Leaving my husband and child to fend for themselves (...will they starve?...) Carol and I boarded a bus to the Arenal Volcano in Alajuela Province about four hours northeast but a world away in landscape and climate. Surrounded by mountainous
pasture land and rain forests, the massive volcano towers above a sparkling blue lake that spans 33 miles and goes 200 feet deep.
We arrived in La Fortuna, a small but vibrant town which feels far more affluent than our home base of Tamarindo.
After a quick lunch, we headed off to hike the spectacular canyon and swim in the crystal pool at the base of a waterfall which plunges 200 feet through dense foliage. My first glimpse of that majestic cascade took my breath away; its thunderous
noise commands full attention and awe. Costa Rica offers constant reminders of the power and spectacle of nature.