Exotic experience Local couple travels to Costa Rica for thrill

Editor's note: Wayne and Joan McPherson traveled to Costa Rica in March for a vacation with family members. Here is an account of their trip.

By Wayne McPherson

Dorothy had traveled this road before and was eager for a sea bass lunch. How disappointed we were when the sea bass restaurant was out of business! We had flown into San Jose, Costa Rica, the previous evening and now, on the road to the Arenal volcano, lunchtime was nearly past. So we stopped at the first opportunity. It was an open-air "bar 'n grill." When we were told that fresh tilapia was available, most of us wanted to try it. Imagine our surprise when the owner and his wife took opposite ends of a net and headed for a concrete tank in front of the restaurant. Stefan volunteered to man the wife's end of the seine; but after the fish were caught he relinquished to her the task of cleaning and frying them.

This was the first of what we would see listed on many menus as the "typical meal." The meat would be chicken, beef, fish, or possibly shrimp. It would be accompanied by black beans and rice, a fresh vegetable and fresh fruit. For a beverage a variety of fresh fruit drinks would be available; fresh juice was added to your choice of water or milk. Cost of the meal, including tax and tip, was often not more than $6.

The only actual disappointment of the 10-day trip was the weather on the next day. After many sunny days, the sudden change to rain apparently put the rainbow bass off their feed. We spent the day on Lake Arenal; but the rain kept our cameras in their bags and kept the fish in lethargy. While we enjoyed the sights and sounds of the jungle surrounding the lake, the low clouds hid the nearby volcano from us all day. A highlight of the day came mid-morning when through the foggy mist came the unmistakable ominous rumble of the lakeside volcano -- an almost daily occurrence we understand.

Another highlight of that day was our mid-morning and mid-afternoon shore meals. Our guide led us a few hundred yards from the mud boat ramp to the small open-air village general store. While we waited for brunch, in walked a customer with an untethered parakeet on his shoulder. While primarily a café, behind the cash register the store offered a few shelves of general merchandise: candy, toys, work shoes, etc.

Our walk back to the beached boat took us by a small building with a large sign on the front. Though not fluent in Spanish, we were able to read that this was an Assembly Of God church in this tiny remote village. Obviously not an irreligious nation, Costa Rica has Catholicism as its national religion. Many times on our trip we would see a well-kept large Catholic church set prominently near the center of a town. And, as another indication of the presence of established religion in Costa Rica, we spotted a Methodist seminary in San Jose.

The rain was no hindrance to our evening activity that day. We steamed in the hot spring water flowing from the foot of Arenal volcano at Tabacon, where an elaborate evening buffet, near the pool and comfortable bathhouse, overlooks a gorgeous tropical garden and is popular among tourists and residents alike.

Costa Rica is called the Switzerland of Central America. Though having a few different kinds of police (to direct traffic, restrict speeding, and otherwise maintain civil order) the country has no army and no income tax. One of our in-laws, Pat, who led this tour for us, and is the co-owner of a Costa Rican watersports business venture; is required to hire an accountant to prepare and file an income tax return; but no tax is due. On all meals 13 percent sales tax is collected, plus 10 percent for the server.

Our next activity was a morning canopy tour of the cloud forest at Monte Verde, where we rappelled and rode zip-lines. Later while eliciting a recommendation for lunch we met a local guide with whom we arranged a twilight walk through a rain forest.

During the following days we enjoyed the Pacific coast. The delightful beach at Punta Leone bordered another primary forest, home of monkeys and wonderful birds including the spectacular scarlet macaws. Pat's jungle-river cruise showed us numerous crocodiles, lizards that could walk on water and a matchless assortment of birds in the wild. Aboard Pat's fishing boat one day three of us individually had the thrill of landing a first sailfish while dolphins swam around our boat.

Two more activities remained: La Paz Waterfall Gardens and a whitewater rafting trip. The beauty of La Paz is varied: abundant ferns, spectacular waterfalls, wondrous hummingbirds, the world's largest butterfly pavilion, and (as almost everywhere in Costa Rica) stunning flowers. Plus a nice gift shop and another exotic buffet.

With his experience Pat was the ideal tour guide and driver. But the last day he got to be a passenger, like his eight relatives that comprised his brood. From San Jose we were shuttled up through more rain forest and down Costa Rica's Caribbean slope. For the four of us who are in our 60s, the 6-hour 20-mile whitewater river trip was all the excitement and exertion we could stand. Again the lush scenery was awesome.

What an adventure What are our most vivid memories? The ubiquitous flowers, the scarlet macaws in flight, the lizards running across the water's surface, spectacular sailfish jumps, misty perches in the canopy of the cloud forest, plunging mountain streams and waterfalls, and small shops advertising Internet access along remote mountain roads to name a few.