Monteverde (day 10)

After we first had breaktfast we went to the cheese factor, which is in operation since 1952. The quakers in Monteverde are known for making cheese. But once we were inside the cheese shop it turned our you can only look at the factory through the glass window, this was kind of disappointing. The funny thing is they sell Gouda and Edammer cheese. After seeing this we went to the bat garden. Here we first got an explanation about the bats, and then we could go inside through a door into a dark area.

Behind the glass windows were the bats. About 60 bats of 5 different species (insect eaters and fruit / nectar eaters). You could illuminate the bats with you flashlight, which were handed out upon entering the area. After seeing the bats we went to the reptile center (practically opposite our hotel), here they have a basilisk, snakes (venomous and non-venomous), tarantulas, frogs, toads and turtles. The entrance is valid througout the day (because they have nocturnal and diurnal animals). For that reason we returned in the evening, but before it was that time we first had our lunch. After lunch we walked back to our hotel, where we spended the 2nd half of the afternoon to relax. After about an hour we walked to an information centre to arrange the night walk-tour. This starts at 20:00 PM and would take about 2 hours. After this we walked back to the hotel (my mother was still here). Here we stayed for another while until it was dinner time, we went to the same restaurant as yesterday to have dinner. After a fine dinner we went back to the reptile center to see the nightly activity and indeed, the nocturnal animals had (partially) awakened and the diurnal animals are now asleep. After this we went back to the hotel to drop our umbrellas (it was raining and foggy all day long, like the usual...). After about 20 minutes waiting at the reception we would be picked up for our nightly expedition. My mother abstained, because she didn't dare to go. So I only went with my dad. The driver of the van was just 10 minutes early, but we could leave right away! On our way we picked up 2 other people (coincidentally they were from Israel) from another lodge and then we could go the starting point of the expedition! With just the four of us and a guide we walked through the dark jungle (naturally we were handed out flashlights). During our 2 hours walk we encountered a small salamander with a long tail, but also stick insects, caterpillars, big and beautiful butterflies and moths, a frog, a tucan, 2 beautiful sleeping birds, a pitviper, a tarantula, armadillo, two big anthills (where the queen was outside of the hill, this happens only 1x a year) and a kinkajou (this is family of the racoon, although it looks more like a monkey by appearance).  After the tour we came back to the starting point and the guide showed us the animals we have just seen on an animals chart. After returning the flashlights we were brought back to our hotel. Once back at the hotelroom I wanted to go to the toilet, I brushed off my pant when an ant dropped on the floor. I think I had taked a souvenir from the jungle... 😅 Tomorrow we'll be driving to Rincon, This is volcano just like Arenal. Except on this volcano you cán visit the craters. Although it's not sure for us to do so, because this volcano errupted just last week (together with another volcano on Costa Rica, more to the east). That is then, now is now. First of all a well deserved nights rest!

Day 9

Travel overview

Day 11