Crocodile Swamps

After we left Monteverde and made our way to Manuel Antonio we stopped at a hot tourist spot.  Off the bridge there were crocodile swamps.
In addition to the crocodile swamps there were homemade fruit smoothies, and gorgeous blankets for sale. Check it out!!

Once we arrived to Manuel Antonio we checked in at the hotel.  Here are some pictures of the swank hotel room at Hotel Mimo:

Once we arrived, everyone got settled and had a free night to themselves.  Some people went to town to check out the restaurants and shops others stayed behind at the hotel and enjoyed swimming at the pool.  Gotta get up early tomorrow for the Manuel Antonio National Park Tour.

Coffee, Chocolate and Sugarcane, Oh My!

After ATV and Zip lining, we took a two hour tour at the Don Juan Coffee  in Monteverde.  Check out the photos, let me know what you think.

Ox pulling us on buggy

History lesson anyone?

Main entrance of the plantation

Plantation Tour Guide Discussing the beginning process of the coffee

Don Juan in the flesh

Coffee Trees

Assorted Roasted Coffee Beans

Chocolate

Do I look like a pro at pounding?

Grinding the chocolate

Taking in the essence of the chocolate

Looks like cocoa powder

Adding ingrediants to the group chocolate to sweeten it up

Mixing the spices with the chocolate

Final product





The guys grinding the sugarcane



The girls giving it a whirl, grinding sugarcane

This is some serious sugarcane juice

Beat up sugarcane that has already gone through the grinder

Samples anyone?

Juice from the sugarcane



Riding and Flying In Monteverde

The tour guide took me as close you could go to the Arenal Volcano, quite far away still but the view on the way was great, we made many stops through the town, saw raspberry trees, sugarcane trees, coffee plants, he took me to his families farm, showed me where they milk the cows and the process of how they do it. Check out some of the pictures:



The raspberries are edible

Raspberry Trees

Coffee Plants

Now this one looks like the milk commercial cow

This is the area that he milks the cows

Got Milk??

Sugarcane Tree

View From the Top

                  After ATVing I was transported back to where Avenutra has the zip lining.

All geared up!!

Time for instructions

We were so scared, these steps moved the whole time

Aventura Tours rocks!! They are a family owned company.  Service is superior and they take care of their customers like they are their own personal friends.  You will get personalized, impeccable service.