A photo gallery of the landscapes, wildlife, and people of Costa Rica
By JoAnne Tuffnell, 5-time traveler, Sheridan, Indiana
My husband Glenn and I chose to travel to Costa Rica because we were celebrating our 45th anniversary and wanted to do so in a beautiful, warm place. We’d heard wonderful things from other OAT travelers about this particular adventure, so we were eager to visit. We were not disappointed.
It’s difficult to select only a few highlights from our trip, but Glenn and I especially enjoyed white-water rafting (after heavy rains prior to our arrival, the rapids were exciting and exhilarating—and just a little bit scary), horseback riding at Buena Vista, and our excellent Trip Leader Eduardo Caravaca (who showed us a variety of birds, flowers, and reptiles). Eduardo taught us so much about his country—and he also knew how to help our group enjoy friendly interactions with one another, so we shared much laughter.
An especially touching moment occurred during our visit to the National Museum (Museo Nacional) in San Jose. Our local guide pointed out ancient statues of two people with Down syndrome. He explained that the indigenous people revered those with Down syndrome because they believed they were closer to God. Since we have a granddaughter with Down syndrome, we were touched by this lovely acceptance of what we often call a “disability.”
But our favorite memory was learning how to make empanadas at the home of a lovely family. While the eight-year-old daughter was mixing the dough, she glanced up at our group, and then quickly put her head back down. Then she began forming 14 dough balls. There were 14 members of our group—and she had figured out the exact amount of dough balls needed with just a quick glance. We had no idea how she was able to do that! Then her 12-year-old brother demonstrated how to form the empanadas, and helped anyone who struggled trying it for him or herself.
During all of my travels, there’s nothing I enjoy more than taking photos along the way. I’m not an avid photographer. I’m simply a wife, mom, and grandmother with a camera. What I love about taking photos is the ability to record images that help to keep the trip alive for us, and to share these photographs with friends and family. I tend to photograph whatever appeals to me at the time—whether it’s people, animals, architecture, flowers, or beautiful scenes. Here is a selection of images from my Costa Rica adventure. I hope you enjoy looking at them as much as I enjoyed capturing them …
“This beautifully painted cart is a coffee wagon, which was pulled by oxen many years ago. I took this photo at the Doka Estate, northwest of San Jose, where we learned about the process of growing coffee.”
“Angie, the precious 8-year-old who mixed the dough for our empanadas during our Home-Hosted Visit, was able to construct the exact number of dough balls needed for our group by simply glancing up at us. It was perfect, and I still don’t know how she did it!”
“Our group enjoyed a delicious Home-Hosted Lunch at the home of one of the students from the San Francisco Elementary School. Pictured from left to right: Fellow group members Hal, Jan, Carol, the teenage daughter of our hostess, the elementary school daughter of our hostess, our hostess, fellow traveler Gayle, and me.”
“Students from the San Francisco Elementary School performed a traditional dance, in costume, for us. School was not in session when we visited, but these children (and their teachers) came to dance and play games with us, and showed us around their school.”
“A view of Arenal Volcano, taken on a completely clear (which is quite rare) day, as seen from our hotel.”
“This little girl is one of only 700 members from the Maleku tribe of Costa Rica.”
“This photo of an anhinga was taken during our visit to the Caño Negro Wildlife Refuge. Our local guide was so well-versed in the birds of Costa Rica!”
“This butterfly and flower were found inside a protected area at the butterfly farm we visited. We saw flowers of all shapes, sizes, and colors there.”
“Driving from the Pacific Coast toward San Josè, we passed through these beautiful central highlands. This was taken from a small rest stop, where we enjoyed a drink and snack.”
“Our group took a catamaran trip that included—after our paddling—a rest on a private beach with marvelous fruits and coconuts cut by our crew, a chance to snorkel, and then—just before paddling back—this beautiful sunset. As we traveled back the way we came, we had a ‘spritzing’ of rain, which produced a magnificent rainbow!”
Discover the natural beauty of Costa Rica on our Real Affordable Costa Rica Adventure.