June 11 – 13 | Friends, Food, and Frogs
Our Costa Rica adventure kicked off with a smooth arrival into San José, though our friends Scott and Carol weren’t so lucky—flight delays meant they missed dinner. But no worries, we made up for it the next day. We spent Tuesday catching up over lunch at a little hidden gem called Fusiones Gourmet, where Alan and I shared a classic Costa Rican casado. Afterward, we lounged in Scott and Carol’s hotel executive lounge swapping travel stories until we realized we’d stayed so long we made a meal out of the snack buffet!
That evening, we noticed a futbol game happening at the national stadium right outside our hotel—Costa Rica versus Trinidad and Tobago. We had front-row seats from our window to the roar of the crowd while Scott and Carol had a perfect view of the game from their hotel room. Costa Rica won 2-1, and the city buzzed with celebration.
Wednesday was all about diving into the culture of San José. We signed up for the Bites and Sights Walking Food Tour and met our guide at a plaza guarded by quirky “little green people” statues celebrating San José’s farming roots. Because of the big group, we split into two tours and explored vibrant markets where we sampled exotic fruits like lychee, uchuva, and passionfruit—Costa Rican candy from Mother Nature! We meandered through historic downtown, learned about iconic buildings, and made the obligatory stop at the statue of the portly woman with the “lucky spots” everyone just had to rub.
Our foodie adventure continued with a hands-on empanada-making class, followed by plates of tamales and sweet local drinks. Then we had a crash course in Costa Rican coffee—where I confirmed, once again, that I will never be a coffee drinker. A quick trip back to the market earned us a stash of chocolates, souvenirs, and a cork-brimmed cap for Alan. The day wrapped up with a rain-soaked KFC sheltering stint while waiting (and waiting…) for our Uber. Travel reality at its finest!
June 12 – 13 | Jumping into the Jungle
The next morning, our real adventure began. We met up with Hector Astorga’s macro photography group and headed out to Frogs Heaven. And oh, what a fitting name! We were instantly surrounded by a rainbow of amphibians—starting with the famous red-eyed tree frog, followed by glass frogs so translucent you could see their organs (wild!). We added poison dart frogs in vibrant blues and greens to our photo collections, and capped the day with even more tiny tree frogs.
The next day, things got wilder. We switched gears from frogs to snakes. And not just any snakes—snakes with eyelashes (eyelash vipers), elegant vine snakes, neon green palm pit vipers, and the big boss of them all: the fer-de-lance. Safe distances were kept, trust me. To balance out the adrenaline, we had a calmer photo session with bugs and the cutest surprise—Honduran white tent bats, tiny fluffy bats tucked under banana leaves like nature’s marshmallows.
June 14 – 15 | Birds, Night Shoots, and Thunderstorms
The pace didn’t slow down. We visited Cope’s place to photograph hummingbirds, snagged a gorgeous little green heron shot, and later ventured out for an epic night shoot. Our cameras captured everything from ghost glass frogs to mysterious lizards and bats swooping under the stars.
The following evening took us deep into the jungle to Manú, a private reserve. The weather wasn’t exactly cooperative—cue tropical thunderstorms and rolling thunder—but the wildlife kept us entertained. Between rain bursts, we snapped shots of colorful tree frogs, lizards, a massive elephant caterpillar, and even a cicada serenading us in the downpour.
June 16 – 18 | Froggy Finales and Fond Farewells
Our last full day was a bonus round of favorites—snakes, frogs, and insects galore. The highlight was the dazzling blue-sided tree frog and a sneaky little katydid disguised as a dead leaf. By the time we returned to the lodge, I could barely fit my memory cards back into my bag!
On June 17, we packed up, said goodbye to the rainforest, and made one final photo stop at Copé’s, adding a few more tiny wonders to our memory bank. Back in San José, we celebrated with a relaxed farewell dinner, grateful for the incredible week of macro madness.
By June 18, it was time to move on. We flew out, endured a jarring landing in Panama, indulged in airport pizza (sometimes you just need comfort food), and headed onward to Quito, Ecuador—ready for our next wild destination.
Costa Rica delivered everything we hoped for and more: epic wildlife, colorful culture, and the joy of spending time with good friends. Next stop… the Amazon!
