August 16, 2008 - Costa Rica

The first morning in Costa Rica, we wake up early.
Raul, Jimmy Park's friend - no, our new friend - picked us up at Los Sueños and took us to a place to go ziplining.

It's a long tractor ride up a very muddy but scenic hill to the top of a mountain.

At the top, we see the first line disappear a few hundred yards away.

It was awesome. We get to the first platform and see one of the lines coming up.

Some of the guides zip between trees.

Raul takes the next-to-last line, which is almost 1/2 mile.
It came from WAY up the hill. You get some speed on this one!

Raul cruises by on the last line...

After ziplining, Raul takes us to see some of the countryside, then to lunch.

Lunch is over a few hills which have been transformed by nearby construction. The water flows right over the road, which is scary later after it rains.

We continue along the road...

...past some really cool trees.

Well, lunch was huge river shrimp. Jill and I each had two plates!
While eating, it rained...
...and rained...         
         ...and rained...
It was very nearly biblical.
So we hung out and had a few beers and a shot of guaro, Costa Rica's national liquor (very much like Brazil's cachaça).

Out behind the restaurant, they had some agouti pacas.

They're fairly large nocturnal rodents. Very cute little critters.

We stop by Raul's place and meet his dog, Rummy (named for a friend, oddly after the Costa Rican term for blackjack).


Tomorrow: Manuel Antonio and southern CR