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| My Spectacular Treehouse |
I requested recommendations in Costa Rica from my Facebook family, one friend recommended staying at the Arenal Observatory Lodge and a colleague connected me with her brother who had lived down there since the 1980s. The trip came together quite nicely and I took it as a sign it was meant to be and I would have a great time.
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| Chifrijo! |
The Radisson was a beautiful property, they politely apologized that all they had was a suite to give me! It had been a long day, it was now after 10pm and I desperately needed a drink and a bite to eat. Off to the bar downstairs where two Americans welcomed me to join them at the bar. I ordered the national Costa Rican beer and a local dish called Chifrijo-a delicious combination of ham hocks, plantains, beans, and pico de gallo in a tamarind sauce over rice. The bartender told me it was a bar staple and Ticos (what Costa Rican natives are called) ate the dish for breakfast, lunch, dinner or a snack. It was just what I needed. After a few beers, food and fun talking with the Americans, I headed to the suite for a much needed shower and jumped into the king size bed in my king size suite.
My 4x4 was still not ready first thing, so I headed to meet the brother for breakfast. Dave was super informative and fun to talk with. He warned me about the the crazy drivers, especially the motorcyclists who liked to drive on both the right and left sides of cars and how everyone seems to cross the double yellow lines because they want to pass you. No one really did the speed limit. The vast majority of Costa Ricans do not receive formal drivers training and pay off the people who test them for their license. I would find this to be quite the reality as I drove this beautiful country and unfortunately experienced seeing a dead body awaiting pick up after a motor scooter accident.
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| Tarcoles Bridge |
He also told me I was going to cross a bridge over a crocodile preserve and I should stop, and he had previously recommended the Manuel Antonio National Park in Quepos. After breakfast I went back to pick up the 4x4 and headed down the coast to meet my caretaker at a restaurant so he could escort me to the treehouse. As I got closer to the Pacific Ocean I came upon a bridge with numerous parked car and a bus. It was the bridge Dave said I should stop. There was numerous crocodiles under the Tarcoles Bridge. People parked on both sides of the bridge and walked along the very narrow walkway that was less than half the width of a normal sidewalk. If the crocodiles didn't get me, a tourist bus might.
After a beautiful drive along the coast with just a couple crazy drivers passing me on both the left and right, I arrived at the restaurant where my caretaker Manuel escorted me up a mini mountain through jungle to my home for the next four nights. I was grateful Manuel carried my bag and groceries up numerous stairs and switchbacks to my beautiful teak treehouse! It seemed like I was almost to the top of the world. The views were incredible and the wide veranda around the house was as large as the house itself. The man who owned the treehouse went to Bali, picked out the 180 year old teak farmhouse, unpegged it (there were no nails back then), put it in a shipping container and shipped it to Costa Rica. Each side had three sets of double, double doors, no locks. The inside consisted of a large room with a king size bed, desk and daybed. The back third of the house had a small bedroom with oversized twin bed, the bathroom with rainshower head shower, and small kitchen with coffeemaker and blender. There was no air conditioning, but I didn't need it between the cross ventilation and fans.
I unpacked and grabbed a beer to go out and sit on that incredible porch to watch my first Costa Rican sunset over the Pacific Ocean. Shortly after dark my jungle canopy got rather noisy and I started to feel a lot less fearless than I am typically. I hoped they were monkeys, but it was still spooky and unnerving. I got up and put all the food in drawers and the fridge and shut all the unlockable doors. I sure didn't want any monkey company! Then I heard a meow at my door and wondered if I was really hearing a kitty...so I asked "Is that a kitty I hear out there?" And there was another meow, so I got up the nerve to open the door and a kitten bounded into the treehouse and jumped up on the bed and started talking to me. Okay sweet kitty you can stay for a while, and beside she had a calming affect on me. For the next four days she 
showed up within minutes of my return and it turned out she belonged to my caretaker. It was obvious she was well taken care of and she was the best little bug assassin waking from a dead sleep to snatch any passing moth or grasshopper in the vicinity. She was my perfect companion and I didn't even know her name.
Manuel offered to arrange tours for me, which cost no more than what I had seen on line. Unfortunately the horseback ride to the Nauyaca Waterfall was full; I should have booked it sooner. Manuel did arrange for an amazing 60 minute massage on my lower porch when I returned from my hike to Nauyaca and it was much needed and appreciated. My massage was heavenly and she massaged me for the best 66 minutes of my Costa Rican vacation for $60. the massage was so welcome after my hike to Nauyaca Waterfall. I also found out Manuel was a chef and would come to prepare gourmet meals for guests.
