rain in tortuguero

The rainforest is named as such for a reason. Seriously. I know this fact seems rather obvious, but it is even more wet than you imagine. I'm not complaining though ;) thanks to Matt’s partnership with Gap Adventures, we were able to join a tour as they went northeast to one of Costa Rica’s incredible national parks.

We left San José quite early on Monday morning and stopped about half-way along our journey for a delicious breakfast of fruit, gallo pinto, scrambled eggs, and palm hearts. Before we left, I took a peak at the butterfly garden:

Eventually, we arrived at the river where our boat was waiting for us. I have mentioned that you can only travel through Tortuguero National Park by boat, right? It’s awesome.

Along the sides, I saw more unique plants than I ever have before, a multitude of birds in colors that I hadn’t known to exist in nature, and even a pair of monkeys. Unfortunately, we passed by too quickly for any of us to snap a photo of the couple but I assure you that the white-faced little things were beyond adorable.

After lunch at the lodge, I walked through the grounds and alongside the beach. The rain stopped for a short amount of time, leaving only clouds and a humid mist hanging in the air. Hope you enjoy the tour as much as I did:

Following my paseo, I showered, read more of Three Cups of Tea (it is such an amazing book and story, by the way) and made new friends with guests staying in nearby cabins. Before long, dinner was served, and this time I felt comfortable enough to reveal my blog habit of photographing my meals.

And that brings us to Tuesday, the rainiest day of them all. We had plans to take a morning open boat ride at 5:30 a.m. and see the wildlife out and about, but it was delayed due to the rainy weather. Fortunately, by 8:30, we got our chance and were able to spot quite a few animals:

We also saw yet another pair of monkeys that went unphotographed. So sad. The snapping turtles may have been just as cute though and I have a video coming your way soon! Anyway, once we returned to the lodge we were all astonished to see blue, sunny skies. I was determined to make the most of it before lunch:

Buffets at Turtle Beach Lodge were such a treat. Tuesday afternoon I enjoyed a plate of rice and beans, green beans, tomatoes, and squash alongside a glass of juice. Similar to Ecuador, fruit juices are very common in Costa Rica and most restaurants serve fresh ones throughout each day.

Later that afternoon we went out on a hike joining a team of leaf-cutting ants.

It took about an hour to get to the top, but when we did we sure did have a view to feast on of the river, rainforest, and Caribbean Sea:

Tuesday evening was mostly uneventful as I'd woken up so early that morning so before I knew it, it was Wednesday, and we were leaving.

The rainforest was so incredible that at times I felt as though it were fake, as if I were somehow living in the Jungle Book or something silly (I hate that word) like that. I'm so glad that I had the chance to experience it, even if were for a short time, and now I am in the southern part of the country hopping through beach towns until we reach Panama. Hasta luego, my friends!