Joseph’s steps in Costa Rica
Joseph travels to lush Costa Rica to admire its beauty and find the true meaning of “Pura Vida.” Along the way, he shoots the Río Sarapiquí’s rapids, treks through dense rain forests, soaks in volcanic waters, wanders through cloud forests, and meets as many snakes, birds, bats, and howler monkeys that come his way, all the while celebrating the spirit and infectious joy of the local “Ticos.”
El Teatro
Nacional de
Costa Rica
San Jose, Costa Rica
Joseph takes a tour of the grand El Teatro Nacional Costa Rica, one of the crown jewels of the capital San Jose. Located in the historic district, this ornate building was inspired by architecture in Europe. Joseph meets some of the people busy at work restoring parts of its lavish interior.
Selva Verde
Lodge &
Reserve
Sarapiquí, Costa Rica
Costa Rica has protected more than a quarter of its land as natural reserves, and Joseph stays at one of the eco-friendly lodges where visitors can observe nature, the Selva Verde Lodge and Reserve. The lodge’s 500 acres allow up-close glimpses of native wildlife, like hollering monkeys, toucans, and a dazzling array of bird species.
Río Sarapiquí River
Sarapiquí, Costa Rica
The lush Río Sarapiquí River begins with a volcano, and continues down to the country’s border with Nicaragua. Joseph climbs one of its suspension bridges. Then, he and his team go whitewater rafting, their kayak bobbing past the lush rainforest that surrounds the river on both sides.
Best
Pineapple
Farm
Joseph discovers the fruit that perhaps exemplifies the abundance of fresh produce found in Costa Rica: the pineapple! At Best Pineapple farm, he speaks with owner Maikol Javier Alvarez Ramirez about the ways the fruit is associated with hospitality, as it’s often placed on the table as a welcome. Joseph also gets a few pointers on how to pick the best pineapple.
Costa Rica
Sarapiquí
Conservation
Learning Center
Sarapiquí, Costa Rica
Joseph partakes in some of the Sarapiquí Conservation Learning Center’s events, like a cooking workshop with a small home farm that encourages local, sustainable food production. Joseph fries up some yucca rolls with Hazel Valerio Hidalgo, before stopping at a dance class at the Selva Verde Lodge for some American swing-inspired footwork.
Arenal Volcano
La Fortuna, Costa Rica
Joseph visits the Arenal Volcano, which might take the cake in the array of fantastical Costa Rican natural wonders. Dormant since 2010, the volcano is surrounded by rivers and farmland. Heat from its lava also warms the nearby hot springs.
El Chollín
Springs
La Fortuna, Costa Rica
While there are several spas, Joseph opts for a local favorite, the El Chollín hot springs. These gentle currents on the riverbed are heated by the Arenal Volcano, allowing visitors to immerse in the leafy surrounding nature.
Mistico Arenal
Hanging
Bridges Park
La Fortuna, Costa Rica
Rainforests tower over the ground in Costa Rica, so Joseph takes to the skies in the Mistico Arenal Hanging Bridges Park. Joseph gets an exclusive look at some of the biodiversity that are only visible this high. He marvels at the palms, ferns, and mighty old growth forest.
Night Wings Project
La Fortuna, Costa Rica
Joseph speaks with researcher Willie Pineda Lizano of the Night Wings Project, which studies the country’s 120 species of bats. Joseph learns that these bats are essential to keeping mosquito populations in check, and even pollinate plants that have adapted to bat pollination.
Don Juan Coffee
Monteverde & Arenal, Costa Rica
Costa Rican coffee is world-famous, so Joseph dives into the process of coffee-making. At the Don Juan Coffee farm, he learns about the history of how coffee came to Costa Rica in the eighteenth century and became a national symbol of the country. Joseph picks some coffee cherries, which house the aromatic coffee beans.
Red Frog
Coffee
Roaster
Costa Rica
Now it’s time to make some coffee drinks, so Joseph speaks with Aldo Roy Wilshire Scott at Red Frog Coffee Roaster. He brews Joseph a cup the traditional way, using a sock-like filter, and serving the fragrant coffee black.
Monteverde
Cloud Forest
Biological
Reserve
Monteverde, Costa Rica
Joseph visits another of Costa Rica’s many wildlife refuges, the Monteverde Cloud Forest Biological Preserve. He stops by the Café Colibri, with a Hummingbird Gallery of feeders that allow visitors to see colorful hummingbirds up close.
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