Tag-Archive for » National Parks «

Stuck in the clouds
Friday, February 24th, 2012 /

Since the 1950′s Costa Rica has had an interest in protecting their amazing natural habitats. Embracing conservationism in the name of tourism, the “Switzerland of Central America” has done a fantastic job of preserving pachamama. Costa Rica has whipped up the perfect cocktail of flora and founa with a shot of adreniline mixed in! Explore any number of the first class national parks and hang out with the wildlife, or get your heart racing as you zipline one kilometer over a stunning cloud forest. If that isn’t your thing, surf down the Nicoya Penisula lounging on one of many deserted, white sand beaches. Costa Rica is a travelers playground, and the only drawback being: It’s expensive!

Central Costa Rica - Santa Elena

This is a country where Chels and I could spend months. All of the things I previously mentioned are exactly what get our juices flowing, but as I also mentioned it’s expensive. Unfortunately because of our tight budget we were forced to choose only one cool thing for our ten days on the Rich Coast. After much deliberation and consideration we went with Monteverde’s Cloud Forest.

Art Gallery in Santa Elena

The town of Monteverde is mostly protected forest so the majority of visitors stay in the neighboring town of Santa Elena, but getting here is no short trip. Set 1400 meters (4600ft) above sea level the roads into town are mostly unpaved and wind through the gorgeous countrysides peaks and vallys. Santa Elena is a small but friendly village with a mountain-town feel and upon arrival we were reminded of what we came for. A large electronic billboard advertises videos of bungee jumping, tarzan swinging, canyoning and ziplining seducing the adventourus. With a number of available activities to choose from we had to make yet another tough decision.

Sloth Backpackers

Sloth Backpackers was our hostel of choice. It was just outside of the hustle and bustle in town, and offered a really cute and cozy atmosphere. Run by 2 sisters, they help you organize anything you want from tours to tranport. The breakfast is delicious and legitimate compared to some of the bread and jam breakfasts other hostels offer. The only complaint was that man…MARK YOUR FOOD! The second you leave the kitchen with ANY item unmarked (even salt, oil, dressing!) the sisters grab it up and lock it in their cupboard. We lost out on our butter and popcorn because of their well..greed.

DUO about to fly

Under the recomendation of passing travellers and Kelly we narrowed it down to ziplining (canopy tour) and canyoning. Canyoning is sort of deceptive in it’s name because from what I can tell, involves no canyons. Basically you absail down eleven flowing waterfalls – pretty excellent but comes with a price tag of $50. The other option, ziplining, is probably how the area became famous amoung backpackers and is the most popular. A series of 20 odd platforms strung together with metel cables takes you on a wild tour of the cloud forest offering some great views at high speeds; all for around $45.

Good to Go

At first we decided on doing both, but our bank accounts had the final say and we ended up choosing the zipline canopy tour. Out of the serveral companies that offer this we went with EXTREMO because they have the fastest and longest lines. They arranged a pick up from our hostel and provided/dressed us up in the required gear once you’re there. After a quick demonstration of the essentials: what to do if you get stuck; how to slow down/stop; ect., we were off. They start you off light; a couple of short ones before you get hooked on for a big one. The day we went the wind was howling and it was raining. In these circumstances you pair up with someone on long lines so that you don’t get stuck in the middle. So together, Chels and I whizzed 800 meters over Monteverde’s famous cloud forest!

zipline action

..more zipline

Now they call this a canopy tour but lets face it, it’s about the ziplining. I guess a few times we were able to appreciate they beautiful scenery around us, but it was more of an ancillary benefit than the focus.

Suspension Bridge!

After about 12 or 13 cables and a speedy repel , they let you experience the “Tarzan Swing”…and it’s scary!! All of a sudden, they are attaching all these cables to you, tell you to squat…and before you know it, you’re being pushed off the edge and start falling before it turns into a huge swing across the canopy! It is AWESOME! !! What a rush. Brad swung out so high that he almost hit a tree! To catch you, they throw a big rubber inflatable out in front of you to hold you in while they un-hook you!

Tarzan stopper!

