Osa Peninsula!

After about ten hours of traveling I got home last night from the infamous Osa Peninsula. The Osa Peninsula (Península de Osa) is a peninsula located in southwestern Costa Rica, in the Puntarenas Province, on the Pacific Ocean. The peninsula was formed geologically by a faulting system that extends north into California. One of the most biologically intense places on earth, the Osa Peninsula is home to at least half of all species living in Costa Rica. Perfect, quintessential place to discover all the species of animals one thinks of when they envision the thought of Costa Rica!

So, early Thursday morning my journey commenced. I left Escazu at 5:30 AM to catch the bus into the Coca Cola of San Jose. From the Coca Cola I hopped in a cab and asked to go to Terminal Alfaro. The cab driver asked where I was going. I answered “Drake Bay”. He said that I didn’t want Terminal Alfaro, I wanted the Tracopa bus. All I could say was “Oh my God. Thank you so much” with my very best early morning Spanish. He was right. Costa Rica lacks website and correct information via inter-web which makes for a usually confused and impromptu traveling Gringa. I arrived to Tracopa which was close to where I work in San Pedro and bought my ticket. With some time to spare, it’s always a good idea to use the bathroom before departing on these long journeys which do not have bathrooms on the bus. So, I used the loo and after stepping out noticed the 200 colones (40 cents) charge. I was immediately confronted by an attendant to pay the charge. So, I did. The bus left a little after 7:00 AM and only had about 5 million stops along the way to Palmar Norte. We had about two restroom and refreshment breaks and countless stops along the highway to pick up people waiting and drop off people to their destinations. I arrived in Palmar Norte, a popular destination for many people riding such an early bus at about 1:00 PM. I could’ve waited for the bus from Palmar Norte to take me to Sierpe, but I didn’t want to miss the boat from Sierpe to Drake Bay. The last boats (according to the inconsistent interweb) left at 3:00 PM. Against my fragile intuition; I took a 20 minute cab ride from an aggressive taxi man for 20,000 colones which I haggled from 23,000 colones. On the ride, we talked about America. It’s always amazing to me how everyone in the world knows so much about the United States and it’s governance while I don’t have the slightest inkling who the president of Costa Rica is.

He dropped me off at the Las Vegas restaurant where boats take you to and from Sierpe to Drake Bay throughout certain times of the day. I had plenty of time to spare so I ordered some coffee, water, and ceviche- my favorite food of Costa Rica which is a pickled fish usually served with crackers or bread. This time it was served with patacones. Patacones are a side dish that is popular in many Latin American countries. The dish is made from sliced green (unripe) plantains which are cut either length-wise or width-wise and are twice fried. The slices of plantains are fried for 1-2 minutes on each side until they are golden in color and removed, then patted for excess oil. Afterwards, they are pounded flat with a utensil made for the task called a "tostonera," or any kitchen utensil that has a large enough flat surface. The plantains are then fried once again until they are crisp and golden brown. While waiting for the boat to take me to Drake Bay I befriended a local Sierpe boat guide, Oscar. His English was pretty good, but, he expressed that he wanted to learn more. Ticos who seek improvement on the English usually become quite infatuated with you when express that you are an English teacher. As we sat chatting about some English expressions, an American Crocodile (cocodrillo) emerged from the muddy waters. He snatched a fish and was chewing him head above water. Excellent- I didn’t reach my destination yet and I was already seeing some real nature in action! Oscar said they only have American Crocodiles and Caymans in the Osa Peninsula. American Crocs are bigger. As he claimed to be from Sierpe and a guide, I believe him and very interested in learning these kinds of things. Soon enough the rain was beginning and it was time to board my boat. I only had one other passenger in the Chincita. This man lived in Drake Bay and had with him two boxes covered in garbage bags. He suggested I take a garbage bag and use it as a poncho. At first, I was rather leery, considering that there was a cover over the boat and the rain wasn’t that hard. But, I took his advice thankfully. As soon as the boat started going the mist turned heavier. We left Sierpe through little canals that were full of trees that had roots above the water- very Amazonian! I took a great video as we slowly crept down these canals that lead the freshwater to the saltwater. I am not joking when I say at some points I couldn’t even open my eyes because with the rain and speed of the boat, the water felt like needles in my eyes. But, when I could open them I saw rocky shores, random rocks quite a distance from the shoreline, and an endless ocean meeting the leaking sky. After about an hour and a half travel by boat, I was dropped up at the shoreline of Drake Bay.

