Driving in the mountains in Costa Rica…Not for the queasy…

Tom spotted this waterfall and turned around so I could take a photo.

“Sightings from the Veranda in Costa Rica”

Yesterday’s clouds and rain as it made its way toward us. It proved to be one of the most severe rainstorms we’ve had since our arrival.

Yesterday about 15 minutes before heading out the door to a famous sightseeing venue where we’d arranged to do an interview and tour for an upcoming story, we received an email from the owner kindly asking if we could visit on Thursday at 2:00 pm when he’d have more time to spend with us while giving us the entire tour.

This worn old property is currently occupied.

That was fine with us since we’ll have the little gray rental car until Saturday morning. Dressed and ready to go (in something besides a swimsuit), we decided to head out anyway and drive through back roads exploring, an activity we both thoroughly enjoy more than any activity.

Exploring our own without time constraints, crowds, or traffic always gives us a more expansive view of country life than being a part of the crowds in a typical tourist venue.

Further down the road, we encountered a continuation of the creek we’d seen earlier.

Surrounding by mountains, what may appear on “maps” to be a 30-minute drive easily turns into several hours while driving through the winding mountainous roads of Costa Rica. In many ways, it reminds us of the winding mountain roads in Tuscany, Italy, which at that time left me white-knuckling each road trip in 2013.

Scene along the waterway.

Now, four years later, I’m practically hanging out the window with my camera in hand, hoping to take illustrative photos of the steep, winding roads and the resulting exquisite scenery. There’s nothing comparable to mountains to create some spectacular views.

No longer finding myself car sick or queasy from such unpredictable terrain, I’m able to relax and fully embrace our surroundings. Tom, the sound driver that he is, makes me feel incredibly at ease with his eyes on the road. Although he’s quick to spot a good photo opportunity in his range of vision, he never hesitates to stop or turn around for a good shot.

So far, all the cattle we’ve seen have been grazing and skinny, usually indicating they’re not fed grains and chemicals.

Yesterday was no exception while we both reveled in the tiny mountain villages we encountered, the homes tucked away in the trees, and a first-hand look at how many Costa Ricans live in the mountains under the canopy of vegetation and trees of all types and sizes.

Grass-fed cattle’s ribs are readily evident.

The sounds of roosters crowing, cows mooing with wild bulls snorting, along with an occasional sheep or lamb’s warbling baa wafting through the air like music to our ears. Gosh, we love this part of our travels.

Sure, the famous tourist spots are often worth checking out. After all, they are the draw for many travelers to this country and others.  In Costa Rica, many of the most popular sites requiring a degree of hiking. As I slowly recover from this frustrating gastrointestinal thing, hiking has not been on my radar.

A brown calf among the all-white cattle.

Having started a new treatment regime two weeks ago by giving in and taking PPIs which I should have done for a more extended period last March, slowly, I’m finding some relief. It could easily take two to three months until I’m feeling well again. 

Rough lean-to, which may have been used for livestock at one time.

Hopefully, by the time we leave Costa Rica in November, I’ll be free of the lingering effects of the formerly diagnosed and vigorously treated Helicobacter Pylori, known to go its victims with many months required to recover. 

Finally, I’m able to eat without discomfort. But I still have a way to eliminate the frequent bouts of discomfort, during which I never feel up to going on a long hike. But, we both try to stay active and fit. I continually keep an eye on my FitBit to ensure I’m moving about enough as I strive to keep close to my daily goal of 10,000 steps.

A babbling brook in the mountains of Costa Rica.

Soon, we off on another outing to a site of particular interest to Tom. Back at you soon with more new photos!

Photo from one year ago today, September 6, 2016:

Offerings are placed in these cubicles for the upcoming Hindu holiday,  as shown in more photos over several days. Please click here for more.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *