Jul 11

Jul 11 Costa Rican Spotlight: Rio Celeste

Whenever I go on vacation, I get inspired. Six years ago almost exactly my mom, dad, and I, along with our good friends Isa, Howard and son Taylor, as well as a few of their good friends all piled into several cars and drove about 4 hours northwest of our home to Guanacaste for some "summer" aka "rainy season" adventures. Here's a little reflection of that memorable trip.

The Guanacaste Region

Guanacaste is in Northern Costa Rica (above Lake Arenal). Even though Guanacaste which is close to the Nicaraguan border is known to be drier than the rest of Costa Rica, where we stayed it was lush and green thanks to the rain. Guanacaste is very biodiverse, from wetlands to dry tropical forests, and is known for its many beaches, popular for surfing and diving. The area even has Serengeti-like plains and a popular tourist attraction known as the African Safari where you can see wild animals up close and personal. The area actually used to belong to Nicaragua until 1825, for which the grateful Costa Ricans have a really big party to commemorate each and every year. We stayed at La Carolina Lodge which is a family-friendly oasis near Volcano Tenorio. The lodge was central to so many activities including horseback riding, waterfalls and even features family style meals every night.

Horseback Riding Adventures

One of my favorite parts of the trip was horseback riding. This was my very first time and at the beginning, I was a little scared but then after awhile, I started to really love it. I realized that I can see so many beautiful birds and amazing wildlife all while up on the saddle! We trudged up hills, through streams, going deep into forests, and trotted through pastures and fields. I wish I could have held the reins and painted at the same time. At one point, we came across three stallions who had their eye on a filly our friend was riding. Thankfully, our tour guide expertly separated the horses who had forgotten they had company!

Rio Celeste Adventures

One day, we drove for about 30 minutes, until we reached the Tenorio Volcano National Park, where the famous Rio Celeste is located. After we hiked about 45 minutes, we came to the river and waterfall. The water is an incredible blue, which is thought to be caused by the combination of minerals generated by the two nearby volcanoes. However, scientists are now saying the volcanos are innocent bystanders and that the blue is caused by the combination of minerals coming from two transparent rivers, Quebrada Agria and Buena Vista. Regardless of what you believe, the color doesn’t look real since it is such a vibrant blue - like a turquoise. It is so beautiful that people come from everywhere just to see it!

Color Inspiration

When I paint waterfalls and rivers, I often try to bring that unique color as I remember it. I would love to go back and take lots of photos. Until then, I'll keep painting from my memories of this trip in order to capture the beauty.