I wrote a blog about Costa Rica in December of 2019 and this time (2020), I decided to visit a few other places in the country I did not get to visit last year. This will be a short blog with pictures from this trip.
San Jose
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| San Jose |
San Jose is the capital and most populous city of Costa Rica and it is probably your first stop when visiting the other locations in the country and other parts of Central America.
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| Downtown, San Jose |
I am a big fan of this beautiful city with stunning architecture, amazing people, beautiful parks, restaurants with delicious food. It can be overcrowded, especially during the hot months and weekends.
Cartago
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| A taxi, downtown, Cartago |
You will visit this town if you are planning on visiting the Irazu Volcano as you will have to go through this town if you are coming from San Jose. It is a town at the base of the Irazu Volcano and the capital of the Cartago province.
It is about a 40 minutes drive from San Jose. Cartago is one of the oldest towns in Costa Rica and was once the capital of the country, but was almost destroyed by the volcanic eruption of 1732. It is currently the third-largest city in the country. Today, you will see plenty of farming in the area as it has a very rich soil in the Orosi and Central Valley. Potatoes, onions, and orchids are the most prominent crops in the region.
The Enormous Basilica de Nuestra Senora de Los Angeles
Located in the city of Cartago is the Basilica that is dedicated to the Lady of the Angels. Many pilgrims from all over the world come to Cartago to visit this church on the feast day of the Virgin of the Angels (August 2). The church has a statue of a Black Madonna known as La Negrita. They believe it has healing powers and many Catholics go to the statue hoping for a miracle from La Negrita. The story (folklore, facts or just a story.. you decide) I heard from the locals went like this.
“It’s a story about a young Tico or native girl. On August 2, 1635, she went looking for firewood to take home. After a long walk, she stopped to get some water to cool down as it was hot. While there, she found a small statue of the Virgin Mary holding baby Jesus and took home to keep. To her, it was a cute little doll. The rock was dark green (almost black) with an image of the Virgin Mary engraved on it. The next day, she went back to get some more firewood and discovered another rock or what looked like the rock she found the previous day. She took it home again, but noticed her original rock was gone. This weird occurrence happened three times. She consulted her parish priest, Father Baltazar de Grado about her experience. Some locals say the priest experienced the same thing even after keeping the rock in his church. The rock kept disappearing and returning to its original location. Realizing the significance of this, the catholic church authorized the building of a church at the site. This is where the rock wanted to stay.
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| Inside the Basílica de Nuestra Señora de Los Ángeles |
The Basílica de Nuestra Señora de Los Ángeles (Our Lady of the Angels Basilica) is a Roman Catholic Basilica in Costa Rica, located in the city of Cartago. The original statue or rock is kept in a golden shell inside the Basilica. An official decree declared the Virgin of the Angels the official patron of Costa Rica.
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| Inside the Basila de Nuestra Senora de Los Angeles |
The rock stayed in the same location, but has been removed since the church was built and now kept in the church. The basilica was built in 1639 and was partially destroyed by an earthquake. The basilica has since been restored. Legend says, during the construction, the church was destroyed by earthquakes so many times, it was finally decided to move it to the location where the statue was found, and they were able to finish construction. Many people think that the earthquakes were signs that the Lady of Los Ángeles wanted the basilica built there.
Irazu Volcano
You cannot visit San Jose without visiting Cartago and once in Cartago, you will be about a 40 minutes drive to the Irazu Volcanic National Park. The ride to the top of the mountain is a scenic route and you will have plenty of opportunities to take great pictures. It is the highest active volcano in Costa Rica, as well as the largest in the country, standing at 11,260 feet tall and 500 square kilometers at its base. All of Irazu park is above the frost line, and much of it is above the tree line. Make sure you dress warm as it gets very cold, especially at the top. It is also very windy, so take a jacket if you plan on making it to the top of the mountain. You will be looking at the clouds below you as you make your way up the mountain.
