Puntarenas Costa Rica - September 23

Puntarenas Costa Rica

We are both really excited to be landing in Costa Rica. It has always been a dream of ours to visit this country and now we can actually say we have been there. We pull up along side the long pier very early. As we look down from our deck we can see stingrays in the water, in the distance we can see dolphins. Allready this place has us in it's grasp. It is a little overcast, but again the heat is stifling.


This picture is from our cabin, and you can see the dock is very long. However they did have complimentary shuttles to the end of the pier. We walked. Make sure you bring lots of water.

We had arranged a tour prior to arriving with our Cruise Critic gang. We wanted to do some adventures and so we all booked Tura ba ri. We had a group of about 15 and transportation was included. We boarded a mini bus with air conditioning (yes). Check out their website.

http://www.costa-rica-adventure-tour.com/



On the way we stopped in a park and was shown a sloth, yup that is it there, looks like a coconut in the tree but it is a sloth. One day I will get to hold one, but not this time. Check out everyone pointing him out.



This is why we have a mini bus, so we can cross this very narrow bridge. I was nervous. Also this river is full of crocodiles!!!

We arrived at the park and we processed our payments and were given wrist bands in accordance with the adventures you wanted to take part in. Bernie and I signed up for the canopy ride and the sensational cable ride and lunch.

We are outfitted in our harnesses

Then a short lesson - do we look worried?

And we are off




Here Bernie is flying thru the sky. This shot was taken by the staff and then you could purchase the shot for only $7, which I thought was very very reasonable.

disclaimer, this was taken near then end of the canopy ride

After the canopy ride you need to take a short cable car ride back down to the starting point.

here is the view -- amazing

We head straight for the sensational ride. We climb to the platform and get suited up. Sort of feel like a caterpillar. We are hooked up by three cables and hang there and the ride is about a mile long and I can't even see the end. Bernie volunteers to go first.

Here I go......

Here is the video I took of the entire ride. Seems like we are going so slowly but really it was fast.

Again we have to walk down a beautiful path and get on the cable car again to head back to the starting point.

We head back to the bar/restaurant and toast with a beer. Yeah we did it!

We try the local beers.

Lunch was included in the tour. Here is a sample of what we had. Very good.

We head back to Puntarenas. We can see a storm coming in and the winds have picked up. Along the beach many vendors have set up selling their items.

The clouds darken and the rains will start any minute. We decide to head back to the ship early.

We take cover on our decks as the skies open and the rain comes down. Nothing will dampen our spirits. Cheers.

Jerry, Rose and Bernie CHEERS, hey Jerry where is the champagne?

The rains don't let up and the lightening starts and the thunder follows. What a light show, which continued throughout the night. It was the first time I had ever been in a lightening storm while sailing. At times the crack of thunder felt like it was hitting the ship.