As we approached the Golfo Dulce we were greeted by hundreds of dolphins swimming along side the ship. Terns flew in front of the bow waiting for flying fish to take their last graceful glide. The day grew gloomy and humid. The dolphins disappeared, the visibility diminished and it began to rain. We did an about face and headed back out to the Pacific. Our next stop was Puerto Caldera a busy shipping harbor not far from Puntarenas at the mouth of the Golfo de Nicoya. Craig and I boarded a modern air-conditioned bus for a 45-minute ride to a nature preserve. There we boarded a small riverboat for a too-short tour of mangroves on the Guacalillo estuary. The estuary ends at the Tarcoles River, which empties into the bay. We saw some wildlife, small crocodiles, iguana, red macaws, assorted lizards, cranes, herons, vultures etc. No monkeys, no sloths, no big cats. Back onto the bus we headed for the old railroad train we would be riding. Two tour buses, another and ours parked side by side at a rail crossing on the two-lane highway. A rickety old 4-car derelict pulled up in front of us and we all boarded there in front of the cars waiting to pass. The antique interiors spoke of a time gone by. Mahogany wainscoting, small coffering by the ceiling suggested that it may have been a private car at one time. It is now equipped with Pirelli rubber floors and fold down benches. There was no A/C but with all the windows open and the forward motion of the train it was not at all uncomfortable. We returned just before the ship was set to depart. We are now on our way to Bahias de Hautulco.
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