The Poas Volcano is Active Today!

Today February 26, 2014 the Poas Volcano located in Costa Rica's central valley is erupting.  It is spewing hot water, steam, and mud 1,000 feet into the air.

The park is open to visitors who get a real thrill to see this spectacular site.  There is a warning sign telling the visitors not to get close to the fence at the over look (where visitors usually stand to have photos taken.)

If the park rangers feel it is not safe to come into the National Park, then the ranger at the entrance gate tells visitors the park is closed.

The Poas Volcano National Park is the most visited tourist attraction in the central valley and the reason because it is the largest geyser in the world- one mile in diameter.

The drive up to the park from Alajuela offers spectacular scenery-coffee plantations and dairy farms.

Several small restaurants in the area offer great Costa Rica Style meals.  Fredda Fresas is my favorite.  Also I really like Chubasco   Both offer Costa Rica cooking with fresh local ingredients.

To visit the Poas Volcano National Park contact  Ann, The Costa Rica Expert, www.costaricalearn.com   anncreed23@gmail.com

 

 

 

 

Costa Rica, A Country filled With Natural Phenomenons including Four Active Volcanoes!

Costa Rica is a very small country about the size of the state of West Virginia in the USA.  It has a mountain range that runs right now thru the middle of the country from the north to the southern tip.  Located within this range are four active volcanoes.  Starting from the north is the mighty Arenal Volcano which huffs and puffs all day long shooting fire and hot rocks from its summit.  It is a big draw for tourism to the area.

Near the central valley of Costa Rica is the Irazu Volcano . The capital city of San Jose sits in it's shadow.  It had a major eruption in 1963 when it covered the central valley, esp San Jose in a blanket of ash.  At this moment it is quiet.  It is also a big tourist attraction and an easy day trip  from San Jose .

East of San Jose is the Turrialba Volcano which lately has been spraying ash for miles around its base.  It is off the beaten path and not many tourist go there because it is not easy to get to.

The there is the Poas Volcano, the volcano which draws the most tourist as well as Costa Rica visitors.  It is only one hour from San Jose by car and the drive up to is is just gorgeous.  Coffee plantations dot the sides of the mountains and dairy cows are seen grazing the deep green grass in the higher altitudes.  Lately it has been quite active spraying hot water and gasses high into the sky, almost one kilometer.

Costa Rica is a country filled with natural phenomenons.  Volcano eruptions, earthquakes, floods, but luckily Costa Rica does not get hurricanes.  If you would like to see the big eruption of 1958 of the Poas Volcano on video you can do just that.  Go to the top of our home page and click on "buy our video"  Also you will see on the video the mighty Arenal Volcano is action, as well as the Poas Volcano.

[caption id="attachment_3791" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="Ken and Ann at the Poas Volcano"][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_3794" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="Areanl Volcano in the late afternoon with it's perfect cone"][/caption]

Scenic Driving route Alajuela to Poas Volcano by Car

Travel Costa Rica by  rental car,  the best way to see the Real Costa Rica, with it's abounding natural beauty.   Travel  the scenic back roads and experience Costa Rica's small villages and rural way of life. Stop along the way, walk around the little town squares, watch the children play in the park.  Ken, my husband  and I decided to just that.  The day was beautiful with lots of sunshine so  we headed  out early from  Alajuela,  the second largest city,   north to the Poas Volcano.  This is called the Touristic Route Alajuela-Poas Volcano, not exactly  "the  back road" but it took us through  beautiful coffee plantations, dairy farms, and  strawberry fields.   As we gained altitude, hundreds of  coffee plants surrounded us, each filled with dark red berries.  It's January,  prime time coffee harvest , and the pickers are at it.   My photograpy captured a pretty young Costa Rica woman whose wide brim sun hat and solid white attire shielded her from the tropical sun.  We came to  a small village flanked by a large fern farm. The locals, only about two hundred of them,  gave it the name Fiajanes.   We stopped and walked around the little park and the nearby lake, or lagoon.    Mothers were out with their babies to bask in the morning sunshine and the older children were playing soccer.

A few miles up the road we stopped at a small roadside market selling fresh strawberries, locally made fresh sour cream and while farmers cheese.  Plus a local Costa Rica artist was displaying his wood art.  We bought a toucan delicately carved and hand painted, a beautiful souvenir of our visit to Costa Rica.

The views all around were spectacular.  I felt like Heidi with her Grandfather in the Swiss Alps. The  white dairy cows with huge black spots all over them were lazily grazing along the hillsides.  They  looked like a Norman Rockwell painting.

People of all ages were out for their Sunday strolls, dressed in the best for the family reunions and an afternoon with your sweetheart. We had to drive very slow because the people use the road to walk since there are no sidewalks.  Some younger kids were even playing ball in the road.  It's not uncommon to see chickens, ducks, cows, and even horses roaming freely in the middle of the road.   Seems the roads  are for vehicles, people, animals  and everything else!

Approaching the entrance to Poas Volcano National Park, Costa Rica we noticed the landscape was changing.  Hugh ferns, almost like trees hung over the sides of the roads and plants with large unbrella like leaves, called Poor Mans Umbrella lined the walkway up to the crater.  Wildflowers were blooming in all shades of the rainbow.  January is definitely a great month to be here with lots and lots of sunshine. The crater was clear and the hot pool of gurgling blue water was spectacular.  How lucky could we get!

Heading back down we stopped for lunch at a small  wooden house with a beautiful garden.  It is called Chubascos, and is owned and operated by a local Costa Rican family and serves delicious typical dishes.  In the middle of the garden is a beautiful plant named Bell Of the Night, looks like an upside down pink and white bell.  Story goes that if you drink of the boiled flower you will hallucinate.  (Old Indian Legend) .   After much pondering over the menu, we choose the  specialty, a plate sized homemade corn tortilla  smothered in shredded beef, homegrown tomatoes, and Chubasco's own sauce.  And yes, the recipe for the sauce is a secret.  And for desert we choose the cheesecake made from locally  processed cheese, and topped with the strawberries grown next door.  What a treat! With so many dairy cows in the region, it's  no wonder that so many varieties  of cheese are found here.

Our last stop for the day was at Three Generations Coffee Tour, owned and operated by the Doka family for three generations.   I was tired by then but so glad we stopped.  A Real education here!  We have a guided tour  which demonstrates the entire process of the coffee from the coffee plant to your cup.  Great guides and such a gorgeous place right in the middle of the coffee plantation.

The sun was setting and we were ready to return to our comfortable hotel in the mountains,  Hotel Buena Vista.  Not far to go since it is located on this road approx. 4 miles north of  Alajuela.  A very picturesque place with views to central valley and the Poas Volcano.  Cool mountain breezes refresh us from  the  patio off our room.  We choose the second floor for the views.   What a nice day we had and now are ready to say good night (buenos noches)