Wanderlust ...... inlove with the nature tag:travellerspoint.com,2006-10-26:/blog/?domain=anabrown 2007-01-25T21:12:00Z AnaBrown img/travel-blog-feed.png Why Bryce Canyon tag:travellerspoint.com,2007-01-25:/blog/?domain=anabrown&thisblog_entryid=10&entryid=40804 2007-01-25T21:12:00Z 2007-01-25T21:12:00Z After another year of working so hard, I decided to get a vacation package from Caravan Tours and I met a lot of different type of people and not surprisingly, each one has his/her own favorite things to say about the tour. It was an 8 days trip that begins from Phoenix, Arizona to Las Vegas, Nevada. When we got in Doubletree Suites for briefing, some people started to smile, enjoy and I feel like they are already ... After another year of working so hard, I decided to get a vacation package from Caravan Tours and I met a lot of different type of people and not surprisingly, each one has his/her own favorite things to say about the tour. It was an 8 days trip that begins from Phoenix, Arizona to Las Vegas, Nevada.

When we got in Doubletree Suites for briefing, some people started to smile, enjoy and I feel like they are already having the time of their life being in a bar and drinking while I went to the fitness center and get some exercise knowing I would do a lot of standing up and walking the following days.

I can see some travelers in this trip are into socializing, making friends or networking business. They look interesting and sometimes funny when you hear their conversation like agreeing to the one would say something just to make friends.

My purpose and favorite part of the tour was sightseeing. I never knew I would be so fascinated with rocks. Looking at the structures and different colors of the rocks depending where the sun is shining. Looking at a very wide and long way of the area, there are lots of things to think and wonder. It’s like having a reflection in life. You would see one area that is so bright and red that would make you smile and there are dim parts where you really see their differences and feel different about it.

Bryce Canyon National Park Hoodoos is my favorite among the parks. It got red, orange and pink limestone spirals forms. I can’t imagine those rocks being under water. It was so fantastic how the rocks were naturally curved and layered. We stayed overnight at Bryce Valley Inn, which is just 11 miles from the main entrance of Bryce Canyon National Park. The food was terrific or was I just really hungry? I had the 20-ounce T-bone, the most expensive item on the menu, but it’s all worth it. I bought some souvenirs from the gift shop to give to my friends. I was not supposed to since it’s out of my budget but I want to let them know I’ve been to this beautiful place. Thank God for VISA.

Next place we went to was the Zion National Park. It was okay but as I’ve said Bryce was my favorite. I guess because in this one, you have to look up to see the vertical walls of rock. It is neck hurting. One thing I remember is the Great White Throne, which is peculiar from all the rocks, I’ve seen.

Learning the mystique of places like Zion, Bryce, Monument Valley, and the Grand Canyon made me feel good and reaching the top where I can see the unique and powerful rocks on each national park below me, and seeing the big blue sky made me feel free. I can say I had a grand vacation. Last stop was Las Vegas and wonder why I was not thrilled with strip, I missed the rocks already.

Why Bryce Canyon remains copyright of the author AnaBrown, a member of the travel community Travellerspoint.

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]]> River of Crocodiles tag:travellerspoint.com,2006-11-10:/blog/?domain=anabrown&thisblog_entryid=9&entryid=30901 2006-11-10T19:46:19Z 2006-11-10T19:46:19Z Day nine brought us to the Carara Biological Preserve. Apparently, “carara” means “river of crocodiles”, and that must have been true because I saw a number of them. I also was in a group that was lucky enough to see the rare scarlet Macaw. Pretty exciting for us! After wandering through this park, we had lunch, and continued onward. Our next stop was a place called Sarchi where we saw handpainted ox carts and other crafts. ... Day nine brought us to the Carara Biological Preserve. Apparently, “carara” means “river of crocodiles”, and that must have been true because I saw a number of them. I also was in a group that was lucky enough to see the rare scarlet Macaw. Pretty exciting for us! After wandering through this park, we had lunch, and continued onward.

Our next stop was a place called Sarchi where we saw handpainted ox carts and other crafts. I’m not much for crafts, so this part didn’t impress me as much as it did others. My new friends seemed to love it!

Grecia, a metal church, was next and made for some interesting photographs. We got a number of good shots of all of us standing in front of it. Great mementos for now when we are all at home.

The Costa Rican coffee plantation was next. We got to pick some beans and sample the delicious coffee. I have to say that part of the trip was great. I love coffee!

Finally, we returned to San José. We were back where we started at the Barcelo Palacio. I was quite sad because this meant the trip was nearing completion. We all got to use the hotel’s amenities before our farewell dinner that night.

Dinner was incredible. Some of us even cried. The setting was romantic and so memorable. Food was great. But, for the most part, we were really sad that the trip had come to an end. Many of us felt we would have enjoyed another four or five days.

