The mountain stopped spewing a couple years ago, up to 40 something times a day, the literature told us…… And yet, the area still attracts visitors gazing upward hoping to catch a glimpse of this oft shrouded peak.    The groundsman was our best advisor . . .  “6 am, that’s when the mountain comes out”.  So we were up at 6, and discovered that birds and howler monkeys were up that early too.  It was super.

Carl and Julie, our friends from Littleton, joined us in San Jose a few days before and it was fun to visit these places with them.  Another big draw was the thermal hot springs.  In the town we found these giant developments, 20 pools and hundreds of people no thank you.   While we were figuring out what to do, we discovered our new piece of paradise contained their own thermal to spring.  Half the time we were the only people there, and the best part was it was only a 3 minute walk to your room (and a cold bottle of wine) rather than a drive and a changing room, etc.  The fellow from the front desk assured us the water in the pools came directly from the underground springs.

We took a floating safari while we were there.  Monkeys, birds, caimans and even a toucan but mostly it was two hours of beautiful scenery as the world floated past.  The “snack” after the water portion was probably the most interesting, the takeout was at a farmers field and the lady of the house squeezed fresh fruit for juice, gave us cheese made from their cows, and some cake that had just come out of the oven.   Sure beat the normal bottle of water and a cut up orange you find in America.