Today we traveled along the Pacific coast and up the mountains to Monteverde in the Mountain Rainforest of Costa Rica. The drive was long and had a lot of twists and turns, but it was completely worth it because the view is amazing. Along the way to Monteverde we passed through multiple Costa Rican towns and cities and it was fun to see the shuttle changes in the communities as the environment changed.
One of the first things I notices as we were passing the Pacific coast is that the houses were more separated compared to the Central Valley which was build like a city. Fruit stands that could be seen along the streets were populated with more regional fruits like coconuts, and the houses seemed to blend into the environment. This became extremely noticeable when we were driving up to Monteverde and the houses were built into the mountain and its steep slopes.
More changes in the communities came with the animals and plants that inhabit them. Costa Rica is a very sustainable and environmentally friendly country, so it makes sense that when the environment changes, the communities change with it. Going up the narrow road to the Cloud Forest, more cows, goats, and mountain animals could be seen, and with this came more farms and open plains along the mountainsides.
Costa Rica is a vibrant and proud country that cares for its people, culture, and environment. In the five days that I have been here, I have learned and experienced so much about the environment, sustainability, economy, and coffee, and my expectations on the country continue to be exceeded. Costa Rica is fun, interesting, tropical, and beautiful and is the true definition of una Pura Vida!