What a wonderful past couple of days we have had! Our excursion to Hacienda Baru was filled with plenty of adventure and relaxation. We stayed in cabins that were a 10 minute walk to the ocean on one side, and an even shorter walk to the forest on the other. There was also a private pool nearby for all of our splashing, diving and tanning needs! Shortly after we arrived at the hacienda, we found ourselves ziplining through the rainforest with our knowledgeable guides. They carried with them a high-powered telescope through which we could spot sloths, iguanas and monkeys camouflaged way up in the treetops. It was such a special treat to see the forest from the toucan´s perspective. The next day began with an early wake up, as we had a full day of activities planned. We laced up our hiking boots and drove down the coast to the base of a very steep mountain. This particular mountain had hidden within its foliage Costa Rica´s tallest waterfall, and it was our goal to reach its peak and then rappel down.
The ascent was a grueling few hours that were punctuated in the middle by a stop at a secret organic garden. We snacked on jackfruit and bananas cut from the trees, and fed the peels to the resident white horse named huesos (bones). We continued up and were amazed to discover a series of smaller falls that had water holes at their base. We spent a good amount of time cooling off here before picking back up and finally arriving at the main waterfall. Before rappelling, we had lunch in a naturally occurring cave tucked just behind the cascade of water. Then we harnessed up and off the ledge we jumped! The hike back down was a lot faster, and we were greeted at the bottom with week old puppies! They were the softest little things and so cuddly. The last day at Hacienda Baru was a more restful one – we walked to the beach in the morning, played in the pool, and did a short ropes course. Then it was back on the bus to our lovely homebase of Biolley. Since the trip we have been diving back into our work, completing the building for ASOMOBI´s coffee hulls and doing personal projects. We are savoring our last week here before it is time to pack up and head to our last excursion. Check back soon for more updates. Pura vida!
-Sasha & John