"Tortuguero" Neonguy's photos around Tortuguero, Costa Rica

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• published: 17 Mar 2011
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Preview of Neonguy's blog at TravelPod. Read the full blog here: http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/neonguy/1/1223764380/tpod.html This blog preview was made by TravelPod using the TripAdvisor™ TripWow slideshow creator. Entry from: Tortuguero, Costa Rica Entry Title: "Tortuguero" Entry: "October 11. Onward to Tortuguera I snoozed out the first cell phone alarm so I screamed out of there at 5:50 am, running with this damned pack on my back for the bus terminal 4 blocks away. Word has it that the busses can leave early. Upon reaching my former drop point, the ticket dude says the new pick up point for Tortuguera is 500m SOUTH. That was the hardest, fastest 500 meters I ever ran. But I made it. The bus was basically a school bus, no air. It's 6am and I'm sweatin' like a sauna, blisters already on both feet. The journey was nice for the first ½... paved roads. When the road turned to compressed dirt, rock and gravel, it got a little bumpy. After an hour, I was ready for a boat ride, and was very pleased to get on the river boat. Like most transpo except for intracity, I paid the driver directly in colones. The journey just got A LOT more interesting. It was a cool hour long ride thru the jungle on a small river flowing about 5 knots. Add another 15-20 for boat speed in many places, and it got exciting. Spotted one monkey the entire boatride. The boat stopped at a couple residences along the banks of the Rio Tortuguera and picked up or dropped off some local folk. We eventually made it to what I thought was another little residence landing... but this was actually Tortuguero. Wow... low key, man. Lots of little shacks and tin roofs. Lots of charm and smiles. I found a couple great places and checked in at one a few steps from the beach. Of course, I've already found a much better one for tomorrow night... Princess Cabinas. Beautiful. Both places charge $15 and have hot private showers, but Princess includes a breakfast. However, the other gives you 3 beds per private room. I dropped off my dead weight and promptly went swimming in a very warm ocean... it was warmer 4 feet down than at the surface, due to the milk-chocolate brown sand. With an overcast sky, the beach sand never got too hot to walk on. After a swim and a micro body surf (the waves never broached 18 inches) I walked at least 4 miles up and down the beach. I have seen no less than 100 turtle nesting sites, flipper marks and body drag-lines in the sand all the way up to the vegetation. Some holes are a good 8' in diameter - I have seen some pictures on café walls of some Jurassic sized turtles. Dr Marco said I could sit on one as it crawled up from the beach... but I value my freedom. Some nesting sites have little tiny flipper marks leading away! Tonight at 10pm, I'm going with a $15 guide to witness it myself. Although the high season for egg laying was 2 months ago, I can see I am virtually guaranteed to witness the experience of an endangered turtle laying eggs. It only happens every 4 years, apparently. Just before heading to the internet café, a couple local school girls hit me up for a donation. I made her promise she would email me pictures of the school and community center that the funds are due to go to. It is the first time someone actually approached me for a donation, other than the poor filthy souls of San Jose who apparently can't work. I gave her 3,000 dollars (Costa Rican dollars, gotcha!) I'll stop by the local internet café (unbelievable... old rusty tin roof shack with satellite dish on top, 8 computers inside. Bill Gates, you son of a gun! I guess it's a good thing - all the locals here already have cell phones and automatic clothes washers. Abhorrent how they drain out of a pipe straight onto the ground next to the house. Little pink or blue streams between shacks.) Tomorrow is another early day... 5:30 am if I want the best opportunity to see any monkeys, parrots, sloths, etc. And no gasoline... I'll be using my own paddle to get up the 3km c****. I respect that! $15 for a 3 hour guided kyak jungle trip. Can't wait." Read and see more at: http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/neonguy/1/1223764380/tpod.html Photos from this trip: 1. "Walk out to the beach from restaurant" 2. "Hotel rooms by restaurant" 3. "Looking back at restaurant" 4. "They bekon me..." 5. "$15 incl. breakfast - the place to stay." 6. "Night #1 view from door" 7. "View from room" 8. "Jungle river heading towards the Tortuguera" 9. "Somebody's casa" 10. "Out on the main river" See this TripWow and more at http://tripwow.tripadvisor.com/tripwow/ta-0114-53da-970b?ytv4=1