"The sea, once it casts its spell, holds one in
its net of wonder forever."—Jacques Cousteau

Jan. 23 - La Fortuna, Costa Rica

“Travel is searching for something you never knew existed, while running towards finding pieces of your newfound self.” —Kiana Azizian

Our first destination in Costa Rica is the little village of La Fortuna, from here we'll spend five days exploring the area, doing a little hiking and taking in a few new adventurous activities we haven't done before.

We started our day with breakfast at the Wyndham Hotel in San Jose
The further north we drove the foggier it became, the area we went through is known as a cloud forest...so it's foggy there most of the time. By the time we arrived in La Fortuna it was raining. We're in the rainforest so we expect to get wet.

La Fortuna is a small town located in the hills northwest of Costa Rica’s capital, San José. It was named for the fertile land ("The Fortune") where it’s located and it’s known as the gateway to Arenal Volcano National Park. Arenal Volcano is still considered an active volcano and is laced with lava flows that can be seen from town. The average temperature in La Fortuna is between 68º to 78º year around.
One of the many one lane bridges we crossed today
This is Parroquia San Juan Bosco as we saw it today....
This is the way we hope to see it before we leave.
Dinner at Pollo Fortuneno
My dinner Chifrijo and sangria
 Stan had chalupas...Costa Rican style. They were the best he's ever had.
Our house in La Fortuna
Besides the volcano, La Fortuna is full of tourist attractions such as waterfalls, natural hot springs, horseback riding, whitewater rafting, hanging bridges, hiking, a sky tram, zip-lines, mountain biking, kayaking, stand-up paddleboards, ATV and dirt bike rentals, butterfly farms, the Venado Cavern, bungee jumping, El Salto Swimming Hole and canyoneering...it’s an adventurers paradise. 

Although the town is a popular tourist destination it remains charming and still has a local feel. Among the souvenir shops and cafes, you’ll find Ticos (locals) going about their daily life, buying supplies for their farm, running errands, grabbing a bite to eat or just relaxing in the park.