We spent a few days at Jaco, a great area for surfing, wide beaches and a small local town that according to the Bible (OK Lonely Planet guide to Costa Rica), not really a nice town). We would disagree with the book. Maybe not the best but certainly a nice little seaside town, plenty of small local hotels and no Hilton, Holiday Inn type conglomerates thank goodness. The town also had loads of restaurants, both serving local food aand a wide ranging eclectic mix of other types. Costa Rica must have a love affair going with Japan as even the smallest village seems to have a Sushi restaurant. The fish on the coast is exceptional and Jan is finding plenty of variety including lots of Pinto Gallo (rice and beans)
After a few days relaxing, swimming and surfing at Jaco, we left to move a couple of hours down the coast to Manuel Antonio National Park. We stayed just outside in a lovely little hotel set up by Kids Saving The Rainforest on the hill between Quepos and the village of Manuel Antonio. The hotel struck a cord with me as its name" Mono Azul" meant a lot to my late mother. A favourite restaurant of hers and my fathers in Bensheim, Germany is called the" Blauer Aft". In English for all you un-educated "Blue Monkey"
Manuel Antonio Nat Park is tiny but it has fantastic beaches, white sand, trees down to the beach and on a lot off the beaches the company comes not from people but from troops monkeys, greedy raccoons, huge Iguanas and even Agoutis. The drawback is you have to watch your bags, raccoons go straight for them after food as do the Capuchin monkeys. We were sitting at one end and another couple watched our bags while we swam and we theirs but we were constantly up chasing things away. The funniest thing was watching a large male Iguana creep up on the other couple when they were having a sandwich. They hadn't seen it but the Iguana suddenly ran over the guy to get to the sandwich in his hand. The look on his face and I didnt have the camera with me at that time.
The worst thing by far though in that National Park were the Americans. Suddenly screaming that a raccoon was attacking them and running away. All you needed to do was flick a towel or hat at them and they ran off. One group threw rocks at them and when I said about it was told they are only raccoons and we dont like them. OK you are only bloody Americans and I cant stand you!! The best comment was from one very fat elderly American lady was "We gotta get out o' here" in a very broad American accent. All I can say is the quicker the better!
Apart from that all was great, a little attempted conning by the locals especially Oscar who declared, as we drove in on the one and only road, "Hi my name is Oscar and I am in charge of all the car parking here. When you come back most people pay me between 2000 and 4000 Colones. Now the going rate is approx 200 colones so I laughed and left. We left without paying him at all but it is the norm to pay the guy who guards you car so the next day when we went back Oscar was there and the same thing happened so this time I said it is a con and he said sorry I meant between 1000 and 2000. After a little discussion I asked what the locals pay and he said oh some nothing some 200 so it was suggested not to con us Brits but take it out on the Americans in the hope they don't come back. (sorry about the American rant but if you happen to be American then have a chat with your countryfolk and get them to understand wildlife. It doesnt all get shot, kicked or have rocks thrown at it.
The area also had really great restaurants, especially those with views over the Pacific from the headland. One evening a huge storm so managed to get one picture with lightening in it, the next night one of the best sunsets I have ever seen so pictures of that as well.
Now moved on again a few more miles down the coast to an area where Humpback Whales are seen this time of year. We have a boat trip tomorrow then leave and onto the last part of the Pacific side on Peninsular Osa and Park National Corcorvado. This is the wildest and most natural of the areas with all the wildlife if we can get to see it in the dense jungle
Might take a while to update as probably will not have internet there.
Comments welcome
Mike & Jan
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