The Bike Ride: Rural Treats in Costa Rica

By Berni & Nhi, Pura Vida Hotel, Alajuela

"Thanks! ACTUAR."

By way of introduction: This little tale is about a rural community trip we took in October 2006 during the height of the "temporada baja" AKA "the green season". We have lately visited a number of remote locations in Costa Rica as part of an effort to better understand our adopted culture. We are also seeking routes so that more of our guests can experience "the real Costa Rica" and not just "THE circuit" prescribed by a generic guide book.

"Thank you, Beatrice."

There are choices for the future of tourism in Costa Rica - we can go "all-inclusive resorts barricaded from the elements and the local population" or we can seek ways to integrate Costa Rica and Costa Ricans into the tourism equation. This tourism equation is examined a little in a recent study from Cornell University - the premier center for the study of hospitality in the USA.

The Cornell study is detailed HERE. We cite some passages from that study which concludes the writing is on the wall for the future of Costa Rican tourism if we don't listen to the experience of adventure tourists. It posits that local managers must understand what "these wrtitings on the wall" imply for the right or wrong kind of tourism for the future.

We can go the way of "All Inclusive Resorts on the Mexican Riviera" or we can go the way of Costa Rica. This web page is about a trip we took with the rural community tourism association, a tiny organization known as ACTUAR - based in San Jose Costa Rica. ACTUAR is an association representing community based rural tourism located in every nook and cranny of Costa Rica. ACTUAR is on to something - time will tell how well it develops with the pace and needs of tourism in Costa Rica. Time will tell how the communities themselves rise to meet the challenges of these many "gringo" visitors in the future.

Costa Rican tourism development could find ways to invest some of the 13% room tax receipts that the tourism bureau (ICT) collects from every night tourists stay in Costa Rica. Costa Rica IS in need of some better tourist infrastructure - this includes better security, better roads (in remote areas) and better training of the local population. For years the ICT has been asking Big Business/Big Hotels/Big Golf Courses/Big Roads to find ways to bring more hotel rooms to Costa Rica. Some suggest, however, that it would be better to find smaller, more local, more interesting places to spread tourism to every nook and cranny of Costa Rica - not just mega resorts with mega highways to a few locations with mega future problems for small local communities to try to deal with. ONE future result of the development of "local tourism" such as we experienced on this trip is that the "tourist buck" gets reinvested into the development of the community and the growth of the people.

"Fatima telling the rural tale with passion"

Today FAR less than 1% of tourists coming to Costa Rica experience this kind of local community based tourism. Perhaps a target could be set to find ways to direct a slightly bigger percentage of incoming guests to room nights available through these rural associations. The number today is a paltry fraction of a percent.

Unfortunately rural tourism isn't quite ready for this which is where government can and has stepped in in the past. The United Nations is already doing this with most excellent results in the developing world - we have seen the results of small UN investments throughout Costa Rica protecting a water source or helping build a community lodge.

Organizations such as ACTUAR are best suited to help develop the rural associations by finding ways to educate and assist local community based associations. These associations have members with no tourism experience finding ways to meet the tourist needs and demands in the future. Today these associations are represented by the under funded, under trained operators of rural tourism in many remote areas of Costa Rica.

Much work is to be done and organizations such as ACTUAR are on the leading edge helping community members operate more sustainable, more local forms of tourism appealing to the right kind of tourist for the future of Costa Rica.

"One of 150 rural cooking devices"

DISCLAIMER: We are not directly connected to ACTUAR nor any rural tourism operation in Costa Rica it just seems to be one darn good idea for Costa Rica :-)

The Bike Ride: Solar Days in the Rainy Season

For some time now my wife had wanted to do some volunteer work with turtles. For my part, after meeting a number of people from Isla de Chira at two rural fairs, I had wanted to get to Chira to understand a little about what made the "interesting islanders" tick.

Both of these desires came together when we realized that guests at our hotel had booked an ACTUAR tour that went to Ostional for the arribada (the arrival of 1000’s of Olive Ridley sea turtles ready to nest and lay eggs on the beach). And by some amazing stroke of luck the trip also went to Chira among other interesting destinations. With the help of Beatrice Blake, author of New Key to Costa Rica Guide Book/web site and Elena of ACTUAR we became invited to tag along with the group comprising two American couples.

