We headed out from San Jose International Airport to  our destination of Arenal Volcano National Park.  It was a bright sunny morning in July and we all excited about getting to see this extraordinary natural phenomenon.  We were hoping for good weather and so far were are blessed with lots sunshine.  After around 3.5 hours driving  over mountains and through valleys of exceptional beauty we arrived to the little town of La Fortuna, situated in the shadows of the mighty Arenal.  A very small town indeed with  a lovely park in its center where locals mingle with tourists.  A small Catholic church facing the park’s north face is the town’s landmark.  Simple in design, it is quite unlike the grand cathedrals seen in many larger communities of Costa Rica.  Small restaurants, tour companies,  souvenir shops, and a small local grocery store give you an immediate feeling that tourism is the driving force in La Fortuna.

We were anxious and headed north on the only road out of town leading to the Arenal Volcano National park.  All of a sudden the clouds parted and there stood  the mighty Arenal in all it grandeur.   Wow!   But very quiet, not a sound came from it,  just the massive cone shaped monster seeming to reach the sky.