Day 6: Bus-Ferry-Bus-Trek

We woke up early this morning to go to the "Hike at your own risk" catarata/waterfall at our hotel.  After crossing a "Danger - Do Not Pass" sign, we got a little freaked out about being lost in the jungle or being bitten/attacked by an animal/insect.  We saw a river but never caught a glimpse of la catarata.

After breakfast we (and our new friends Chris/Shannon) were picked up to start our jeep-boat-jeep journey to Monteverde.  Turns out the tour should be called bus-ferry-bus.  While we were sitting on the boat, waiting to deport from the most non-descript, unofficial-looking boat port ever, Travis says, "that guy looks just like a guy I knew in college."  It took a bit of coaxing for him to yell the guy's name to the other boat but it was him!  Small world.  The friend, Kane, yells back, "Is that your wife or your mistress?"  Funny dude.

The 2nd bus drive to the town of Santa Elena (the main town outside the cloud forest) was about two hours up a rocky, gravel, unpaved, not safe road.  But we survived!  Our hotel, Trapp Family Lodge, is about the furthest lodging away from the Main Street in Santa Elena but the closest to the Cloud Forest Reserve.  The room is BIG and on the 2nd Floor... no bugs!!  After check-in, we took a taxi to town and ate at the driver's mejor restaurante - Tico Sabor.  Travis ordered a chalupa and was surprised that it didn't look like a Taco Bell chalupa.  Turns out it tasted better, too.  We made our way through town and the souvenir shops and decided to make the trek back to the hotel since we had plenty of time to kill.  Good idea at the time but it was almost miserable.  Well, it was miserable for Trabi (as the locals call him).  We think it was about 5k, all uphill (seriously!) on a gravel road.  We stopped at a few little tiendas along the way (the art gallery was really cool) and made it back right around dusk. 

The closest thing to a street sign that we saw during the entire trip! 

 I love this picture.

Trabi taking the final, uphill steps to the hotel after our long walk.

Side note:  There was a restaurant in town call Sababa.  They served falafel.  Whaaaaat?!

We had a lovely dinner at our hotel and are now listening to the wind howl outside.  On a bizarre note, we just turned on the TV and found Hawaii 5-0 on one of the few English channels.  The show started with a girl being killed when the zip line she was on was cut.  Can't wait to go zip lining tomorrow!  [Travis wants me to note: if anything happens tomorrow, split the assets three ways: parents + puggle]