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One Step Beyond

S2E13: Pura Vida in Costa Rica?

Season 2, Ep. 13
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Turtles! Volcanoes! Caiman! Monkeys! Museums! Fumaroles! Scuba Diving! Swimming Holes! And Sunsets! 


Paula is back as co-host for the first time since the Season 1 finale as she and Tony discuss their recent travel to Costa Rica, not only from an environmental and cultural perspective, but also from their uniquely different personal perspectives. Paula had not traveled outside the USA in 35 years, whereas Tony spent almost a whole year backpacking round the globe only back in 2016. Similarly, Tony is something of an (ageing) adrenalin hound who went scuba diving and running the volcanos, while Paula had reasons to want to take it just a little less hectic.


Some of the topics discussed in this episode:

  • All the great reasons to visit Costa Rica in the first place: is just 0.04% of the earth's land surface but contains 5% of its species; 33% of it is protected land; Atlantic and Pacific Coasts both readily accessible; no standing Army.
  • How much advance planning should go into a foreign trip and how much should be left to finalize "on the ground".
  • Choosing to travel by public transport with occasional taxi/Uber/Didi rather than being like most North Americans and renting a car.
  • Opting to stay primarily in Air BnBs.
  • Advantages of traveling in the rainy season
  • Choosing to avoid the main tourist destinations of Arenal Volcano and Manuel Antonio National Park, going instead for:
  • San José: not the world's loveliest capital city but a veritable gold mine of museums
  • Traveling to Tortuguero on the northern Caribbean coast and what to do when you miss your connecting bus
  • The 6am canoe trip into the waters of the Tortuguero National Park and the multiple fauna and flora seen on that trip
  • The turtles of Tortuguero: the cosmic experience of watching green sea turtles lay their eggs and return to the ocean, all while (Tony and Paula were) stumbling round the beach at night holding hands with strangers. (More on sea turtles here)
  • Alajuela, Costa Rica's second biggest city, and its hero Juan Santamaria, who helped achieve victory over William Walker's pro-slavery Filibusteros in 1856, and for whom the local museum (a former army barracks) and nearby international airport is named.
  • The cloud forest of Poás Volcano
  • The beautiful "white city" of Liberia, the capital of Guanacaste in the north-west.
  • The vast and vastly under-visited Rincón de la Vieja National Park outside of Liberia, with its active volcano and multiple hiking trails. These include Las Pailas which has close-ups of fumaroles and hot springs, and the steep exposed hike to the Hidden Waterfall, which Tony was the only one to take that day.
  • How Costa Rica is using geothermal energy from its (six) active volcanos to supply 15% of the country's energy.
  • The charming and peaceful Playa Hermosa
  • Scuba diving from nearby Playa Coco
  • Food and drink
  • The national expression of "Pura Vida"
  • Conclusions


Music in this episode: "A Word That Doesn't Rhyme" by The Dear Boys

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