LA FORTUNA, COSTA RICA :: The small, bustling town of La Fortuna is the gateway to Arenal Volcano and served as our connection back to civilization during the first half of our trip. Although we stayed in a villa about 30 minutes away, we found ourselves coming back often to this tourist-friendly town for groceries, gas, and tours. There's a small park in front of the church with the best postcard view of the volcano, along with dozens of shops and "sodas" to grab a relatively cheap bite to eat. One of our favorite restaurants was the Lava Lounge, which offered seating along the sidewalk for prime people watching, as well as a resident 11 year-old cat named Cesar, who connected to Miranda immediately and wouldn't leave them the entire time we were there.
