RAIN IN COSTA RICA

What do you do in a place like La Fortuna when the cloud base is on the pavement and the drizzle periodically turns into heavy rain?  Yes, you play crazy golf and watch English football on the TV. 

Not a day of major tourist activity but one that ended with a level of restaurant service unparalleled so far in Central America.  We set out en masse for a place called the Lava Lounge but I was the first there by a distance; I think shopping opportunities distracted the others.   Seeing that the place was virtually full I asked for a table for 13 and the man on the door indicated that we could go in a sort of annex.  I helped him move a few tables and, by the time the others had arrived he had the tables laid.  Drinks were ordered and promptly served, table dips served and the food ordered and served speedily.  When people were ready to go they simply had to tell the man on the till and settle up.  Easy!  It hasn’t always been so straightforward.

We were due to leave at 12.30 the next day so I decided to walk up to the big waterfall, Los Cascades de La Fortuna.  Leaving town it became evident that the place catered for high end as well as mass tourism.  Some very expensive and well-manicured apartments lined the road. 

A huge range of plants and shrubs, many of which can be found at home but don’t thrive so well, were on display.  Similarly there was an extensive and colourful range of birds.  Even the chickens seemed brighter than English ones. 

There was no provision for walkers but there was a concrete road for people to drive there; 4 kilometres and uphill all the way.  I took a waterproof but it was soon far too uncomfortable to wear and I ended up carrying it.  Our hotel literature suggested that entrance to the park was free but that a donation would be expected.  Not true!  They expected $10!  The falls themselves were impressive as the recent rains ensured an absolute torrent of water. 

Needless to say, as I left the place the sun came out and shone pretty much all the way to San José.  Everywhere were signs of a more developed agriculture with a wide range of crops.  Most towns seemed busy and the people out and about appeared to be going about their business with a clear sense of purpose.

Costa Rica certainly milks the tourist dollar very effectively and I’m not sure whether this makes sound business sense or whether it is ruthlessly exploitative.  Most visitors to a place like La Fortuna arrive in tour groups and have only a limited time there.  All the hotels recommend activities and arrange transport to and from them.  All such activities cost prices comparable with anywhere in the world whilst the price of food in restaurants matches those in the USA.  In fact, it would be far easier to eat cheaply in the States.  Should we expect things to be cheaper simply because a country is less economically developed?

I’m loath to say that San José itself was like any large city but it is like any large city and rather less ramshackle than many visited on this trip.  It is however, surprisingly cold and I had to wear the jumper I’ve been carrying all these weeks.  So now everything in my bag has been used at least once!