Living the Snowbird Life in Costa Rica, Belize & South Florida
Well, I thought it would be fun to at least sample the snowbird life since I have chosen to be in denial that winter has actually arrived here in North Central Washington.
Always in search of new destinations and heart warming experiences, nourished by foods that touch the soul, shared with family and friends. Our holiday destination included Costa Rica pineapple, banana, coffee plantations, mountain meanderings, jungle cruise on Tortuguero Canals, coastal beaches, a backdrop by which the most is accomplished. Our personal guide from Euvangie's Tours gave us opportunity to personally hold a sloth driving the back roads, while creating a beautiful bouquet of flowers for our daughter.
As we walked into the port searching for our “red umbrella guide”, having made our own personal arrangements, we were hopeful we had made a safe decision. Thankfully our personal guide Roy & tour planner/driver Eugenie were attentive country hosts. We were treated to a full tasting tour where 1400 acres of pineapples grew, stretching beyond our eyesight. A carefully tended demo garden provided visual education to the process from flowering to first & second year harvest from the same plant.
The Costa Rica agriculture is plentiful and includes bananas, sugar cane, cacao beans (chocolate), cashews trees, multiple varieties of trees & flowers we pay hothouse prices back in Washington, grow wild, fuchsia, ficus, star fruit and more. The conveyors out in the banana fields cut large blue bags filled entirely with banana colonies from the tree to the processing plant.
The Tortuguero Canals gave us insights to Costa Rican culture with private canoes trapping crabs to sell, multiple sloths sleeping soundly in the trees, blue herons , and many more bird varieties at home in the jungle.
Savoring raw, unroasted coffee beans, much like the texture and similar taste of pomegranates, floating by raw sugar cane during our real jungle cruise, Roy showed us how to peel it with our teeth and sink into pure raw sugar; almond & cashew trees growing wild, star fruit shows up to brighten the sidewalks, where fuscias spread like weeds, and ficus trees last a lifetime.
To contact a personal Costa Rica guide from Euvangie Tours
www.euvangie.com or email:
tours@euvangie.com ; Just be sure to watch for the red umbrella!
The love of agriculture moved to Belize as I held an allspice leaf, a corner crushed to release the full scent, traveled past miles of Valencia orange & grapefruit groves, where small towns give way to villages, with herbs and spices not just a purchased addition to life but the absolute essence of lifestyle. Our guide reminded by our status, showed us the "Tourist Tree", with red, and always peeling bark.
Crossing the river by a hand cranked government worker, a country in transition, from politics to private choices, independent from Great Brittan only since 1981, while being the youngest nation in Central America. Our hike to the top of the abandoned temple, we beheld their amazing Mayan Ruins, Xunantunich still partially overgrown by years of jungle growth. The view into Guatemala while looking down from a 10 story height, without hand rails gave a brand new perspective to the fear of heights.
Back in the US, our family experienced kayaking the everglades termed as "true Florida" through John Mc Arthur Beach and Preserve; with such shallow water anyone would feel safe. We explored the secret canals of Munyan Island that gave way to white beaches, and secluded picnic grounds while observing frolicking dolphin pods.
Compare all this nature to the lavish mansions and millionaire vacation getaways as we traveled by water taxi along Fort Lauderdale’s intercoastal version of Venice, the night holiday lights were such a contrast as was the exorbitant display of wealth.
Our family pictures along the intercoastal beaches will make the memories live long, our time in 2009. So the return to Washington State comes with so much more perspective, the ongoing love of true cultivation of the land and soil, in this case comparing apples to oranges makes perfect sense.
For all those interested in a Discover Heirloom Cuisine led and directed Costa Rican excusion, let us hear from you.
info@discoverheirloomcuisine.com
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