When I was a child, I would wake up during the early morning hours of Christmas Day to see if Santa Claus had come. Last night and early this morning, I woke up every hour to check the volcano for lava flows. At 4AM, I was rewarded for my efforts when the clouds lifted for a 30 minute window during which we had great views of the lava streaming down every five minutes or so. I woke Jeanine and the children for what will be a long remembered Christmas morning gift, one enjoyed by few people who visit Arenal. Using my travel camera it was nearly impossible to photograph the eruptions but I did get exactly one photo from the dozens I shot which captured a sliver of the action. Trust me when I say it does not begin to capture the views we enjoyed.
Our guide was a very knowledgeable naturalist with a good sense of humor. He had personally captured many of the creatures we were viewing. The boxes on the table contain tarantulas and he was more than happy to remove the lids so I could get in close for photos. Behind Jeanine is a shadow box full of beatles, some of which are almost as big as the dogs in this country. This may be a slight exageration, but you sure as hell would not want to find one of these things in your shoe.
The variety and beauty of the creatures indigenous to the rain forests is amazing. Our guide allows me to get within 2 inches of this poisonous tree frog for the photo. I probably should have inquired if they can jump or not.
We discovered a serpentarium within walking distance and learned more about venomous snakes, frogs, and spiders than is wise when you will be spending the better part of the next week in the jungles where they live.
Costa Rica has millions of dogs, mostly tiny, running freely everywhere. Maya attempts, nearly successfully, to meet every one of them. Here, she befriends Chantal and Zigfreid (so named by Maya and Nicoali).
The north side of the one-room cabina features a picture window offering a perfect view of the volcano’s lava fields. Arenal’s cauldren remains shrouded in clouds most of the time, and we are a little disappointed that we cannot see the peak.
We drive for several more hours before reaching our destination in El Castillo, where we have reserved two cabinas that are perfectly situated to observe Volcan Arenal, the largest of three active volcanos in Costa Rica.
By the time we reach the volcano, the afternoon clouds have set in. We elect to continue on rather than stumbling about in the mist. It is not long before we come across mist of a different kind. Please note the total lack of safety railing seperating my children (those little specs in the photo) from a combination bath, shower and whirlpool. You quickly learn here that your safety is in your own hands. Click on the image for a bigger view.
This morning, we head out for the Volcan (volcano) Poas and in little time encounter bulls of a more authentic variety. The cart features traditional Costa Rican decorations and the owner is happy to allow a photograph for a small donation. Although English is widely spoken here, we rely on Kyle heavily for translation when the need arises. Jeanine, armed with her Spanish dictionary and ear for language is soon an able communicator as well. I am surprised by how much Spanish I understand and how strangely I am viewed when I respond in broken French.
This morning we left for the airport at 3:15AM and the temperature was 8°F. If not for the anticipation of a tropical Costa Rican adventure, I do not know that we could have mustered the will to depart at such an hour into such conditions. We flew first to Philadelphia, pictured here at sunrise, then to Charlotte, NC and finally onto San Jose where we arrived by late afternoon. We rented a stick-shift 4×4 SUV equiped with a GPS navigator (the very best money we spent). For all its beauty, the roads of Costa Rica are not for the faint hearted and the universal lack of road signage a real impediment to going it on you own. Our first night was spent in Alejuela, close to the airport where we recovered from the day long journey.
A last look at winter before the family heads for a warmer climate. We leave the house at 3AM for a 5:30AM flight to Costa Rica. We will not have access to the internet so the blog will not be updated until we return. Wishing all our friends and family a joyous holiday season and happy New Year.
This website is dedicated to sharing, with family and friends, the day-to-day adventures of the Calabria family.
