La Fortuna Rapids & a Call Back

August 20-25 / 2023  |  LaFortuna, Costa Rica

La Fortuna August 19-25

View From Our Cabin

Finally back in a king bed again! We had a little bungalow in La Fortuna and it came with a little kitchenette. I was treated to eggs/huevos with cheese/queso not just any cheese but gouda cheese every morning. If you have never tried it, you should. Chris has his with hot sauce. I’m staying away from spice for a while. Read Panama City Blog for details.

In true Travel Muse Duo fashion the first thing we scout is good coffee. This time we were treated to a ‘twofer’ Chocolate Fusion coffee shop, out of this world coffee and the best chocolate the jungle has to offer. We visited every morning for a double cappuccino and a pastry.

The first excursion on our list was White Water Rafting! On our second morning, following our decadent morning ritual, we were on a bus heading for some rapids! While we traveled the hour, or so to the load in site our guide, Tala, had us introduce ourselves.

It’s an odd phenomenon to travel somewhere completely unfamiliar and yet stumble, quite literally, into the very familiar.

Tala started at the front of the bus, introducing himself and the bus driver, who was also a guide. He explained their collective training and experience along with how well they know the river and rapids we would be traversing.

Chris and I were towards the back of the bus. Sitting right behind us were four kids, ok, maybe almost adults. Three of them hailed from Boise. We were a continent away from our former home and ended up white water rafting with four kids from Idaho in Costa Rica. Tala put us all on the same boat and he lead the idahoans to victory, which is to say no one fell out of the boat!


I was sore for days but loved every second and so did Chris. When we were finished, I was tired and shaky but if they had another run I would have been first in line!

There were so many things to do and see in and around La Fortuna, at Místico Rain Forest I heard the howl of Howler Monkeys for the first time. It was intimidation at its best in the jungle, especially at dusk! They are hard to spot, like sloths, but when they howl right above you before you realize they are even there, it really makes you feel your place in the food chain. Not that they would eat a human, maybe use one as a play toy before boredom set in, but the howl, brings on goose bumps so rigid your skin feels like 100 grit sandpaper.


Except for the sounds of the jungle, we encountered a lot of flora but not a lot of fauna. It seemed as though the jungle inhabitants had the day off for viewing while we were there.


With a painstakingly long internet search, I found a small eco reserve park with plenty to marvel at and admire, plus a private guide, who, as it turns out was a singer in a rock band.

Those of you who don’t know the other half of Travel Muse Duo, Chris, the more logical and precise half, among other things, is also a great guitarist and song writer.

As you can imagine, Leo, and Chris were instant amigos.


The two of them mixed wildlife with names of bands and incredible bassists, singers and guitarists, it never deterred Leo from finding all the sights to see. I spotted the first three toed sloth, we saw two others, one with a baby. They really aren’t easy to see up in the trees blending in perfectly with the environment around them. We also spotted a two toed sloth, very different in the facial features along with a stripe up their back. Leo fished out two blue jean frogs, from under some leaves with the leg of his spotting scope. They are absolutely beautiful but deadly little critters. They are so tiny they could damn near fit on your thumbnail.


On our last day in La Fortuna we happened upon a little breakfast joint called Fortuneno. We actually missed our check out from our bungalows enjoying their space and wonderful hospitality. We both had spicy Bloody Maria's to accompany Chris’s huevos rancheros and my avocado toast. Deeelish!

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