Saturday, April 20th, 2019

Day 8 of Full Costa Rica adventureby Bamba Experience

Todays itinerary:
“Check out at Hotel Magic Mountain

Transfer La Fortuna to Monteverde
At 08:10 am be ready for your Interbus shuttle from La Fortuna to Monteverde. Duration 3 hrs.

Check In to El Establo, Monteverde“

We get up, take the luggage to the reception and go for breakfast. Since we are earlier this time at 7 am, the restaurant is nearly empty. The guy at omelettes still looks fresh. I eat my own cereals, second and last package I brought from Austria. After this only my Mautner Markhof Estragon mustard is left.

The we go to the reception get the luggage, go outside and wait for transport. Suddenly our interbus minibus arrives. We go it, turn of A/C as it is 15° C. The driver gets super angry, because other people still to come. We go to next hotel. A Spanish couple joins us, asks for turning down A/C. Same reaction. We wait. Third person doesnot show. A/C off. We go on a windy road around Lake Arenal. Spanish as for use the ferry. No way. Three hours estimated travel time.

We stop at a souvenir shop with coffee. 30 min.

Then we continue, somewhen the road turns into gravel road. It is very dry and dusty, mostly motorbikes and quads. Our driver does ot reduce speed nor increase distance to man in front.

We drop the Spanish couple and arrive at El establo mountain hotel in Monte Verde. Monte Verde is known for its cloud forest above 1.400 masl. It was one of the first national parks and helped establish the image of eco-tourism of Costa Rica.

As we read TripAdvisor, we try to get a room further up and less street noise. The room will be ready in 2 hrs. So we go with our luggage to the pool/gym, change and run on the treadmill 12 kms.

It is very windy, but not cold. After running I jump into the pool and get a snack. Finally room is ready. I put up my running gear to dry and see an armadillo.

Then we walk for an ATM, supermarket, dinner.

We find banco populare ATM, which doesnot a fee (Banco Santander took 3 usd, Scotiabank nearly same).

Then we walk further downhill. Is very steep to walk here.

We find the an oriental restaurant, the monteverde beer house. The staff is a little bit stressed, but friendly. They are not used to Tel Aviv style order: a lot and all together. And they have red ale. Fine restaurant.

After dinner I walk home uphill 200 meters altitude up.

Back in the hotel I take a shuttle for the next 200 meters up from reception to my room. Crazy hilly village.

Pura Vida.

Accomodation El Establo Moutain Hotel