Catching Up! Tortuguero > Sarapiqui > Arenal > Guanacaste

Good morning and happy Monday to all the folks back in DC! Although I've had some decent access to cellular date, the WiFi at my hotels has been even less reliable than usual. Please rest assured that we've been taking tons of pictures and videos and I do intend on making these available on the blog.

For now, here is by quick round up of the past few days' activities:

Tortuguero > Sarapiqui
After waking to the calls of howler monkeys for the last time, our students boarded their boats back to the mainland of Costa Rica and Sarapiqui. Once in Sarapiqui, our split group either enjoyed zip lining, time exploring the hotel, or a choice of activities in the area. My group split between hotel basketball and a chocolate production tour. The chocolate tour was incredibly interesting as we watched the entire process from the picking of the fruit to the mixing of additive flavors. Needless to say, the samples were much appreciated!

Sarapiqui > Arenal
As beautiful as our tree-fort style hotel was, our students were eager to get on the road to Arenal as this day was to be one of our most exciting. In the morning, my group enjoyed zip lining through the rain forest canopy followed by whitewater rafting in the Sarapiqui! Both activities were a hit with our adventurous students and the Go Pro footage will surely make for some excellent memories.

Arenal
La Fortuna, sitting under the shadow of Arenal Volcano, is known for its adventure tourism and beautiful scenery. On our full day here, students kayaked in the man-made Lake Arenal, hiked the 500 steps to La Foturna's famous waterfall, and enjoyed a relaxing evening at Baldi Hot Springs.

Arenal > Guanacaste
After leaving Arenal, our students headed to our last destination of the trip in Liberia, Guanacaste. We enjoyed a hike in Rincon de la Vieja, known for its wildlife and heavy volcanic activity. Our students enjoyed the hike, but my groups' journey was marred somewhat when a monkey fell from a tree, injuring itself just feet from our student. Our guide sought help from a ranger quickly, but it was certainly an unexpected end to the hike.

Today, our final full day in Costa Rica, our students will enjoy a boat tour in the morning and snorkeling in the afternoon! Our students are having a wonderful adventure, but I know they will be happy to return to their loved ones and normal schedule tomorrow.

Here are some snapshots from the last few days:

A white faced monkey peeks at our students

Jumping from limb to limb

Arenal Volcano as seen from the road to Guanacaste

A scarlet macaw sings to a nearby friend

Looking forward to chocolate samples

Working on the chocolate

This tiny bud is the start of your next chocolate bar

Hiking Rincon de la Vieja

 Volcanic activity!