There would be plenty of room in the van. We hooked up with the group near

"Spotting Howler Monkeys"

Guaitil on the Nicoya peninsula near Santa Cruz a place we knew well. We had visited Guatil a number of times over the years and were familiar with the Chorotega indigenous designs of the local pottery and knew one or two of the local potters/vendors who for some reason are now mostly Ticos. Guaitil is about 3 or 4 hours west of San Jose plumb center of the Nicoya peninsula. We met with "our crew" at Sol Verde, a restaurant/community center/solar oven center and were quickly greeted by the local "solar oven evangelist", Fatima. Fatima (who I later understood to be a pretty well known lady in solar circles) passionately described the operation of her co-op and some history behind the 150 solar ovens built by local people funded by a foundation we didn't learn much more about.

Fatima has been at it for 17 years.

She showed us around, educated us on the ovens and some other solar initiatives but those did not seem to have a lot of traction. It was a rainy day so no live demo but lunch and the visit was satisfactory and educational.

"One destination: Playa Pelada/Nosara"

While we were at Sol Verde a group of single mothers were in a class conducted by INA university who was, with the involvement of Sol Verde, helping single mothers find alternatives for their newly discombobulated lives. We have seen rural education at work in a lot of remote areas and have been impressed with the activities at every encounter. Real people in the real world getting an education in every nook and cranny of Costa Rica are an impressive testament to the Costa Rican desire for an educated future. These newly educated and enthusiastic women are the future backbone of rural toursim.

The Bike Ride: Surfing to Nosara by Road

"Swamped by a wave, oncoming bus"

We were getting to know our driver Paul who, in perfect English provided a myriad of accurate and interesting information about the local culture and almost any topic his inquiring guests wanted to know about. Paul is an absolute asset to the ACTUAR trips - he has a depth not found in most driver/guides - and we have met many. Without the intelligence and knowledge of Paul, this would have been a different trip entirely.

As we were maybe 4 minutes from the center of Guaitil at the Sol Verde lunch but didn't stop there after lunch, we suggest adding this most logical stop for this tour? The vendors/potters of Guaitil we know can be an interesting tourist stopover.

Time must have been pressing as was the rain. We drove on towards Nosara on the Pacific coast in an ever increasing rain storm. We later learned that this storm was to be one of the worst of this rainy season. Buckets of water started coming down and rivers started to rise. We stopped along the way for howler monkeys - and other thoughtful ideas that Paul added to make our trip interesting.

As we left the paved road near Samara, the potholes and ruts in the road grew and the water sheeted across the dirt road bed making it look like a river crossing in parts.

Near Nosara a Mitsubishi SUV had been hit by the wake of an oncoming bus (we later learned) and had been swamped by the wave into a ditch. We passed a new mega-resort under construction (apparently soon to be a huge yoga retreat). Enormous quantities of water were running off near here (locals later told us construction was causing this new runoff problem) creating a river on the road. The Nosara business association has been active trying

"Paddling on the Gaza road"

to keep large construction controlled within the area. As a digression: we understand that the Caribbean area around Cahuita/Pueto Viejo has somehow managed to restrict developers to 2 story buildings - we wonder how they did that?

We arrived at the Giardino Tropicale in Nosara somewhat surprised we had made it in a two wheel drive van with no snorkel - in a most impressive amount of water. We were greeted by the delightful and welcoming hosts, Miriam and Marcel. Giardino is a 10 minute walk to the beach, has a nice public restaurant serving "the best pizzas in the area" and spotlessly clean rooms with excellent amenities including fridge, in room coffee etc. We enjoyed our short two nights there.

"Base camp Nosara, Giardino Tropicale"

That night, we ate at the restaurant with the group and were well satiated with a very good meal at the right prices for the area and of course the good company.

The Bike Ride: The Arribada of Ostional

Rumors abounded that Nosara was flooded and nothing was getting through. Turtles may not be on the plan any more, we worried. But Paul and Marcel/Miriam, our hosts, were not to be stopped by a flood that could have floated Noah's Ark loaded with ALL the critters of Costa Rica. They plotted a path to make everyone happy as we learned later.

