Wednesday August 28th

It is very important to get your rest.  There will be a two hour time difference when we arrive to Costa Rica.  (If it is 5pm in New York it is 3pm in Puerto Limon) We will rise and give thanks for a new day in paradise.  From there we will go into the town in order to have a tour of the city and get an understanding of how the city works, its economy,  the culture, and so much more.  

We will have lunch at one of the beautiful Black-owned restaurants of the city to partake in meals of beans and rice, fish, jerk chicken, plantains and so much more.  You will love the fresh fruit that is abundant throughout the city.  

Throughout this day we will meet the members of the Universal Negro Improvement Association.  During the evening we will be downtown where there will be live music playing every night and food vendors as well until after the 31st.  (It is a very festive time to be in Puerto Limon)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-2U6bzr-lAk

Thursday August 30th

This day will start early.  We will awake and give thanks for being in paradise once more.  On this day we will travel down south to the areas of Cahuita and Puerto Viejo de Talamanca.  In Cahuita, we will take an excursion to the Cauhuita national forest.  You can choose to do the entire route or just some of the trail. The Cahuita National forest sits next to the Atlantic ocean.  As you walk through the forest, you also walk through next to the ocean on your left side and the marshes, forest, and wildlife to your right. When you come out of the forest you will be greeted by one of the perfect beaches of Costa Rica.  Read the excerpt below for more insight. 

 The hiking trail from the Kelly Creek station at Cahuita village,  around the point to the Puerto Vargas is an excellent route to spot  green ibis, yellow-crowned night herons, Northern boat-billed herons,  Swainson toucans, keel-billed toucans, Rufous Kingfishers, and the  Central American curassow. These feathered friends will most likely  appear while you are in the middle of wading the tannin stained waters  of the Perozoso (Sloth) River, and trying to extract your camera from  your fanny pack to capture a photo of the tamandua, paca, coati,  raccoon, or agouti that you’ve spotted at the edge of the trees.

Afterwards, we will then travel to Puerto Viejo in order to hear some of the local calypso music and it some of the local cuisine.   Puerto Viejo is known for it's relaxing atmosphere and scenic video.  There are a number of shops and stores to walk into. We will have dinner in Puerto Viejo, where I believe has some of the best food in the Caribbean Coast.  

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GhOxEqgaUe8

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wQI0o-ki-Oc

Friday August 30th

We will eat a hearty breakfast and then take a couple of boats out to Isla Uva.   It is here that we will have a great time hiking the uninhabited island for about 3 hours. Possibly we will have lunch here as well.  The island itself is overgrown and wild.  You may see some beautiful birds, incredible insect life, and some of the most incredible views.  That is my son in the picture above.  He enjoyed every single moment of the journey.  

If you look behind him you will see a piece of exposed rock.  Everyday the tide goes in and out.  When the tide goes out, there are shallow pools of water that trap fish and other sea life within the rock.  You will see natural aquariums that give you an amazing view of sea life.   

During the rest of the day, we will take the time to relax and play in the city of Puerto Limon.  Take this time to shop or to exchange information with new friends and family.  Take the time to get a little bit more of a taste of this city.  We will have a beautiful dinner before we leave.  We will rest and arise in the morning to go back to San Jose.  

By now, you will have fallen in love with this community and all it has to offer.  But we must all return to home....or have you found a new home?  

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A6oF0RHTnPI

Saturday August 31st

The Grand Parade falls on August 31st and is one of the largest celebrations in Afro-Costa Rica. It is the culminating event of the Black History Month Celebration.  August is the month that Marcus Garvey was born and it is in this month that we bring the energy of love and progress to the forefront.   

Today will be an awesome display of Blackness.  The music, the food, the history, the culture will all come to a head as the city shuts down in order to collectively celebrate the people of the African Diaspora.  We will arise for breakfast and before the event we will have a good lunch.  But on this day you will have the option to be a spectator and watch as bands parade down through the town along with their dancers and banners.  Or you can march with the Universal Negro Improvement Association.  

The city will truly be alive during this day.  Their will be live music all over the city.  Even after the parade, there are opportunities to stroll through the city and just enjoy the festivities if you are not too tired.  After dinner you can choose to go home, walk through the city, or possibly go to the water to relax.  

We will probably have a later dinner this day.  Wear comfortable shoes, have plenty of water on you, and if you are marching in the parade...a festive outfit that represents your African heritage.  

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eo1c9Eb32Z4

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eIt3naI6-9Q

Sunday September 1st

This is a very special event that you will not forget. We will make a magnificent ride through the forest of Limon.  Think of this as a family reunion unlike any you have ever seen before. We will arrive to the train track in the morning and take off from there.  We will ride journey to Siquieres.  The event is a celebration of life and a fitting end to such a momentous journey.

 Talk to people, sing the songs, hear the stories of Afro-Costa Rica.  This event is probably one of the most memorable events I have had in my life and I believe you will never forget this journey.  

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QiUXDQ7Gz5A

Monday September 2nd

It is smart to pack the night before because we will be leaving earlier in the morning to return to the airport in San Jose.  We will eat a breakfast before we fully leave and have a lunch on the road to San Jose.  Take pictures, sing some of the new songs you have heard, rejoice at the experience you have had and realize that now, have a new home.