Somehow we decided to take one more tour--it sounded like it would feature a meeting with an herbalist-shaman as well as a visit to a chocolate factory, a visit with some indigenous peoples, and a hike to a waterfall.
Mostly it was a hike to a waterfall. The hike included walking through five rivers (some nearly hip-deep.) And being Costa Rica it rained throughout the hike. Our guide did admit that the last time he took a group on this tour was back in December. As we trudged through one swift river after another, I very much understood why. At one moment I lost my footing in the river and fell. Not seriously, just a minor bash on my knee. Mostly I was terrified for my camera. My camera case is hardly waterproof and it had been immersed. As soon as I could, I examined it. Yes it could still shoot, but the zoom was dead. I shot pictures as best as I could, hoping this was not a permanent condition. (Fortunately it wasn´t. After a good drying out under a lamp, my wonderful camera returned to normal.)
After the hike which did feature an amazing waterfall, we visited some Biri Biri people who were making crafts in a traditional looking hut for people like us to purchase. (And dutifully I purchased something.) Then we did go to a Chocolate Factory where we saw a bit of a demonstration of how cacao beans are made into cocoa butter and then eating chocolate. (Being a connosieur of really high-end dark chocolate, I wasn´t too terribly impressed.)
Finally we visited our guide´s father who is an herbalist (and not a shaman). We were shown bark that he has used to cure cancer, potions that he uses to balance the hormone levels in women...and in men as well as rocks that are used for hot and cold stone massage. I so wished we would have had the time to explore these amazing sounding substances.
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