Arenal Pt 2
Two more great days in Arenal. Went to the hanging bridge walk one day, which was great but very wet. This is the first rainforest soaking we have had so we have been lucky. It was drizzly and overcast for the rest of the day so we decided it would be a good day for a soak in an outdoor hot spring. There are about a dozen hot spring complexes in this area all fed with hot volcanic water. They range from the luxurious at $85 each, to the local at $8 and the free hot rivers. We opted for the local and it was the best $8 we have spent so far in Costa Rica! The complex had 3 large swimming pools at various temperatures and about 14 small pools at various temperatures. All set in lovely gardens with great volcano views. We enjoyed it so much we went back the next day after we had completed a 2 hour bike ride through the local villages. Arenal has been a fantastic stop and the bungalow amazing. Each night we have sat on the veranda listening to the loud insect calls and watched our resident cane toads catch large insects for tea. The flying beetles are really big, they sound like helicopters flying around your head!! One night it was a clear sky and the stars were outstanding, you can never see stars so well in the UK. The bushes are full of fireflies as well which adds to the magic. From this stay onwards we are in self catering houses so we have been cooking recipes out of our Costa Rican cookbook. Had rice and beans with pan fried fish, chicken for tea, and with scramble eggs for breakfast, keeping up the rice and beans intake!! The fruit here is also great, lots of watermelon, pineapple, papaya and melon.
