Off in to the Great Wilds

So, I stopped posting for awhile there. Which is a good thing, because that meant I was busy enjoying San Jose and San Pedro. I'm on spring break now, for a week, and my parents just arrived at the hostel we're at for tonight in San Jose. Tomorrow we head for a couple days on the Osa Peninsula, next to Corcovado National Park, one of the most amazing places to see jungle and wildlife in CR. After that we spend the rest of the week near Volcano Arenal, the most active volcano in Central America (I think?). Chances to see real lava flowing are low, but hope is springing. After that week, we're back with the program, heading directly to the cloud forest of Monteverde for a week, then a week at Cabo Blanco Nature Reserve which is first national park of CR and is extremely untouched and remote. For all of this, I'll have zero internet access, unless there's some near Arenal, or when we stop in San Jose before going to Monteverde, until getting to La Selva Biol. Station on April 20th. Needless to say, I wouldn't waste my precious internet time on this silly old blog, so this will be my last post until then, except for a sentence or two, perhaps.

What have I been doing in San Jose for the past week or so? I rafted the Pacuare again for my second free tour, with Hart since she didn't go the first time due to frisbee-related soreness. Totally worth it, and I fell out of the raft for the first time out of five rafting trips I've taken. I played frisbee twice a week with some really cool people, and now have an awesome Costa Rica ultimate jersey. I went to a great modern art museum, a couple amazing little art galleries, and went to a 17th-cent Spanish play in the National Theater (which is a fabulously fancy old building in downtown). Never made it to the Jazz Cafe, but I did go to some good bars, especially Ciros, the local hangout five minutes from my house. This afternoon, I went to a fantastic Lebanese restaurant and satisfied my falafel cravings, as well as experiencing the tastiest yogurt I have ever had. I also learned quite a bit of Spanish, although maybe not as much as I would have liked.

I proclaim myself ready to head into the wilderness (excepting some brief, less-than-24-hr breaks in San Jose). I am heartily glad to get out of the city, no matter how enjoyable and culture-tastic it was. Just gimme some of that old-time nay-chur, mae.