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| Crater Principal is the only crater |
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| Crater Diego de la haya is one of the 6 craters (Diego de la Haya is one of the six craters and was named after Diego de la Haya after documenting the very first eruption in 1723) |
The volcanic mountain is one of the most famous in the country and some people travel to Costa Rica just to visit this volcano which is very famous throughout the world. The word “Irazu” is supposedly derived from two indigenous words meaning 'thunder' and 'earthquake'. The principal crater is active today, although the last eruption was in 1994. The activity is not like what we see with active volcanoes around the world, but it is active and you will see it spitting out hot steam every now and then. No one knows when it will explode next, but there is the pressure that gives it the potential to burst out one day.
Jaco
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| Beach life is the way to go in Jaco |
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| A night out |
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| Jaco Blu, Jaco |
What can I say about this coastal town that I haven’t already talked about in my other blog? I guess, this trip was all about the outdoor activities and to be honest, this is what Jaco should be about. Surfing, swimming, exploring, hiking, climbing, etc.
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| Have fun and enjoy the water when you are in Costa Rica |
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| Found this Lil guy (round starfish) while surfing in Jaco |
Manuel Antonio
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| Saw this guy when I woke up in the morning |
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| Saw this sloth on this tree outside my room |
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| Woke up to this guy, his gang and family every morning |
Manuel Antonio is one of those places to visit if you are ever in Costa Rica. Unlike Jaco, which is well known to be a party town, Manuel Antonio has its share of nightlife, but you will want to visit this town for its interesting wildlife and beautiful beaches.
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| Lots of fun things to do |
It’s a town for people who enjoy being outdoors and enjoy nature. It is about a 40 minutes drive from Jaco to Manuel Antonio. So, if you are in Jaco, you should make that drive and check out this stunning coastal town in Costa Rica. I went through this little cool town called Parita that looks like a place I have to visit next. Quepos is also another cool coastal town to check out while you visit Manuel Antonio. It is the town right before you hit Manuel Antonio.
Manuel Antonio National Park
You will want to visit the National Park if you are in Manuel Antonio or the nearby town of Quepos. Manuel Antonio is located on the Central Pacific Coast of Costa Rica. It is best known for its spectacular views. The park is closed on Mondays, so if you are planning on visiting this town and going to the park, make sure it is not on a Monday. This was named one of the world’s most beautiful parks in the world a few years ago by Forbes. There is plenty of hiking and nature to see while you are in the park. The park in Manuel Antonio is one of the smallest parks in Costa Rica but one of the most visited because it is packed with wildlife like Capuchin, Howler, monkeys, birds and many other animals. The two main beaches in the park, Espadilla Surf Beach and Manuel Antonio beach are about a 30-minute hike from the main entrance of the park. These beaches cannot be described with words or even with pictures. You have to go there to experience it. They are beautiful and stunning. They are popular for swimming, surfing, snorkeling, and many locals and visitors just lay on the light sand of the beaches and relax. There are so many activities from massages on the beach, jet-skiing, paddle boarding or just drinking and listening to music.
Sunset at Manuel Antonio
You will most likely find sharks and/or dolphins in the ocean while in Manuel Antonio. It is illegal to swim with dolphins in Costa Rica, but you will still have fun with them as they like swimming alongside the boats.
I believe they enjoy the sound of the motor of the boat, but they will follow and chase your boat while in the ocean. Let’s forget about the water and the wildlife and focus on the sunset. The sunset here is the best I have witnessed. It is magical.
You can enjoy it on the beach, but I decided to get on a boat and just enjoy it from there. It was the best. Peaceful and makes you forget about all your worries.
You will expect the sunset there around 5:42 PM every day.
Hiking in Manuel Antonio
I believe they enjoy the sound of the motor of the boat, but they will follow and chase your boat while in the ocean. Let’s forget about the water and the wildlife and focus on the sunset. The sunset here is the best I have witnessed. It is magical. 
You can enjoy it on the beach, but I decided to get on a boat and just enjoy it from there. It was the best. Peaceful and makes you forget about all your worries. 
