On Cloud Nine

Our group packed their bags and headed out, time for our first weekend excursion!

Monteverde was our destination. Only a mere three and a half hours away -- sarcasm everyone. Luckily, our bus ride passed by charming sites and we were able to finally see Costa Rica outside of our small town of Ciudad Colon. We had a quick sighting of the Pacific Ocean and some of Costa Rica's famed beaches. Soon we were on the Pan-American Highway heading towards the Costa Rican - Nicaraguan border. The Pan-American Highway starts in Alaska and continues down until Argentina. Thus connecting all of the Americas, with the exception of the Darien Gap between the borders of Panama and Colombia.

Translated into Spanish, Monteverde means "green mountains." The only way up to this local tourist community is a hike into the clouds. Spinning up the rugged mountainside, with a few close calls to the steep and rocky edge, was scary but rewarding. The mountainside was reminiscent of the Italian Alps, a view I was fortunate enough to see two years ago. However in Costa Rica, farms and cattle were strewn across the perpendicular cliffs. The road continuing to Monteverde once was not paved at all, making it a three hour trip just to climb the mountain. In recent years the community fought for more effective infrastructure with a compromise of paving at least half of the path to Monteverde. The bumpy trail made driving over the potholes of New York City seem like a breeze!

In the 1940s, a group of Quakers from Alabama fled to the "jungle" of Costa Rica. Attracted by the lack of military and the neutrality of Costa Rica as a state, these families started their own community here in Monteverde, Costa Rica. Within the past decade or so, Monteverde has evolved from an agriculturally focused area to a community that now depends mainly on tourism for profits. Although ecotourism has surged, farming production is still a major component of life in Monteverde.

Waiting for our tour of the Cheese Factory

The Monteverde Cheese Factory is a staple of the community. The Quakers established effective production practices and the factory has thrived in Monteverde and continues to abide by Costa Rica's commitment to conservation. After a tour of the factory we had the opportunity to view a slide show of photos from the original Quakers of the community. We also got to sneak a taste of all the various cheeses made at the factory. My favorite was the MonteRico which is most common throughout the Monteverde area.

Excited for dinner at Inka Verde

Returning to the hotel we were welcomed by two guest speakers. They both discussed the history of Monteverde and its transition to ecotourism. We were also given a brief overview of the environmental issues facing Costa Rica and in particular Monteverde. Personally, I was impressed by the environmental education provided to students in the hopes to spread eco-friendly ideals throughout the state.

After dinner at a local Peruvian restaurant, our group headed back to the hotel in store for the long day we had in store of us.

My cappuccino left a map of the world!