"El Monstroso"

The next day we wanted to visit some places we knew so we rented a car for the day and visited Playa Pelada and the town of Nosara which now sports the world's ugliest office building. This monstrosity competes with the other silly ugly

"TOURIST INFORMATION"

beach hotel overlooking the beach for the most ridiculous buildings in Costa Rica. Our only hope is that when this weirdly constructed "tilting" building collapses that nobody will be inside it at the time.

Otherwise we really like the village of Nosara as well as the nearby Playa Pelada and took a long walk on the beach that day.

Our trip to the turtles however, looked like it might be in jeopardy. The rivers had risen; the road into town was flooded that night at the little bridge by the gas station that never opened due to its proximity to a flood plain - a community warning proven ominously accurate that night as the waters lapped the front of the gas station entrance.

Our hosts were up to any challenge and they hooked us up with a driver and his wonderfully rickety van the second night. We made it across the bridge and out through the lowland meadows (now lakes) of Nosara village and off into the boondocks, headed for Ostional, a road we knew well from previous visits but had never seen so wet. Across two small rivers until we got to the main river crossing which was now too wild to attempt. "Everybody out" yelled our new taxi driver in Spanish, "can anyone see the footbridge?"

"Postcards from Playa Pelada"

The best time to see turtles is sometime around the third quarter of the moon which tends not to be very bright - fortunately we had remembered to bring some

"Bridges to Ostional"

mini-flashlights and helped the other guests across the rickety wooden planked bridge which swayed with the motion of the eight people now looking for footing on the randomly spaced planks 10 feet above the now fast moving Nosara river. We had been joined on this trip by the two New Yorkers (former drivers of the sunken SUV).

As luck and our hosts' good planning would have it, a little pickup was awaiting us the other side. We climbed in the bed and it drove on another 5 km or so to another river which we crossed again by rickety bridge and finished by walking the last km or so to the turtle station in the village of Ostional.

Our guide was awaiting us and gave us some information about the "state of turtle finding" tonight.

With luck, all the guests were dressed in mostly dark clothes (yes, right!), recommended for turtle watching at night. The guide gave us some red plastic to cover our little flashlights to not bother the mama turtles. We were warned ominously about a "river crossing" as it seemed ALL the nesting turtles wanted to nest south of us and the river this night.

"Eight gringos"

Eight gringos and our female guide, Yamilet, headed off down the dark path to the beach. We noticed a white light further north of us maybe 1 km - possible poachers as no white lights are used by Ostional guides? Our guide did not want to deal with it. She told us we needed to walk south and make a river crossing - excitement and tension rose in our little intrepid group. This was to be a marvellous night.

The study by Cornell University talks about the types of people who are attracted to Costa Rica as tourists. It examines the habits and attitudes of guests and concludes that more middle of the road "all inclusive" types are looking to Costa Rica as a destination and that there is less appeal for the better spending intrepid "venturer type" travelers of yesterday.

"All Inclusive types in river"

It was becoming very clear to us that night that Mssrs. Liu, Lo, Vasconcellos, Siguaw, Ph.D. and Enz, Ph.D. - the authors and sponsors of the Cornell study, need to take an ACTUAR trip

"A Sign"

on their next study of Costa Rica.

Very dark, the light of a tiny flashlight covered in red plastic, a possible poacher just north of us and a river crossing seeking the magical experience of turtle egg-laying. We gotta invite the Cornell students to an ACTUAR trip!

We followed Yamilet into the river - maybe only 30 yards wide but a fast running river just 100 yards from the wild and dark unknown of the Pacific Ocean. Up the other bank and onto the beach again and terra firma . . . a spotter from Ostional village radios in Spanish "turtles ahead". First, one mama turtle, then another mama, then another appear in the dark ahead of us. They are all around us - one of our group steps back nearly onto an oncoming mama turtle determined to ignore the gringos as she looks for the right spot to dig her hole for the maybe 100+ eggs she has to deposit this night SOMEWHERE on the beach as they have done this at the same spot for many centuries.