After we watch everyone scream and laugh until they cry on the swing, we set out on a hike to the top of the canopy where we are set to experience the much-anticipated “Superman”. This was a highlight simply because of the length of the zipline that allowed you to truly appreciate the beauty below you! They connect you from your back, pull each foot up into a harness behind you, and away you go…face-down like superman for a kilometer .. flying over a beautiful valley of lush green below!

Flying!!

coming in for the landing

Afterwards, with everyones adrenaline pumping, they give you the option to experience the MEGA-Tarzan Swing or Bungee Jump! It would have been tempting if it weren’t for finances, but now we have something to look forward to next time we visit Costa Rica :)

EXTREME!!!

If it is one thing that Monteverde’s tour companies do well that is combining nature with adventure. We could have spent all ten days here just trying out all the crazy stunts you can pull, if time and budget would have allowed. No doubt we’ll be back one day, with wads of cash, ready to raise the heartrate a few bpm!

 

Category: Canopy Tour, Central America, Costa Rica, Extremo, Hostels, Monteverde, Sloth Backpacker, Ziplining  Tags: , , ,  Leave a Comment
Semuc Champey!
Sunday, January 08th, 2012 /

Beautiful Semuc Champey!

Along the Guatemalan travel trail, fellow backpackers gaulk about the marvelous places they’ve been in this vibrant Central American country. A handful of places keep playing up like a broken record, and Semuc Champey is one of them. A natural phenomenon of aquamarine pools that, through years of erosion, rests on a limestone ledge hollowed out underneath by a raging river.
Part of Semuc Champey’s appeal is the journey there. It is isolated and the effort it takes to get there weeds out the traveler from the tourist, requiring a very uncomfortable ride from any direction down the rocky mountain road to the town of Lanquin. Once you arrive here you then have to arrange for a ride to Semuc Champey to claim natures reward.

Hitchhiking with the little Guatemalan girls!

We had the option of either staying in Lanquin or Semuc Champey. We chose Lanquin at this sweet hostel perched up on a hill surrounded by tall mountains and valleys..called Zephyr Lodge. A near 360 degree panoramic view of the landscape is available as you sit in one of the many swinging hammoks around the hostel. We actually ended up staying 3 nights longer than originally planned since it was such good vibes. (and we got the 4th night free! 5th day is Happy Hour all day!) It was a brilliant place to conveless as Chels and I were both getting over our stomachs introduction to Guatemala.

Amazing View!

Best shower ever!!

The hostel was great but just a small part of the overall experience. The feature presentation is Semuc Champey. It’s natural beauty transcends the cultural barriers as people from all parts of the world explore the jewel like pools. We feel, and other travelers have agreed, Semuc gives visitors an energy boost. You leave there with a pep in your step for the rest of that day. Maybe it’s the visual beauty, or maybe the pools have some magical healing properties; either way it was one hell of a place to celebrate the transition from my 25th to 26th trip around the sun!

Brad relaxing in the pools!

Category: Central America, Guatemala, Hostels, National Parks, Semuc Champey, Waterfall  Tags: , , , ,  2 Comments
Flores… y Tikal!
Thursday, January 05th, 2012 /

The ride out of Belize was easier than expected! We took a collectivo to the border where we were rushed with money changers in our face. We actually DID need to change our money and they are on top of it, with American/Guatemalan/Belizian dollars, and a calculator for your own ease. We payed our exit fee and continued on to Guatemalas border. As soon as they saw our American passports, they asked for an “entrance fee” of 20Q each (only about 3 bucks) OR…if you have 5 US each…you can pay that! Ok…we knew this was prob BS, but were willing to pay as long as we could have a recipt! …”Oh…they want a reciept” the guy muttered under his breath to the head lady, in which she proceeded to flip through our passports pretending to look for something, and then handed them back without us having to pay the fee! Hehe oh corruption!

Flores from above!

About an hour taxi ride later and we arrived in a cute little town located on an island in the middle of the lake, called Flores. I immediately loved it – the old uneven cobblestone streets lined with local shops selling colorful Guatemalan gear. Similar to India, the local women in Guatemala actually wear their traditional dress still on an everyday basis! We were staying in a private room in a quieter hostel called “Hospedaje Yaxha” where you can take Spanish classes or eat at their cafe downstairs. Around the corner though was “Los Amigos”, the fun and colorful hostel with a cool garden full of hammocks…we moved there a couple days later!

