Costa Rica

When: March 2003

How Long: 6 Days

Background: This was the second country my Emerging Markets Field Study class went to.  We spent our first three days doing business tours in and around San Jose, the capital city.  We then took a trip deep into the country and visited a hot-water spa resort right next to an active volcano! A very memorable trip.

 

Mike, Rob, and Greg in front of Proctor and Gamble in San Jose. They are trying to look like serious businessmen...

The P&G tour.

Getting ready for our tour of Alimentos Kamuk, a Costa Rican hot sauce manufacturer.  Yum, yum!

How you doin'!

Professor Hills and I at Mirrodore, an overlook in the Costa Rican country side.  Dr.  Hills led our trip with his gentle wisdom and years of experience.

 

This was a plaza in the heart of San Jose where I came across an anti-war protest (the Iraqi War was occurring during our trip)

At the war protest, the local Hari Krishna chapter came out to sing and dance!  They were also celebrating their 20th year of being in Costa Rica.  Weird!

We paused to tour around San Jose a bit and stopped here in front of the National Bazillica.

We met up with Deb's college friend John, (pictured in the back left) who was studying abroad in Costa Rica.  Here we are with his very gracious host family

The fruit market in San Jose.  A crazy mix of people and small stands selling everything imaginable.

On the way towards Arenal we stopped at a small village with this amazing church and weird shrubbery.  When local gets married, the bride and groom walk through this arch to the church.

 

The inside of the church was elaborately designed.

These giant lizards were all over one place we stopped at.  This one is as long as a child!

Our final stop in Costa Rica was a hot-spring resort next to an active volcano, Arenal.  It erupts every nine minutes, which here you can see the gas and steam rising from its cone.  At night was could see the lava rolling down its sides.

As part of our adventure we did a "canopy tour" of the jungle where we went from tree to tree in climbing gear. Hell of a way to see a jungle!

Shantel zipping down the line.

Relaxing in the lava-heated spring.  The water is immensely hot and we could only stay in a few minutes at a time.

A view of the hot spring through the jungle.