Penas Blancas
I arrived around 8:00 at the border post at Penas Blancas to enter
Costa Rica. I left there around 9:30. In Nicaragua the procedure was
promptly dispatched at the immigration with the payment of US$3 and
at the customs to return the license of temporary circulation. At
Costa Rica it was a little longer. At the first building at the
office of immigration my passport received the entry stamp. Beside
at the customs a charming person made me fill two forms without
visiting my truck. She sent to me to the building of the customs at
the entrance while coming from Costa Rica to buy a compulsory
insurance US$29, to pay ₵50 for the photocopy of the insurance with
the page of the passport with the entry stamp. Finally to make the
queue at the customs to obtain the temporary license of circulation.
I recovered my truck at the first building to leave the enclosure of
Penas Blancas.
PN Volcan Rincon de la Vieja
But really not from chance a violent downpour fell during more than
one hour whereas I moved towards the PN Volcan Rincon de la Vieja
which is with about twenty kilometers of the junction of CA #1 of
which the last seven kilometers are a paying private track ₵700. I
arrived at the port around 12:00 on a small carpark in front of an
unspecified entry. The entry of the park costs US$15. After lunching
I undertook a one-hour small excursion on Sendero Las Palias. Indeed
the other trails require a duration of more than four hours,
moreover the crater track was closed due to the activity of the
volcano. I bivouacked on the carpark at the entrance of park.
Sendero Las Pallias, click la photo
Playa del Coco
61 km separate the carpark of the PN Volcan Rincon of Vieja from the
town of Liberia where I arrived around 8:00 to take cash at the
bank, supply at the supermarket and to consult my mailboxt at a
cybercafé with according to Lonely Planet “a pedestrian speed”. The
city has a superb modern church. Then I was going to pose to me at
the Playa del Coco for my bivouac vis-a-vis the Pacific Ocean.
Liberia
Playa del Coco
Santa Elena
At dawn I gave up the coconut beach to go up in the mountains at
Santa Elena where I had three visits. This mountain village is at 38
km away from Quebrada Grande at the end of an overland route at the
altitude of 1367 meters. It was created by the Quakers fleeing the
conscription in the USA for the Korea war in 1951. Initially in Monteverde
I visited Monteverde Cheese Factory then I did purchase of cheese
Monteverde and Cheddar. Then I traversed the trail Bajo del Tigre in
Bosque Eterno de los Ninos. On 4 km it twist in a primary and
secondary forest which is the habitat of wild species particularly
birds and monkeys, visible early the morning or in the evening. Of
course I didn't see anything! Then having parked my truck I went to
the Jardin de Orquideas. The guide explained me, in English, the
characteristics of the 400 species present in the garden from the
smallest in the world to the most odoriferous. I bivouacked on a
parking lot.
Monteverde Cheese Factory
Bosque Eterno de los Ninos, Bajo del Tigre, click la photo
Jardin de Orquideas, click la photo
Volcan Arenal
I went down from Santa Elena as of early dawn, 5:30, to arrive at
the Volcan Arenal around 8:30 after 96 km around the eponymous lake.
Indeed the road winds in rolling mountains reducing the speed. The
two hours excursion for 4.7 km was done with a drizzle whereas the
clouds capped the top of the volcano always in activity after
its surprised eruption in 1968.
Trail "Forest 68", click la photo
Bivouac Volcan Poas
On Saturday, November 14th I moved towards the Volcan Poas. While
passing at La Fortuna I sought a cybercafé which alas had a
deficiency connection. I can neither to consult my mailbox nor to
publish pages of my website. I arrived around 16:00 after 169 km in
9 hours stops included. Indeed the road curves in the mountain and
the trucks blocked in the tight turns. The park of the volcano
closes at 15:30. I found a sloping bivouac at the edge of the road
at 2483 meters of altitude.
Bivouac on roadside!
Bivouac Volcan Irazu
On Sunday morning as of the opening of the gate of Parque National
Volcan Poas, 8:00, I began the excursion to go to the crater at 2704
meters of altitude in the clouds which persisted throughout all my
way i.e. a little more than one hour. As for the preceding volcanos
I do not see anything. But I am stubborn I will perpetuate at the
Volcan Irazu. Around 9:30 I went down again towards Alajuela to go
to bivouac at the only RV Park in Costa Rica at Belen close to an
Josél. When I arrived at the known waypoint of all travellers with a
camper I have the unpleasant surprise to find a supermercado.
Information taken to the people of the vicinity there was no more RV
Park in Costa Rica. I carried on my way to bivouac at the gate of
Parque National Volcan Irazu at 3227 meters of altitude!
Volcan Poas trekking in the clouds, click the picture
Bivouac on roadside !
Volcan Irazu, click the picture
On Monday, November 16th I entered Parque National Volcan Irazu as
of 8:00. I have chance at 8:15 the principal crater was visible, no
cloud. The view of the caldera is sumptuous. Then I went at the
highest point at 3432 meters of altitude. But time to go there the
clouds darkened the crater. During the rise the pulse of my sick
heart beat between 94 and 96 pulsations per minute, they were good
omens for the continuation of the journey in South America. I
remained on the carpark to prepare the update of the pages of my
website. A violent storm fell down which lasted until my arrival at
the bivouac at the night falling on the beach of Dominical on the
Pacific Ocean.
