¡¡Bienvenidos a La Fortuna!! First to catch you up to date, yesterday I went to San Jose, went to a museum and visited some markets blah blah blah. Today we departed our host families and made our way to the Caribbean side. It was sad saying bye to our host mom, her hospitality truly meant a lot, I mean idk how I’d feel about three random girls that don’t speak my language staying in my house… As we waved goodbye to them, our scenery soon changed to houses, and then to beautiful mountains covered in greenery with occasional mini waterfall flowing down the sides. The mountains had clouds drifting over them, it was so beautiful I started to think it was fake. Today on the schedule we had a pineapple tour, a waterfall hike, and dinner reservations. After the tour and the hike, we came to our beautiful hotel, which is actually a resort, where we get our own cabanas!! There are also hot springs, and a wet bar (mom, dad… its legal here ok.) Sidenote, today is my dad’s birthday, everyone say “Happy birthday Taliya’s dad!!!” (seriously, say it. Say it.)
After a 2 hour drive, or maybe it was three?? After a VERY LONG drive, we ended up at The Best Pineapple Tour, seriously… it was named that. Though if you were only open for two years, how do you really know you’re the best?? I honestly doubted the name at first, however, that pineapple was amazing, one bite and the juice dripped all over your hand. It started off with complimentary pineapple juice, you could tell that it was fresh and not that processed stuff. The tour was also very informative, he took us through the process of growing pineapples and what a pineapple is. We learned that a pineapple is a bromeliad, and it has bromelain, which is why your tongue tickles when eating it. The farm is organic, part of only 5% of organic pineapple farms in Costa Rica. They use chile and garlic to stop insects and bacteria and nitrogen and magnesium as a fertilizer. We learned that, thanks to Dole, they use ethylene gas to make the pineapple flower a grow. Once the gas is applied, it takes 3-4 months to grow. Costa Rica is the number one export in pineapples, and this specific farm exports to Russia, Asia, the US, etc. Costa Rica is the number one exporter because of their soil and their climate. We learned about monoculture and to keep the soil healthy, it needs a year long break. After the tour we sat down and had lunch, which was very yummy, and a piña colada. It was my first piña colada actually!! It was a bit yellower than I expected, but I think after trying it, I want to continue to have more.
“Here is how to tell a pineapple is good: ‘Made in Costa Rica’.” – Our tour guide
After the tour we headed to the La Fortuna waterfall, it was extremely pretty, like one of those waterfalls you see in a photograph or a movie. However, to get to this waterfall, we had to go down 500 steps (if you don’t think thats a lot then say you’re a skinny athletic queen). They were incredibly easy to descend, but coming back up it looks like mount everest. I guess I got my workout for the day :/. When you step off the last step, it feels so rewarding to be there, it was simply incredible and something I could not describe. We got to swim in the water for the bit, it was freezing at first, but I sucked it up because I HAD to be able to say that I swam in that beauty of a waterfall. Going back up the steps, especially after swimming, was exhausting, but I persevered.
In Costa Rica, there is a trend where the newer generation wants to stop farming, and instead focus on tourism. Our guide at the pineapple tour told us that the farmers are not Costa Ricans but rather Nicaraguans, which I think backs up this trend. I think the younger generation is more interested in tourism than farming because of profit, and also the lack of strenuous work. Today, during the tour, it was brought up how tourism is the main form of profit in Costa Rica, followed by pineapples of course. It makes sense that the younger generation would want to break out and do something new, especially when said this is profitable. Farming is also very strenuous, the guide today told us about how early they have to get up and how they have to protect themselves. This was also brought up in previous tours, like the coffee one, where they have to wake up early, completely cover themselves to protect themselves from bugs, pick it one by one (which can be tiring), and sometimes they have to tie themselves to a tree to not fall down a cliff. At the pineapple farm, they have to wear overalls, thick gloves, boots, to make sure the whole body is covered, as the pineapples can cut them up. These risks are something the younger generation does not want to deal with anymore. However, with this trend comes risks in the economy. If more and more people start focusing on tourism, and less people are farmers, then the economy will suffer. Fruit is a big part of the Costa Rican economy, without any farmers there will be less plantations, and therefore less exports of fruit, which is where a lot of money comes from besides tourism. You can not solely rely on tourism, because things can happen where it stops, there are slow seasons, it may not be “trendy” anymore, or another pandemic can happen. Although tourism may be more appealing, farming is essential.
Overall, today has been a great introduction to La Fortuna and the cloud forest. It did rain today, more than we have seen before, and although I don’t like the rain, I now feel like I actually experienced the “rainy season” of Costa Rica. I also am in love with our hotel, I can not wait to walk around and check out the pools. Honestly, today in itself has made me want to visit again in the future. Crazy I know. ¡Hasta la próxima aventura!