Submitted by Elsley Hazell on the 2024 Winter SPAN program in Costa Rica…
For our final week we visited La Paz Waterfall Gardens and the town of Sarchí. The waterfall gardens was so cool because not only is it a nature reserve but an animal sanctuary as well! We saw snakes, different kinds of birds, two ocelots, two pumas, some jaguars, frogs, cows and some more! We were right next to the Poás Volcano, and the area surrounding it is a rainforest so the area was surrounded by dense clouds. It was relatively clear in the beginning of the day, but the clouds got denser by the afternoon, like you couldn’t see 20 feet in front of you by 3pm. The waterfall gardens is home to 5 waterfalls which feed into each other: Templo, Magia Blanca, Encantada, Escondida, and La Paz.
Sarchí is a town in Alajuela of Costa Rica which is most famous for its craft centers and Ox Carts! These ox carts have a rich history in Costa Rica and are a national symbol now. The vibrant colors and handcrafted ox carts were once for practical use but nowadays they are mainly for decoration and national pride, once a year an parade is held in remembrance of the importance Ox Carts are for Costa Rica. Sarchí has a display of the world’s largest Ox Cart in the town’s central park. The whole town has influences of the unique art style that are featured on the famous ox carts.
These past four weeks have been a wonderful experience and I’m so grateful that I was able to participate in this study abroad program. I began this trip knowing nothing about Costa Rica and I’ll be leaving having learned so much about the culture and the people of this beautiful country. I will never forget the memories I have made here or the people I have met. I’ll miss being able to view the vast mountain ranges, but that’s all the more reason to come back here on my own in the future some day! (Submitted on January 29, 2024)