PaulPallazola
Braullio Carillo National Park, Costa Rica, March 1993
This was my third visit to Costa Rica I stayed in the Hotel Bougainvilla Santo Domingo, minutes away from San Jose but close to Coffee fincas, banana fields, and tropical forests. When I first visited Costa Rica in 1989 I had taken the famed “Jungle Train” from San Jose to Puerto Limon. I was disappointed that the old train had fallen into disrepair and was not an option this time. I met with a representative of Geotour, an organization committed to sustainable tourism. They organized small group day trips in VW vans to the rainforests. With my German friends Peter & Monika I embarked on a day trip to the Braullio Carillio National Park. It was a a great visit…I got a little wet but I between showers we saw Howler Monkeys, a Chestnut Warbler,an Agouti, and an Indigo Bunting. It was an unforgettable day that left us all with a better understanding of the incredble biodiversity contained in Costa Rica’s rainforests.
Visiting Costa Rica is one of my bucket list items but I don’t think it’s going to happen unless they establish train service there from Chicago. I’m not afraid to fly, I’ve done it hundreds of times, but it has become so unpleasant that it’s not worth it any more.
My 3 visits to Costa Rica were between 1989 and 1993. Flying was much less expensive and more fun back then.
I used to work for a travel agency and we traveled a lot. It was fine back then. The last time I was on an airplane was in 2006 when my wife and I went to the Bahamas. It was not fine.