working at the restaurant to thank them for our meal. They kindly gave us a peacock feather to take home. We then performed at the Catholic church which was celebrating the coming together of communities. The performance went well and we drove back to the hotel afterwards for our last night before traveling to the next hotel. Overall, we really enjoyed our day and it it was incredible to be able to see an area that is so different from Maine and is so beautiful.
Some photos from the day will be posted shortly, with more on the way as they are complied.
