Hi all!
Another update from Central America where the sun has been beating down on us for the past few days. The weather can be slightly temperamental in Costa Rica during the wet season, with blazing heat one minute and then the next a grumble in the near sky warns us something is brewing. This weekend we have been witnesses to some magnificent thunder and lightening storms. On Friday night after Rafa, (Funky Monkeys chef) had put on a magnificent feast of tapas and cocktails especially for the group the sky started to cloud over and decided to give us quite a performance. With thunder and lightening right above our heads it reminded all of us that we are in a tropical climate as the rain battered down and thunder cracked in our ears for at least an hour. With electricity down through out the town we watched the show out of the comfort of our accommodation. So the performance on Friday night made way for a weekend of glorious sunshine and blue sky's which the group took full advantage of around the pool and on the beach.
So since I last wrote on Wednesday we have been on the road. The group hired out quads on Thursday and headed out for the day to Montezuma. Montezuma is located near the southern tip of the Nicoya Peninsula, 25 miles south west of Paquera and 5 miles south of the town of Cobano. The tiny beach haven of Montezuma features a mix of local "Ticos" as well as a foreign community with a lot of European influences. It’s a long-time favourite of backpackers and eco-tourists who come for the beaches, rivers and scenic waterfalls that surround the village. The road to Montezuma is a fun one as you follow the dirt track which runs through Santa Teresa, through the tropical rain forest and along the coast for roughly an hour as it leads you into the tiny fishing village of Montezuma.
We set of first thing in the morning to arrive right in time for a traditional breakfast of Gio Pinto (rice and beans) and a not so traditional breakfast of banana pancakes (no explanation needed). After breakfast we walked through town and started our trek up the river in search of the beautiful waterfalls we have heard about. About 20 minutes in, hiking up river we reached the first water fall. It was beautiful as you could swim across the pool and stand behind the cascading water…but we wanted more, we wanted higher. So with a local guide we set off higher in search of the next waterfall. The trek was steep and i was impressed with the fitness of the group as we climbed through the rainforest for a further 20 minutes intill we found the second waterfall. We were all very excited at the sight of a rope swing and some rock jumps into a very refreshing pool, a great way to cool our sweaty faces.
Everyone had their fun on the rope swing and small rock jumps. Harry preformed back flips off the rope swing and Hamish and Brendan decided to take on one of the higher jumps into the lower waterfall. I was impressed as they took a deep breath and jumped off into the lower waterfall pool 54 foot below…now in these stories of adventure we are allow to elaborate (or I have been told to do so by Hamish and Brendan) to make the story sound better….in fact the jump was only around 18 foot high and they didn't infact do acrobatic stunts while flying through the air, but well done boys it was very brave of you to jump. With a slightly less adventurous and shorter route back down the group had a quick look around Montezuma for some souvenirs before hoping on the quads and heading back to Santa Teresa before the sun set.
One reason for our Montezuma road trip was the building swells that were preventing us getting in the water. With the swell peaking on Friday and Saturday with 10 foot waves we cancelled the surf lessons on Friday in till the waves had calmed down a bit. This gave the group the opportunity to head along to the local reef “suckies” and watch some big wave surfers in action. As we sat safety on the beach with coffee in hand we watched a few brave surfers take on the huge sets that rolled through, maybe inspiring a few of the group to one day take on the big stuff!
Luckily the swell has dropped off and the group were back in the water today with their new boards. Its another early start tomorrow with another surf lesson and a yoga class. No doubt this week will fly by just like all the others and it will be time to head to Jaco on Friday for the ISA comp!
The group are all sitting behind me winding down after a feast of calzone and im off to join them in one of the hammocks. In till next time.
Thanks for reading!
Nikki