Katie
Traffic on the road to Rincon de la Vieja, Costa Rica
This is rush hour on the road to Rincon de la Vieja. After the turn-off at the town of Liberia a good hour and a half previously, this was literally the first sign of life we’d met on our dusty way to the lodge. That’s if you don’t count the staring match with the rogue black bull several miles back – a battle of wills that had ended rather uneventfully, with the bull getting bored and trundling off into the next field. Probably a very good thing the car wasn’t red.
Rincon de la Vieja is actually the cattle ranching capital of the country, which does go some way to explain the ratio of cows to people. By my very unscientific methods conducted over a period of two days, this seemed to average about 50:1 in the cows’ favour (I lost count after a while).
This is not to say that all there is to see in the region are cows; after all, you could go to Cornwall for that. What makes Rincon particularly special is that it is one of the few remaining areas in the country to still feel “Costa Rican”. And by that I mean locals outnumber visitors, and you will have more luck rustling up a glass of guaro than a can of Diet Coke (although you would be ill advised to operate heavy machinery after the former).
Most of the locals don’t speak any English and my schoolgirl Spanish was completely obliterated by the thick regional accent. In spite of this, the people I encountered whilst staying here were some of the friendliest of my month-long trip. Interactions were generally conducted with a liberal amount of gesticulation and wild head nodding, but always with incredible patience and good grace on the part of the local, most often accompanied by an engaging smile (though this may have had something to do with my flailing hands).
The day after I took this photo we rode from our lodge into the National Park to visit Rincon de la Vieja volcano. It got to about 40 c by ten o’clock in the morning and stupidly I had not brought any water for me. As much as I hate to admit it, I began to feel a little woozy (and no, I hadn’t been drinking the guaro). Our guide, an incredible chap in his 60s whose face was as tanned as his moustache was white, obviously clocked my ashen complexion and immediately leapt off his horse to guide us into the shade.
Here I was propped against an obliging tree and plied with water from his own stash until I felt human enough to carry on. He even leant me his hat for the rest of the ride, a small gesture but immeasurably comforting in my feeble state. Needless to say, he spoke no word of English.
This story does not even touch on the incredible scenery we encountered or the vast cloak of stars, unhindered by man-made light, that we saw that evening. For all these reasons, I can’t wait to go back – perhaps with my own hat this time though.
You can visit Rincon de la Vieja on our Costa Rica Uncovered holiday.
Read about our Costa Rica holidays or read our guide to Costa Rica.
Sunset over Volcan Concepcion seen from Totoco lodge on the Island of Ometepe, Nicaragua
I’m quite a sucker for a good sunset, so Totoco Lodge on Ometepe Island was my idea of paradise. This was taken from the balcony of my cabin on my first (and only) night there and it still gives me tingles to remember it.
I was on a whistle stop tour of the island in May, towards the end of the country’s dry season. I had spent most of the day dashing around, trying to see as much as possible during my short time there. This had mainly involved struggling to hold on to my lunch whilst navigating the more rustic roads on the eastern side, or “getting a free massage” as my guide eloquently put it.
The day had been incredibly hot, so I arrived at the lodge in a rather dubious state of repair. Quite fortunately I was one of only three guests so I got a whole private cabin to myself. Actually at the time of visiting the lodge only had two cabins, nestled on the hillside next to the organic garden and overlooking the lake and mighty Concepcion volcano. They have since added two more, both private and with a similarly stunning setting.
The lodge itself is the brainchild of three friends and only opened in January this year. The focus is very much on sustainability and the owners involve the community as much as possible. This includes a dedicated development centre, a hub for local community projects. Accommodation is rustic but thoughtfully crafted, right down to the handmade furniture and composting toilet.
The setting itself is the real star, however. I had just enough time to dump my bags and splash my face before heading out onto the balcony to capture this photo. Truth be told I got a bit carried away and ended up seriously editing my memory card that night. Not being a natural photographer I couldn’t believe my luck at capturing so many great shots, with next to no skill required on my part.
I did manage to put the camera down in the end however and just soak up the majesty of it. Watching those colours play across the gathering clouds, with only the lazy chirrup of the local cicadas as company, is a moment that will stay with me for a long time. At the risk of sounding like a Hallmark card, just seeing the image again back here in rainy Blighty warms my heart a little.
Read more about our Nicaragua holidays.