More of our COSTA RICAN adventure- ATVs, monkeys, and New Year's Eve at a swish resort
Our Costa Rican adventure, and it was an adventure more than a vacation, continued with an ATV trip over the Nicoya Peninsula from Santa Teresa to Montezuma. ATVs are four wheeling machines that feel like a cross between a dune buggy, motorcycle and go cart. We each were in command of one and embarked from Pranamar on the dusty, bumpy road weaving through the traffic of town and then opened it up on a "road" through the jungle. The ATVs are not the most nimble of machines and we had a few exciting moments traversing steep, rutted hills and flooded sections on the road. It was pretty spectacular to drive through open fields with views on both sides that took your breath away. AND the pack of howler monkeys we encountered were the highlight of the trip! High up in trees about 12 howler monkeys were lounging, nibbling leaves and roaring when other cars or ATVs passed by. The call of a howler monkey would be terrifying if you didn't know what it was!
Before lunch in Monetzuma, we stopped at the Rainsong Wildlife Sanctuary just up the road from Monetzuma. Rainsong is operated by volunteers and donations and they work to rehabilitate and care for animals that have been orphaned, maimed or otherwise handicapped and would not survive in the wild. Our favorite animal was a white faced monkey named Tarzan who lost his left arm in an attack by a pack of Howler monkeys after some locals tired of him as a pet and released him as an infant with no chance of survival. Despite his sad history, he seems like a very happy monkey racing around and getting into innocent mischief. He and a dog were playing the entire time we were there. Chasing each other, rolling around-- Tarzan had the advantage!
After our visit at Rainsong, we pressed on to lunch in the beach town of Montezuma. We were dying to try a restaurant with no sign called Playa de los Artistas that had been highly recommended by locals in St. Teresa, but alas it was closed in preparation for New Year's. Instead, we chose a beachfront spot (there are many) and had pina coladas, paella and seafood that was good not amazing. We wished we had more time to swim at the beach and explore the crunchy town of Montezuma (a lot of dreadlocks and folks making hemp bracelets), but we had to ATV back to St. Teresa before the sun went down. It goes down too early this time of year-- 5:30pm!
Covered in dirt from our dusty ride home, we cleaned up for New Year's Eve!! After mixing up some potent rum drinks on the porch of our bungalow at Pranamar, we headed to the swishest spot in town, the resort Florblanca for the most delicious dinner and some awkward dancing.
We rang in the New Year with champagne under the most magnificent stars on the beach at Florblanca. What a way to start the year.... For the record, Florblanca would be one of out top picks for where to stay when we return.
We'll wrap up the Costa Rican adventure tomorrow-- Italian chefs on the beach, a hidden gem of a hotel we discovered, surfing and a private villa with a pool we moved into our last night compliments of the aforementioned horrendous Costa Rican airline that decided to bump us off of our scheduled flight on the 3rd.... was actually lovely to have to stay an extra day as it turned out!!