Spices at the central market in San Jose. We bought a blend for rice, and a coating for fish. Fun back at home.
Flowers at the central market.
Cashew fruit, from a street vendor. The red fruit above the nut is edible, eaten as is. An acquired taste, I believe... it left an aftertaste that reminded me of other wild fruits, like an unripe persimmon. The nut is fascinating- just one is held in a husk below the red fruit. It is toxic before being roasted- Johnny said even deadly.
Closeup of cashew fruit.
Arenal Volcano with our cottage in the foreground.
Ruth Anne at the cottage.
We left the horses and walked to a lava field. The white patches on the mountain are steam.
Mike and Johnny perched on an outcropping in a rockfield from one of Arenal's eruptions.
A local artist near the hot springs resort, now a rich man.
Artist near Tabacon Hot Springs Resort.
The main pool at Tabacon. A great hot springs resort, with hot and cool streams running through, heated by the volcano. You can sit under a ledge, and the hot stream pounding onto your neck and shoulders is like a strong massage.
Orchids in the gardens at Tabacon.
Lunch: roasted chicken, guacamole, beans, ... plantains with cheese?
Coatis being fed on the road near Arenal. Pizote in Spanish.
Thinking ahead. They do have a lot of rocks right now, but you never know.
Arenal across a lava and ash field from the 1968 eruption.
A young banana fruit at the stop for the botanical and butterfly gardens on the road around Lake Arenal. Large stamens atop the fruit.