Montezuma

From Rincón de la Vieja to Montezuma, 27 september
After breakfast we leave the Hacienda Guachipelín and go to Montezuma. It is quit a drive but we have discussed the route with the receptionist of the hacienda. He loves Montezuma and drives regularly between Liberia and Montezuma. Driving time is only four hours because most of it is by the Pan-American Highway. Besides there's a bridge that is so new that is not on any map. For a moment a thought haunts us that we have never heard that a bridge is build at all. But this guy is so convinced that we believe him.

This bridge gives us the opportunity to visit the Palo Verde National Park that is on our way. Palo Verde is in this season a beautiful flooded area, although most of the flooding is not so well visible from the road. But at some stretches even the (sand)road is flooded. Water lilies grow on the road between which noisy frogs find their way. The 4WD comes in very handy now.

We have the strong impression that we are the first visitors in a long time. There is even no-one at the gate to collect the admission. At a small building of the university we see human live and walk in. We have to pass a huge iguana that doesn't make way for us. This bureau indeed is the only place where someone can be found, and so the only place where we can book a boat-trip. We still want to see large flocks of birds and think this is the place. The man makes some phone calls. It is not clear to whom but in about an hour a boat will be at the river. Until that time we can go to watch the monkeys in the mango trees.

There is no sign of monkeys but we do see a lot of iguanas and deer, among them a male with antlers and a young one with spots at his back. Arrived at the river there is no sign of a boat. At an attempt to look further down the river I probably disturb a crocodile that fortunately take to its heels. I don't see anything, but the splash was so loud that it must have been a crocodile. We see another one on the other side of the river so that is promising. We wait under a roof across which huge iguanas walk.

Fortunately the arriving of the boat prevents us from being completely sucked empty by mosquitoes. We appear to have a huge boat with guide all to ourselves. That makes the price proportionally quit expensive but we do have a private guide. Unfortunately he doesn't speak one word English but he compensates that by making vivid imitations of all the animal sounds. This way the boat trip becomes more and more like a lively told story.

Unexpectedly we do see lots of bird species that we didn't see before, among them the very special boat-billed heron. We also see large flocks of wood storks and roseate spoonbills. Despite that this is not one tenth of the birds that are here in December, we find the cacophony of sounds and the constant flittering of wings very impressive. The words "mama" and "baby" are universal and motivated by our understanding of their meaning, our guide shows us lots of birds nests: “Mama, baby, ooh, mama, baby.”

Next to that he has brought identification cards with all the animals and he constantly walks to and fro between his helm and our chairs to point out the animals on those cards. He is really trying his best to overcome the difference in language.

On the way back he sails along a place were a big catfish lies gasping on the bank. We get the strong impression that he planted the trap himself and makes his contribution to supper with this. Anyway he takes the fish with him.

We drive to Puntarenas at ease and arrive there at about 5 o'clock. We start to feel timid when there's no bridge in sight and above all when it is getting more and more clear that enormous stretches of sea have to be bridged over. According to us it is impossible to build a bridge here, even if they wanted it. Later it appears that they recently built a bridge far more North, but from that the bridge the road to Montezuma is impassable in the rainy season.

Here we stand, in an industrial town that is not exactly the safest in Costa Rica. The police is your best friend (says a Dutch slogan) so we ask a policeman on a moped for help. He walks up and down the road with Hans about five times to see at what time the ferry leaves and where we can buy tickets. The next ferry will leave at 8.15 PM and simple calculation teaches us what we feared. We will arrive at Montezuma at 11 PM at the earliest. And after nine there is no point arriving at any hotel here because they all go to bed very early. Besides a lot of hotels don't have guests at this moment, so why should they keep someone at the reception?

A couple of phone calls corroborate our suspicions. We get only answering machines on the line. But at hotel El Sano Banano we get the Dutch owner on the line that helps us out of a scrape. They have a beach hotel and a city hotel. The beach hotel cannot be reached at night but the city hotel is guarded and she will arrange that the guard will direct us to the room. She enjoin upon us not to leave our car unattended in the waiting line for the ferry.

Now that we have arranged our overnight stay it is time for a meal. We can't leave the car so one of has to get something. We accost someone who speaks English and ask if there is a Burger King or something like that. It doesn't surprise us that there isn't but he refers to kind of a snack bar.

This is probably the first time that someone comes for take away fries and burgers, and a Dutchmen as well. They don't understand the question and Hans doesn't understand them. All the guests meddle with it until finally it gets obvious what our intention is. It looks very unhygienic and normally we wouldn't eat there but when Hans has made clear that he wants hamburgers and fries they open op a package of deep fat, melt it in a wok and prepare it neatly. He can take it with him in tinfoil so we can go to Montezuma with a full stomach after all.

After we have driven the car on board we go to the deck that is hanged with colored lights. It looks like a floating, somewhat shady, discotheque. But it brings us to the other side without problems. Luckily everything is very well signposted here and after evading some dogs, horses and people that lay on the asphalt we arrive at the hotel. The room is basic but comfortable and we very much need a bed.

Cabo Blanco and Montezuma, 28 september
Breakfast is included in the price and is delightful and healthy, because the restaurant of El Sano Banano works on macrobiotic and eco basis. They don't sell soft drinks because those manufacturers add chemicals and cause a lot of litter. They also don't have meat and they bake their own bread and make their own fruit juices. Breakfast is surprising: fresh passion-fruit-juice and huevos rancheros: tortillas with bean-paste, topped with fried eggs and very spicy tomato sauce. Good morning!!

Our luggage will be brought to the beach hotel. This can take a while since the jeep is broke and they wait for a replacement. Besides they have to drive over the beach to the hotel so they depend on the tides. After breakfast we go to the Cabo Blanco National Park. Before we arrive an armadillo crosses the road.

Cabo Blanco is covered with tropical dry forest. As we look upon it, the vegetation is tropical but not by nearly as thick as in a rainforest. The extreme large leafs are also absent. With a good heart we start a walk to what has to be the most beautiful beach of Costa Rica. But the extreme humidity plays a serious trick on us. Ten minutes later our clothes are completely soaked of sweat. We stand to puff constantly. The video camera doesn't work anymore. In the display it says (freely translated): "I sweat like hell, I quit."

We toil and moil another twenty minutes and than we see a sign that shows that we "already" have walked one-third of a mile. We get visions of the swimming pool and lose courage. This cannot be done, at least not by us.

Back in Montezuma our luggage isn't still brought to the beach hotel of El Sano Banano. We take what is strictly necessary and go to the hotel. Than we see the problem at the absence of a proper vehicle. The hotel lies a little more than half a mile form the village, at the beach. You have to walk (or drive) along the water line.

This makes the entourage of this hotel very paradisiacal, even apart from the beautiful laid garden and rooms. Everything is designed by the husband of Patricia, the Dutch owner. It is marvelous! And their own home, which is also on the premises, is the most beautiful and remarkable house we ever saw. For instance it doesn't have walls and all kinds of details that are not to be described. You have to see it for yourself.

The swimming pool is also very extraordinary designed and we enthusiastic jump in it. As far as we can see there is just one other couple around but not at the moment so we have it all to ourselves now.

At night we have to walk to and back from the village again to eat something. The disadvantage of this hotel is that for all the snacks and refreshments (and the parking place of the car) you are dependent on the village. Every time we walk more than half a mile there and back over the beach. The people who live here seem to have no problems with that, but we drudge ourselves a wet T-shirt every time, because of all that loose sand and humidity.

Next: Monteverde