The second week was pretty exciting. The first week of University was a big party. Free concerts all over the campus – e.g. „Malpais“ or a Salsa night. After literally 10s everyone was dancing! Then I had the first classes – at the end mainly instructions and information about the courses. It seems, like there will be a lot to do during the semester, but actually pretty nice projects. I did not understand that much, but the Ticos in the class (I’m the only exchange student) helped a lot.
For the weekend all exchange students went to Puerto Viejo, at the Caribbean coast.
The bus to Puerto Viejo does not leave at the Terminal 7-10, it has its own little one. Make sure you get to the right one, which brings you to the Puerto Viejo Carribe (!! There is a second Puerto Viejo in the North!!) and busses are usually full. Be there 1/2h earlier if you don’t like to stand.
My weekend starts on Thursday, that’s why we (Aroa and me) left a little earlier and arrived Thursday afternoon in Puerto Viejo in a huge hostel named Rocking J’s. We enjoyed the last hours of sun at Playa Cocles and had a great party night with the staff. The other day we rented bikes and went to Manzanillo. The day started with crazy horses, went on with amazing beaches, lots of palm trees and a pipa (coconut) in the forest. We saw the first monkeys! At a lookout I got soaked by a wave and a bird chew me out.
In the evening the exchange group arrived and the night was like the other, in a hostel like this there is not much talk about sleep. On Saturday we spent half the day waiting for decisions, but it was raining anyway. Finally, we arrived at Punta Uva, a beach between Puerto Viejo and Manzanillo, did a scary walk to a lookout. Scary, because of the rain everything was slippery and there were cliffs. Everyone returned save to the beach and we had dinner in Manzanillo.
Sunday we left that lovely place and went to Cahuita, 20km north. The National Park entry fee is donation based. We spent two hours at the NP Cahuita and saw again monkeys, some kind of blue and red crabs and a coon (Waschbär).
On Monday Aroa and I walked the whole track through the NP. It was amazing! Beaches like paradise, a natural forest and so many animals. I saw three racoons fighting with monkeys and while Aroa tried to take a picture of a monkey, he attacked her looking for food, a minute later it was my turn. 😛
Then it was time to go back to San José, 5h with the bus.
