Huron-Perth Boomers Fall 2020

y Jill Ellis-Worthington
TRAVEL
For those of us who live in Canada but long for Julylike
weather year-round, Mother Nature has an
answer – Costa Rica.
It’s a wild, beautiful country where ocean meets beach
and jungles climb the mountains. Located in Central
America, between Nicaragua and Panama, the Republic
of Costa Rica was colonized by the Spanish in the 1600s,
after Christopher Columbus landed there in 1502.
A great region to explore on a first visit is the Playa Bejuco
area, near Jaco and Quepos, on the central west coast.
These small towns give a taste of local fare and culture,
and Playa Bejuco is positioned among many recreational
activities to enjoy between swims. Visitors value pools and
beaches for relief from temperatures that range between
30 and 35 C (with high humidity) in the winter months.
Those wishing to stay anywhere along the coast usually fly
into San Jose, which is the capital and largest city, hosting
the more northern of the two international airports in the
country. A two-hour ride through the mountains to the
coast provides a breathtaking introduction to the scenery.
You’ll experience the rugged mountains and the more
rugged roads that transverse them. National Highway 34
is a paved, well-kept, two- and sometimes four-lane road
that takes you from the airport to Playa Bejuco, but many
are gravel and very rough because of the heavy summer
rains. Be warned if you are renting a car, local drivers
often pass on hills and curves without warning, making
driving a nerve-wracking prospect at times.
Since it’s located near the equator, Costa Rica experiences
almost the same amount of dark and light each day. The
sun usually rises around 6 a.m. and sets around 6 p.m.
This causes many visitors to readjust their internal clocks,
which is fortunate because the coolest part of the day is
right around dawn – a wonderful time to take a walk or
take care of any strenuous activities. So, going to bed
around 9 p.m. and rising at 5 a.m. is something that many
visitors (and expats living there) commonly experience.
Left: Costa Rica is a mountainous country.
Above: Walking through Carara National
Park reveals a plethora of interesting flora
and fauna.
Bottom: Seeing red macaws flying is always
a thrill.
The day is marked by the sunrise/sunset routine.
Grabbing a chair or blanket and heading to the beach
to enjoy the sunset, before going back to the lodgings for
dinner, is a daily treat. The sun setting over the Pacific is
a truly spectacular site.
FALL 2020 • 7