Los Amigos!

On our way to the only ATM working on the island, we ran into Alex and Outti, our friends we met in Bullet Tree, and immediately organized a reunion dinner in town. Crazily enough, on our way to dinner, we ran into Stav, the other guy we were with in Bullet Tree, so he tagged along and it was one big CS reunion :) Super cheap dinner at the markets in the central square alongside an AMAZING Christmas Tree that lights up as it blares our the theme song to 2001 A Space Oddysey! Haha it was hilarious! Then, along with some other hostel friends, we all enjoyed beers at what became our favorite local spot in town! 3 beers for 15Q (2 bucks)!

Awesome Tree!

Couchsurfers!!

The main reason to visit Flores is as a stopping point to see the famous Mayan Ruins at Tikal. We woke up at 4am to catch the 4:30 shuttle to the ruins an hour away to be there for the park opening. 100% worth waking up, as you can be one of the only ones in the park if you skip the long-line for coffee and breakfast at the cafe they drop you at when you arrive. Unfortunately you cannot climb Temple II, the most famous image of Tikal. It really is just so steep..tourists are bound to slip and fall.

Tikal!

Awesome Moss!

What was recommended to us, and what we will also recommend, is to head straight to the back of the park to Temple IV, the highest temple that towers up above the rainforest canopy. It will most likely by super misty and foggy, but as the sun keeps rising, the fog slowly melts away to uncover the other temples sprouting out through the jungle. The mix of ruins with lush green trees, howling monkeys and talkative birds makes for a mystical experience. You beat the crowds first thing too!

Temple IV lookout!

Category: Central America, Hostels, National Parks  Tags: , , ,  One Comment
Temples of Angkor!
Monday, May 23rd, 2011 /

According to a 2007 field study conducted by The National Academy of Sciences, Angkor is “the largest pre-industrial city in the world.” – Pretty amazing fact to consider when getting ready to explore the ancient ruins.  It was the work of the Khmer Empire and King King Suryavarman II who started the construction of Angkor Wat as his personal temple dedicated to the Hindu god Shiva.  Over several years and several hundred square kilometers later, nearly 1000 separate temples exist today, some of course in better condition than others.  An amazing amount of history is involved with the temples, so we were honored to be present in such an inspiring place.

Love the moss!

We took full advantage of our free bikes the next morning and headed out to explore the temples.  We were buzzing with energy so even though the humidity was intense, we pushed through it knowing that peddling the few kilometers would be well worth it.

The ticket booth is along the main road and you could almost miss it if you weren’t looking for it.  Something to consider, bring cash when it’s time to buy tickets because they don’t accept cards, we found that out the hard way.  No big deal as it would have taken something catastrophic to derail our excitement.

Welcome!

As we entered the site, the large body of water surrounding Angkor Wat was a tranquil and refreshing blue in the endless waves of green, and we could see the main temple in the background.  We turned left on the main road and came circling around the lake, keeping our eyes focused on the picturesque scenery.  One of our initial impressions entering into Angkor was how impeccably clean the area was.

Once we parked the bikes and had a chat with some of the locals touting post cards & waters and promising them our business for when we came out, we headed inside the first of several temples.

Angkor Wat, the most famous of the temples and the only one that is still used today is absolutely massive.  I’ve read that it is the largest single religious monument in the world.  There is a cool cobble stone pathway that leads up to the entrance, taking you over the water like a drawbridge to a castle.  You enter through the outside wall and once you clear the monks inside lighting incense, the temple is upon you.  We stopped and admired the grounds and the temple from a distance for a bit and continued on to the inside.

Loved this path!

It was very impressive how well preserved it was, especially considering the estimated 2 million tourists that pass through each year.  Chels and I went into photo frenzy, snapping left and right in between eaves dropping on tour guide sessions.  When it came time to climb the center, which is the holiest place on the grounds, Chels had to hang back because she didn’t have the proper attire.  Shoulders AND knees must be covered!  (Bring a sari and scarf so you don’t have to wear lots of clothing in that heat.)

The main temple!

The whole time we were practically speechless, except for when we would look at each other and utter a “cooool” or “AMAZING!!!”.  After about 2 hours we decided to move on from Angkor Wat and save some space on our memory cards for the other temples.  To the bikes!