If you could see our faces - agape, wonder and awe as the mama turtle in front of us finishes digging her hole with her back paddles. She now seems ready to drop the first eggs of the night. I liked the Cornell study BUT I think one problem with the Cornell writings is that they come from "The Center for Hospitality Research" and this ain't hospitality it is merely awesome.

"The Event"

We spend an hour or so with our guide and two or three turtles in our area. We watch one lay her 100 or so eggs and gently and deliberately cover them up. These eggs WILL, we are certain, make it to hatchlings. This was the 5th day of this arribada and locals from Ostional are allowed to collect the turtle eggs they can find ONLY on the first 3 days of the arribada. This is supposed to provide the incentive to keep the turtles protected. The November 3rd 2006 Tico Times article on the turtles of Ostional is not sure it's a good idea either but the people we met from Ostional seem to take their turtle protection roles seriously.

The radio crackles to life in Spanish . . . the spotter is back at the river and it is RISING rapidly and we need to get our gringo butts back to the far bank pronto! There must be new rains in the hills maybe 50 miles inland from us. We need to get back or be cut off.

"The river is rising"

We alert the group that no time is to be lost. We all congratulate the mama turtle we had been quietly observing from behind at the right angle so as not to bother her in the trance like state she enters when laying. She is mostly oblivious to us. We have seen more crowded beaches at Tortuguero with too many people in visiting groups and noisy insensitive gringos wondering what the big deal is - this beach that night at Ostional has no such problem.

We retire, careful to avoid incoming turtles scraping their way almost elegantly (if that is possible) up the beach to the place they know they must be this night.

We reach the river . . . "oh, my, it has risen!" I mention to Nhi that she should avoid the "hueco" she dropped into last time as the river seemed to be another foot higher now. "Hold hands everyone!" I had visions of her slipping and being rushed out to sea and me swimming after her in the pitch dark with a tiny flashlight in my mouth wondering why I couldn't see her and realizing I still had a piece of red plastic taped over the lens.

We crossed in a daisy chain holding hands, some dropping to our waist, wallets wet but otherwise congratulating ourselves upon arrival at the far bank and having just witnessed 100+ tiny miracles. The trek back to Ostional village was uneventful - we thanked our guide Yamilet and the 4 or 5 family members that were hanging out at the guide post and walked on back to the first river crossing.

"Our Ostional Taxista"

Creatures of the night burbled and warbled all around us in the dark and eventually we hooked up with our red somewhat beat-up but perfect pickup truck across the first river. Onwards to the next river and another walk across the rickety bridge and eventually our taxi driver waiting for us in his old van ("perfectly fine Nosara taxi" as it is known locally). Everything smooth as silk. The taxi seemed to make a lot of weird noises in the wheel/brake department so we tipped generously at the Giardino Tropicale suggesting gently to him that he may want to take a look at these bits.

A marvelous evening - wet, bedraggled, but just perfect. The next morning we thanked our hosts of the Giardino and Paul for insisting they could make the tour happen as we headed on to our next adventure - Isla de Chira - a few hours away across Nicoya and then into the gulf of Nicoya to a very remote rural island. The rain continued and the rural community tour was about to enter it's most rural phase.

The Bike Ride: The Women of Chira

"At the dock"

We arrived at a tiny dock called San Pablo - Paul pointed out Isabella a handsome 30 something member of the Chira community who was to be our main guide on the island. Her English wasn't yet ready for prime time but she was attending classes on Chira for English and other things she thinks will help her in the future.

"Isabella, the guide"

We boarded the lancha - a 20 feet long wood and fiberglass boat typical of the fishing boats of the area. We skipped a tour of some small gulf islands as the weather and rain was unpromising and looking like becoming less promising. Our fellow travelers also had not come equipped with sufficient rain gear or in one case ANY rain gear. Of course it rained most of the crossing to Chira. We pulled in about 40 minutes later to a modest "port" - a water landing, as is common in most of Costa Rica's rural fishing communities.

The local "bus", a converted truck FULL of German tourists, was waiting for our lancha to arrive - we climbed aboard. Of course it was raining, a few minutes into the trip to the "Albergue" of peace - La Amistad, part of the plastic roof collapsed and dumped a gallon of water on an unsuspecting German.

