Yesterday, we went walking in one of those eco-tourist preserves. It was amazing. The first thing we saw was a tiny snake, about 10 inches long. I am not afraid of snakes, so as I leaned in to get a look and a picture, the guide cautioned me back, stating that it was an eyelash viper, and very poisonous! We also saw spider monkeys, poison dart frogs, keel-billed toucans, a coatimundi, and many beautiful and rare plants. After our hike, we toured an organic farm and ate lunch made from foods that were all grown on the farm. They grew sugar cane, bananas, plantains, coffee, chocolate, herbs, yucca, root vegetable, and had a milk cow, chickens, and pigs. Small, sustainable organic farms like this are a growing industry here.
We watched a bit of soccer last night, taking in the US match. They are huge soccer fans here, and Costa Rica seems to have a good team. They would like all of the European teams eliminated, so that just teams from the Americas play in for the championship. We often forget that this country is considered part of the Americas, but you are reminded of that when you travel the PanAmerican Highway.
Today we are moving to another part of the country, and we will be starting our work assignments, after a long bus ride and some time in a hammock near the beach...