Volcano, Hot Springs, Casa Luna hotel

This is the last morning at Tirimbina! I got up, repacked my suitcase, and then headed to breakfast. Breakfast this morning was cooked bananas (plantains), pineapple and watermelon, rice and beans (I am so sick of these two), peanut butter on toast (I also put my cooked bananas on them but it was not as good as back at home and uncooked bananas). After breakfast, it was time to gather the suitcases and head to pack the van. Our bags would go on top again-this time with a tarp covering them (and good thing because it poured a few times today). I got to interview Carlos along the ride about his hotel and his operations, which made the two hour long drive go by a bit faster.
Once we got to La Fortuna (a much more populated place, much like a city back in the the states, but with small, private shops and hotels) the first stop was at Arenal Volcano National Park. Because it was very cloudy it was hard to see the volcano. It also started to pour which made the vision even worse. It was a beautiful sight once the rain cleared and the clouds started to shift. This volcano is still active and Cecelia said she could hear the thunder-sounding lava from where we were. We only stayed a short time viewing the volcano and then were headed into town for lunch. Lunch was on our own today, but I really wasn’t craving anything but some oatmeal. I pulled a to-go oatmeal square out and enjoyed every last bit of it! After lunch it was off to the hot springs of La Fortuna. These three pools were the most relaxing part of the trip so far. The pools went from hottest to coolest and they fed into each other. I went into every one of them and have to say I enjoyed the warmest pool the best. There was even one small pool in the warmest one that had a 105-degree cut-out section (I couldn’t stay too long in this one but it felt great on my body). There were even waterfalls in the pools and from each pool to the next. I enjoyed this  activity very much. We stayed for a couple hours and then it was to our hotel. Unfortunately the hotel screwed up the reservations and because of that they gave us a nearby alternative. This new place consisted of a few rooms inside this barn-like house which had no screens or insulation and was filled with bugs. We were not having this----immediately we approached Carlos and Dr. Fernandez and soon we were leaving this place. Carlos got very upset and was shaking because of this mistake—he thought he was making the right choice by going with a recommended spot but this one did not turn out good. But he went back to the hotel and figured it out. We were soon in nice hotel rooms at Case Luna Hotel. I shared a room with Karen and we each had a double bed which was super comfy and 5 pillows! It was very clean, not bug infested, and also had a pool. “We are in a better place,” Alex shared the moment she walked into the new hotel room. We got a few minutes to calm down and met for dinner at 7:30. I was starving by then, and the restaurants were packed. We only had to wait 15 minutes, but it felt like eternity.

Today I was also informed by another student that the trip would cost an additional $608 since thee number to go on the trip were do low. I got a little upset and talked to Dr. Fernandez and Carlos about it. Carlos reassured me that he would talk to the university and help me out.

I ordered a pineapple and water drink (much like a real fruit ice or smoothie). I had tilapia, sautéed potatoes, and veggies. It was pretty good, tasty fish, but not a whole lot of meat on this fish. There was a man dressed as Santa Clause and he was playing the marimba (wooden xylophone) and handing out candy to the kids. He gave it to Soledad and Meredith since they look so young and then handed me some (and said I had a babyface). The restaurant was extremely slow---slow to get drinks, slow to take and fulfill orders, and slow to clean-up. The restaurant also, being outside, was roasting a pig and had bananas in clumps along the front of the restaurants. We left the restaurant at about 9:50PM and headed back to the hotel.

Once I got back to the hotel, I made sure I was on skype and faceboook and I got to see everyone my house celebrating Costa Rica! It was very hard not being there with everyone and was extremely excited to see Emma. I got a little emotional when she first appeared on the screen because I was so happy to see her. I knew I had missed this wonderful holiday, but it was great being able to spend a little time with them! It was hard to see everyone together and not be there celebrating..After talking for an hour or so and getting passed around, I said my good-byes and it was off to bed! The best was very comfy and probably the best sleep I have had since I left the states!