The town, actually Santa Elena, was started in the 1950s by an American Quaker community (probably, I'd guess, attracted by the 1948 abolition of the military in Costa Rica).  They focused on dairy farming, and there's still good ice cream and cheese here.

But today, the town thrives mostly on tourism.  It's pretty much a backpacker haven...

Has lots of nice, cheap food shops, like this panaderia (bakery)...

where several of us, getting back too late from the Hanging Bridges to do the Night Walk, sampled a guave pastry, strawberry and pineapple struddle, and a sort of corn meal pudding, the texture of flan without the sauce. 

We also tried the ice cream--Cindy has the orange-pineapple, Fr and I the soursop, and Steve the macadamia.  All good.

And we did a tourist visit to the Tree House Restaurant, built around a still living tree.


later, bob