Costa Rica

In today's world, in order to defend and resist threats from external forces, countries continue to strengthen their military power and expand their military construction.

But there is one country that is different. It is the first country in the world to abolish its army.

In the 1980s, it announced to the world that it would become a permanent neutral country, allowing only some police to maintain public safety and social order.

This country is located in Central America, bordering Nicaragua to the north and Panama to the south. At 10 degrees north latitude, it belongs to North America. The capital is San Jose, which is Costa Rica.

It has a tropical and subtropical climate, and the whole year is divided into two seasons, the rainy season from April to December and the dry season from December to April. The climate here is pleasant, and many people from North America come here to travel and vacation here in winter.

Winter in Toronto is cold and long. It lasts from December to March every year, so we try our best to take a vacation during this period and go to tropical areas to make the winter last longer. The cold winter has become much shorter.

On January 21, 2018, we departed from Toronto, took a flight to Costa Rica for about 5 hours, and then transferred to a bus for more than 2 hours to reach the hotel where we stayed, Riu Hotel.

It was getting dark by then, so my husband and I took a rest. When I woke up in the morning, I found that the hotel is located at the foot of the mountain, with its back facing the sea. Standing on the balcony, you can overlook the boundless sea, and follow the path of the flower corridor directly to the beach.

This season is the dry season. The temperature is very high and there is little rain. There are many kinds of flowers in the tropics, and the scenery is charming. It is really a good place for vacation.

Breakfast is a buffet with a wide variety of food. Whether you are Asian, European, North American or South American, you can choose the food you like.

After breakfast, we went to the lobby. The hotel environment was elegant, and the purple bar showed wealth.

We consulted for some information about travel strategies and selected several famous scenic spots.

Considering that the official language is Spanish and we do not understand Spanish, it is not suitable for us to travel by car. My husband and I decided to sign up for a group tour, so we exchanged the local currency for colones (1 U.S. dollar is about 610 colones) as a backup.

After signing up for the group, I found that except for my husband and me, there were no Chinese people. Then I realized that there is no direct flight to Costa Rica from mainland China, and it takes about 48 hours of connecting flights to get there.

(1) Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve

The next day, we set out with the group by car to go to the famous attraction "Sky Walk".

Entering the forest, the road inside is very wet and has many ups and downs. We are walking in the dense virgin forest. Many plants in front of us have never been seen before, with different shapes. This is a place full of mystery and has been rated as one of the top ten most charming forests in the world.

We walked onto the overpass, as if we were entering the clouds, and the forest seemed even more unpredictable under the thick fog. If you are traveling on your own, be sure not to open a new path, as it is easy to get lost in the forest.

90% of it is virgin forest, home to more than 2,500 species of plants, 100 species of mammals, 400 species of birds, 120 species of reptiles and amphibians, and thousands of species of insects. It is an ecological A protected area of ??diversity. Exotic flowers and plants make the entire reserve even more charming.

When we boarded the overpass, our field of vision became even wider. Not only could we see distant scenery, but we could also observe different plantings in the deep valleys and appreciate the beautiful colors of nature immersively.

It gradually began to rain lightly. We walked in the rain and passed several elevated suspension bridges. The haze in the forest was getting bigger and bigger, and sometimes a whirlwind blew.

After walking for more than two hours, I met monkeys, birds of various colors and some small animals on the road.

The external colors of the butterflies here are very hidden and difficult to be found. When they fly in the air, they turn into beautiful colors like chameleons.

Due to the rich forest resources, many wooden architectural style houses are located in the beautiful tropical rain.

There is also a specially set up high-altitude flight slide, which can cross the forest and overlook the entire forest like a flying man.

Some people impulsively boarded the high-altitude gliding track and trembled all over. Others screamed out of fear, echoing in the valley one after another.

Neither my husband nor I have the courage to try it and experience the fun and excitement.

There are many performances in the evening, which are very lively. There are performances by dance troupes and acrobatic troupes from Las Vegas. The colorful and unpredictable color-changing lights add to the atmosphere of the venue.

(2) Arenal Volcano

On the third day, I went to see the volcano. The sun shined through the glass of the car window and into the car. Sometimes the strong light hit my eyes directly. He quickly closed the curtains in the car. The journey lasted more than three hours, and we got off the bus and walked into the volcanic area.

At this time, the white clouds in the sky have disappeared, and the blue sky has gradually become farther and farther away, becoming turbid.

The further you go up the mountain, the air becomes thinner, the fog becomes thicker, and the vegetation under your feet becomes thinner and thinner, as if you have entered another world.

Arenal Volcano is the most active volcano in Costa Rica and one of the ten most active volcanoes in the world.

With an altitude of 1,633 meters, its cone-shaped crater can be seen from anywhere within a few kilometers.

We are getting closer and closer to the volcano, and a long iron fence is set up in front to prohibit pedestrians from moving forward.

It started to rain lightly at this time. It was truly a tropical rainforest climate. You can experience the rainforest anytime and anywhere.

