November 19-30, 2009


Lost Iguana Resort, La Fortuna, Arenal Volcano

I can admit it now:  when my husband Dan said we should go to Costa Rica, I couldn't have pointed it out to you on the globe. That said, once he told me a bit of why he wanted to go, I was all in.  He has really never lead me down a path that I didn't like (but I don't know that I've openly admitted that to him). 

Our trip to Costa Rica was spurred on by an unused plane ticket.  Dan had been scheduled to attend a solar development seminar but it didn't work out.  So we had this credit to use.  And it expired.  So, it made all the sense in the world to us to put the ticket to use and schedule it over Thanksgiving which would then also be our first anniversary trip (I did point out to him that he was setting the bar pretty high, but that didn't seem to phaze him).
 

Looking up at our room - Lost Iguana

Once the dates were set, the research began with each of us burning the midnight oil looking up websites, pouring over travel guides and generally lapping up everything Costa Rica. 

We settled on doing half of the trip in the mountains (read: active, lava spewing volcano); and the other half by the beach. 


Arenal Volcano (view from our balcony at the Lost Iguana

We would fly into San Jose and then be picked up by our driver, Carlos, who would deliver us approximately three hours later to the Lost Iguana Resort and Spa - in the district of La Fortuna and on a jungled hillside looking straight on to the magnificent and active Arenal Volcano.  Arenal is one of the ten most active volcanoes in the world. And because of that the Lost Iguana would call you in the middle of the night in case there was a lava event so that you take in the eruption in the comfort of you room which safely nestled in a location guaranteed to be out of harm's way (Arenal erupted unexpectedly in 1968, destroying the small town of Tabacon).

We had hired Carlos to drive us after we each independently concluded that we would be far better off without having to deal with a car, especially on the Costa Rican roads - which we were warned time and again could up and disappear in front of your eyes - washed away in a sludge of hillside released under the onslaught of a sudden rain.  Good call.  We thoroughly enjoyed the drive, didn't have to read a map or ask directions and Carlos was very accomodating to my requests for potty stops and picture breaks.  Carlos not only provided us a safe and happily stress-free transport to our first accomodations, but also gave us insight about the country - it's politics, biology, flora, fauna and answered any questions we had.  



Our drive took us up canyons, mountainsides with villages clinging to the side, all in a rain forest setting that seemed to be growing in front of my eyes.  We passed coffee plantations, papaya trees loaded with fruit and the tropical plants that you would find in the indoor plant section of our stores, were growing like weeds along the road.

We stopped in a 'soda' - which was like a cafe/souvenir store in one. The main crafts were wooden bowls and other objects, carved from exquisite Rosewood, Purpleheart, Teak and other exotics.  Dan, being the wood craftsman that he is, was in heaven. 


Our drive was the beginning of our adventure and we arrived at the Lost Iquana, three hours later  and much more aware about the unique and special land we were now guests of.


Carlos, our driver and Dan - saying good-bye

The road to the Lost Iguana, with the perfectly-laid pavers, was a sharp contrast to the rough road up to that point:  it made me wonder what the locals must have thought of that road when it went in.  Carlos said that the owner of the resort put it in so that it wouldn't erode away and due to the steep entry to the resort, I could see it was needed.  We meandered our way up the cobbled path, if possible, even more remote from civilization - until we reached it.  The entrance stayed true to its surrounding, barely discernable from the surrounding jungle.  The juxtasposition on the landscape was a perfect compliment to it.



Me at entrance to Lost Iguana (note the pavers!)

Upon our arrival, we were soon greeted with glasses of papaya juice, very welcome after our journey.  Carlos #2 checked us in and then we were driven to our room by golf cart.  We loved our room - it was simple, yet beautiful.  The veranda had a perfect view of Arenal and also had the open air jacuzzi tucked in the corner. 




Corner of veranda



Dan enjoying the view from the veranda

We settled in exhausted from lack of sleep, but not from the trip.  We orderded room service and were able to get vegan fajitas and salads the perfect compliment to the bottle of wine that had greeted us upon our entrance to the room.  Costa Rican perfection. 

When it got dark, we tested out the jacuzzi, watching the fireflies circle above us and listening to the life in the jungle - an exotic orchestra of howler monkeys, birds, crickets and other unknown creatures. It was rather intoxicating - well I suppose of bit of it could be attributed to the wine. 

Arenal remained hidden.

Day 2 - Saturday

...to be continued...