Costa Rica 2023 Off the Beaten Path
Our second excursion from the rental house in Quepos was called “off the beaten path.” It started with a ride in a large Jeep-like vehicle through the back country.
There was a stop at a small country store for an agua and baño break. It was unremarkable, except for the impressively large, wide, and long selection of machetes.
Our driver and guide, Carolina, drove on, eventually taking rough, unpaved roads along a river. The road needed maintenance because of the flooding of the previous rainy season.
Our destination was a private, off-grid settlement, of 18 families.
We saw monkeys, birds, and lizards. Carolina demonstrated a solar fire starter, that instantly ignited wood when pointed toward the sun.
We hiked to a pool below a waterfall. We waded and posed for photographs.
On the way back, there was a suspension footbridge 127 meters long. It didn’t really lead anywhere, but it was fun to cross.
Nearby on our return trip, we stopped for lunch at a small picnic area. The cook had been informed that Kathryn and I did not eat animal products, and made a special garlic potatoes dish for us, to replace the barbecue meat served to the rest of the group.
