La Paz Waterfall Gardens

So this morning I returned to San Jose to be picked up for today’s adventure. I was admittedly slightly concerned while waiting as the only other people were easily twice my age, and, well - I signed up for a hike!
Lol but it was all good - when the bus arrived, I was the only one on its list. Stopped a few times to pick up others and then on our way.
Started at a coffee plantation - not a tour so much as a bio and photo stop, and of course the opportunity to buy one’s husband the darkest coffee they have ;)
We drove through a tiny town that was packed for a strawberry festival. That’s the only time so far I’ve wished I was driving myself - I would really have liked to stop. Alas, was not on the tour :(
But when we got where we were going, it was all worth it.
La Paz Waterfall Gardens - animal sanctuary and rainforest. For the animals - zoos are no longer a thing in Costa Rica, but when they disbanded them there were some animals that couldn’t survive on their own, they may be here, or some of the ones here were confiscated from people who had them illegally as pets. One of the cats they said was in its 30s - that species usually lives to about 18. One of the other cats was pacing and I felt really badly for him, clearly bored, stressed, and frustrated. Conversely all the other animals seemed better off than any zoo I’ve been in. But really, after Africa, animals in cages just aren’t something I want to see anymore...
On the plus side - the aviary was awesome, while the butterfly area had nothing on the butterfly conservatory at home. I did get some amazing photos! Most of which are on my big camera, so will have to wait till I get home.
After lunch we went hiking through the rainforest - only free animals here :). And drizzle more than rain, although have to admit the “slippery when wet” signs amused me. When are they ever dry??? Got to see several stunning waterfalls (which have always been a fascination of mine) and, according to my Fitbit, climbed 40 flights of stairs. Will admit I was feeling it by the last set! Haven’t hit my 10k steps though - which tells you what proportion of today’s adventures was uphill! One way though - at the end was a shuttle to take you back to the beginning :). Win.
So yeah - ended up very hot, very sweaty, and fairly soaked, but with a huge grin on my face and feeling relaxed and happy. So overall win.
Our guide, Olman (sp?) was amazingly good at balancing “let people have all the time they want” with keeping those who want to move faster from feeling restrained. I was really impressed. Tour was in English so far less Spanish practice today, but other than that all good. If you’re ever down this way, look up Mid-Morning La Paz Waterfall Tours - pretty sure it’s a one-man show, and very worth it.
Oh - and I got a pet sloth :). Of the plush variety. More pleased by that than I should be.
Update on the strawberry festival - it took us more than an hour to get through that 2 block town!?!?! If we’d realized, we prob would’ve abandoned the vehicle to go get strawberries and gotten back in at the other side, but by that point all we wanted was to be very far away from there.
Took so long to get home that it was going to be well after dark before I got back, meaning I didn’t want to walk to town for food, so asked the guide if after dropping off the last person we could get fast food of some variety. Turns out other passenger was starving and equally concerned about not finding food where she was and echoed my request. He was awesome and found us food :). Win! And not only was my order fully successful in Spanish, but I managed to help her too as she had no words at all... So yeah, was pretty stoked at that. Lol you don’t have to be good if the comparison is nothing ;)
School starts tomorrow w an 8am placement test...