The Germans took it in good humor. Years and years ago I had driven an old London FX3 taxi across southern Morocco on an ill fated attempt to drive around the Mediterranean. We (myself and 4 youthful hitchhiking adventurers) had been driving for about 4 hours into the Sahara heading for a town called Fez. We were completely lost but pretty amazed at how far we had made it that day when a cloud of dust approached us on the horizon. "A vehicle!", I soon

"ferry categories"

realized! But what was it doing here - there were NO vehicles here except my trusty old incongruous and stupidly black FX3 taxi in the blazing heat of the Sahara kicking up the dust on this track to the old desert cities. Two oncoming dust clouds reached a couple of hundred yards from each other . . . a small bus, I thought? A small bus with the unmistakable Mercedes star on the front, HUH, I thought? As it approached I recognized a Munich license plate and, as it passed in its dust cloud, a dozen German tourists were looking down on me simultaneously taking photos of the mirage they told their kids about some weeks later. "Ich denke es was ein FX3!!! Wunderbar!"

There are German tourists seeking every nook and cranny of tourism on the planet and once again they proved worthy by finding this extraordinary nook - the Isla de Chira.

As the Cornell study continues, "at the discovery end of the life cycle are the little visited locations favored by Venturers. Members of this group travel frequently to explore the world around them; take relatively long trips; spend more money per day than does the average traveler; prefer unusual, undeveloped destinations; avoid crowded touristy places; accept unconventional kinds of accommodations; enjoy participating in local customs and habits but avoid

"Isla de Chira, Gulf of Nicoya"

events staged for tourists; prefer free independent travel; enjoy activity when traveling; prefer authentic local arts and crafts; and seek new travel experiences each year." That run on sentence describes Isla de Chira in a rambling nutshell!

The study continues with this observation, "the presence of Venturers as a dominant percentage of tourists indicates that the destination is in the discovery stage of the life cycle. Venturers constitute about 4% of the US population."

I am guessing Germany has more Venturers than America?

"Learning English"

We all disembarked the leaky truck at La Amistad - a sign at the dirt path entrance welcomed us all - the Germans on a day trip for lunch with the women

"Armistad lunch is communal"

of the co-op that runs the rustic lodge and us for an overnight trip and island tour with an unexpected ending. La Amistad lodge is reached by a short walk up a hill till you reach a clearing in the jungle - you pass a rustic hand hewn log cabin with bunk beds or floors for 6 to 10 people with 2 bathrooms. Ahead of us is the lodge - a small covered patio with tables and chairs in front of a kitchen with 3 women working to feed the dozen or so venturous middle aged Germans working on their nook for the day. To the right of the small lodge are two new duplex cabins - one being finished as we arrive.

Isabella introduced us to the persons who seemed to run the women's association - Marta and Liliana. Liliana is an interesting character who is adamant about everything Chira. Later that night she tells us the story of the developer who bought half of Chira and is now up to his ankles in Chira crocodiles - the women of Chira fighting back against what they believe to be an illegal purchase.

"The original lodge, La Armistad"

Her story goes long into the night as we marvel at her commitment to Chira and her certainty that she is fighting the good fight. We don't really understand the whole story but she believes she is winning the battle and will not give up. She tells us of the illegal theft of the mangroves from the people of nearby Puntarenas who came to turn mangrove into charcoal. The women on Chira started clam farms just near the mangroves so they could keep an eye on the robbers - it seems to be working - the mangroves are no longer being cut and we had some tiny clams with our lunch as a testament to progress.

The new cabins were being finished and obviously the women had been working very hard to finish one we could stay in that night - just in time, it was ready and it was obvious they were proud of their accomplishment.

"Starting out"

The German Venturers went back to the mainland after lunch so fortunately they missed the biggest adventure of the trip.

"At the 'shell' station (where they make shell mobiles)"

A bike ride to the other end of the island had been planned - 12 miles. Let's start this story with the concept that bike maintenance is not of concern to Chiran islanders.

As the Cornell study continues: "Like the Venturers, Near- Venturers who encompass 16% of the US population, are also excited about the new destinations they learn of from their Venturer friends.

They initiate the development of the area because they ask for more services such as hotels, restaurants, shops" . . . and bicycles that are maintained. Later discussions with ACTUAR and Beatrice (after we returned) indicate that the bikes on all future trips will have better brakes, seats that adjust and some lighting will be available.

