Day 7

Day 7

Because it was Semana Santa (Holy Week) we needed to get to the San Manuel Antonio Park early. It opens at 7am, and the day before we went they stopped letting people in at 730am because they limit the entrance to 700 people . So we boarded our bus at 6am with a bag breakfast (bagel with bacon and egg, a slice of pineapple, a juice box, and a yogurt). We also had a box lunch (ham and cheese sandwich, juice box, cookies, and tuna/pasta salad). Most students didn’t like either of these options, and the food didn’t last long in our backpacks on the beach. At least all kids brought plenty of water.

Overall, I’d have to say this park, the oldest National Park in Costa Rica, was a highlight of our trip and it’s no wonder they were saving the best for last. On our half-mile hike to the beach we saw a sloth, howler monkeys, white-faced monkeys, and a few blue morpho butterflies. The beach was beautiful and tropical and EVERYTHING you think of when you picture a beach in Costa Rica. It truly met our expectations. The downfall was that there were probably 4-5 other tour groups there, 4 EF ones and another one from Germany. There were also lots of locals enjoying their Holiday of Holy Week as it was Good Friday.

Most of the students enjoyed playing in the waves at the two beaches that were close to each other. There was a path that connected them where one could watch a white-faced monkey show. I saw one jumping up and down on the metal garbage can, in hopes of it opening. Another interesting show was the mother monkey with a small baby clung to it’s neck, and the “dad” in a very angry, defensive stance, showing teeth and all.

I took two hikes to avoid getting burned in the sun while at the beach. They both had beautiful Overlooks of the ocean, and one lead you to a hidden beach. They were both very physical hikes through the forest but were well worth the views, and the avoidance of sunburn that night at the hotel.

We exited the National Park and returned to the bus around 2pm. Several students were able to purchase snow cones for $2 from a vender, who also offered condensed milk on top of the sugary ice. We had a 30-minute ride back to our hotel and an hour to rest and shower before the partido de fútbol—soccer game of blue bus vs. red bus or the BIMBOS. This is a white bread, like Wonder Bread, that is a sponsor for a team down here. Several of the Three Lakes and Red Hook kids bought these BIMBO soccer jerseys for souvenirs for $15. Unfortunately our Red Bus Bimbos lost the game, mostly due to the 40-year old EF Tour Director, Geraldo, form the Blue bus who was a former Costa Rican National soccer player.

That night after our 630pm dinner there was Karaoke and a pool table to entertain the students until curfew at 11pm. Several students also enjoyed going to the beach and walking WAY out due to low tide. Unfortunately the moon was behind the clouds, there was a 20-minute down pour right before the soccer game, but the clouds stuck around until our morning departure.