Volcano Arenal

Today (27/4/2016) we decided to go with Frank (the owner of the 'Rental in Paradise 4 U') and Nathalie (a guest from France) to visit the Arenal Volcano in the North of Costa Rica. We drove 3 hours through the backcountry and stopped in a small village named 'Zarcero' to get breakfast.
We tasted the delicious 'Pinto Chorizo' and were told that the secret ingredient (which makes the pinto rice so delicious) is a sauce called 'Salsa Lizano'.

Eating in a soda with Frank (traditional food 'comme à la maison')

In the town, they had a colourful church with a very creative park  next to it (Parque Francisco Alvarado).

The church of Zarcero

Very colourful decoration inside the church.

Warm greetings to our grandparents: Julie, Madeleine & Günther. We lighted a candle for you.

A bullock made of hedges

An old elephant.

Some crazy monkeys.

An ox-car-driver with his two oxen and his carriage.

You can define this creature with help of your own imagination.

Afterwards, we came to the Volcano Arenal and took our time to visit the whole surroundings. We fought a little bit with the Mosquitos but apart from a few bites, we won the battle (this time at least).

On our way back we had the chance to taste the Costa Rican equivalent of chocolate (they don't eat a lot of chocolate here) a 'cajeta de leche': a sweet bar made from the reunion of coconut, milk and pure sugar cane syrup, very tasty.

A bridge over a deep canyon

The sleeping ogre: Volcano Arenal. The last eruption was in 2010.

Some unusual friends.

The landscape in the north varies from the one around Atenas.

And we found yet another cascade.

Stay tuned :)