Costa Rica
My friend Andreas and I arrived at the port with a cruise ship at the second largest city in Costa Rica, Limón. With nothing much to see in the small city, which even the tour guide on the bus adressed, which is uncommon since they always want to hype their country, we headed out to the rainforest and the rescue center for sloths.
I couldn't see any traffic lights on the roads and the guide told us they didn't need any, because the drivers would use eye contact when meeting traffic. Fair enough I thought and hoped to survive this.
Since sloths are my spirit animal, I also just want to eat, sleep and be left alone, it was finally time to encounter them when we arrived.
The sanctuary has been critized for being more of a tourist attraction who holds the sloths to bring in money than actually rescuing sloths, and I got a sour taste in my mouth when I was there. I'm glad if they are rescuing sloths but why do they need to be in small cages where they can barely move? They have a whole rainforest around them where they could treat them. Yes maybe it would be harder for the tourists to see them then, but who cares about that?
We would end the day by going on a canoe in Estrella River just outside the sanctuary. We got to see some birds, monkeys and even a wild sloth in the trees.
I couldn't see any traffic lights on the roads and the guide told us they didn't need any, because the drivers would use eye contact when meeting traffic. Fair enough I thought and hoped to survive this.
Since sloths are my spirit animal, I also just want to eat, sleep and be left alone, it was finally time to encounter them when we arrived.
We were supposed to see the sloths, the infant sloths and then meet the superstar sloth named Buttercup, who had been with the sanctuary since 1992. Instead we got to see sloths in cages, more sloths in cages and then got the sad news that Buttercup had just passed away a couple of months ago.
The sanctuary has been critized for being more of a tourist attraction who holds the sloths to bring in money than actually rescuing sloths, and I got a sour taste in my mouth when I was there. I'm glad if they are rescuing sloths but why do they need to be in small cages where they can barely move? They have a whole rainforest around them where they could treat them. Yes maybe it would be harder for the tourists to see them then, but who cares about that?
My stomache hurt for some reason this day, and I got so bored from listening to the facts about sloths. And then you should know I'm interested in them, and I still got bored. I just felt sorry for the animals and regret I ever went there.
We would end the day by going on a canoe in Estrella River just outside the sanctuary. We got to see some birds, monkeys and even a wild sloth in the trees.
It should have been fun going canoeing in the rainforest, but there was something off with this too. It felt almost like the river had been made for tourists, it didn't feel authentic even though we were in the rainforest. They had put a fake crocodile in the water and stuff like that.
I was disappointed with the trip but going back with the bus to the port again, I could see how green and lush the country of Costa Rica is because of the heavy raining. I was so happy we got sunshine when we were there though. While I was eating a cacao bean while going through the beautiful countryside I thought that this might have not been the tour for me, but I was still interested in what the rest of the country had to offer. So maybe I will have to go back one day!
* Best things about Costa Rica – the beautiful lush green landscape created by what I hate the most, rain!
* Most mediocre thing about Costa Rica – I saw the beauty from a distance, but I never got to experience it, I guess I must go back someday, and maybe to the Pacific side next time!
* Worst things about Costa Rica – I'm not sure if the sloth sanctuary helps or just uses their animals to get money from tourists, let them out of their small cages either way!
Best countries in the world according to the nerd (will be updated with every post):
1. USA
2. The Bahamas
3. Croatia
4. Montenegro
5. Andorra
6. Cyprus
7. Grenada
8. Turkey
9. Greece
10. Italy
11. Spain
12. Monaco
13. Malta
14. Netherlands
15. Belize
16. Saint Lucia
17. Iceland
18. Denmark
19. Sweden
20. Lithuania
21. Macedonia
22. Armenia
23. Portugal
24. Dominica
25. Hungary
26. Slovakia
27. Belarus
28. Slovenia
29. Austria
30. Russia
31. Barbados
32. New Zealand
33. Ireland
34. Germany
35. United Kingdom
36. Belgium
37. Poland
38. Saint Kitts & Nevis
39. Vatican City
40. Estonia
41. Czech Republic
42. Switzerland
43. San Marino
44. Colombia
45. Costa Rica
46. Kosovo
47. Romania
48. Finland
49. Latvia
50. Azerbaijan
51. Georgia
52. Saint Vincent And The Grenadines
53. Antigua & Barbuda
54. Moldova
55. Norway
56. Ukraine
57. France
58. Bulgaria
59. Luxembourg
60. Liechtenstein
61. Trinidad And Tobago
62. China
63. Serbia
64. Bosnia And Herzegovina
65. Albania
Comments
Post a Comment