My friend and I retired to our room late that night, even though our flight was leaving the next day. We hated to go, so we all hit the casino one more time.

River of Crocodiles remains copyright of the author AnaBrown, a member of the travel community Travellerspoint.

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]]> Costa Rica’s prettiest park tag:travellerspoint.com,2006-11-08:/blog/?domain=anabrown&thisblog_entryid=8&entryid=30736 2006-11-08T23:37:16Z 2006-11-08T23:37:16Z After a delicious breakfast, we were taken to Manuel Antonio , acclaimed to be Costa Rica’s prettiest park. I think I would agree. We spent most of the morning hiking and swimming in the ocean. The hike was most memorable as the trails were frequented by spider monkeys. They did not seem to show fear at all. According to our guide, this area is the last natural habitat for these monkeys. I found that quite sad. After lunch, we were taken back ... After a delicious breakfast, we were taken to Manuel Antonio , acclaimed to be Costa Rica’s prettiest park. I think I would agree. We spent most of the morning hiking and swimming in the ocean.

The hike was most memorable as the trails were frequented by spider monkeys. They did not seem to show fear at all. According to our guide, this area is the last natural habitat for these monkeys. I found that quite sad.

After lunch, we were taken back to our hotels were we could spend the day doing whatever intrigued us. We got rides into town and spent the day doing some shopping and sightseeing on our own. Jaco is a pleasant area.

After our afternoon out, we returned for another satisfying dinner and then enjoyed some time on the beach watching the tide. All in all, I think this was perhaps my favorite area of the trip.

Costa Rica’s prettiest park remains copyright of the author AnaBrown, a member of the travel community Travellerspoint.

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]]> More of Costa Rica's forests tag:travellerspoint.com,2006-11-06:/blog/?domain=anabrown&thisblog_entryid=7&entryid=30423 2006-11-06T16:03:02Z 2006-11-06T16:02:31Z Day seven was neat. We got to drive past the Children’s Eternal Rainforest, a portion of forest purchased by children around the world. It brought a tear to the eye thinking about how these kids did such a kind thing. Our next stop was the Cloud Forest Reserve where we got to walk around and see a lot of the local plants and animals. Our guide explained to us how the cloud forest is more humid than a rainforest, but it ... Day seven was neat. We got to drive past the Children’s Eternal Rainforest, a portion of forest purchased by children around the world. It brought a tear to the eye thinking about how these kids did such a kind thing.

Our next stop was the Cloud Forest Reserve where we got to walk around and see a lot of the local plants and animals. Our guide explained to us how the cloud forest is more humid than a rainforest, but it doesn’t rain as often as it does in a rainforest. Strange!

We had lunch at the Cloud Forest restaurant, and got to see some hummingbirds eat. The rest of this day was spent on the bus heading to the Pacific Ocean. The town we were headed for was called Jaco.

In Jaco, our hotel Terrazas del Pacifico turned out to be another great surprise. The hotel offered a huge adult-only swimming pool with a swim-up bar. And, best of all, the hotel was all-inclusive, so our drinks were included!

While the hotel wasn’t in the downtown, we were able to stroll up and down the beach. I almost think I preferred this as it allowed us to stretch our legs while looking for shells.

More of Costa Rica's forests remains copyright of the author AnaBrown, a member of the travel community Travellerspoint.

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]]> Caño Negro tag:travellerspoint.com,2006-11-03:/blog/?domain=anabrown&thisblog_entryid=6&entryid=30161 2006-11-03T22:23:25Z 2006-11-03T22:20:17Z After breakfast, we headed north and were able to see orange, teak, and sugar plantations. Our destination was Cano Frego’s wildlife preserve where we were able to cruise down a driver while viewing wildlife. I spotted a crocodile, only to be told it was really a caiman, and did see some monkeys, birds, and even a few weird lizards that walked on the water. After stopping for lunch, we returned to the hotel and had plentyh of time to ... After breakfast, we headed north and were able to see orange, teak, and sugar plantations. Our destination was Cano Frego’s wildlife preserve where we were able to cruise down a driver while viewing wildlife. I spotted a crocodile, only to be told it was really a caiman, and did see some monkeys, birds, and even a few weird lizards that walked on the water.

After stopping for lunch, we returned to the hotel and had plentyh of time to explore Fortuna. My friend and I joined the other girls on the group for some shopping. We found a few neat things and then headed back to the hotel for dinner. Dinners had been good so are, though my friend did say she was getting tired of chicken all the time. I’d learned before hand that poultry is common, as seafood in Costa Rica is mainly exported to other countries.

The weather allowed us to view the lava flowing from the Arenal volcano and we all indulged in the offer to bathe in a hot spring! We also took the opportunity to head to town for some night life. After all, it wouldn’t be right to miss the opportunity to let our hair down with some of the locals!

