www.CostaRicaTicas.com

Arriving in Paradise : Late Afternoon Saturday, July 31

Leaving The Land of Milk and Honey: Morning Tuesday, August 10

Home Away from Home: The Sportsmens Lodge seemed like the overwhelming suggestion for a CR virgin.

Spanish-speaking ability: Let's see if my three-year bucket of C+'s in high school Spanish still has any water left in it.

I am preparing for my virgin voyage to Costa Rica, mixing in a series of rain forest/adventure/city tours in between bouts of hedonistic forays. Although I've been doing my research on the forums and tried educating myself accordingly, I realized that it is even better to walk a mile of road than to read a thousand books. I would love to meet and hang out with some CRT vets who don't mind taking me under their wings?

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Fluck It, You Only Live Once

I'm there on that Saturday and I leave Sunday. I'd be happy to have a beer with you.

ill be there

I'll be there also - staying at the SL... 7/29 - 8/8.. third timer.

Would be interested in doing some of the non-mongering activities also if you want a wing man... see you at the bar!

I don't have an exact itinerary yet, but I plan on participating in at least a few of the following during the daytime to keep me busy, some of which are super-touristy and won't arouse suspicion when I return home (So what'd you do in Costa Rica, dude? Oh, ummmm... I uh... um well... there was this.... ah jeez... nothing much...) I will be making the most of this vacation.:

1) Eco-Tour of a nearby rainforest, perhaps with a canopy zip line/rappelling activity
2) Live volcano / hot springs / waterfall tour
3) Basilica de Nuestra Senora de los Angeles in Cartago (Specifically on Monday because the National Holiday is celebrated on Aug 2 at that church)
4) Gold Museum / National Art Museum / Teatro Nacional
5) Bird Zoo / Butterfly Farm / Coffee Plantation / Crocodile feeding / Orchid Farm

I'd love to hang out with all of you, and having a wingman for mongering and/or non-mongering activities would be awesome. =)

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Fluck It, You Only Live Once

I bet you a session you don't get 3 things on that list done


Cujo

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"Pain is the fuel that fans the flames of my pyre. A battle plan is only as good as the general carrying it out on the field. This is my war son, and I have the biggest bombs and the smallest conscience"...

#1 - #3 sound interesting to me... though Cujo is probably right - we will be lucky to even do two of them

PM me if you want to exchange contact info for SJO

another thread had this link... looks interesting
http://www.costaricaadventures.net/acti ... ities.html

See ya then..Maybe share a few drinks and take in the scenery..I'm staing at SL too,flying in 8/7/10.

#2 and #3 for me. Im game if you do some when I'm there.

Some easy-to-do suggestions:

1) The Rainforest Aerial Tram Atlantic is just east of San Jose in the mountains. They have a zipline as well. http://www.rainforestrams.com/

2) The Poas Volcano+La Paz Waterfall Gardens tour is quite popular.

3) Do you really want to go there during the holiday? You can see it by yourself by taking a bus or taxi to Cartago, or can take a tour that combines it with Irazu Volcano.

4) All those places can be things to fill an empty hour (or less) in the morning or day. Just how much are you into art and architecture?

5) Some Poas/La Paz tours visit a coffee plantation first. La Paz has a large butterfly enclosure. Longer Irazu/Cartago tours go to Lankester Gardens as well, lots of orchids there.

Thanks for the suggestions, HikerTom. I'll start looking into those combined tour options, but those might wear a person down if there's gonna be a 10 hour trip with 4 miles of hiking. I don't know if I'll have any strength left at the end of the day for anything else I want to do. So maybe just 3 full tour days over many days with these professional tour operators. I think the schedule is going to be in a three-day cycle... looking something like this after I get settled in:

Day 2: Full day tour from 6am - 6pm, with standard evening activities after 6pm
Day 3: Late to rise, MP surfing and one museum/local attraction from 12 - 7pm, with standard evening activities after 6pm
Day 4: Late to rise, MP surfing and one museum/local attraction from 12 - 7pm, with shortened evening activities 'til 10pm
Day 5: Full day tour from 6am - 6pm, with standard evening activities after 6pm
Day 6: Rinse, lather, repeat

Maybe once I get settled in, perhaps Bag10Bids and I can arrange an Eco-tour before Aug 8, and a waterfall/hotsprings/volcano tour after the 7th with Jtona...

Am I planning too much? My itinerary is going to be a complete mess once I arrive, isn't it? Any advice from those with more wisdom on these matters than I?

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Fluck It, You Only Live Once

stay until the 14th!!! you are gonna miss the party!!

Yeah, if your main goal is banging lots of chcas, then you're planning too much. But if you do want to take some breaks and get outside the city (always a good thing), then a half-day tour to a coffee plantation-Poas Volcano/Cartago cathedral-Irazu volcano, or the Rain Forest Aerial Tram is the best thing. None involves strenuous walking, and the Tram is a cable-car ride through the rain forest canopy. These can be arranged through your hotel at any time, or if you're going with someone then you can hire a driver to take you where you want (you also have to pay the entrance fees). The volcanoes though frequently get clouded-up, but many times the clouds will clear out for a brief time, though not always. Just be aware that youi might not actually see the volcanoes.

If you want, all-day trips include whitewater rafting on the Pacuare river, Poas-La Paz Gardens-Sarapiqui river boat trip, and Irazu-Cartago cathedral-Orosi Valley-Lankester Gardens. These leave real early (don't drink too much the night before) and get back in the early evening. The waterfalls trail at La Paz does involve some moderately-strenuous walking (not for me though ) when going up and down the steep staircases. You can also do zip-line trips if you REALLY want to get a workout!

As for the museums, the Gold Museum is the quickest one to see. It's located in a basement vault of a bank in the Plaza de la Cultura, a block west of the Hotel Presidente on Ave. Central. Depending on your interest level in tiny gold pre-Columbian figurines (this isn't Incan-level stuff), you can whiz through it in as little as 15 minutes. The Teatro Nacional is located in the same area, you can view it from outside and you can take a tour inside. The main art museum is in Parque Sabana to to west of downtown, take a bus or taxi. I've never been inside it, don't much care for art. There is also the National Museum, also good for an hour or two.

took me 6 years to go on a zip line ......but I did it !!! I want to do the rafting trip so I guess my plan is with-in the next 6 years I will be right on schedule

I'll be at the DR Aug 4-8th maybe I'll see you at the SL bar.
I need a wingman myself
This is my ninth trip

Will be there July 27-Aug 3. Could have a beer at SL and see what's happening there any evening.