The Bike Ride: What Dark Looks Like on Chira Island

"The shell artisans"

Our new Chiran friends had located 8 bikes for the 6 gringos, Isabella and Paul (our original guide who it turns out, knew Chira very well). Isabella later proved to be related to a bat. Each bike had its own unique challenge as the Chirans generally seem to leave their bikes - the prime form of transportation on the island - OUTside in the rain. Nhi asks me "where are we going?" . . . I reply, "on a bike ride!" She groans just as she does as we head downhill on an unknown ski slope after I have just exclaimed "don't worry, just follow me!"

"A school within walking distance of everyone"

We fiddle with the bikes for a while in the jungle clearing making as much work as we can and eventually the motley bike collection is brought down to the front gate and we pedal off mid afternoon.

An hour or so later we reach the only cross roads on the island and stop for a huff and a puff. Nhi and I ponder our options - should we go back? Is this a circuit perhaps and we are half way round it? Is it all uphill or downhill from here? We have no idea . . .

"Herding pigs"

and as invited guests to the Chirans as well as recipients of their marvelous hospitality we choose to say nothing and just hope we are halfway 'round a circuit of the island. We had no idea where we were going - only later did we realize that the island is shaped like a pac-man and there are no "circuits of the island".

An hour later we arrived at a dock at the far end of the island. A beer and a stop to take in the lovely view of Chira and the mainland - the same view those 200 years of fishermen had taken in every day.

"The former dock at Chira"

Dusk comes quickly at Latitude 9 or 10. We started out back along the grueling road to La Amistad as dusk appeared from nowhere. We were miles from home with bikes in various conditions and of course no lighting.

"The Kid"

The rain started, of course. Mud spewed up across my glasses, everyone was wet. Isabella cheerfully led us home with a skill, agility and Chiraness that only Chirans or bats could know. I wondered if the reason I could not see was associated with the mud on my glasses. I took them off and put them in my bright yellow rubber rain jacket. It made no difference - I still couldn't see.

"What dark looks like on Chira"

I asked ahead to Nhi - "can you see anything, Nhi?". She replied "No!". I asked behind to Dale - "can you see me Dale, in my bright yellow rubber jacket?" Dale replied the same "Nope!" Darkness had descended quickly - it was the night of the no moon. Fireflies took off as dusk descended like a thousand points of light in the meadows by the side of the dirt pothole-strewn road we were maneuvering down in the near dark. An optimist will look at such a situation - and see light as darkness descends further. Maybe we could grab some fireflies by their little wings and harness them to the bikes to act as tiny beacons, as NOBODY has a flashlight! I imagined a Roman phalanx of maybe 1000 fireflies in a complex leather harness leading each of the 8 semi-working bikes back to La Amistad, avoiding falling into ditches, dropping off bridges or taking a rut into a tree.

But fireflies are neither into being harnessed nor ultimately do they put off any useful lumens; and lumens are what we needed. We were simply out later than we expected. Utter dark had just descended.

Isabella became a bat - she could see where we could not!

"Happy Chiran Pig"

We were wet, we defined the word bedraggled and we were tired but now we could not see a yellow rubber jacket 2 yards ahead of us. We dismounted - we had to walk back. The party split in two - Paul and two riders up ahead. Cheerful Isabella and 4 riders take up the rear. Blackness everywhere - only fireflies and each 0.000001 lumen buzzing around in the meadow and ditches either side of who knows where. Isabella kept talking so we could follow the sound of her voice as we led our bikes the final mile.

"Paul, driver/guide from ACTUAR"

Out of the dark, in Spanish, Isabella remarked "we are here!" A milagro! How did she know? We dumped the bikes in a pile; lit by the screen on Isabella's cell phone. "Hold hands everyone!"

We finished the last 500 yards in a human chain walking up the tree root ridden hill to La Amistad seeing absolutely nothing until the clearing opened up and lights from the lodge became visible. Dinner was welcomed and some level of expectation setting would have gone a long way that dark day. We have been told that this will happen on all future trips. This challenging trip along with shared bathrooms, limited food options and rustic surroundings put Chira firmly on the "Venturer" end of the scale on the Cornell study. These were "foreign surroundings" for some "gringo" visitors - as residents of Costa Rica we had some expectations of what rural tourism can be like.

