Monteverde

Our first stop in Costa Rica was Monteverde, the famed high-altitude cloudforest. This is in many ways the epicenter in the ecotourism movement. The Quakers who have settled here and the local inhabitants have carefully preserved much of the astounding biodiversity and ecosystems of the area. It is one of the most popular places to visit in Costa Rica, and has become a model and a study in how to develop sustainably.

While in the area, we went on a tour of the Monteverde Cloudforest Reserve. There we saw much wildlife, including the resplendent quetzal. It is an extremely beautiful forest, so green and wet. The next day we visited El Trapiche, a working farm that produces coffee and sugar products, among other things. It was fascinating to learn the processes involved in these industries since so many inhabitants of Costa Rica and Nicaragua are employed in them.

Otherwise, it just rained a lot. I enjoyed spending time with my parents and family in our hotel. The roads up to Monteverde are some of the bumpiest in the country, but I´m glad we made the trip to see it.