Tico Tales -The Orosi Valley (August 19)

Occasional Tales from our Life in Costa Rica

Last weekend we drove through the Orosi Valley, located about one hour east of San Jose. It's one of the few places in Costa Rica where you can see remnants of 17-century Spanish colonialism. The valley also happens to be a gorgeous setting for a Sunday drive, boasting emerald green hills, sprawling coffee plantations, tidy farmhouses, and even a national park.




This is the 1743 Iglesia de San Jose de Orosi. From Fodor's Costa Rica 2007: "It's the country's oldest church still in use, and one of the only structures still remaining from the colonial era . . . inside are an antique wooden altar and ancient paintings brought to Costa Rica from Mexico."







These are the ruins of Costa Rica's first church, Iglesia de Ujarras. It was built between 1675 and 1680. From Fodor's again: "An unlikely Spanish victory in 1666 over a superior force of invading British pirates was attributed to a prayer stop here." Real pirates of the Caribbean - cool!





Having to drive across this suspension bridge lined with wooden planks made Amy sweat. The planks move under the weight of the cars, and there was a hole in the bridge!



You-know-who, cute-as-can-be