Costa Rica Adventure Itinerary - day by incredible day

Sunday, February 6, 2005:

• Arrival of all parties to San Jose, Costa Rica. Our driver will meet us and transport us to the Villas Tournon Hotel in San Jose. Greetings and rest. Each person is responsible for his/her own air travel arrangements and reservations and MUST arrive in San Jose International airport (SJO) by this date. No exceptions. Our driver will meet us and transport us to a San Jose hotel. (Your arrival in San Jose on Feb. 6 will be an evening flight so please make sure with Jan that your flight coincides with the rest of the group or a time close to everyone else's so we aren't driving back and forth picking people up).

Monday, February 7, 2005

• Travel by Toyota Coaster to the southern Pacific zone to our first destination at Pacific Edge on the mountain of Escaleras above Dominicalito Beach. Southwestern Costa Rica is described "as the most biologically intensive place on the earth" by the National Geographic Magazine. Our scenic coastal route will offer opportunities to experience the best of both worlds - marine and rainforest ecosystems where we will fully immerse ourselves for the next week. Check out this article about the habitats of Costa Rica and the birds. Our accommodations are beautiful cabins located 600 feet above the sea where the sounds of the jungle howler monkeys and toucans blend with crashing waves below.
  

Tuesday, February 8

• After breakfast we'll begin with an introduction and demo by Jan on understanding the light in the jungle in our open air studio, near the pool and surrounded by our subject matter. Throughout our painting session, students can photograph, sketch, paint and participate in helpful critiques with Jan. We'll break for lunch and resume painting in the afternoon. Our evening of pleasure will include leisurely dinner and enjoyment of the abundant creatures of the jungle.
  

Wednesday, February 9

• Morning of painting and possible bird watching, photography and sketching. We'll see various parrots, toucans, hummingbirds and members of approximately 110 other species of birds! Jan will offer a lecture/demo on color relationships featuring birds and jungle habitats. Afternoon: students can choose to sketch, take short hikes or paint. Late afternoon critique. For further reference on birds see: A Guide to the Birds of Costa Rica by Gary Stiles and Alexander Skutch, Comstock Publishing Associates.

Thursday, Feb. 10

• Morning includes discussion of subjects observed and lecture/demo by Jan as well as painting, sketching. We will work to problem solve issues related to our paintings. Late afternoon critique session. In the evening we may to out to the town of Dominical or to a beautiful lookout restaurant called La Parcela on the cliff overlooking the southern pacific coastal shores. We will have many opportunities to see the birds and wildlife in the area.
  

Friday, Feb. 11

• After breakfast we will travel south to La Cusinga and become acquainted with our new surroundings with a lecture from the hotel manager who is also a conservator of the wildlife around his area. He will talk about the Marino Ballena National Park and habitats which you will be viewing, sketching and painting for the next few days. Jan will introduce the content of the next few days of class and include some technical information about painting water, etc.. Evening will find us enjoying the cooking of our Argentine hosts. And, yes - this is home to Humpback Whales and friendly dolphins! Also, Giant Sea Turtles. Click here for a wonderful article about the beauty and smplicity of La Cusinga.
  

Saturday, Feb. 12

• Painting, sketching and critiques throughout the day. In the late afternoon we may enjoy a possible horseback ride to the nearby beach of Playa Hermosa or to the shores of the Whale's Tail through Mangrove forests and rivers where flora and fauna abound!
  

Sunday, Feb. 13

• All day - painting and documenting our surroundings. Late afternoon critique followed by a beautiful evening dinner discussing our experiences!
  

Monday, Feb. 14 Happy Valentine's Day!

• After breakfast we will depart from the Southern Coast and travel up through several ecosystems to the Talamanca Mountains (11,500 ft elev.) through Cerro de la Muerte (Death Hill). We will stop along the way to try to spot the resplendent and elusive Quetzal birds at the Mirador El Quetzal. There we can have a light lunch with local Tico food and homegrown trout before we continue our journey north to the Arenal Volcano and Tabacon Lodge.
  

Tuesday, Feb. 15

• We'll wake up at the beautiful Tabacon Lodge and go to the mineral hot spring pools to experience the incredible gardens and habitats that engulf the Arenal Volcano - which may even spew some lava while we are there. Jan will offer a demo/lecture and we'll paint in the gardens. In the evening, you may enjoy the pools, spa, hiking or shopping.

Wednesday, Feb. 16

• After a wonderful buffet breakfast we will enjoy and paint around the gardens and pools. Late in the afternoon we'll have a final critique of paintings done throughout the Adventure/Workshop and relax.
  

Thursday, Feb. 17

• After breakfast we'll begin our journey slowly down towards San Jose stopping along the way at the beautiful town of Sarchi where local painters paint the famous and colorful ox-carts. There you may buy beautiful crafts from local artesanos and enjoy a nice Tico lunch. In San Jose, we'll stay again at the Hotel Villas Tournon where we'll enjoy our last evening together before our early morning departures back to the U.S.
  

Friday, Feb. 18, 2005

• Farewell and departure from San Jose International Airport (SJO)
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Some Details....

Watercolor/Sketching Instructor: Jan Hart Jan Hart's email
Costa Rica Guide: Leslie Anderson

• Cost: $2,200 US per person, double occupancy.. Not including airfare to and from San Jose, Costa Rica (SJO). Includes all accommodations in Costa Rica including breakfasts, some light lunches, all tranportation while in Costa Rica, all watercolor and sketching instruction from Jan and full time guidance /translation with Leslie Andersen.

• Reservations on a first deposit received basis - made with deposit of ($500 now, $600 by Sept. 1, 2004) $1,100, which is half the total amount on a first come basis. Balance of $1,100 due by November 15, 2004. Class size limited to 12. There is one place still available for a non-painting partner as part of the group. Non-Painters - $1700; Deposit $850. All registered studentwll receive a materials list and packing list from Jan. Any concerns regarding accommodations can be directed to Jan who may send them on to Leslie. Each participant is responsible for:
  • Valid passport
  • Round trip airline reservations and tickets to San Jose International Airport (SJO) on February 6 (No exceptions) returning on February 18, 2005.
  • Any inoculations prescribed by your physician.

 

• Cancellation policy: Spaces are reserved on a first deposit received basis. Once your place has been reserved, there will be a non-refundable cancellation charge of $100 prior to 75 days before the event. The cancellation fee for less than 75 days before the event will be charged according to expenses incurred. No refund less than 30 days unless we can
  replace your reservation with another student. We reserve the right to cancel any event, in which case you will receive a complete refund.

There are 2 spaces left - so register NOW email Jan