Looking from a distance, the volcano is erupting intermittently, forming some volcanic ash fog in the sky, and the earth-shaking roar can be heard dozens of kilometers away.

We did not see the huge volcanic eruption, which was a bit regretful, but the tour guide told us that a bit of regret is luck.

If the outbreak occurred on July 29, 1968, the consequences would be disastrous. It is said that lava covered more than 700 hectares of the earth's surface at that time, causing huge damage.

Arenal Volcano is much calmer now, with only occasional small eruptions.

At night, the landscape of Arenal Volcano is even more spectacular. The magma rolls down the slope with the rocks melted by the high temperature, forming a very strange but extremely brilliant fireworks.

It usually stretches for 5 kilometers, with picturesque lakes and mountains near the volcano, and steaming wet spring rivers winding through it. It is one of the famous wonders of Central America.

The lake is located at the foot of the mountain and is the largest artificial lake in the country.

Against the backdrop of the blue sky and white clouds, it is particularly majestic and impressive.

The underground hot spring bath, with temperatures ranging from cold to hot, is suitable for all types of people and is very comfortable.

(3) Surfing

It is bounded by the Caribbean Sea to the east and the North Pacific Ocean to the west. Here is the world-famous Surf Sea Bath,

Tamarindo is the place for surfing, beach and entertainment on the Nicoya Peninsula. Once a quiet fishing village, it is now a tourist haven, and the area is famous for its surfing, with activities including snorkeling, diving, horseback riding, zip lining and seasonal sea turtle watching.

Surfers pay great attention to tides and swells, which are surfing conditions. Waves run from north to south, and there are many surf spots to help surfers find the ideal position.

Daughter Zeng The second time she came here, she liked surfing here the most. My husband and I can only look at the ocean and sigh.

(4) Cocos Island National Park

Although Cocos Island is small, it is world-famous for the legend that pirates buried treasures. Unfortunately, no one has been able to discover these treasures so far.

The famous French explorer Jacques Cousteau called this island "the most beautiful island in the world" and it was named a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1997.

Many tourists come here to see the underwater world. Although I can’t swim, I don’t want to miss this rare opportunity.

I put on a wetsuit, diving glasses, a breathing muff for my nose and mouth, and carried a lifebuoy with me, all fully armed.

The tour guide knew that I could not swim, so he specially invited water rescue personnel to take care of me. Under his protection, I began to explore the underwater world.

When I first started swimming, I was frightened, my body was stiff, and I didn’t dare to turn around. I could only swim in one direction.

Gradually I adapted and could swim left and right. I observed a large number of marine life growing in the transparent blue sea. The coral reefs here have different shapes and colorful colors.

The sea water is very deep, and you can’t see the bottom. It is really an abyss, but the water is crystal clear, with colorful tropical fish swimming around, and there are also groups of goldfish and fish that cannot be named. of fish, wave after wave of them swimming by.

Aquatic plants, starfish, squid, sea cucumbers, and many sea creatures appear to be motionless. When we get close to them, they close their bodies.

I didn’t expect the underwater world to be so rich and colorful. It really opened my eyes.

I followed the group and wanted to continue swimming forward, but the lifeguard protecting me held my hand tightly and stopped me from swimming forward. There are many reefs on the seabed in front, causing big waves and making it unsafe.

After I came back, I heard from my husband that there are whales, tuna, dolphins, etc. that can be seen everywhere on the seabed. I only swam in nearby waters and didn't see these sea creatures.

But I am already satisfied. I am very grateful to this protector for letting me try my addiction to the seabed.

The breathtaking underwater world of Cocos Island is recognized by the world as the best place to watch pelagic creatures.

Exploring the underwater world in the sea during the day consumed a lot of energy. In order to replenish our energy, we went to an Italian restaurant that night and ate the authentic Italian meal Beef Salami. We felt that Chess was too much. Strong, covering up the taste of the food itself.

(5) Coffee

Costa Rica’s volcanic soil is very fertile, with abundant rainfall, large terrain differences, and good drainage, which are conducive to the growth of coffee. High-quality coffee is grown here. The coffee is called "extra hard beans".

The coffee here is rich in flavor, full of aroma, mild in acidity, and quite sweet. When drinking the coffee here, add less sugar and milk. Even if the coffee becomes cold, it is still very delicious. Enjoy it pure flavor.

This is a major feature of Costa Rican coffee. Therefore, its coffee is exported to the world and is famous at home and abroad.

Before leaving, we selected many different flavors of coffee, including coffee beans, ground powder, and instant types to bring back.

On January 27, we left this country without an army.

On July 23 this year, I heard that nearly 30 Costa Rican overseas Chinese participated in the "China Water Cube" Chinese song competition, using songs as a medium to express their love for the motherland, and they are committed to spreading Chinese traditional culture and promoting I was moved by the friendly exchanges between China and Colombia.

We overseas Chinese must also strive to make positive efforts for the friendly development of China and Canada.