We just had time to grab breakfast from the buffet before our familiar driver Armando picked us up with new tour guide Eric in tow. We started the hour long drive to Artola where we’d be partaking in some wild zipline action. We opted for a photo CD of the day, which meant a guy would be following us with a camera and instructing us on how to pose. I’m thankful for that because it would have been way too difficult to manage the logistics of ziplining and photographing! The guides strapped and snapped a harness onto my hips without speaking and plopped a helmet on my head. We were joined by a couple, Chad and Katie, from Pittsburgh who had also gotten married on September 19th and were on their honeymoon.
Ziplining was absolutely amazing. We had several guides who showed us how to operate the necessary machinery and how to brake as we approached platforms. They made the whole experience a lot of fun by goofing around like crazy – shaking suspension bridges and pretending to let us walk off the raised platforms without being properly attached to the line! Katie was afraid of heights and was constantly shrieking in fear and calling for her husband. I, strangely, didn’t feel an ounce of fear despite being so high up. I was fully confident in the company’s safety measures and the knowledge of our guides.
We had the opportunity to try out a few different poses on the different lines, including the “Superman” and hanging completely upside down. On the longest line, which stretched far over the top of the canopy, a stunning butterfly followed right next to me as I sped from the platform into mid-air. I kept thinking that he would fly off, but he continued on parallel to my flight, right by my face.
It was amazingly hot and sweaty underneath the helmet which was squeezing my brains out. (At one point I removed the helmet to get some relief and then put it back on – backwards. A guide fixed the problem with a half-grin on his face. He was making fun of me in Spanish in his mind, I just know it.) We flew down to the ground from the last platform and I happily washed my hands and combed my hair with my fingers.
We were given the option to explore a small “zoo” for an entrance fee of $5 each. When I was told we could hold monkeys, I made my mind up fast. We entered an enclosure filled with white-faced (or capuchin) monkeys and a couple spider monkeys after removing all items from our pockets and jewelry from our bodies. We were given handfuls of sunflower seeds to offer to the monkeys and as soon as I stuck my hand out, a little capuchin monkey hopped onto my arm. I just about died of happiness.
Oh my goodness, to see this little guy peering into my eyes, his tiny fingers grasping my hand. He was very selective about the sunflower seeds he was eating, pushing many off my palm in broad sweeps of his monkey hand. He would pause midway through his munching and nestle his head into my chest. I soon realized he was licking my skin! The handler explained that he was looking for sweat. I eventually stood and my little friend climbed atop my head and began to suck the sweat from my hair! Yayyyyy.
Next we visited the Serpent Garden. Glass tanks of various sizes housed snakes of every variety. We were asked if we wanted to hold one. Oh sure! We are thinking about getting a snake anyway, so that’s perfect! Our zoo guide proceeded to pull a python out of its enclosure. The snake was at least 10 feet long and 2 feet in circumference. The man hoisted the massive beast up and over Jesse’s shoulders. Then it was my turn. After declining the pleasure several times, they convinced me to give it a shot. The center of the snake’s body was behind my head and I was shown how to hold him on his…..neck. His head wavered dangerously close to mine. He was looking at me. I was trying to breathe slowly and keep very calm because I figured he could sense my fear. He didn’t even try to squeeze me to death once!
Our last stop was the Butterfly Garden where we saw hundreds of Owl Butterflies with their amazing, creepy markings. We were shown a sort of “butterfly growing room” where there were caterpillars and butterflies in all stages of development. We spent a while in the gift shop before getting back in our van to return to the resort. As we drove back, we chatted a lot with Eric. He had a great desire to see the United States (and many other countries), so we exchanged information and told him he was more than welcome to stay with us if he ever made it up to Portland. We wanted to show him the same kind of hospitality that is so prevalent and highly valued across Costa Rica.
The rest of the day was very relaxed. I napped, we ate lunch and took a walk along the beach – spotting a big group of vultures dining on a dead manta ray! Inspired, I later watched Fear Factor while Jesse went for a swim. We had dinner at the Mexican a la carte restaurant and then did some souvenir shopping. Our last adventure was hiking up the hill to the lobby – a trip that turned into a bug hunt. We saw a beetle as big as my hand, a tiny gold Scarab beetle, geckos and even a scorpion – which I consider to be the most terrifying of all!
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