Arsenal

We met some students at the school Thursday after the aprtment deal who were going to the Arsenal Volcano for the weekend. We decided to join them. We would have just been chillin until school started Monday so we figured why not...

One 5 hour bus ride, through fog, up a mountain, packed to the brim and we got in yesterday afternoon. Matt ended up standing most of the time giving his seat to a woman with her baby, elderly... Wasn{t the best start to our getaway. In our Costa Rica handbook it told us to watch out for over friendly people once we got in the bus terminal. But when we got off the bus we met this very friendly guy named Tony who pointed us in the direction of a hostel near by and we got a room next door to the other students. $10 a room...cold water, but the sheets were clean. Tony stuck around and talked us into buying a package deal that his cousin could get us... hiking-hot spring-dinner tour tickets. We paid him cash and pretty much almost pooped our pants waiting around for the tour bus to come, thinking we had just made the biggest mistake of our life and we were out $90 for sure and would be doomed by the handbook God. Tony showed up though, and we actually got picked up! Im sure the whole thing was not legit, BUT, we did hike up the side of the volcano, led by a tour guy who I am sure is a local who does this as a side hustle, but he showed us some pretty cool random things that real guides probably wouldnt have. He literally would pick out a plant on the ground, sniff it and say (picture it with a thick spanish accent)... here we have the ginger plant...and then stick it in his mouth and keep walking. it was sweet. He ate a couple of plants along the way I think. After we went to the hot springs.. which was a part of another resort that we definitely couldnt afford but..Tonys guy got us in. The best part though, was the dinner. On our way back, we asked Carlos the driver guy, when we were going to get our dinner (its like 10pm at this point) he made a call on his cell and then later dropped us off at a closed restaurant that had a table outside, set complete with a candle and a flower arrangment. Pretty sure Carlos called his friend who was the manger of this steak restaurant and made arrangements. Nonetheless, we had a candle lit dinner on a restaurant terrace opened just for us..rice, beans, plaintains, steak, fish, papaya juice, coffee...clear night. God is faithful and funny... we are grabbing dinner at lava loung now. Upgraded to a hotel in town with warm water tonight. We bus back tomorrow afternoon and sharpen our pencils for school starting Monday. Pura Vida