my first week in El Sur with 50 of the most gracious people I’ve ever encountered while travelling. They welcomed us into their homes and hearts in gratitude for our work and instruction. They’re trying to preserve their traditional farming life for as long as possible in the small pueblo at the edge of a newly government-created national park, Parque Nacional Carara. They hope to develop some low impact ecotourism while retaining their generations-long strong familia y católico bonds. Mario, MariaElena, Alviro, Carmen, Ronald, Karol, Isabel, Daniella, and Aracelly are amigos I’ll not soon forget.

saw the lava flow from the Volcán Arenal hard by Pueblo La Fortuna. That same night I luxuriated in the hot springs of Tabacón heated by Arenal. Ten levels of heated pools and waterfalls lead to an in-water bar. A young Tica massaged me into another world right before I drifted to the huge cena de bufet – a man does not live by food alone!

climbed alone the dormant Volcán Cerro Chatu in the shadow of Arenal, despite the warnings of the for-hire Tico guides – “Si, gracias, pero soy Americano loco!” My hotel host Miguel Zamora had recommended the six-hour climb through the rugged washed-out trails and thick roots of the rainforest. After I made the summit, I still had another 125 meters to descend to the lagoon in the crater. Tried to dry my clothes in the trees and bushes while swimming desnudo. When I recounted my bonita adventura that evening to Miguel, he let slip that he had often seen jaguars when he camped up there. !Dios mio!

El Parque Nacional de Manuel Antonio is well preserved to represent what the extinct Quepos Indios experienced. Only 600 visitors a day are allowed to walk the nature trails con animales a la playa. Two beautiful half-moon coves con gris arena and 70-degree agua.  Tough to leave.

I had café con leche one enjoyable evening at El Gran Hotel Costa Rica with two committed and bright young Socialists. They described their recent college days manning the barricades in San Jose protesting the government’s plans to endorse CAFTA and to break up the state-operated utility company into separate, for-profit businesses. Ticos have a long history of success with cooperatives wherein they all share the profits. No firebrand flashes in the pan these two – Viviana is a trilingual psychologist who could easily be the first female Presidenta one day; Kenneth has traveled all through Europe and is pursuing his doctorate in architecture. The country has done just fine without any armed forces since the civil war of 1968 (though they do refer to the ubiquitous leaf-cutter ants as the Costa Rican Army!). Typical of many third worlders I’ve met, they express a duality of feelings toward the USA – they love the tourist dollars and the opportunity they bring, but loathe our militarism and untoward global influence. They are trying hard to keep the CR they love intact.

Probably the best foreign vacation of my life – no longer nobody’s business but my own.