Today was our cultural day in Costa Rica. We arrived early in the morning to Playa Blanca into the calm deep waters of Dulce Bay in southwest Costa Rica. The scenery was breathtaking this morning! Everywhere we looked we were surrounded by low rolling hills covered by a thickly forested green tropical rainforest, no large buildings in sight anywhere, just a few scattered houses here and there.
Using our trusty Zodiacs, we easily landed on the calm beach to load buses already awaiting us. After a 10-minute ride we visited some of the local people living in this remote part of Costa Rica to see how they make a living, learn about the many different crops cultivated here, and walk in the adjacent tropical rainforest.
We learned about cocoa plantations and the history of chocolate (while sampling some), the cultivation of vanilla and how difficult it is to grow, and we visited a heart of palm plantation and ate several of the delicious dishes that can be made with it.
In all, a great day to experience firsthand the Costa Rican culture!