When I arrived I asked Manuel where could I get some of Costa Rica's craft beer and he informed me there was a microbrewery in the tiny town of Dominical just down the road...really! So after my waterfall hike and my massage I headed to the microbrewery Fuego for lunch. They had three of their own beers: an IPA, a Kolsch and a Brown. Unfortunately over the next three days they ran out of beer and I was forced to drink a Pina Colada on my last day there, but I was not traumatized. It was my first trip into town and I knew I needed to get back to the treehouse before dark. I left the brewery in what I thought was plenty of time, but I forgot to factor in the one and only construction zone in Costa Rica getting back, and before I knew it, it got dark. I followed another car up the mountain and they entered a gate that quickly closed and I realized the road ended a short distance later. I turned around went down to the restaurant that was open (thankfully) and while they did not speak much English they knew Manuel's phone number and called him for me. Manuel asked for 10 minutes to come get me. I bearly ordered a beer, turned around, and he was standing there. Turned out I had only missed one (very important) turn up over a hill and into my compound. The next day I drove the road twice before I went anywhere else. I had that ideally located microbrewery with a picturesque setting 5 miles from the bottom of my mountain and I was not about to get lost again. I would not get lost again and spent five incredible and relaxing days sitting on the porch watching the monkeys and toucans playing in the trees.
After a beautiful drive along the coast with just a couple crazy drivers passing me on both the left and right, I arrived at the restaurant where my caretaker Manuel escorted me up a mini mountain through jungle to my home for the next four nights. I was grateful Manuel carried my bag and groceries up numerous stairs and switchbacks to my beautiful teak treehouse! It seemed like I was almost to the top of the world. The views were incredible and the wide veranda around the house was as large as the house itself. The man who owned the treehouse went to Bali, picked out the 180 year old teak farmhouse, unpegged it (there were no nails back then), put it in a shipping container and shipped it to Costa Rica. Each side had three sets of double, double doors, no locks. The inside consisted of a large room with a king size bed, desk and daybed. The back third of the house had a small bedroom with oversized twin bed, the bathroom with rainshower head shower, and small kitchen with coffeemaker and blender. There was no air conditioning, but I didn't need it between the cross ventilation and fans.
showed up within minutes of my return and it turned out she belonged to my caretaker. It was obvious she was well taken care of and she was the best little bug assassin waking from a dead sleep to snatch any passing moth or grasshopper in the vicinity. She was my perfect companion and I didn't even know her name.
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| Nauyaca Waterfall |
When I arrived I asked Manuel where could I get some of Costa Rica's craft beer and he informed me there was a microbrewery in the tiny town of Dominical just down the road...really! So after my waterfall hike and my massage I headed to the microbrewery Fuego for lunch. They had three of their own beers: an IPA, a Kolsch and a Brown. Unfortunately over the next three days they ran out of beer and I was forced to drink a Pina Colada on my last day there, but I was not traumatized. It was my first trip into town and I knew I needed to get back to the treehouse before dark. I left the brewery in what I thought was plenty of time, but I forgot to factor in the one and only construction zone in Costa Rica getting back, and before I knew it, it got dark. I followed another car up the mountain and they entered a gate that quickly closed and I realized the road ended a short distance later. I turned around went down to the restaurant that was open (thankfully) and while they did not speak much English they knew Manuel's phone number and called him for me. Manuel asked for 10 minutes to come get me. I bearly ordered a beer, turned around, and he was standing there. Turned out I had only missed one (very important) turn up over a hill and into my compound. The next day I drove the road twice before I went anywhere else. I had that ideally located microbrewery with a picturesque setting 5 miles from the bottom of my mountain and I was not about to get lost again. I would not get lost again and spent five incredible and relaxing days sitting on the porch watching the monkeys and toucans playing in the trees.
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| Manuel Antonio National Park |
We went out for nearly a half hour going back and forth where they thought two whales were. All of a sudden an Orca breeched and immediately dove again. The boat became extremely quiet. We were soon rewarded with not just one but two whales, a mama and her baby!!! I thought my cruise was complete, until the sunset, this was the perfect excursion.
I could only secure one night here in a dormitory. I had a private room with a shared bath. by the time I checked in it started to rain buckets, but the view from my room was great. After a nice hot shower I headed back up to the main lodge for happy hour and a quick hot tub. This night would be an early night so I could get up at the crack of dawn for the guided nature tour included in my stay. I fell asleep with the sound of rain hitting the windows.
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| Coati |
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| Red Eyed Tree Frog |
I was also ready to head back to San Jose and finish my trip at the same Radisson and find a microbrewery. By now I had the mapping download down and was completely comfortable driving the 4x4. I stopped at the Costa Rica Brewing Company on the edge of town and even though they did not give me that suite again, I had a very nice room with a great view of the city and the breakfast included with my room had chifrijo on the buffet. It was a nice way to wrap up my trip before heading home.
Grateful for this accidental adventure.
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| Costa Rica Brewing Company |
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