Volcano

Costa Rica is loaded with natural beauty, and one of the most popular tourist attractions is the volcanos.  Arenal in La Fortuna is perhaps the most famous, even though it has been dormant in the past decade.  It is about a four-hour drive from San Jose on winding mountainous roads.

Alex and I made a trek there recently, and for the first time, I felt like I could actually be in the US.  The amount of infrastructure and tourist attractions around the volcano matched what I was familiar with.  The roads were good.  There were hotels and restaurants and activities everywhere.  

We stayed in a nice "4-star" resort Alex wanted to inspect. Nature and the volcano were on our front step.  

We went rappelling through the jungle.  I've never done anything like this before, and while I wasn't scared, I admit looking down from the platform caused me pause.  It would not have ended well if something went wrong, but I told myself they take people on this adventure every week so it must be safe.

My favorite part of the weekend was the thermal waters.  These underground waters are heated by the volcano.  As they come to the surface, it is like one huge natural whirlpool.  Gentle waterfalls and nature all around you.  An evening here might have been the most unique experience so far in CR for me.

We also checked out the main waterfall on the side of the volcano.  This is a famous tourist attraction and a national park.  You hike down into the valley and can swim at the base of the waterfall.  The pressure of the water falling 250 feet was intense.  And in contrast to the thermal waters the night before, this water was COLD!!!