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C
O S T
A R I C A
By Delbert
Blickenstaff, M.D.
On
September 6, 1991 Wilbur (Red) Long, Martha, Louise and I planted trees
in a
reforestation program at the University of Peace in Costa Rica. Red had
planted
thousands of trees on his farm on Boyer Road here in Darke County. I
think that
the prospect of planting trees on foreign soil convinced him to go on
this
Elderhostel trip.
While at
the University we heard lectures about past presidents of Costa Rica.
The most
famous was Oscar Arias Sanchez, who won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1987.
We and the
Longs joined other Elderhostelers in San Jose and we were housed in
hotel
Europa for the first week. We learned that there were two other
Elderhostel
groups in our hotel, and that 125 such groups visit Costa Rica yearly.
Tourism
is the second largest business after coffee.
In the
evening of September 3rd. all of us attended a dance show called
“Fantasia
Folclorica,” at the Teatre Melico Salazar theater.
The next
day we traveled to Turrialba to visit the Tropical Agricultural
Research and
Education Center. There we learned about the processing of coffee
beans, and
that only 10% of the crop is used locally. Most of it going to Europe
and the
U.S.
On our trip
to the University of Peace our bus driver had to dodge a cow on the
highway. If
we would hit a cow no one would admit to owning it and thus accept the
responsibility for any damage.
Our
Greenville friend, Lori Keller, had spent a year in Costa Rica with
Florita
Hoffmeister as an exchange student. Lori told us how to contact
Florita, and we
met her and her son-in-law Alfredo, on September 8th. They took us to
The
Butterfly Farm where we saw butterflies in all stages of their life
cycle:
eggs, larvae, chrysalids, and adults. The larvae are shipped all over
the world
so that they will hatch soon after they arrive. Alfredo sent a video of
his
wedding with us and a note to Lori.
On
September 10th. we arrived at Selva Verda, our lodging in the rain
forest. We
stayed in comfortable rooms with thatched roofs. Walking from there to
the
dining room we crossed a small stream. One day we saw a small lizard
running
across the water. In fact it is called the Jesus Christ Lizard.
We took a
hike into the jungle where we saw howler monkeys. Also we visited a
grade
school where the children were using computers, which surprised us.
On
September 14th. we took a boat ride on the Sarapiqui River. We saw an
Anhinga
bird, a black otter, buzzards, a yellow billed Toucan, a long tailed
Tyrant
bird, eguanas, howler monkeys, and an alligator.
The
Elderhostel program was well organized and we were informed about the
culture
and politics of the country by competent speakers.
Our guide
for most of the trip was Rosita, and I wrote a poem about her:
There was a nice girl named Rosita
Whose ear rings and T-shirts were
neata.
She spoke English well
And she cast quite a
spell
When she smiled. Qui bonita Rosita.
Delbert
Blickenstaff, M. D.
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