So I left off with stories of Tamarindo, so first I'll finish the story of Sally's trip and then I'll take you deep into the heart of the rainforest.

Last Monday, the morning after we returned from a whirlwind trip to Tamarindo, Sally and I got up early to head up to Volcan Poas, the closest (and coolest) inactive volcano around. This map will show you where this volcano is in proximity to Alajuela where I live.

I've been to two volcanos and so far this is my favorite. The deep blue waters in the lagoon contrast with the high walls of the volcano and the dense tropical forest that surround it. Seriously it looks like the perfect spot for the stereotypical virgin maiden sacrifice (curiously neither Sally nor I were asked to volunteer). Volcan Poas is one of the most visited volcanoes in Costa Rica because of its proximity to San Jose and because of the really cool hiking trails in the gnarly forest that surrounds the two craters. The volcano stands 8,200 feet above sea level which means a lot of ear-popping on the way up.

Check out the sulfur gas emitted from the volcano....you could smell it before you could see it.

One of the most interesting ecosystems present at the park is the dwarf or ''stunted'' forest where the tough ferns and bonsai-type trees aren’t allowed to grow much because of the acid rain that’s emanated from the volcano. All the trees look really gnarly and when you walk through the trail it's like something out of a Grimm Brothers tale.

The hike takes you to the other, more peaceful looking crater (pictured below) which is now a cold water lake that connects to the Rio Angel, and later to the large Rio Sarapiqui.

On the way out of the park I had Sally pose with one of my favorite plants in Costa Rica whose name literally translates into Poor Man's Umbrella because the leaves are so thick and so broad that they could be used as...well, you get the point. They're cool though. Here she is feeling confident that if it rains she'll be the only one dry!

The volcano has had a long history of eruptions, going back as much as 11 million years (so said the sign, but how do they REALLY know??) More recently between 1952-1954 it bombarded nearby areas with ash and rocks. Since then Poas has maintained a low profile but as recently as 1989 the park was closed because of dangerous sulphurous gas emissions. Its geyser-like eruptions of muddy water and steam, have given it the reputation as the world’s largest geyser.

But the really cool side benefit of the rich volcanic soil are all of the strawberry farms in the hills surrounding and leading up to the volcano. All we looked at on the drive up was coffee plantations and strawberry fields....not a bad view! On the way down the mountain after the volcano we had a stop to make because my mama had some friends she wanted to visit (as usual). The first stop was a friend who owned a restaurant and gift shop right outside Poas. There we were treated to a new cuisine: a plate was served to me and on it was a very thick (maybe 1") and very large (literally the size of the dinner plate it was served on) fried tortilla made from a mixture of cornmeal and cheese. Served with it was fresh sour cream which was to be spread on top. It was delicious, but it was HEAVY! I could only eat about half, and Sally only got down about four mouthfulls before politely declining. Amateur, she'd obviously not been in carbo-land for very long.

Here is the family owned restaurant/gift shop where we hung out for a while, ate and had GREAT coffee.

After we left there we only had to go next door for our next visit. Luckily for us it was a family who owned a small strawberry farm!! FRESH-OFF-THE-VINE STRAWBERRIES ARE THE BEST (especially in Costa Rica)!!!

We were all excited to pick some fresh strawberries, but I think Sally may have pushed some small children and old ladies over in her rush...

...but the strawberries were soooooo damn good! (they really were too!!)

Monday night Sally and I met some friends at a bar and then went to a dance club called The Pueblo because instead of being one club it's literally a ''neighborhood'' of clubs behind a gate - a series of ten or twelve interconnected clubs to go through. We only made it to one, and sorry but there are no pictures (thank god) to document our evening. Rest assured...it was fun, and gave new meanings to bus rides at midnight, the color pink and bathroom sinks. Ask Sally. Tuesday morning Sally headed to the airport, left on time and thankfully arrived home without incident. She deserved it - her flight here was such a joke.

The subsequent week was a short one for me. We had no class on Friday because we were scheduled to go on our one planned ''class trip'' to Monteverde Rain Forest. My god what a trip, what an experience!!!