Vacations-Away
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Arenal
(the cloud forest Map of Arenal Area Arenal Volcano Arenal Lake We departed La Playa Grande
and traveled for 5 hours, across We arrived at Lake Arenal in a storm and traversed 12km of world-class potholes to reach Fortuna, the National Park Top (Parque Nacional Arenal) and the Arenal Volcano (one of the most active in the world). Cabin We
stayed at a cabin We were having a late lunch (another 2 hour relaxing meal) at the Arenal Lodge (located on a mountain above the Lake and across the jungle from the volcano}, The Arenal Volcano
After two days the skies suddenly cleared
unveiling the volcano looming before us.
We watched the lava flowing most of the afternoon and evening. Our relative position to the Volcano was less than 6 kilometers.
The volcano 2-3 million years old, rises 5,358 feet above lush pastures and cloud forests. An eruption occurred on July 29, 1968 and killed 87 people, the town of Pueblo Nuevo to the south was eradicated, and 1,500 acres of farmland and forest were smothered in molten lava. The lava flowed toward the Tabacon River Valley at a rate of 30-100 feet per day. The volcano now sputters and lava flows at a more sedate rate. Toward evening the lava flows became more obvious. In the night the lava flowed out of the cone and tumbled down the north side as a hot molten avalanche cooled by the chill of the night air. Arenal Lake
was all aglow in the sunset as we returned from Arenal Lodge and drove
across the dam. The lake is man made. A dam constructed at the southern end (near the volcano), enlarged a smaller existing lake. Near the bottom of the lake are ruins of some ancient civilizations. The view of the Lake is from the road built across the dam. The next morning the volcano had disappeared, gone again as the clouds moved in. Top MAIN TOPICS
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, volcano & lake) 
the
Gulf of Nicoya, back to the Main Highway Rte 1, Canas, Tileran,
then Arenal
overlooking the volcano Two days of rain and clouds
hid the volcano from sight. We were told that the volcano had not been seen for 2
months as it was the rainy season in the Arenal area (November through January). 
Our last daytime view of the volcano.
