Alexis' Waterfall Chateau

Alexis met us half an hour up the road, gorilla-like and wielding a machete.  He whispered to me that the paths on our route were treacherous, so we would have to walk single-file in some places.   This little spark of danger made me a little nervous, but it was worth it, as Alexis would take us on one of the most diverse and beautiful hikes that I have been on in a long time.  We started in the forest, looking for snakes, those tiny adorable leaf cutter ants, and (I quote here) 'monkeys moving in troops swinging through the trees'.  That is right -- apparently monkeys move in troops (troupes?).  Through some clearing in the brush, we could see the entire valley spread below us.  Completely green and terraced with coffee plantations, it continued on forever.  Alexis took us to two waterfalls, looming giants which you could barely approach because the water fell too strong.  The rocks stood slippery with algae and slime, no path existing, and I realized that this is not a place that many people get to see. 

After swimming in rapids, Alexis took us to his own farm.  It lay bare on a mountainside, the coffee, pepper, chayote, and blackberry plants raising a kaleidoscopal labyrinth which induces a mixture of diziness and wonder.  He kept some land fallow, and we climbed up to the bald peak of a hill -- in fog so thick it was almost solid.  Leaving the forest and instantly coming to this foggy wonderland was, without any other words to put it, horror-movie-creepy.  'Oh-my-God-someone-is-going-to-kill-me-soon' creepy.  I would not have been surprised if the mist had suddenly turned red and a bloodthirsty Costa Rican stumbled through, dual-wielding machetes.  But, Alexis guided us safely out of the fog and to his house.  Like everything during this experience, it was out of a fairy tale; built by hand, his house is made of smooth logs of different colors, fitting together to make the quaintest dwelling imaginable.  It is decorated with hundreds of gourds hanging from the ceiling, mini-watercolors plastering the walls, and woven baskets in the corners.  The furniture is cut by hand and topped with animal pelts.  He has three trout ponds out back, with more than a thousand minnows swimming in each.  And there we are, standing in the middle, jaws agape and marveling at the personality and color of the place.

Note: at the end of the trip, Alexis asked us all to sign a piece of wood.  He is going to have his daughter paint scenery around the signatures and hang it up on his wall.