Tag: Arenal Volcano

Costa Rica — Pura Vida

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Mt. Arenal. Live volcano and tropical rainforest. Costa Rica. Central America.
Mt. Arenal. Live volcano and tropical rainforest. Costa Rica. Central America.
Our great tour guides -- Tatiana and Jason. Their company's name is Eco Terra. I highly recommend it. BTW, the young woman carried the heavy telescopic lens camera during the entire trek up and down the mountains and bridges. And never complained, or stopped smiling. Jason and Tatiana were both wonderful.
Our great tour guides — Tatiana and Jason. Their company’s name is Eco Terra. I highly recommend it. BTW, the young woman carried the heavy telescopic lens camera during the entire trek up and down the mountains and bridges. And never complained, or stopped smiling. Jason and Tatiana were both wonderful.

Pura Vida. Pure life.

Costa Rica has no military. It has rejected violence and war.

I’m adding some photos from our recent mini-vacation to Costa Rica. I hope you take a few minutes to read the descriptions I added with the photos. Comments and share would be much welcome.

Briefly, I was blown away. The environment is pristine. Tropical rain forest up on the mountains, especially around the live Arenal Volcano. And the oceanfront national park and Pacific beach at Manual Antonio. The people are wonderful. The society, unlike here in America, did not break down. Children walk home safely. I have even seen a kid running barefooted across the street to get some quick groceries.

Food, unlike here in America, is not fast and toxic. It’s slow and real.

You can easily sense an air of relaxation, calm and peace. Costa Rica is a so-called Third World country (by a warped definition imposed by the Western world), and the people are not rich. In fact, outside of the vastly-expanded tourism industry, people are poor. But unlike here in America, or now in my other country India, life’s worth is not measured by how much money you make, and how much wealth you’ve accumulated, and that too, how quickly.

Life has other priorities there. And that’s my definition of a true First World country.

I would go back there, at the drop of a hat.

Enjoy the photos.

Sincerely,

Partha Banerjee

Brooklyn,  New York

___________________

Beautiful, unpolluted, safe Pacific beach.
Beautiful, unpolluted, safe Pacific beach.
Rio Tarcoles, one of the numerous rivers. This river is known for its huge crocodiles -- over a thousand of them. According to Trip Advisor enthusiasts, two of the biggest crocs are called George Bush and Bill Clinton. So appropriate ;-)
Rio Tarcoles, one of the numerous rivers. This river is known for its huge crocodiles — over a thousand of them. According to Trip Advisor enthusiasts, two of the biggest crocs are called George Bush and Bill Clinton. So appropriate 😉
Where food tastes like food, and not McDonald's or plastic.
Where food tastes like food, and not McDonald’s or plastic.
Sunset at Playa Manual Antonio.
A log has luxurious growth of mushroom Coprinus and a fern named Selaginella. At the rain forest in La Fortuna.
Sunset at Playa Manuel Antonio. Rat race stops here.
Sunset at Playa Manuel Antonio. Rat race stops here.
Areca nut (supari), coconut, figs and banana are everywhere. Lush. Green. Abundant.
Areca nut (supari), coconut, figs and banana are everywhere. Lush. Green. Abundant.
Local people -- outside of the tourism industry -- are not rich. But unlike in America, people have dreams other than material prosperity and individualism.
Local people — outside of the tourism industry — are not rich. But unlike in America, people have dreams other than material prosperity and individualism.