We left San Jose at 8am today enroute to the Bahamas for a week relaxing and hopefully enjoying some sunshine.

This is my overview of Costa Rica:-

It is a country of contrasts and ecosystems from rainforest to cloud forest to dry forest and stretching between the atlantic and pacific coasts. To the north is Nicaragua and to the south is Panama. It is seen as the most advanced Central American country and although I have nothing to compare it with I believe it to be true. It had a good road infrastructure and the hotels and lodges we stayed in were of a good standard. Despite many living simple lives there is only a 7% unemployment rate. All the countryside we travelled through was interesting; besides the different eco systems we also passed through the agricultural heartlands -- with plantations of arabica coffee, bananas, sugar cane and pineapples - most of the bananas are destined for export.....many will end up in our supermarkets. Importantly there was no discernible rubbish spoiling the landscape everywhere was very clean ( today's photo is on the road to Savegre - the mountains with the cloud forest above and the pineapple and sugar cane plantations in the valley below.

Best part: the bio-diversity - there is something for everyone - from mammals; sloths, kinkajou, coatis, 4 types of monkey ( mantled howler, squirrel, spider and white faced) to reptiles; snakes, american crocodile, caiman, lizards, iguanas and of course the baby green turtles we saw make it to the sea, to the enormous variety of birds we saw; from toucans, the white hawk, laughing falcon, scarlet macaw, parrots, parakeets, woodpeckers, tanagers, the special forked tailed flycatcher and of course the resplendent quetzal to the numerous amphibians; especially the gaudy or red eyed leaf frog with orange feet on the Atlantic coast and green feet on the Pacific and finally the butterflies and dragonflies particularly the blue morpho butterfly - seen many times but it never settled long enough for a photograph. Then there is all the flowers, trees , fungi, epiphytes and other vegetation for the botanists.
The worst : the unseasonal weather - more rain on the Caribbean coast than normal - that said it didn't stop us doing anything we had planned. Then there was the night walk in Monteverde in torrential rain which thanks to the guide was perversely very enjoyable!
Food: overall it was very good albeit the vegetarian choice was a little limited.....it was great to try all the different juices and particularly have blackberry again (last drunk in Ecuador)
Indulgences - the two for 1 massage special at Tortuguero which John and I had - our Xmas present to us- and the massage and facial I had at Savegre were very relaxing......after the massage at Savegre which was on a heated bed, so you melted into it as the heat radiated through you, I was told I looked 10-15 years younger but no one said how old I looked before! My house facial was excellent albeit I thought at one stage I was losing my eyebrows to a little blue razor like thing; others who had the anti ageing and deep cleansing facials were not so keen- I think they felt they had lost face layers to a brillo pad!

Tips:
* take a range of clothes as you go through different climate zones and temperatures ranges - from cool and cold to warm and hot and humid to dry.
* make sure you stop at the SODA cafes - definitely the best value and nicest coffee - a mug for $1 or 500 colones. The food looked good too - but we never ate there.
* Most ATMs give colones and dollars - a few purchases require the local currency but the majority of retailers take both currencies.....you are never sure which gives the best deal though as some quote in dollars others colones and then convert at different rates.
* Most food bills contain tax and tip @ 23%
* The sewage system is very continental i.e. it cannot manage paper - loo paper must be put in a basket not down the toilet - you just get yourself trained and then you leave!