It's Christmas Eve and we've been busy. After a very Costan Rican breakfast (eggs, rice and beans, tortillas, plaintain), we headed out to the 250 acre Mistico Hanging Bridges Park for a two-hour tour of the forest canopy. Now, a lot of people were bugging us about going ziplining in Costa Rica. It's a thing here. But as I had just ziplined down Mt. Bachelor earlier this year (see a previous post), I had no desire to do it again. I thought a "hanging bridge" tour would suffice. Mistico has six such bridges, long suspended pedestrian bridges constructed of good strong wire and inspected at six a.m. every working day. Perfectly safe unless you lose your balance. Our guide Fransisco said hanging bridges are harder than ziplining! At least with ziplining you're strapped into a harness. I safely made my way across six such bridges up to 97 meters long with a little swaying, but no falling. Here you see one of the shorter hanging bridges from a distance.
It's the dry season now (Costa Rica has only two seasons - wet and dry) so the tourist season is in full swing, and our group certainly saw more people than creatures. But our intrepid guide Francisco had the stationary animals all mapped out. First, the stingless bees, that produce honey that will make you look ten years younger. Then the howler monkeys that wouldn't pose for us. The poisonous dart frog hidden in a log. More stingless bees.
And then, the coup de grace. The bright yellow eyelash pit viper. (They come in all kinds of colors, but yellow is less usual). Our viper was digesting a meal and hadn't moved from its perch in the trees for weeks, according to Francisco. It is venomous, though less so than other vipers. That means, with proper medical care, you will live, but not without regretting you bothered the viper.
Franscisco captured the viper through his spotting scope and took a picture for me. Always beatiful from a safe distance!
After hanging bridges, we had one more adventure for the day - La Fortuna Waterfall. For just $20 each (reserve in advance) you walk down a skyscraper's worth of stairs (except surrounded by a jungle) to a spectacular waterfall.
Weather permitting, you can then swim at the base of the waterfall. Red helmeted life guards wearing water shoes stand at the ready, but no incidents today.
We chose to go to the "kiddie" pool which runs off from the waterfall. Here we were delighted to see a school of what looked like trout, some big enough to eat. They were completely nonplussed as we waded in. Steven took a few dunks. I worked to stay upright. And yes, the water is a little cold. Then began the trek back up the skyscraper of stairs, 500 steps in all, with encouraging signs along the way (you can do it! in Spanish and English). At the top is a restaurant and gift shop, should you wish to linger.
If not, the sight of the Arenal Volcano, perfectly cylindrical, with a topping of steam at its tip, will greet you as you head back into town. Arenal still has a head of steam but last really erupted in 2011. And now off to Christmas Eve dinner, a big night for Costa Ricans.
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