Anna in San José, CR

Hello, readers!

Today I am sharing my recent excursion to the La Fortuna Waterfall, the sugarcane plantation, and Arenal Volcano & resort this past weekend. I went with my study abroad program (ISA) and it was an incredible experience!

Early morning on Saturday, Jan. 12th, we departed from Universidad Veritas, and took the scenic route via charter bus to the La Fortuna waterfall, about 50 miles outside of San José. It was a beautiful day for a swim! The water was very cold, but refreshing – akin to swimming in the Kettle River during my childhood. The hike down to the waterfall was long (400 stair steps), and the walk back up was brutal!

After enjoying the natural beauty of the waterfall, plus an excellent workout, we headed to the neighboring town of San Carlos, and stopped at a sustainable farm. Here, we devoured a fantastic lunch and learned how to make corn tortillas! Starting with a small ball of masa harina (the trick is to gradually add a bit of water as you go), I gently kneaded, spun, and pressed the dough into a flat, circular shape with my fingertips. The tortilla was then placed onto the grill to develop a nice char! See the photo below to see my tasty meal.

A bit later, I enjoyed a steaming mug of fresh coffee and a dessert similar to an elephant ear (oreja) but with a crispy, bubbly exterior and dripping in honey molasses. We also received a tour of the farm and local plants, which was educational.

Near the end of our tour, we were caught in a downpour, so we rushed to the covered area and learned the process of creating juice from sugar cane. I participated in the demonstration, and helped break down the long stalk of sugar cane by beating it with a stick. My classmates hand-churned the sugar cane through a machine and the juices were wrung out into a large jug. You can watch the Instagram video here!

After our long journey, we finally arrived at Los Lagos Hotel & Resort to enjoy the hot springs, pool, and a nice dinner. The 4-star resort is sprawling, not to mention the rooms were huge, and all the landscaping and plants were beautiful and well-maintained.

Perhaps my favorite part of our stay was the Sunday morning hike. Many students complained about waking up early and doing the (optional) 4 mile trek, but I loved it because it was excellent exercise, the weather was perfect, and our view at the top was spectacular.

Overall, I enjoyed this excursion and I’m grateful for the opportunity! As wonderful as San José is, I think it’s important to get out of the city and see more rural areas. My goal is to explore as many places as I can and the list is long! Next weekend I head to Punta Leona, a hotel resort with a beautiful beach on the Pacific coast. I look forward to this excursion, and I’ll keep you all posted! In the meantime, I am studying at the university throughout the week, practicing my Spanish as much as possible, and meeting new people!

Have a great week! ¡Pura vida!