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| (La Paz Waterfalls) |
Activity: Poas National Park - La Paz Waterfalls Tour
Hotel: Hotel Cultura Plaza.San Jose, Costa Rica
This morning we had a packed breakfast of muffin and fruit juice.
The tour van picked us up around 6.15 am then made its round to fetch other tourists who joined us for the Poas National Park and La Paz Waterfalls tour. Our guide was Maria with Victor, the driver.
Poás Volcano National Park is a stunning protected area just north of Alajuela, Costa Rica, about a 45‑minute drive from San José. It is one of the most active volcanoes in the country and home to one of the largest crater lakes in the world. Poas Volcano is now active so the National Park was closed for visitors.
The van stopped at Freddo Fresas restaurant for breakfast before beginning the tour for today. Freddo Fresas is located in Poasito Costa Rica, and is a popular restaurant known for its fresh strawberry-based dishes and desserts. The restaurant offers a range of Costa Rican specialties, including local bowl food, empanadas, and fresh-made tortillas. We already had our muffins earlier in the van and we brought our thermos full of coffee to go.
La Paz or The Peace is a waterfall in central Costa Rica. In Spanish, it is known as Catarata de La Paz.. It is about 30 km north of Alajuela, between Vara Blanca and Cinchona. The waterfall is located immediately alongside Route 126. The River La Paz forms the waterfall after traversing eight kilometres of volcanic terrain, and then continues through the rainforest of the eastern side of Poás Volcano. A short path leads behind the waterfall, where a small shrine had been located. Upstream from the waterfall is La Paz Waterfall Gardens, a hotel and park, where visitors can observe many different species of local wildlife. We had great photo shots at the La Paz Waterfall. There is a small roadside souvenier shop selling local handicrafts. The free to taste samples of fried plantain and casava were sweet and crispy.
We made a brief stop at a souvenir shop Fresas del Volcán, Varablanca. Besides selling souvenirs, it sells local cheese, strawberry and wines. Visitors can sample their products before purchasing.
Hacienda Alsacia is Starbucks’ first and only coffee farm, located in San Luis, Sabanilla, Alajuela, at the base of the Poás Volcano. It features a Visitor Center and a café/restaurant also called the "Cafetín Comedor" with local-style food and Starbucks coffee roasted on site. There is also an optional tour around the plantation and visitors are introduced to the coffee making process.
Next visit was to the Metal Church or the Iglesia de Nuestra Señora de las Mercedes, which is located in Grecia, Costa Rica. This distinctive red church is a prominent landmark in the town of Grecia, located in the province of Alajuela. The church is dedicated to Nuestra Señora de las Mercedes, the Lady of Mercy. Its construction took place between 1894 and 1896, making it a historic architectural site in Costa Rica. The church is known for its unique prefabricated metal construction, which was imported from Belgium.
The tour van picked us up around 6.15 am then made its round to fetch other tourists who joined us for the Poas National Park and La Paz Waterfalls tour. Our guide was Maria with Victor, the driver.
Poás Volcano National Park is a stunning protected area just north of Alajuela, Costa Rica, about a 45‑minute drive from San José. It is one of the most active volcanoes in the country and home to one of the largest crater lakes in the world. Poas Volcano is now active so the National Park was closed for visitors.
The van stopped at Freddo Fresas restaurant for breakfast before beginning the tour for today. Freddo Fresas is located in Poasito Costa Rica, and is a popular restaurant known for its fresh strawberry-based dishes and desserts. The restaurant offers a range of Costa Rican specialties, including local bowl food, empanadas, and fresh-made tortillas. We already had our muffins earlier in the van and we brought our thermos full of coffee to go.
La Paz or The Peace is a waterfall in central Costa Rica. In Spanish, it is known as Catarata de La Paz.. It is about 30 km north of Alajuela, between Vara Blanca and Cinchona. The waterfall is located immediately alongside Route 126. The River La Paz forms the waterfall after traversing eight kilometres of volcanic terrain, and then continues through the rainforest of the eastern side of Poás Volcano. A short path leads behind the waterfall, where a small shrine had been located. Upstream from the waterfall is La Paz Waterfall Gardens, a hotel and park, where visitors can observe many different species of local wildlife. We had great photo shots at the La Paz Waterfall. There is a small roadside souvenier shop selling local handicrafts. The free to taste samples of fried plantain and casava were sweet and crispy.
We made a brief stop at a souvenir shop Fresas del Volcán, Varablanca. Besides selling souvenirs, it sells local cheese, strawberry and wines. Visitors can sample their products before purchasing.
Hacienda Alsacia is Starbucks’ first and only coffee farm, located in San Luis, Sabanilla, Alajuela, at the base of the Poás Volcano. It features a Visitor Center and a café/restaurant also called the "Cafetín Comedor" with local-style food and Starbucks coffee roasted on site. There is also an optional tour around the plantation and visitors are introduced to the coffee making process.
Next visit was to the Metal Church or the Iglesia de Nuestra Señora de las Mercedes, which is located in Grecia, Costa Rica. This distinctive red church is a prominent landmark in the town of Grecia, located in the province of Alajuela. The church is dedicated to Nuestra Señora de las Mercedes, the Lady of Mercy. Its construction took place between 1894 and 1896, making it a historic architectural site in Costa Rica. The church is known for its unique prefabricated metal construction, which was imported from Belgium.
Parque Central de Sarchí Norte is the biggest ox cart in Costa Rica, recognized as the largest in the world, located in the town of Sarchi. It was built in 2006 and measures 45 feet long. This impressive monument is a testament to Costa Rica's rich cultural heritage and the traditional craft of oxcart making.
In front is the Church of Sarchí, also known as Iglesia de Sarchí. It is a prominent landmark in Sarchí, Costa Rica. Built in the 1950s, the church is known for its two towers, vaulted hardwood ceiling, and carvings by local artisans, reflecting a blend of traditional and local architectural influences.
Ww visited an oxcart factory, a short distance away. The oxcart is a significant symbol of Costa Rican culture, particularly in Sarchí, which is known as the "Cradle of National Craftsmanship". Oxcarts were historically used to transport coffee beans from farms to the coast, and their distinctive designs helped identify the origin of the carts and their owners. The tradition of oxcart painting and construction has been passed down through generations, with each region developing unique style. The colorfully-painted wooden oxcarts called carretas in Spanish, and their oxcart drivers are known around the world. In 2005, UNESCO proclaimed Costa Rica's vibrantly painted, traditional oxcarts to be an Intangible World Cultural Heritage. Since 1988, the oxcart has been the National Labor Symbol for Costa Rica. No two oxcarts in Costa Rica are painted exactly the same. The fine art of oxcart painting has been passed down in families from generation to generation, especially in the Central Valley town of Sarchí. Oxcarts are still used in the villages.
For lunch, we had fish and chips at the Fabrica de Carretas Eloy Alfaro related restaurant. The portions are large. We had the chips for takeaway.
The roads were busy with daily commuters. And it was raining heavily all the way back from the restaurant to our hotel.
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