We met some wonderful committed people on Chira (as I had expected). It is the only place in Costa Rica to report "no crime" at all. Three thousand inhabitants made up of originally two families. Everyone we met was a delight. As always, with such brief trips it was obvious we needed to stay longer and learn more if we really wanted any understanding of what happens on Chira. We were grateful for the tiny insights that we, the passing gringo tourist, could bring back to the mainland.

So some observations from one clueless gringo: The things needed to make this place REALLY work for the less venturesome include: some more investment in the lodging (a UN grant is at work with the two new buildings at the lodge and of course),

"La Armistad - the new cabina"

some assistance from people with some experience in tourism (we met a peace corps volunteer who was helping the lodge and other businesses with "micro-finance training" - a great start), some better food/drink options and most of all . . . more contact with the islanders to have them tell their tales, learn about their challenges and understand why it is so important that Chira remain Chira. Of course this paragraph itself contains contradiction of itself.

Chira is one of the most off-the-beaten-path locations in Costa Rica. The Chiran story is fascinating, the Chirans we met are the nicest people on the planet AND the island CAN take more visitors. They will be welcomed and the experience, for now, remains very rustic. The islanders told us of some ideas they have for developing the 5 communities on the island; but it is not clear where that will go. I am certain that the few visitors they get all come away touched by the experience.

The next morning we went down to meet the island bus, which for reasons we still don't understand arrived at La Amistad driving backwards. We got down to the dock past the time the boat was supposed to leave to take us to another dock on the mainland a few miles north of Puntarenas. A trip to Cerro Escondido and the Karen Morgensen reserve had to be canceled due to swelling rivers (eight of them needed to be crossed to get there).

"Incoming supplies from the mainland"

As we waited at the dock on Chira, the daily supplies were being offloaded from a small wet boat and tossed onto a waiting truck as our boat's main engine was being repaired. After half an hour, the mechanic declared the engine fit for duty and we loaded up - I was thankful the main engine was supported by a small backup outboard.

"What is Plan C?"

We were even more thankful when the main engine failed again after 5 minutes out in the bay. Our boat was about 30 feet long and is the morning "ferry" to the mainland. A couple of farmers, an office worker with muddy Chiran boots, the captain and his helper and the 6 gringos. Paul had gone back for his van over the other side of the peninsula and would meet us when we landed. As the main motor failed, I wondered about the "if we landed" scenario. The smaller pint sized backup outboard was quickly brought into service as we headed further out into the choppy gulf on this rain swept morning. The distant shore seemed even further and as we passed what seemed to be the half way point on our backup motor; I asked Nhi, "since we are now on Plan B, have you considered what Plan C might be?" I believe she told me to shut up and row.

The "ferry" made the rest of the journey uneventfully to the mainland and Paul met us, as planned. He headed with the rest of the gringos up to Monteverde (Plan D) and we headed home in another waiting taxi. Fond memories

"The mainland welcomes"

now fade gently with just some photos to remind us of the passions of the solar oven maker, the lessons learned crossing rivers in Ostional, the tales told in the dark on Isla de Chira and the companionship of good people on journeys on the road less traveled.

As the Cornell study closes, it notes, "the respondents (to the survey) traveled to Costa Rica mainly for ecotourism and its unspoiled environment". And concludes that "most destinations managers don't understand that they are shooting themselves in the foot by allowing unfocused development to trample the once beautiful areas that so delighted the Venturer type travelers".

As the women's association of Sol Verde knows, the business association of Nosara lives by and the people of Chira proved . . . maintaining these beautiful areas is their "local" future and they take their responsibilty seriously (and most of them don't even know Cornell exists :-)). Perhaps the bright minds of Cornell will come back and work on Chapter 2 of the study? They would be so welcome!

And it's good to know the clams are now the protectors of the mangroves. A delightful trip we will not forget! Thanks Beatrice and thanks ACTUAR!

For more information on New Key To Costa Rica, CLICK HERE. and ACTUAR, Costa Rica, CLICK HERE.