 Arenal |
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We got up at about 8:30 this morning and headed out for Arenal. We stopped at Stella's Bakery for one last pastry and hit the very bumpy road. We rode through some amazing countryside -- some of the most beautiful parts of Costa Rica we've seen yet. So green, so hilly, so glorious under the open sky. For most of the way, there's no other way to say it other than the road fucking sucked, but it was brightened by a coatimundi pair crossing the road, the sight of a cool far-off wind farm, a stop at a supremely cute and delicious German bakery called Tom's Pan, and the view of the spectacular Lake Arenal. 
We played 20 Questions for much of the way until we finally approached the volcano. Wow.
We settled into our cabin at Arenal Paraiso and decided to go check out the pools. We were distracted by a sign for a waterfall and decided to investigate. There was a sign that warned us to hike at our own risk, but we pshawed and forged ahead. The map of the grounds is certainly not to scale because the falls look pretty close on it, but as we hiked down, down, down, down, down a beautiful but very steep path, we realized that they were not so close and that the hike back up would be tortuous -- if not for him than certainly for me -- so we turned back. We made our way back and sweatily hit the poolside showers before first hitting the cool pool and then trekking up to the hottest of the bunch. It was very relaxing and surrounded by lush and incredible landscaping with a great view -- if a bit cloudy -- of the volcano and sky. Strawberry daiquiris from the warm pool bar in hand, we moved down to a slightly less scorching pool and relaxed in there for a while before one last dip in the cool pool. 
We drove to dinner in La Fortuna and ate at Rancho La Cascada. He had chicken fajitas, and I had arroz con pollo. There was a large screen playing videos of such classics as "Money for Nothing" and "Bootylicious." Now we're just relaxing in the room and preparing ourselves to go horseback riding in the morning.  Arenal Paraiso is no Fonda Vela, but it's nice enough, and the pools are fantastic. We were talking at dinner about how Arenal and Monteverde are such different destinations not only geographically but in the kind of people they attract and the overall attitude. In Monteverde, you kind of have to earn the chance to experience its awesomeness. You have to drive up that fucking mountain if it kills you and hike through the cloudforest, and it's not easy, but it's worth it. Here, the volcano is just more obvious. It's certainly breathtaking and majestic even when the peak is covered in clouds as it's been so far on our visit, but it just feels easier to come by and somehow not as special. Which sounds kind of insane, I know. Certainly the road to Arenal was no picnic either, but there's a feeling here that's in stark contrast to that in Monteverde. There we were surrounded by birders. Here we're surrounded by boozers in the hot springs bar with telenovelas on the TV and executives on retreat talking about things like "synergy." I'm glad we're here, but I don't think it will ever replace Monteverde in my heart.
About this time in ...
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