La Fortuna is a small colonial town nestled between an active volcano and a pristine lake.

We prefer to travel by fate than by the book, so we didn't make a reservation before we got there. If you've read the rest of our entries, you know that this method can result in broken down buses and fibreglass bedsheets.

The flipside is what we've found now. On our way from "Jeep to boat", we bumped into a fellow traveller. We originally met him in Guatemala and asked for directions to a restaurant. Small world.

His glowing recommendation took us to this small, remote ranch via some very bumpy roads. This is where we've been for the past couple of days unwinding.

There really is no other word to describe it than "paradise". You might call it a Costa Rican kibbutz, but such a simple description wouldn't do it justice.

Bounded by lush green mountains on two sides, and a volcano and lake.

This ranch hasn't officially opened to public yet, which means everyone's keen as hell and trying their best to make this place perfect.

The ranch is 140 some-odd hectares (we don't know what a hectare is, but this place is really freakin' big) of conservation land including an organic farm, wildlife reserve, self-generating power, a horse stable, kayaking, hummingbirds, tucans, butterflies, cows, and pigs.

We can't do this place justice with words.

We also have no way of doing it justice in pictures. And even if we could, we couldn't upload them because, yes, the Internet sucks in all of Central America -- even in paradise.

Today we went horseback riding for about an hour and half. Since we were the only two guests at the ranch, we went to a look-out point above the ranch. We'll share pictures later, but we promise that it was breathtaking.

The food is great -- a long way from Chicken and Flan. There's an American chef here who worked at Rain and Jump (nice Toronto restaurants for all you Vancouverites).

Needless to say, we love it here.

You're only allowed to ask us the name of this place if you promise to go.

That's all for now. See everyone soon. We're looking forward to seeing you, but would prefer you came here instead of us going to you.

written by  Corey and Melissa on March 17, 2009 from Fortuna, Costa Rica
from the travel blog: Margarita y Discoteca
Send a Compliment

---

how to say "paradise" in Spanish...Corey you taught ME that word..."Plutzworthy"...now you remember...
I am loving every km of your blog, thanks for sharing your trip with us...Bubbie, Itz, Zaidie Norm and Louise were here for dinner tonight. All is well, and we are hoping to have brunch at Mark's on Sunday...BTW Bagel World just opened in Thornhill, walking distance from my house, so we may have a new destination to add to our gourmet family tour!
Looking forward to your return, I think you have a stint in BC coming up first...keep us posted
Love you, "Auntie Karen "

written by  Auntie Karen on March 20, 2009

comment on this...