December 27th and the sun is shinning! The sky is a beautiful blue, a light breeze is blowing and es buena vida. After enjoying a cup (or two) of excellent Costa Rica café, corn flakes and banano we decided to venture off to Finca Christina (a local organic coffee farm) and Volcan Irazu. Finca Christina is a short drive north of Cartago on the way to Turrialba. Turning off of the main road headed to the farm we probably hadn't traveled more than 5 km before rounding a curve only to encounter a mud hole the size of Rhode Island…….we quickly decided to back out and not take a chance of reliving our Christmas Eve adventure on our farm. The drive to Volcan Irazu is really breath taking. We took time to stop and enjoy the view whenever the road permitted. With our binoculars we were able to find our mountain in the distance. Pretty cool! We offered to photo a couple of handsome young men with the valley in the distance….they were taking photos of themselves……holding the camera at arm's length clicking the picture. They reciprocated and we got to talking. They were photographers from Miami and gave us several pointers on using our camera. And of course for the rest of the day we were taking photo's of ourselves. They made the comment to us as we were all getting in our cars that people thought they were gay, but in fact were brothers……I just said "not that there is anything wrong with that", we all smiled and drove on up the mountain. Strange!
The farms are magnificent in this area. They were picking onions this particular day but we saw; cabbage, pole beans, tomatoes, potatoes, watermelon, corn and squash. There are fern farms as well. The ferns are grown for and exported to Germany. There are huge areas covered under a black mesh housing thousands and thousands of ferns. The people in these little barrios are happy and very friendly. The village of Pacayas in particular impressed us…..it appeared very prosperous and lively. We stopped at a restaurant to relax and enjoy the view and when were leaving the older gentleman that had been waiting on us said "thank you for visiting our country, you are always welcome, God Bless you and please come to visit us again"! This was the first English he had spoken and he labored to speak in perfect grammar. I guess I'm soft………I found it very touching and sweet.
Volcan Irazu is 11,400 feet altitude. As you make the climb the green of the farming country slowing gives way to less dense forest and eventually to a lunar like terrain. The last time the volcano was active was in the early sixty's…..it began the week President Kennedy was here visiting Cartago……ash and cinder was raining all over the city. Although the farmers fear another eruption someday they are grateful for the fertile soil. The lake in the principle crater is 1,000 feet deep and a color green that you won't find in the large box of Crayola Crayons. God really out did himself……..another great day in paradise!