It was now about 5:00PM. I grabbed my luggage- one little backpack and an over the shoulder bag. Good thing I have learned to travel lightly! I was greeted by a local who helped me with my luggage and lead me up a steep muddy hill to Casa Horizontes, the bed and breakfast I had a reservation for ($20 per night including breakfast). It was a pretty intense and slippery incline to this haven. By American standards, this would not be acceptable. But, Casa Horizontes, thus, named had the most beautiful view of the entire bay enveloped by tropical trees, wildlife, and clouds. Yami was waiting for me on the porch/dining area with coffee and cookies which I gladly partook in. We talked for a few hours. She told me about her family and the reason for her b and b- She has a special needs son which requires the family to make some extra money. She learned that I am an English teacher and expressed interest in learning English better. I felt a genuine charisma about her. She was so warm and friendly that I right away took a liking to her. As is tradition in Costa Rica, I went to bed early.

The next morning I had breakfast around 8:00 AM. I had a beautifully arranged place setting with fresh tropical flowers perfectly placed in the center. Firstly, I dove into fresh café con leche which somehow tastes so much better here than in the U.S. Then, I had a plate of fresh fruits- pineapple, papaya, and mango. To top it all off home-made pancakes and scrambled eggs. I enjoyed my view almost as much as my breakfast. After breakfast, new guests arrived. They were a couple from Spain and had been traveling around a few other places in Costa Rica. After they were greeted with the same respect that I have been given we went horseback riding around Drake Bay. A local, I suspect, had three geared up horses waiting. The horses we all different colors with one similar aspect: a little scrawny. We adventured up and down dirt roads and through turquoise streams that soaked our feet. The three hour ride eventually led us back to the ocean where we reprieved our tired horses.

Later that afternoon, I decided to venture to the beach, look for rocks, and perhaps see a sunset. (I say perhaps, because it is a bay that is slightly curved inland so you might miss the sun setting by land masses of rock and earth.) I walked onto the rocks and watched massive waves explode and die. I was out there until high tide took all of the rocks with it. Then, I just sat on a safer part of the beach where I was approached by a local boy. He told me his mother works at a local hotel as a chef. And, he is not originally from Drake Bay, but Sierpe. He likes Drake Bay better because of the ocean. Then he asked me if I was “Casado”. I answered, “Si, Estoy Cansada.” I thought he was asking me if I was tired (cansado), but really he was asking me if I was married (casado). We had a good laugh about it. Oh, the mistakes I make in order to learn! I went back to Casa Horizonte, showered, and got ready for bed. The next day would be an early one. The next day held my entire reason for visiting Osa Peninsula.

I was up at about 5:30, perfect timing for sunrise. I had a breakfast and company joined me not much later. This morning we were going to Corcovado National park. The boat would leave from Drake Bay a little after 7:00 AM to get to the park by 8:30.  The boat ride was further southeast guided by the early morning sun.  The boat ride alone to get there was simply amazing. The coast of the Peninsula is simply gorgeous untouched natural beauty. As soon as the boat made it to shore a pair of Scarlet Macaws flew into the forest. When we exited the boats we were snuck up upon by an unforeseen wave, consequently soaking my shorts. One of the crewmembers on the boat would prove to be our tour guide around the park, Roy. He was born and raised on Drake Bay with a clear passion for nature. He was bilingual, helping with my understanding and Spanish progress. We were given our packed lunches and told we could leave our flip flops behind. 

So, off we went! After about 50 meters he set-up his Swarvoski telescope and pointed it to the canopy. Hungry toucans were fluttering atop the trees in search of the tiny avocado fruit. My first natural sighting of this silly creature enchanted me more than words can express. He did remind me of Toucan Sam a bit, because his appearance is almost cartoonish with his brightly colored beak seeming too large for his body. The rainforest seemed to be active and alive with the sounds of animals looking for snacks. Roy tried to help all of us take pictures, but you can imagine that it is difficult when they don’t just smile and strike a pose. 

Spider Monkey

We didn’t have to venture much further when we looked up to see and hear Spider Monkeys! I learned that they only have four fingers and are very common in Costa Rica, just like Howler Monkeys. The trail led to the ocean where we saw black iguanas with black hair and hermit crabs. Then, typical of the rainy season, the rain came. A French girl on our tour was kind enough to give me her extra poncho. At this point, lunch at the assigned park quarters was our best option. Since I am a vegetarian my lunch was a cheese sandwich with apricot cookies, an apple, and Kern’s Pear Nectar juice. I was also passed a guestbook where people from all around the world wrote their names, where they were from, and age. People were from almost every place in the world. It was so exciting that I had come to such an exotic and desired place. Soon, the rain died down and we continued further on our hike now very muddy at points to my calf in mud. Roy was excited because he said watch all the animals that come out after the rain. He was right! We saw Howler Monkeys with babies attached, as well as heard their gut-wrenching cries that sound like someone is being murdered, but their just protecting their territory. We also saw a Cayman lurking in the water not far from the forest. As far as birds are concerned, I am convinced that Costa Rica has the widest array of birds that I have seen without much intention. We saw an owl sleeping in the tree branches, woodpeckers, finches, vultures, a Tiger Herron, etc. You get the point. 