The next stop was Prasat Bayon, the temple of faces.  It is definitely one of the more technical temples we saw.  What I mean by that is, artistry is more intense here than at Angkor Wat.  Carving a detailed face into stone with primitive tools leaves me dumbfounded.  It speaks volumes about the dedication to religious figures.  We loved Bayon and rank it up there as one of the top temples to see while in Angkor.

Faces!

It was on to Angkor Thom.  This is like entering a whole new city entirely.  We rode over another bridge, where we stopped for a photo op of the beautiful water.  The bridge led us into a small opening in the massive protective walls that had more complex carvings on it.  Once we were through the wall it was like a secret garden of sorts.  The area had been cleared of brush, but massive trees stood with hanging vines housing silly monkeys.  It was as if we had taken a journey back 2000 years and the only evidence of human beings was the passing tuk tuks and tour groups.  We stopped to observe the monkeys and the people feeding them.   Once we started riding again we began to realize how many temples there are within the city.  It is pretty overwhelming, and of course we wanted to see them all, or as many as we could.  So we turned to the highlighted ones on our entry ticket.

Our Cheapo bikes!!

With every ticket purchase you receive a map of the grounds, but it didn’t seem to do it justice how big the grounds actually were. Seeming as Brad and I got the 3 day pass, we decided to save Ta Prohm for another day. Today we thought we would take the “long route” and cycle all the way around the 34 km path! MISTAKE! This is something you should do if you have a tuk-tuk driver, or perhaps a bike that ISN’T made out of rusting tin…OR perhaps when your not on an uneven rocky dirt road! Not only did it take us ages and ages and ages, but there were only a couple temples along the back paths, and NONE were as admirable as the major ones along the “short path”! I was making the most of it though, and Brad stayed positive (Which can be hard for me to do)…it was such a majestic place; nothing could bring us down really!

One of the exciting temples on the long path!

Eventually, we made it back around to the main road back to Siem Reap! We had been out for a full 12 hours now on bike, and were more than happy to get back and relax! We read somewhere that all you want to do when you get back from a full day at Angkor Wat is take a cold shower and have a cold beer. That person was on top of it! We were thrilled for our cold shower, thrilled for our free soap provided, and happy to buy a 50c beer from the guesthouse. Realizing what we had in store for us the next day, we made it a VERY early night!

4:15 a.m. and we were up! We actually beat the roosters!!! No point in showering because we’ll be dripping as soon as we step out into the humidity. 4:30 we were on our bikes and headed to Angkor Wat to catch the magnificent sunrise! Only problem….it was PITCH black outside, and Siem Reap has no road lights…not to mention our rusted tin bikes have no lights either!! Haha! As we were riding down the road at 2.5 miles an hour, trying to decipher what was in front of us, we saw an army of tuk-tuks passing us, all filled with tourists who opted to NOT ride their bikes this early in the morning haha! We were the only crazies that thought it would be a good idea. By 4:45 though, the locals were out on their bikes riding to work, and some of them DID have bicycle lights, so we stuck by them to navigate our way through the town!

First glimpse of light!

When we arrived, we grabbed an iced coffee from a local vendor and made our way up to the temple. The sky was just starting to gain a bit of dark blue in its hue when we found our spot to settle. It wasn’t long before the sky started to dazzle with pinks and oranges….and Angkor Wat started to shine! It was really a photographers dream, with the temple perfectly reflected in the lake in front! I had never seen so many tripods in my life! But it was truly a sight to remember and 100% worth waking up at the crack of dawn!

INCREDIBLE!!!

We did a quick walk around the temple before cycling off to Ta Prohm…the temple we had been saving ourselves for!  Many recognize it from Tomb raider, although I myself hadn’t seen the movie…only pictures. But my imagination didn’t even measure up to the real thing! We arrived to massive moss-covered blocks in shambles, and roots the size of an airplane emerging from the ruins! It was the coolest thing ever!!!! The trees has just completely taken over the temple, and there was no stopping them. We walked and walked and kept thinking we had found the best part, but with each corner we turned, a bigger giant was there!

The smaller...but crazy roots!

