Las Pas Waterfall Tour

Our tour started with a super nice guy named Olman picking us up early at 10:30 am. We picked up another couple at the Marriott, and headed North West. Olman was so cool to point out many interesting things on the way up. We first went through many many tiny villages (towns). They all seemed run down and poor, but this is the way. The people aren't poor, but have much less when compared to our standards. The homes are made either with whatever they could find (it seemed) or are block homes covered with bars and gates. The bars and gates are both for security (although the crime here is very very low) and also part of the Spanish heritage. Anyone who has been to Spain (or Italy) will know about the bars and gates. Very beautiful actually.

After a few small and quaint towns, we started the climb up. Narrow NARROW roads, potholes, and fast driving. Needless to say, the boys loved it. They thought they were in a HotWheels Race Van! Once we hit the elevation of 1000 feet, the Coffee Plantations were everywhere. It was so incredible. One of the roads we needed to get to was closed because of all the rain they have been getting here, but Olman knew of a short-cut. This would usually worry me a little, but we are on an adventure of a lifetime, so I let it pass. And am I ever glad I did. This short-cut was through the oldest Coffee Plantation in Costa Rica. 3rd Generation Coffee is what it was called. We needed permission to come onto the property, but that was easily granted. The boys needed to use the bano (please see the pictures if you're interested) and so we were able to get out and look around. This coffee plantation actually gives tours, so we headed to the gift shop for some free samples! So good. Better than good. And the boys loved the chocolate covered coffee beans. (was this a mistake?)

Did you know........The Plantation was over 450 hectares, and it implyed over 1000 workers. They exported 90% of their crop to Europe and the USA. Most good workers can pick 30 baskets of ripe beans per day, and they recieve 1$ per basket. A good wage according to Olman. Also, coffee bean plants take 3 years to mature so that they are ready to be harvested, and they only ripen in October, November and December. When they cut the tree's back for better growing, they use the cut branches to roast the beans.

Once we hit 1700 Feet, Coffee could not be grown anymore, so the area was now filled with Dairy farms. Cows Cows Cows everywhere. On the road, in the fields, Everywhere. Here again the villages looked poor, but don't tell the Costa Ricans, this is the way they live. Honestly, I have yet to meet a sad Costa Rican. Everyone here is happy all the time.

In around this time the cloud forests appeared. I have never been inside a cloud, but this was very very cool. It wasn't actually raining, but the mist was so thick it was very hard to see in front and behind you. Glad Olman knew how to drive! A little later we hit the Continental divide. This is where the rivers start flowing in different directions. The same as in the mountains in B.C., here the water either goes to the Pacific or Caribbean side. Cool

Las Pas Waterfalls was soon after this, and were we glad to get out of the van. We had been travelling for around 2 hours now. I thought the boys would be hungry, but they were eager to get on with the tour. We started with the birds. Scarlet Macaws, Blue Macaws, Toucans and more. We were inside the enclosure, so the birds actually came right up to us. Callym was about 2 feet from one, and it was the coolest thing ever. During the walk we passed by a huge display of bettles, ants, and other many HUGE bugs. These can be seen on our photo site. From there we headed into the butterfly area. This too was enclosed. They were everywhere. There were butterflies flying around, caterpillars under every leaf, eggs on the leaves, and cocoons all around. We saw some of the most interesting cocoons. Please see the pictures, but I will tell you know, some looked like pure solid shiny gold!

From here we saw the frogs. There weren't many to be seen (all hiding) but the few that we saw were very cool. Red-eyed tree frogs, Blue Jean frogs (because they are red with Blue legs that makes it look like they are wearing jeans) the HummingBird exhibit was in the open air, and was incredible. There were about a hundred of them. I tried my best to get pictures, but they are fast. Really fast. Amazing though. The whole day was.

After this we started the walk to the waterfalls. This included many, many, many steps. All steep and all slipery. Here everything is so damp that they stairs, trees, and everything in between is covered in moss. Makes for slippery stepping. The waterfalls, and the entire park is in the Jungle (rainforest it's called too) Oscar loved this so much. Callym was keeping his eyes open for Jaguars. (none here tho). They were smilling the entire day. It was fantastic. These boys didn't complain the entire trip, not even when we climbed both up and down more than 300 steps!

I can't describe the waterfalls. They were breathtaking, and powerful and amazing and magnificent, and, oh. Just take a look at the pictures. Actually, pictures can never really be the same as being there. But truly, it was BEAUTIFUL!


Instead of walking back up (which I don't think the boys could do, nor could Chris carry them up all thouse stairs, seeing as he carried at least one, sometimes both down most of them), we took a shuttle back up to the main part. Here we had a fantastic Costa Rican lunch and hit the guest shop. The boys found some cute frog toys (they really ribbit!) and we headed back home. Olman took a different way, just to show up more of Costa Rica, and the boys had a great siesta along the bumpy roads.
Once we got back we had a nice dinner, and started packing. We are going to Puntarenas tomorrow. More to come. Promise.

Our picture site, if you don't already have it.