The second stop was about 45 minutes away around curvy and hilly roads. The waterfall called El Toro was just magnificent. It was a 98 meter drop from the top. The sound was powerful! We got to walk around the paths that were made and saw many hummingbirds flying around. They are such tiny and agile birds, but I again keep my distance. After that it was back to the van and off to he local town. We stopped in the town so Carlos could point out the surrounding volcanoes, homes, and churches. The homes are such beautiful colors---pinks, blues, greens!
Then we went to Toro Uno which is one of the reservoirs. These reservoirs are used for storing the water and producing hydroelectricity for the surrounding towns. Right now the Dos has been built and Tres is being worked on. CR although seems to be focusing on natural resources, Carlos shared that business here need to earn money as well and therefore money is involved. CR has looked at the natural resources as a way to make money and also be ecofriendly.
Carlos shared the local electricity company--called ICE (Institute of CR Electricity).
After winding around the roads we arrive at stone road which leads us to our next stop--picnic lunch overlooking a laguna (lake). The road to get there was awful--it felt like the worst roller coast ride ever----extremely bumpy and the roads were just as curvy as before too.
Once we arrived after about a half hour, we were all starving. We sat out overlooking a beautiful lake, enjoying the ham and the peanut butter and pineapple jelly, apple, cookies, and juice box box lunch which was made for us. I swapped one of my hams for another pb&j sandwhich---never had pineapple jelly but it was a nice subtle flavor to the sandwich. Meredith let me try some of her Chocolate Y Coco cookies whihc I really enjoyed---she said they were dry and not too chocolaty but thats exactly what I love! They were dry, round, about the size of a U.S. quarter size thick cookie----may have to bring some home if I can fit it.
After eating it was back to the van and horribly rocky road.
These roads are only one lane and there is no right or left side so when another car comes, you have to take turns and move way over to the side. The road in the town are not much wider but probably 1.5 lanes and again there is no right or left side. They drive in the middle until another car comes and then take the correct side.
The next place we went to was the hyrdoelectric reservoir. Here the water is gathered from the surrounding lakes and pooled in a large reservoir. Then the doors of the reservoir are opened and the water rushes out and creates electricity for the surrounding communities. This reservoir provides electricity three times a day for people. CR is concerned with reserving the natural resources which they have but also with making money. Making this reservoir creates a money-making opportunity for CR to take advantage of the use of water for free! Once the water rushes out, the water is piped to a pressurizer which controls the flow of water and the electricity generated (looked like a candy cane stripped light house). After sitting by the water for a bit it was back to the van and back to Tirimbina.
Carlos shared that minimum wage is $400/month and that electricity is fairly expensive because of the way its made. Carlos and the cooks of Tirimbina share that they pay between $16-25/month for electricity. At the high end thats 25% of a pay-check which is a substantial amount.
We had the rest of the evening off to explore the nearby town. Karen and I decided to walk to the town, everyone else decided to take a taxi. We walked along the side of the road, which was a bit nerve racking when a truck came by, and everyone seemed to honk (this was just common curtsey to let you know they were there). We walked past some beautiful houses (most homes have an outdoor porch area that is barred off around the perimeter of the front of their house and they also have gates around their homes). We also walked past a cemetery---most people are buried in large white boxes which stand on top of the ground. A family buys one and everyone is placed in a casket and put inside. We went into 3 stores too---one grocery store which was much like the other one we went to just bigger---their food was similar to American (same cereals, pop, pasta, beans, cans of veggies). Their fresh vegetables were on a cart, but there were not very many and I saw no fruit inside the grocery (fruit is bought on the side of the road or at a restaurant).
We met up with the group at a restaurant where they were enjoying some happy hour drinks (beer and margaritas). Its started to pour not long after getting there so we ended up taking 2 taxis back to Tirimbina. It only cost $2 to go back for all 5 of us to go back.
We all went to dinner--dinner was fried fish, boiled potato, hearts of palm (I was made to try them and they were really good-warm and cooked, and salad). In addition since it was Meredith’s birthday so the cooks made her a cake which we all shared---it was a cappuccino-colored cake, with whip cream and a little bit of strawberry filling in it—very rich but tasty. After dinner we just hung around, checking our emails and filling out our journal pages for Dr. Fernandez and called it a night early!
These roads are only one lane and there is no right or left side so when another car comes, you have to take turns and move way over to the side. The road in the town are not much wider but probably 1.5 lanes and again there is no right or left side. They drive in the middle until another car comes and then take the correct side.
The next place we went to was the hyrdoelectric reservoir. Here the water is gathered from the surrounding lakes and pooled in a large reservoir. Then the doors of the reservoir are opened and the water rushes out and creates electricity for the surrounding communities. This reservoir provides electricity three times a day for people. CR is concerned with reserving the natural resources which they have but also with making money. Making this reservoir creates a money-making opportunity for CR to take advantage of the use of water for free! Once the water rushes out, the water is piped to a pressurizer which controls the flow of water and the electricity generated (looked like a candy cane stripped light house). After sitting by the water for a bit it was back to the van and back to Tirimbina.
Carlos shared that minimum wage is $400/month and that electricity is fairly expensive because of the way its made. Carlos and the cooks of Tirimbina share that they pay between $16-25/month for electricity. At the high end thats 25% of a pay-check which is a substantial amount.
We had the rest of the evening off to explore the nearby town. Karen and I decided to walk to the town, everyone else decided to take a taxi. We walked along the side of the road, which was a bit nerve racking when a truck came by, and everyone seemed to honk (this was just common curtsey to let you know they were there). We walked past some beautiful houses (most homes have an outdoor porch area that is barred off around the perimeter of the front of their house and they also have gates around their homes). We also walked past a cemetery---most people are buried in large white boxes which stand on top of the ground. A family buys one and everyone is placed in a casket and put inside. We went into 3 stores too---one grocery store which was much like the other one we went to just bigger---their food was similar to American (same cereals, pop, pasta, beans, cans of veggies). Their fresh vegetables were on a cart, but there were not very many and I saw no fruit inside the grocery (fruit is bought on the side of the road or at a restaurant).
We met up with the group at a restaurant where they were enjoying some happy hour drinks (beer and margaritas). Its started to pour not long after getting there so we ended up taking 2 taxis back to Tirimbina. It only cost $2 to go back for all 5 of us to go back.
We all went to dinner--dinner was fried fish, boiled potato, hearts of palm (I was made to try them and they were really good-warm and cooked, and salad). In addition since it was Meredith’s birthday so the cooks made her a cake which we all shared---it was a cappuccino-colored cake, with whip cream and a little bit of strawberry filling in it—very rich but tasty. After dinner we just hung around, checking our emails and filling out our journal pages for Dr. Fernandez and called it a night early!
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