We knew when we stumbled upon the mother because there was a small crowd snapping away with their cameras….waiting to get in with the roots! So glad we were there early, otherwise who knows what the crowd might have been like! I would have stayed there forever if Brad didn’t drag me away!

Famous shot!

My single emerging thought of Ta Prohm was how powerful nature can be.  Although it took several years to happen, vegetation has completely wrapped its arms around Ta Prohm, leaving us with the awe inspiring view and spectacular photos.  I left that place with a greater sense to the vulnerability of mans creations to our mother earth.  Whatever man builds can be taken apart in the blink of an eye.

Soo incredible!

The last day we were there we decided to take the hour plus journey beyond Angkor to the Kbal Spean Waterfall and Banteay Srei temple.  The ride out was great because it gave us an alternative look at the area.  We knew the stunning landscape or Cambodia but this ride took us through the endless acres of rice fields.

Neverending Rice fields

First was the waterfall which required a kilometer hike through the jungle, well partial jungle.  Along the way we met a cool couple or international teachers on holiday.  We had a nice chat with them about their teaching internationally and the benefits of travel.  The waterfall was kind of a disappointment for as far as we came, but it was still beautiful.  We took some time playing around and shooting photos and then headed pack through the jungle to our waiting tuk tuk driver.

Finally found it!

The Banteay Srei temple would turn out to be our final stop in Angkor and a grand finale it was.  The carvings were so intricate and amazing I was almost not convinced that they were done as long ago as they were.  We read that this temple was dedicated to women (reference) and was probably done by them because the detail required could have only been done by those who have smaller hands and higher attention to detail.  Seeing the elaborate skill of the artists here justified the long ride out and was the cherry on top of our experience.

Banteay Srei

We were so enthralled an alive in Angkor that on the way up to one of the temples, we stopped and admired a line of ants that cut the path in two.  That is what Angkor did for us and I’m sure will do for anybody.  It is truly a place to marvel at.  The people had such amazing and resilient spirit, the nature was kept wonderfully intact and the detail and effort that went into the construction is astounding.  This place is a must see, skip putting it on your bucket list, go right now.  GO!

 

Category: Cambodia, National Parks, Ruins, Temples  Tags: , , ,  2 Comments
Plitvice National Park!!
Saturday, May 01st, 2010 /

Not much sleep in Senj, I wish it was excitement keeping us awake but it was the wind blowing our tent around. There was hardly any grass at the site (mostly rocks) so our spikes made it about a half inch into the ground, which lasted about 2 minutes when the wind started howling. We would find out later that this particular valley is known for its wind lol. We shook off the sleepiness with a cup of coffee, generously offered up by our new travel mates. Their names are Klaus and Hetier (spelling sorry) and i am not positive of their age but we know they are retired and they are from Deutschland (and i feel sooooo uneducated because i saw Deutsche on some travel books and thought it was the Dutch way of saying Dutch, and i was upset…thinking i should have known that…being part Dutch and all! Well then i found out Deutsche is how the Germans say German and Deutschland is Germany!!… so embarrassed!) Klaus traveled the U.S 50 years ago and we enjoyed sharing stories with each other!

So we got to know each other a bit more before we took off towards Plitvice! Our seats were at their makeshift kitchen table in the back of there van, comfortable and free! The park is approximately 100km away from Senj offering up some of great views of the Croatian Islands and Adriatic Sea as we traveled along the windy roads up and over the mountains. Approaching the park the land was very flat and mostly and ripe with tall pine trees and herds of sheep. Lucky enough there is a camp site 8km away from the park and we set up tent there in the mid afternoon. We had a nice nap, then woke up with a shower and a trip to the market. After dinner we enjoyed some good old American drinking games with our cheap,1L Croatian Beer and watched the sunset. Just the two of us played circle of death, which is definitely a group game, but it ended up being so fun with lots of singing and laughter involved!

We woke up early, as we usually do when camping and packed everything up so we could leave right from the park. Klaus offered us a ride back…so nice!! So we accepted! The sun was shinning bright, we had arrived at the park free of charge and got a student discount for our entry tickets.

