Costa Rica: A Gem Among a Trail of Tears

How did Costa Rica escape the fate of its neighbors?

How does this haven of democracy (devoid a standing army) survive, sounded as it is by the corrupt dictatorships, cruel cartels, and trails of emigrants fleeing the violence and exploitation of their native countries?

Why did the Spanish Conquistadors, European colonists, and US industrialists leave this piece of paradise in comparative peace?

Why are the massive ruins of ancient Mayan cities and temples not found here?

Why is Costa Rica the one country along this slender waist connecting two great continents that boasts a thriving tourist economy? Why is it considered one of the most biodiverse regions in the entire world?

None of the research I did before travelling here three weeks ago adequately answers these questions. But once I arrived I realized some mysteries could be savored without solving when basking in the beauty of the landscape and the generous hospitality of the gentle people who live here.

I travelled with my brother and sister-in-law, landing in the capital of San Jose and taking a small plane to Drakes Bay on the Osa Peninsula. The views from the plane of cloud-dappled mountaintops and turquoise-rimmed coastline were breathtaking.

Drakes Bay is a tiny remote village named for the famous captain who anchored here while provisioning for his voyages. The unpaved roads are rough and deeply rutted, the landscape a tangle of trees with occasional glimpses of the bay between, the air hot and heavy with humidity, wrapping everything in a warm, wet blanket.

The little house we rented had a stunning view of the bay, where we watched entranced as flocks of red-tailed Macaws flew over head and yellow parakeets bobbled among the branches of flowing bushes. As the hot night fell, music would flow from far below where people gathered for song and dance before the politicos took over, their ardent voices seeking votes. Elections were held the next day: democracy in action.

We spent three days exploring Drakes Bay and the surrounding countryside before wading through the waves to board a boat that would take us into the heart of this magnificent country, the Corcovado National Park. There we would spend the night at the Sirena Ranger Station and two days hiking through the rainforests. Our next adventure: to be continued.

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