Peccary

While venturing back to the boat we were stopped by some wild peccaries. They search the forest ground for the filth leftover from the rain. It was an entire pack even some with babies. They took care of one another ensuring that mom and baby made it safely away from us. Not to far later, we saw the wild boars cousin who had what Roy called “white lipstick” on.  These pigs were a more aggressive breed that made “clicking noises” as a defense mechanism. Roy said the noises came from a special gland they have. I wasn’t really intending on seeing pigs, but I am glad that I had such a close encounter. Sure enough, it was 1:00 PM. We had some refreshments and boarded the boat home. 

We were lucky enough to see a humpback whale (ballena) and her baby on the ride back. She was close to the coast. Roy said that this typical behavior now because the whales are better able to protect their babies closer to the shore. The baby whale was being playful at the moment and playing on mom’s mouth. I saw her barnacles as she jumped out of the water! And this wasn’t even part of the tour, just an added bonus of the timeliness of our trip. We also saw some manta rays swim the surface of the water, but, it clearly was in no comparison to the whales. A wow factor added to my day. But, after much discovery I was a tired girl. No vacation is complete without sight-seeing, especially when it takes about 10 hours to get to your destination, I had another excursion planned for tomorrow. The next day were supposed to Cano Island for snorkeling. This night I hung out on the porch with Yami and the Spanish people until it was bedtime, 9:00 PM sounds about right.
 

Early the next day I was informed that the trip to Cano Island had been cancelled due to the water visibility. That was fine with me. I thought it would be a good idea to go explore Drake Bay, the beaches, and get some souvenir shells. So, I ate breakfast and finished the book I was reading (1984) at a relaxed pace. I made sure to apply SPF, packed my bag, and decided to go explore. I first walked along the shoreline until it was impossible to go any further due to the jagged, rocky coast. I found a sand dollar, inside of a large strong conch shell, and innumerable pearly mussel shells. I was so excited about the sand dollar I was nearly screaming to myself. Then, I back tracked to a pathway that said it would lead to beaches. I had to walk across rusted suspended bridges, on top on tires (to hold the ground in place), and up make-shift muddy hills (makeshift because the tree roots had done an amazing job at creating stairs).  Now, I had developed my skills at identifying animals by listening. I heard macaws and looked up to see about 6 talking to each other with their long bright tails overlapping the branches. I tried to get it on film, but it’s virtually impossible. I just lived out the moment as best as I could. I ventured about 25 minutes further to find a deserted beach- all to myself! I explored it a bit, but, mostly I just sat there enjoying the vitamin D and view. Conscious of falling coconuts (seriously), I stayed on the beach without anything to write on or anything to read. I was just completely happy in my surroundings for about three hours until the tide decided my spot should be part of the ocean. Around 2:00 PM my stomach growled so I thought with no more beach left it would a good idea to head into the town (pueblo). I had to backtrack my steps across bridges, mud, creeks, and uphill to find the small tourist driven town of Drake Bay. There were probably about 3 restaurants, a hostile, a bar, and tourist centers for snorkeling, diving, etc. At around 3:00 PM I couldn’t find any open restaurants! So, parched beyond belief because I had now ran out of water, I made it back to Casa Horizonte and probably drank about a liter of water as soon and I hiked up the massive hill and made it into the kitchen. That night I had dinner with the Spanish people indoors because the rainy season claimed the porch where we typically dined. I had garlic bread, salad, and vegetable lasagna. It was honestly some of the best food I have had in Costa Rica. For desert, I had tres leches cake. Tres leches cake is soaked in three kinds of milk: evaporated milk, condensed milk, and heavy cream. When butter is not used, the tres leches is a very light cake, with many air bubbles. This distinct texture is why it does not have a soggy consistency, despite being soaked in a mixture of three types of milk. I slept well with a full stomach and unforgettable memories.

The next morning was my departure. I was awake at 5:30 AM and showered. I had breakfast before 7:00 AM and thanked Yami and her family for everything they had done for me while I stayed with them in this acutely magical place. Yami’s husband, Pedro, helped me with my bag and escorted me to the shore where I and many other tourists waited for the boats to take us from Drake Bay back to Sierpe.


 I feel very fortunate that I am able to travel. I am in awe of most all of the sights I have seen particularly on this trip. It’s astonishing to consider that there are remote parts of the world that people inhabit and though, they can remain untouched by civilization, I am more drawn to these foreign experiences because it is here that I learn the most about other peoples and myself.