Costa Rica
by david daly on 09/20/10
It took 3 flights to get here- JFK-Orlando, Orlando-San Jose, then a tiny puddle jumper from San Jose to Quepos- the launching pad to Manuel Antonio national park in Costa Rica and home to an impressive array of wildlife an pristine beaches.
I found a great deal for a king bed apartment with kitchen in a small resort of only 11 units for $77/night with breakfast. The infinity pool looks over the Pacific Ocean and i headed here first after checking in. I was very excited to see a small spider monkey at the far end of the pool, not realizing that the monkey had about 60 friends in the trees surrounding the pool deck who were eager to entertain with a tree jumping performance all afternoon. A giant Iguana came out to inspect the area as well followed by some lizard creature that actually ran across the surface of the pool water (or so one of the guests claimed). In the distance one can see the dorsel fins of the whales which have come into the bay to feed, and occasionally one breaches making a worthwhile spectacle. Parrots and Tucans are like pigeons here- it really is an impressive show of beautiful wildlife!
This will be my longest stay during the Jet-A-Thon but 4 days will barely be enough to scratch the surface of this beautiful country. It is the rainy season which means a storm tends to pass through in the late afternoon, and crowds are minimal (hence the great hotel deal). Im looking forward to exploring the beach and national park!