PostPoems Be Artistic. Be Creative. Be Inspired!

I was traveling in La Fortuna, Costa Rica and getting ready to head into the jungle toward a volcano.  I was thinking of a Genesis song “Dance On a Volcano.”  It was dark and scary but we all wanted to see the volcano.  It was also a bit overcast so we were informed that some of the views would be less intense.

The tour guide named Jose laughed a lot and he wore an interesting T-shirt.  On the front it reads, “Send More tourists,”.  On the back it showed human arms and legs sticking out from a crocodile’s mouth.  The caption read:  “The last batch were delicious.”

I immediately liked him.  He didn’t even try to the sentiment by wearing the words in Spanish.  It was plain and simple.  All us gringos had to know where he stood.  I’ve always harbored a healthy disdain for tourists myself so I was rather amused.

We wandered along the trail.  We each had our own flashlight.  We could hear a lot more than we could see.  “Is that a jaguar?” some questioned in response to a roar.  Jose just laughed at us.  “Try to keep together.  You don’t want to get lost out here.”

 The howler monkeys could cause significant stress.  Pound for pound, they’re probably the loudest mammal on the planet.  They also serve as an excellent reminder that we are not alone.

We arrive at a clearing where we could see the volcano.  There was some lava being spewed out.  The volcano would burp up a bit and the lava would trickle down the side of the volcano.  It wasn’t as spectacular as promised but it was intriguing.

Some of the tourists were complaining about the lack of theatrics.  There were sparks but no fireworks.  I was firmly entrenched in Jose’s camp on this issue.  It’s not like he controls the weather or the volcano.  It’s not like he can reach in with a giant spoon and stir up some activity.  When you deal with nature, you take what nature provides.

I enjoyed a good strenuous hike through the jungle.  It was only a little scary and a little exciting.  My empathy for Jose grew as the whining continued.  I certainly developed a greater appreciation for the T-shirt he was wearing.