Caño Negro remains copyright of the author AnaBrown, a member of the travel community Travellerspoint.

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]]> Selva Verde Rainforest Preserve tag:travellerspoint.com,2006-11-02:/blog/?domain=anabrown&thisblog_entryid=5&entryid=29994 2006-11-03T22:23:36Z 2006-11-02T20:52:26Z Talk about neat. My friend and I climbed onto the boat that would take us to the plantation. By now, we’d become pretty chummy with the other group of women our age, so we tried to stick together. All of us managed to get on board together and were taken to a banana plantation. It’s funny to see bananas on a tree and not just on a store display. We had a quick lunch and ... Talk about neat. My friend and I climbed onto the boat that would take us to the plantation. By now, we’d become pretty chummy with the other group of women our age, so we tried to stick together. All of us managed to get on board together and were taken to a banana plantation. It’s funny to see bananas on a tree and not just on a store display. We had a quick lunch and then got back onto the buses.

Our next stop was really quite quick. I wish we could have spent a little more time at the Selva Verde Rainforest Preserve. We did have a few minutes to get out and explore the huge suspension bridge. I’d advise against it if you are even slightly scared of heights like me. I let my friends pressure me into it, but boy did I feel nauseous after taking about four steps, so I returned to land! We reboarded shortly after in our journey onward.

The rest of the day was spent riding the bus to Fortuna in San Carlos Valley. Today was a little more tedious than others. Thankfully, they did stop periodically so that we could get out and stretch our legs.

Our hotel stop that night brought us to Arenal Springs, a newer hotel that is the most memorable place on the trip. Views of the Arenal volcano can be had from most anywhere in the hotel. Gardens thrived everywhere, including the mini-garden in our bathroom. It was pretty cool!

Selva Verde Rainforest Preserve remains copyright of the author AnaBrown, a member of the travel community Travellerspoint.

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]]> Tortuguero Park tag:travellerspoint.com,2006-11-01:/blog/?domain=anabrown&thisblog_entryid=4&entryid=29882 2006-11-01T22:59:10Z 2006-11-01T22:59:10Z This time, my friend and I did not awaken early by our own excitement. Howler Monkeys decided most of the hotel needed a wake up call. I still think it is an experience I am thrilled to have had. We spent much of the day riding in boats through the canals while viewing the alarm clock inspired howler monkeys, iguanas, and a variety of birds. The boats took us to Cano Palma’s wildlife reserve. We ended up ... This time, my friend and I did not awaken early by our own excitement. Howler Monkeys decided most of the hotel needed a wake up call. I still think it is an experience I am thrilled to have had.

We spent much of the day riding in boats through the canals while viewing the alarm clock inspired howler monkeys, iguanas, and a variety of birds. The boats took us to Cano Palma’s wildlife reserve. We ended up at the Green Sea Turtle research station where we got to learn about the turtles. I saw the tiniest little babies who had just hatched. They were so cute! Then we got to walk down the beach to see the turtles in their natural environment. I will never forget this part!

This part of the excursion ended with a stop at a local school where we got to see the kids in action. Pretty neat! We returned to our hotel for lunch and then had free time. My friend and I opted to take the additional boat trip to Tortuguero Park , so that we could see more of the area’s wildlife. We all got to see a manatee close up, so that was a once in a lifetime experience.

Tortuguero Park remains copyright of the author AnaBrown, a member of the travel community Travellerspoint.

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]]> Rainforest, Suspension bridge, Springs tag:travellerspoint.com,2006-10-31:/blog/?domain=anabrown&thisblog_entryid=3&entryid=29717 2006-11-03T22:24:25Z 2006-10-31T16:57:29Z After breakfast, we hopped in to bus and drove to Braulio Carrillo Park. The bus trip seemed a little long, perhaps I was growing tired of riding the bus, but it is a necessary means of transportation, so there isn’t much that can be done. At Braulio Carrillo Park, I did see the most amazing waterfalls. They were simply breathtaking. Some birds hung around so that we could see their bright colors. The next main attraction in our tour was the ... After breakfast, we hopped in to bus and drove to Braulio Carrillo Park. The bus trip seemed a little long, perhaps I was growing tired of riding the bus, but it is a necessary means of transportation, so there isn’t much that can be done. At Braulio Carrillo Park, I did see the most amazing waterfalls. They were simply breathtaking. Some birds hung around so that we could see their bright colors.

The next main attraction in our tour was the tram into the rainforest. Again, wow! The plants and wildlife were amazing. We did get to walk through the rainforest for a little while, though I wish it could have lasted for hours. I loved this part of the trip. My friend wasn’t as happy with the mosquitoes, but it’s the Rainforest, what did she expect?!

