Today we traveled the narrow roads and steep paths on our bus to reach the city of Monteverde, a prominent location in Costa Rica known for its natural beauty. Immediately entering the city you can see a significant difference between Heredia and Monteverde in terms of city structure, natural landscape, and businesses. In Heredia, there were a number of local shops and restaurants serving local and traditional foods, however, it seems Monteverde has much more dining locations appealing to tourists. On top of that, although Heredia is gorgeous, Monteverde has much more to offer in terms of scenery. Its extremely high elevation offers an often clear view of the distant ocean and mountains. On the journey to Monteverde, I noticed a massive amount of live pastures and cattle such as cows or goats. It was a breath of fresh air after being around mostly cars and city buildings in Heredia. So far, Monteverde has probably been the most breathtaking city I’ve stayed in.

After speaking to Don Ricardo Guindon today, I was surprised to find that the majority of Monteverde was built on the foundation of the Quaker religion. He explained how his parents came to the city with some family and created barns, businesses, and schools that established Monteverde to become what it is today. It was very interesting to me how the clearly white American Quakers collaborated so well with native Costa Ricans, both coming from nearly opposite backgrounds. When the first conservations became established in Monteverde, the now clearly present tourism nature of the city began. When driving through the city you can see anything from nature hikes to themed restaurants, all to bring in as much tourism as possible. I don’t believe Heredia takes the same approach, the central market and colonial building definitely bring in visitors, however, they cater their business to locals rather than travelers.

When hearing about the start of Monteverde, it seems that the Quakers offered a massive amount of growth for the community. They brought a business in the cheese factory that produced income for trade in the city. They brought experienced individuals to educate, create, and add value to the city of Monteverde. I can see from the massive change in the slope of Monteverde that it must have been near impossible to transport goods from neighboring cities to the top of this giant mountain. To make this possible the Quakers created roads that allowed locals to more efficiently travel and trade. On top of all that, the Quakers brought a social environment and fun that was not nearly as vibrant before their arrival. Things as simple as square dancing and school plays can completely change someone’s life and happiness. It’s inspiring to hear that just four young men with a motto against violence were able to spark something so great with just the help of a few loved ones and friends.