Costa Rica Costa Rica's Central Valley, where coffee growing and ecotourism are staple industries.  While temperature and precipitation can vary dramatically between different parts of the country, Costa Rica's proximity to the equator gives it a relatively consistent climate year-round.  The country is prone to earthquakes, a major factor in the design of the bridge seen here. A few images and impressions from my 1999 trip to Costa Rica
Church in Zarcero
The island village of Tortuguero is on the Caribbean Coast amid thousands of acres of protected rain forest.  It is only accessible by boat or chartered seaplane.  The primary residents of the island are employees of the lodges that line the nearby Tortuguero River.  This two-room schoolhouse on Tortuguero is made  of concrete and has no air conditioning.  On hot afternoons the children sometimes pull their desks outside to study in the fresh air less than a hundred meters from the Caribbean surf.  Because Costa Rica does not have a standing army, money that would otherwise be spent on defense is instead spent on social programs.  One of the benefits:  A 93% literacy rate.
 
Church in Grecias
A church is often in the center of town, with a park typically nearby. This is a good place to socialize, hail a taxi, or get your bearings for sightseeing. Above are two examples. Cruising through the waterways surrounding Tortuguero.  On the left, a cayman, relative of the crocodile and alligator.  Despite widespread deforestation, great efforts have been made to preserve Costa Rica's natural resources.  Many animals have been driven to endangerment or even extinction, but basic wildlife like caymans (a relative of the crocodile and alligator, seen above left), spider monkeys, and toucans are still plentiful. Bananas are an important export crop. The bananas are harvested, washed and packed on plantations like this one in the eastern lowlands. The bananas that pass quality standards are exported, many to the United States. One of the colorful and comfortable casitas - cabins - at the Villa Blanca Lodge in the Los Angeles Cloud Forest. My favorite stop during my time in Costa Rica. Each casita has a fireplace and a tin roof that sounds wonderful during a rainfall. The Los Angeles Cloud Forest is a lush area of vegetation above the cloud line. The highlight of any trip to Costa Rica is a canopy tour, floating above the tree line on a rope-and-pulley system that will fill you with fear and awe. Home Personal Links Image Galleries Journeys The Good Old Days The Movie Quotes Project Fiction Rules of the Road