Travels to Central Valley
There are so many things to love about San Jose, – live theater, music in the streets, fine dining – but peace and quiet can be hard to find in such a loud, vibrant city. So when I heard about the Spirogyra Butterfly Garden, located in San Jose’s Guadalupe neighborhood, I was intrigued. It sounded like a peaceful retreat from the city’s growing concrete jungle.
I caught a bus to Guadalupe and got off at El Pueblo shopping center, a locale known best for late night dancing and wild parties. It was hard to believe that …
Location: Central Valley, San Jose »
Activities: Bird & Wildlife Watching, Private Parks & Reserves »
I sat on the bus headed toward Barva, Heredia, and a mixture of excitement and nervousness sat like a knot in my throat. I had just moved to the outskirts of Heredia two weeks prior, and both the bus route and my stop’s identifying landmark – the Barva Castle – were completely new to me.
Luckily, my seat neighbor was familiar with Barva and, with her help, I hopped off the bus just north of the huge, medieval-looking castle (a private residence, I gathered). I hailed a taxi, but soon discovered that the quarter-mile journey would …
Location: Central Valley, Heredia »
Activities: Coffee Tours »
My journey home from Puerto Viejo de Sarapiqui conveniently passed the cloud forest town of Poasito, home to Poas Volcano National Park. Looming 23 miles north of Alajuela, Poas Volcano is one of Costa Rica’s five active volcanoes and boasts one of the largest craters on earth.
As I approached the lower slopes of Poas, climbing from 4,500 to over 9,000 feet above sea level, a noticeable chill filled the air. I drove through rolling hills sprinkled with dairy farms and waved at local growers touting their beautiful, fresh strawberries.
The crowds were surprisingly small considering this …
Location: Central Valley, Poas Volcano »
Activities: Bird & Wildlife Watching, National Parks & Reserves, Volcanoes »