The day had started off great and was about to get better. As soon as we walked in we could see the largest waterfall in the park, which is about 78meters high with offshoots shooting in every direction falling to the turquoise blue lake below. The natural bridges made of split logs rest right on top of the waters surface. They coexist perfectly with the parks landscape, not disturbing any views and more importantly any ecosystems. The treasures of the park kept coming as we were able to walk right up to a collection of waterfalls, which led is into a series of tunnels and pitch black caves. After finishing up with the first half of the park we hopped on the ferry boat to take us to the next half. Although the pictures may all seem similar, each falls had a different look and feel. The flow of water in an unstoppable force, something to admire and respect, a reoccurring theme of Plitvice. Our hike ended with a walk through the forest. The leaves on the trees seemed lime green and their trunks were covered with an awesome dark green moss which. The surface area of the park is over 270 square km and we covered nearly all of it. Not trying to sound cliché but it is impossible to justly describe the beauty of Plitvice National Park, you just have to see it. This was a dream made reality for us, a definite must for any nature lover with proper means!

Category: Camping, Croatia, Eastern Europe, National Parks  Tags: , , ,  2 Comments
Cinque Terre
Friday, April 30th, 2010 /

We woke up early to catch the bus to the national park. The weather was cloudy and looked pretty grim but since we had heard from so many travelers how incredible Cinque Terre was/is we didn`t let it kill our excitement. Right when we got to the backside of the mountain range we were struck with the dramatic coastline and the shimmering blue Mediterranean.
There are several different options for hiking Cinque Terre including a 12 hour trek that zigzags inland and by the coast. Not really up for 12 hours straight we opted for the more scenic and quicker sea side route. This path takes you right along the coast and it is just absolutely beautiful scenery. The water was not the only cool thing to look at as there was some of the more interesting vegetation along the trail such as cactus(?). Riomaggiore was the first of the five towns within the national park (from our direction) and we started off towards Manarola. This leg was easy, no major inclines or declines but a nice steady introduction to the course, offering chances to climb down to the sea and explore the rocks, which we absolutely took advantage of!

This little expidition eventually led us to an impassable cove and we had to turn around. Also on this leg is the along the trail are padlocks on a fence and under the tunnel. They are placed there by young lovers to “lock” in their love forever. Unfortunately we forgot to get one on the way out of the hostel. boo
The trail gets significantly harder after passing through the second town and lucky for us, sunnier as well. We ended the day in Vernazza, which is the second to last town leaving something to accomplish for the next day, also we had heard it was the hardest of the trails. Back to the hostel we went and negotiated a cheaper rate ( half price!! )with the owner since it was pretty vacant.

The second day we were greeted with sunshine walking out of the hostel and enjoyed it throughout the whole day. The trail lived up to its reputation as being the most difficult, and took us about 2 hours to complete without any major breaks. OMg it was sooo hard…i was panting after the first few minutes haha! BUT…it was so beautiful and worth it! 0o0o and im thankful Brad is alive!! The trail was so dodgy in some parts and in one place brad stepped, the ground just gave out beneath him where he almost fell to his death! Phew! The last stop in the national park was Monterosso. This town was split in two with a tunnel connecting each with the better beach on the far side. Since we worked so hard at climbing we rewarded ourselves with some lounge time while we waited for our train. Damn it felt good to be a beach bum! I was in HEAVEN!! The sun felt so good on our skin and the water looked so beautiful! (but freezing!!)

Sadly..it couldn’t last forever, and we had to take the train to La Spezia, where we caught a train immediately to Verona to meet Maura, or so hoped! Turns out…because of the crazy volcano eruption, Maura was stuck in Greece and all over the place, so when we arrived in Verona (at night), we didn’t know where to go! Luckily there was a room with couches that tons of other travellers were waiting and sleeping in, which looked good to us…until they decided to kick everyone out after midnight!! We decided to try and find Maura’s residence, but after walking around the empty town for a couple hours, decided to head back to the train station, where ahh….like bums..we slept on the ground! Please Mum (and mom) don’t be mad! We wouldn’t have do it if we didn’t feel safe and before we knew it, we were joined by several other backpackers who were also stuck! Finally morning time came, and we took an early train to Venice!

Category: Cinque Terre, Hostels, Italy, National Parks, Western Europe  Tags: , , ,  One Comment