Monteverde Cloud Forests and Volcan Poas, COSTA RICA

With a rented car the 3.5 hours trip to the tiny settlement of Monteverde and Santa Elena on the fringe of the Costa Rican cloud forest was very bumpy on an unpaved road with huge potholes. The last part of the road snaked through beautiful scenery as the road climbed higher and higher towards...the clouds! Spent about 3 hours hiking through the Santa Elena cloud forest. Giant trees are enshrouded in orchids, mosses, bromeliads, and ferns, and in those small areas where sunlight penetrates, brilliantly colored flowers flourish.

The mist covered forest where little sunlight reaches the ground is crawling with life...yet very hard to see for the untrained eye. Last count shows 2,500 plant species, 400 species of birds (including the colourful Quetzal), 500 types of butterflies, and more than 100 different mammals - including many cat species. Indeed an experience to hike through these forests! Costa Rica is known for protecting probably the most beautiful cloud forests in the world.

The day and night hiking was complemented with visits to a nearby serpentarium, orchid farms, etc.

Further south my visit to the active Volcano Poas was a great experience! The water filled crater is surrounded by sulphurous gas vents and geysers. The volcano has a long history of eruptions, going back as much as 11 million years. Last week the eruptions were so violent that access to the viewing area was closed for a few days. Yesterday the water "exploded" 200 meters into the air...and if you were standing at the viewing spot, you sure would have had to run for cover! Its geyser-like eruptions of muddy water and steam, have given it the reputation as the world’s largest geyser.

Further south towards San Jose lies the beautiful waterfalls of La Paz surrounded by some of the most impressive green jungle I have ever seen. A nearby private reserve has a great collection of amphibians, humming birds, flowers, birds, reptiles, and butterflies.

Was great to see the enthusiasm of the local crowd at the Rock Festival on Saturday held in the vicinity of Volcano Poas. Several local and Latin bands entertained a crowd of about three thousand people.

My three weeks in Costa Rica was very eventful! Costa Rica is without a doubt one of the most stunning countries on earth!!

Tomorrow up north to Nicaragua. I trust to sleep in the village of Altagracia on Ometepe Island, in Lake Nicaragua from where I will explore this island formed by two volcanoes (Volcano Concepcion and Volcano Maderas). Then, by ferry to the town of Granada on the north shores of Lake Nicaragua.