I Paid Money For That???

I’m not sure when I’ve had a more miserable experience that I actually paid money for. The tour we had planned for today (Volcano Hike, Hot Springs and Dinner) ended up not happening so Beth and I decided to go on the Lava Rock tour offered by the hotel. I, along with others, was under the impression that this was a “walk”. Not so at all. Turns out it was a HIKE up the steep side of the volcano, complete with loose rocks, slippery mud and constant rain. I kept thinking to myself, “I could be at the hot springs, relaxing and enjoying myself.” Beth loved every minute of it, of course. Her background and interest in geology and geophysics outweighs all the inconveniences of schlepping up and down hill in the mud and rain. I will say that the view was pretty amazing from high atop the mountain...we were within 100 meters of the area where it's too dangerous to be because of the sulphuric gases.




Arenal Volcano is pretty active, spewing lava nightly. It’s probably a beautiful sight when you can see it. Unfortunately, our view was obstructed by clouds. However, we did get to see lava coming down the side of the volcano several times. I'm working on posting a video that shows the lava as it rolls down the volcano.