Day 6 - March 7

 Another early morning. Suitcases had to be out of the room by 6:45 am which meant we were up and showering before 6 am. Trying to keep my backpack light which will stay with me today. The suitcase will stay on the bus he and ended up being ridiculously heavy. 

Tim and I got our suitcases outside ready for pickup and headed down for breakfast. I found myself eating less than usual, probably due to the huge dinner I had the night before. I really don't want to go home with a bunch of extra weight but it feels inevitable. 

After breakfast, we boarded the bus for the Mistico Hanging Bridges Reserve. This place is so beautiful that it will take your breath away. The jungle is everywhere but it is manicured to allow the beauty to shine. We wandered through at our incredibly slow pace, seeing everything there is to see. The suspension bridges were really cool, so much to see and appreciate.  

After the reserve, we headed to Lake Arenal and boarded a boat. It was a peaceful and incredibly beautiful ride. The sky was blue and the volcano could be seen in all its glory. Wow. Just can't stop taking pictures of this fantastic mountain. It took us about 40 minutes to get to the other side where we were met with vans to take us to Heliconia Ranch. This was not the favorite part of the trip! We were in these vans for about an hour and 40 minutes and the roads were so windy and bumpy. Mostly horrible dirt roads, full of potholes and so challenging. However, the countryside was so beautiful. I was in the very back of the van and was happy that I did as well as I did. After about an hour and fifteen minutes, we had a bathroom stop. I was hanging in there but my stomach was on the verge of being very unhappy. Tim negotiated the front seat for me the rest of the way and I was grateful.

After arriving at the Ranch, we had a delicious lunch. All homemade fresh food made at the Ranch. After lunch, we were treated to some folklore dances by some young people from town - an eighteen year old girl and two boys - eleven and eight. Then of course, they asked for volunteers for the dances. It was a lot of fun. Following the dances, the woman who runs the Ranch gave us a short history. It was fascinating. Monteverde was settled by Quakers and young men who the government gave land to in agreement for cultivating the land. The Quakers came from the United States during the Korean War looking for a place that was nonviolent. Since Costa Rica had abolished their military, it was a good fit. It is an amazing place. Homes and shops built into the hills. It is a much higher elevation and the air is cool and dry. Very different than Arenal. 

Back on the bus, we headed to our hotel and checked in. We had about an hour to rest and then boarded the bus to go to a spot where we had a nighttime tour of the jungle. This was such a unique experience. We saw all kinds of birds, beetles that have lights on them and fly, a poisonous viper, an colorful tarantula and something that was kind of like a monkey that I can't remember the name. But for me, just being in the forest and listening to the sounds was special. My eyes kept filling with tears thinking about David and the fact that he was so sick that he ended his life. It is hard to absorb, knowing that he loved me and he loved life. It will never make sense and will never stop being heart breaking. 

Came back to the hotel and had a delicious dinner. The food at the hotel is really good. I had a wonderful salad and tuna tartare. 

And now, I need to go to bed!