Friday, December 10, Puerto Limon, Costa Rica

 

This city is the largest on the Caribbean side of Costa Rica. With its emphasis on eco-tourism being so important to the economy, the guide expressed appreciation that tourists are beginning to return. Our excursion included a ride along the shore on a narrow-gauge open-air train—lots of undeveloped open space, punctuated by the occasional shack or two, which our guide said were either built by squatters or served as someone’s weekend escape on the beach.  

 

While on our bus from Marina to our train ride through coastal jungle and lowlands, our tour guide pointed an area severely damaged by a 1991 7.7 magnitude earthquake https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1991_Limon_earthquake. This hotel, destroyed by the quake, was never rebuilt. 

 

 

 

The land nearby in the coastline photo below is now 3’ higher than before the earthquake. This swampy area used to be under 3' of water.

 

Our excursion took us from Puerto Limon along the coast by bus, transferring to a narrow-gauge railway (Ferrocarilla Atlantico) built between 1871 and 1874 to provide access between the central plateau and the Atlantic--largely to facilitate transfer of coffee from near the capital of San Jose to the port at Limon.

 

 

 Sights along tour train ride (we spared you endless photos of jungle):

Howler monkey (only one out in the open--many more rattling the trees nearby).

Squatter's cabin next to the beach, off the beaten path. Notice the elegant outdoor 'plumbing,' with a seat no less.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We then transferred to a canal through the jungle that we quietly motored along. Our guide was skillful at pointing out the wildlife. We saw many monkeys, birds, and other animals--including this sloth.

Two-toed sloth

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And finally we were transferred back to the port through a banana plantation. All commercial bunches are wrapped in plastic very early to protect them from damage during harvest and shipping around the world. The bananas spend their whole life from fruit development to final destination inside the bag. Bottom: Closeup of a banana flower.