19 July Costa Rica
So much to write about this time! I was invited by a former student at the University of Alaska Anchorage (10 years ago!) to join her and her current teacher as they conducted a two-week long opera workshop for a weekend of wonderful fun and camaraderie in Monteverde, Costa Rica. Monteverde is situated in the Mile-High cloud forest at just over 5000 ft. altitude, but only 30 or so miles as the crow flies east of the Pacific. The warmth and constant humidity coming from the ocean (and remember we are only 9 degrees north of the equator), not to mention the subduction of the tectonic plates that run under Costa Rica’s central mountain range, contribute to a moist and misty environment with many natural hot springs occurring. Palm trees are mixed in with deciduous trees, and most of the leafy trees support other ferns and small palms in a symbiotic relationship. It truly is an enchanted forest and reminds me of how Camelot and Avalon must have been in King Arthur’s day…very mystical, very life-sustaining. You can see a picture of my hotel room below which shows the verdant aspects of this area, which is different from the lush tropical jungle of Montezuma, where I have spent the past two weeks.
I have been blessed and honored to be invited up here for this weekend. Not only did I get to travel just for the sake of travel, to a place I’ve never been before, I also got to renew my friendship with Rebecca Cloudy (my former student) and Andrew Sweeney, a musical friend from Anchorage of 10 years and currently Musical Director of Anchorage Opera. Andrew contacted me this past spring out of the blue and offered me a role in Anchorage Opera’s first production in Russian! I will be singing the role of Larina in Tchaikovsky’s Eugene Onegin in January 2010. Hosting this entire event in Monteverde is Phillip Weidner, an Anchorage attorney and benefactor of the vocal arts, who has generously allowed me to be a pampered guest at his hotel.
I have been blessed and honored to be invited up here for this weekend. Not only did I get to travel just for the sake of travel, to a place I’ve never been before, I also got to renew my friendship with Rebecca Cloudy (my former student) and Andrew Sweeney, a musical friend from Anchorage of 10 years and currently Musical Director of Anchorage Opera. Andrew contacted me this past spring out of the blue and offered me a role in Anchorage Opera’s first production in Russian! I will be singing the role of Larina in Tchaikovsky’s Eugene Onegin in January 2010. Hosting this entire event in Monteverde is Phillip Weidner, an Anchorage attorney and benefactor of the vocal arts, who has generously allowed me to be a pampered guest at his hotel.
On Saturday (Happy birthday, Bruce!), Andrew and I took the Sky Trek tour which was completely and unbelievably fabulous!!! Because we went in the morning (we had a hot springs date in the afternoon, as you’ll hear about below) the mists had not yet blown completely away from the mountains. We were zip-lining through space! You couldn’t see the end when you were let go off the platform, and it was one of the most exhilarating experiences I’ve ever had—truly Indiana Jones quality. Not being able to see the landing point forced you to stay in-the-moment, something we all need to do more often.
The hot springs—what can I say?—again, an utterly amazing experience. We were driven down the mountain nearly 30 km from Monteverde on a gravel road in a minivan of 11 passengers (see picture below) in what can only be described as Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride. Drivers in Costa Rica…well, they’re indescribable, and every time you ride with one you’re taking your life in your own hands. I can’t tell you how many different times passengers gasped out loud with the various drivers I’ve ridden with. The pools are fed from a natural thermal spring, and the flow is downhill, so each of the four pools receives hot water from the one above it. The hottest pool (the greenish one) is about 115-120° F. They moderate the temperatures by letting less hot water in and adding cold water from the river behind the pools, much as we do to find the right shower temperature. Phil had the hotel cater a late lunch for us of sandwiches, fresh fruit (the most fabulous fruit you’ve ever eaten, grown locally and organically), and beer. We returned to the hotel around sunset (see picture).
This afternoon, in about 2 hours, Andrew and I are going horseback riding through the cloud forest where we’ll be introduced to special plants and perhaps wildlife. It may rain, but I’m prepared for it. Monday morning I leave for the 5-hour trip back to Montezuma, which involves a 90-minute ferry ride across the Golfo de Nicoya. I’ll have one more week to finish my volunteer English-teaching, and I return to Florida on Sunday, July 26. This has been a wonderful experience which I’m truly glad to have had!
The hot springs—what can I say?—again, an utterly amazing experience. We were driven down the mountain nearly 30 km from Monteverde on a gravel road in a minivan of 11 passengers (see picture below) in what can only be described as Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride. Drivers in Costa Rica…well, they’re indescribable, and every time you ride with one you’re taking your life in your own hands. I can’t tell you how many different times passengers gasped out loud with the various drivers I’ve ridden with. The pools are fed from a natural thermal spring, and the flow is downhill, so each of the four pools receives hot water from the one above it. The hottest pool (the greenish one) is about 115-120° F. They moderate the temperatures by letting less hot water in and adding cold water from the river behind the pools, much as we do to find the right shower temperature. Phil had the hotel cater a late lunch for us of sandwiches, fresh fruit (the most fabulous fruit you’ve ever eaten, grown locally and organically), and beer. We returned to the hotel around sunset (see picture).
This afternoon, in about 2 hours, Andrew and I are going horseback riding through the cloud forest where we’ll be introduced to special plants and perhaps wildlife. It may rain, but I’m prepared for it. Monday morning I leave for the 5-hour trip back to Montezuma, which involves a 90-minute ferry ride across the Golfo de Nicoya. I’ll have one more week to finish my volunteer English-teaching, and I return to Florida on Sunday, July 26. This has been a wonderful experience which I’m truly glad to have had!
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