We travel about an hour and a half to Rincón de la Vieja National Park; because of its volcanoes it boasts hot bubbling mudpots, hot bubbling "water" pots, and hot fumaroles. To explore some of the park, we take a trail from the Las Pailas station (the cauldron circuit). Aaron soon dubs it "the death march" because of the dry Guanacaste heat. Afterward we travel to "nearby" Borinquen Mountain Resort to use their natural spa for the afternoon. Jen even treats herself to a massage at the spa. It is the perfect way to recover from the death march.
Day 5
View from the road to
Rincón de la Vieja
National Park.
Named by indigenous Guatuso people, "Rincón de la Vieja"
is translated as"Old Woman's Nook" and multiple versions
of her legend exist.
On a dusty road to
Rincón de la Vieja Volcano National Park.
A bold pizote (coati)
in the park.
Very bold.
Hanging footbridge
over the Río Colorado
in Rincón de la Vieja park.
The Colorado is one of
32 rivers that flow from
the flanks of the volcano.
On the cooler, moister forest portion of the trail from the Las Pailas station.
Extra large roots.
Transition zone between Tropical Moist and
Tropical Dry Forest types.
Leaving the wetter forest portion of the trail.
Mila and her walking stick.
Mila, expert hiker.
Hot vapor and gas jets
called fumaroles rise
from hydrothermal vents.
Literally letting off steam means the volcano isn't building up pressure,
making it less likely to have
a big eruption.
Daddy and Ellie hold their breath because of the strong smell of the sulfuric lagoon.
Laguna Fumarólica with acidic volcanic waters and gases.
We think this is a termite's cardboard house.
Pailas de Barro:
Grammy, Ellie, and Mila
watch the bubbling mudpots.
Mila and Ellie watch
the plopping mudpots.
Named "las pailas" because the mudpots reminded folks
of the way sugar cane liquid
is cooked down to sugar
in large pots (pailas).
Pailas de Agua: water pots
bubbling in foreground;
forested slopes in background.
Soaking our feet in the
ice cold Río Colorado
after the hike.
That darned pizote again. Later he brazenly
stole our trash bag and
ate our apple cores.
Typical Guanacaste dry season scenery on the road from Rincón de la Vieja National Park.
Guanacaste campesino life revolves around the
horse and cattle ranch.
The "thrilling" drive over a gravel road on the way to Borinquen.
Touring the natural spa area at Borinquen Mountain Resort.
The Borinquen property
has its own fumaroles and mudpots, since it's
on the other side of
Volcano Rincón de la Vieja.
The main fumarole at the Borinquen Mountain Resort.
There are pre-Columbian petroglyphs on the property.
Indigenous rock art.
View from Jen's
massage room at Borinquen.
Grammy and Tiffany
after slathering on
hot volcanic mud.
"Danger. Hot mud. Keep out."
Ellie and Mila hurriedly
rinse off volcanic mud.
Clean Ellie wonders why Mommy and Daddy would want to keep on the dirty mud.
Ellie and Tiffany soak
in the warm one of three
thermal spring-fed pools
(cold, very warm, very hot).
From here we can
hear and see monkeys in the trees, plus Aunt Jen.
Tiffany and Mila take a dip in the beautiful pool.
Ellie enjoys her soup.
Mila enjoys soup at the lovely La Carreta Restaurant
at Borinquen.