We stopped for lunch before entering into the next phase of our trip. We all got to view a butterfly garden, again packed with colors, before boarding boats. The next leg of this trip involved boating down rivers and canals to the Tortuguero National Park. I saw toucans and parrots, but never did get to see the green macaw that the tour guide kept talking about.

That night, we all were assigned rooms at the Laguna Lodge. Talk about luxurious! Surrounded by rain forest, the scenery was awesome. The hotel happened to be right near the beach, so my friend and I joined another group of people around our age who had decided to go tour the grounds. The beach is famed for being a nesting ground for Green Sea Turtles.

Rainforest, Suspension bridge, Springs remains copyright of the author AnaBrown, a member of the travel community Travellerspoint.

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]]> Spectacular Volcanoes tag:travellerspoint.com,2006-10-27:/blog/?domain=anabrown&thisblog_entryid=2&entryid=29127 2006-10-27T17:01:02Z 2006-10-27T17:01:02Z Due to the excitement, my friend and I were up really early. We were able to find many television shows that provided us with entertainment while we waited for our set meeting time for breakfast. We all met for breakfast and had a nice selection of Costa Rican foods, with an ample supply of American dishes for the fussier eaters. This was nice. After breakfast, we loaded into the bus and headed to Costa Rica’s famed statue of the Little Drummer ... Due to the excitement, my friend and I were up really early. We were able to find many television shows that provided us with entertainment while we waited for our set meeting time for breakfast.

We all met for breakfast and had a nice selection of Costa Rican foods, with an ample supply of American dishes for the fussier eaters. This was nice. After breakfast, we loaded into the bus and headed to Costa Rica’s famed statue of the Little Drummer Boy. He is apparently a national hero there.

After the statue, which gave everyone a nice chance to stretch their legs, we journeyed on to Poás Volcano. The volcano is an amazing sight! The guide told us the volcano has been inactive since the 1990’s, so we felt safe and took many photographs. We stopped for lunch after this before heading to the plaza.

At Plaza de la Cultura, there was a lot to see and do. We also visited Central Park, the National Theater, and one of the area museums. It seemed that the activity never stopped. We were kept busy all day!

That night, we all went back to our rooms at the hotel. It seemed that everyone was tired from the day’s activities. Many people ate dinner, still a buffet, so I was happy. I hear the majority didn’t hang out after that. Most, including myself, seemed to head towards their rooms for some relaxation and much needed sleep. Though the casino and all the other amenities were there for our use!

Spectacular Volcanoes remains copyright of the author AnaBrown, a member of the travel community Travellerspoint.

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]]> Loving Costa Rica tag:travellerspoint.com,2006-10-26:/blog/?domain=anabrown&thisblog_entryid=1&entryid=29007 2006-10-26T20:04:40Z 2006-10-26T20:03:21Z I have dreamed about visiting Costa Rica for a very long time. Yet, I’d always pushed my plans back. I couldn’t afford it. Couldn’t take the time from work. Too many other plans interfered. You know the excuses that pop up. Finally, I broke down and agreed to join a friend on a ten-day trip hosted by Caravan Tours. I guess I can sum up my experience in just one word—Wow! The first day was really more of a travel day ... I have dreamed about visiting Costa Rica for a very long time. Yet, I’d always pushed my plans back. I couldn’t afford it. Couldn’t take the time from work. Too many other plans interfered. You know the excuses that pop up.

Finally, I broke down and agreed to join a friend on a ten-day trip hosted by Caravan Tours. I guess I can sum up my experience in just one word—Wow! The first day was really more of a travel day than anything. We flew out of Miami and landed in San José that afternoon. Caravan had us staying at a charming hotel called the Barcelo Palacio. We had plenty of time to wander the hotel grounds.

One thing I liked were the range of amenities. Barcelo Palacio changed $5 for half an hour’s worth of Internet usage, expensive but great for people who need to keep in touch with work. A casino, two bars, two restaurants, and a huge swimming pool were all on site. I loved the range of activity that was available. There are saunas, hot tubs, tennis courts, racketball courts, and even a massage can be found for a reasonable price. As orientation wasn’t until 8 P.M., it was nice to have a huge choice of things to do while we waited. Oh, and I shouldn’t forget that the hotel even has an onsite hairdresser!

As we were staying in Barcelo Palacio for the nights, it was good to find that the beds were comfortable and the room was large enough that we didn’t feel crowded. The two of us were happy that our trip was starting off so well!

My friend and I were also pleasantly surprised to find that our stay at Barcelo Palacio was all-inclusive, so our drinks were free!Meals were served buffet style, another perk as it allowed me to pick and choose what I wanted to have. Rice and Beans, the traditional Costa Rican dish, was served and definitely worth sampling!

Loving Costa Rica remains copyright of the author AnaBrown, a member of the travel community Travellerspoint.

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