Costa Rica 2004:
Puerto Viejo, Limón

San José

Field Notes: Puerto Viejo

May 16 - June 15

During the last three weeks our class learned about the life zones in Costa Rica, began learning important phrases in Spanish and set up a web site to document our traveling experience and our field biology progress.

EJ: Right now I am sitting on the Caribbean Coast of Costa Rica at sunrise. The biggest wave I've seen was about 10 feet high. I saw a bolt of lightening in the distance. There is the constant chatter of insects in the forest behind me. I walked here alone in the dark and saw a huge toad. The pink sunrise is reflecting off the sand where the tide comes in. We went snorkeling two days ago which was one of the best experiences I've ever had. The coral in the water was just beginning to grow back after it was killed in an earthquake a few years ago. One side of the sky is clear and pink, but the other side is dark and menacing. The Almonds and Corals Hotel we are staying at is a tropical wetland. All around the deck there are crabs with bodies bigger than my fist that scurry back into their holes when they see you coming. Our hotel rooms are really just shacks with two beds (no blankets, too hot), a bathroom and a hammock. There are howler monkeys in the forest around my shack that I stay in alone. They are the reason I am up to see the sunrise. They wake up at 4:30 in the morning and make sure that you do too.

Alfredo: We passed through the port city of Limon. We needed to purchase a photocard reader for one of our cameras. After asking around, we found a store that had the device. As I walked through the town, I could smell the salty wet air in the wind. The town reminded me of Tucupita, the frontier town of the state of Delta Amacuro, Venezuela. We took pictures and walked back to the bus. On our way out, we spotted the island where Columbus landed on his fourth voyage.

Driving along the coast was wonderful. Our driver, Gerardo, spotted a family of Howler Monkeys in the trees. It was fascinating to know that we were in an area where they lived and roamed freely. In Puerto Viejo, we slowly drove through the town that was bustling with a myriad of beach activity. "We have to go back," we said, because we were driving further south to our hotel. Arriving at our hotel, Hotel Almendras y Corales (Almonds and Corals), we got off the bus and faced a barrage of humidity heavier than a wet sponge. Our cabins were located in the trees within the surrounding forest. In the morning we could hear the Howler Monkees howl their loud and thunderous howl almost directly into our ears.

What I remember most about the environment is the dampness of everything. We were, after all, living inside a forest. Even after a shower my body dripped of sweat. The night before we left, several of us paid to have our clothes washed since it was impossible for them to dry.

We spent a couple of hours going to the nearby beach and snorkeling. Jorge, EJ, and Tyler bounced around as they watched life under the beach. Amanda and Angela stood by the beach as I walked along the coast. For more fun we spent the next afternoon in the shops and getting a taste of Caribbean coast culture. It was fun.

The highlight of the trip for me was the walk to the top of the Talamanca mountains to visit the Kekoldi Indian Reserve. Our guide for the expedition to the top was Marcel, a man with indigenous roots. We slowly made our way up the winding path, which Marcel had to lead. He had to use his machete many times to cut his way through the trail. The climb was marked with many lessons from Marcel on how forest products are used by the indigenous inhabitants of the reserve. We encountered many different insects and birds, as well as an Anaconda that was resting in the sun. We ate at the home of a Kekoldi family. Earlier, Marcel showed us how the giant leaf of a plant in the banana family was used to make a temporary container for food or other items. At the home, nearly at the top of the mountain, we were presented with our food that was wrapped up in the same leaf. The container contained steamed chayote, banana, palm hearts, and a boiled piece of chicken. We also drank a cacao beverage that tasted like hot chocolate but more watery, without the heavy feel we drink in the States. I was so tired at the top that when it was time to walk down, I just did it because I had to, otherwise I would've had to stay on that mountain forever.

Saint Martin's College