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Costa Rica through the Mist

Arenal Volcano
Arenal Volcano
Costa Rica was a country of beauty and adventure and surprises.
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Bonus Side Trip

Nov 30, 2008
Sloth
Sloth (Janet Gordon)
The airplane day is never interesting if things go according to plan ("We and our luggage arrived on time")! It didn't. Thanks to San Jose being fogged in we diverted to Panama so we could land while we had fuel. So although we never left the tarmac we can add Panama to our life list of countries visited. The endless line of ship lights waiting to get to the canal could be seen as we approached so this was a bonus sight and adventure. We had to say goodbye to our Panama sojourn at 1 AM, since the fog had lifted and we could return to San Jose.

Bananas Have Fun Too

Dec 01, 2008
Banana zip line
Banana zip line (Janet Gordon)
We were still checking in to Hotel Bergerac at 3 AM (bothering a light sleeper on the second floor who got dressed to come down and inform us that it was late) but at least didn't have to get up until 5 AM. The van left for the Caribbean coast under blue skies, which we would eventually be grateful to have had. The road along the rugged slopes of the Central mountain range gave way to farmland with cattle herds and coffee and banana plantations. Our van stopped as a boom came down at a banana crossing so the bananas could take their zip line across the road to the processing area. Our first experience of the wildlife we would see was a sloth in a tree across from the gas station in Guapiles. Important lesson--the best way to spot wildlife is look for a tourist van that has stopped. The boat ride through the canals of Tortuguero to our destination at Turtle Beach Lodge was a chance to add crocodiles, caimans and emerald basilisks to our list.

Paddle Closer to the Caiman so I can take a Picture

Dec 02, 2008
kayak Tortuguero
kayak Tortuguero (Janet Gordon)
Another early day with the 5:30 AM start to the boat tour back in the canals. A warm dry morning along the tannin-stained waters gave a chance to see the birds and animals up close. I began a list of bird species I'm still trying to reconcile with the photos of same. It includes tiger herons, night herons, pale-billed woodpecker and kingfishers. White-faced monkeys, long-nosed bats and iguanas also accepted our presence. It was still morning when two of us rented kayaks to visit other sections of the canals. Our destination was to reach the Caribbean, which was possible with the high water levels. The calm water had little current and we were alone to savor these peaceful lush forests. Along these narrow waterways we passed a caiman sunning on a cluster of vegetation. My good friend Marilyn, however, was unwilling to paddle up next to it so I could get a picture. ("But we could win the Adventure-Life photo contest!") We were back to the lodge in time for lunch. The rain had started as we kayaked but we were dry in time for the 3:30 PM jungle hike. Everyone was given rubber boots to wear--a true hint of the trail to come as the rain increased. After all, it is a rain forest, people! This was a chance to see more nocturnal critters including tree frogs and boat-billed herons. Another lesson--it is a fine line between starting a hike near dark so you can see the animals and starting so late that it is too dark to see anything.

Rain? What Rain?

Dec 03, 2008
Tortuguero canals
Tortuguero canals (Janet Gordon)
During the night the sound of a heavy downpour persisted. I naively thought "Great! It can't rain this hard for too many hours without a break, so it will be done by morning." O Contrare (pardon my not- quite French.) Our departure was delayed a few hours because the van coming from San Jose was stopped by a mud slide in the mountains. This is a common occurence so no surprise. It was a fine place to be delayed--warm open-air restaurant, views of the Caribbean, pet rhinoceros beetle on the railing, new lakes dotting the landscaping and spilling over the walkways. When we did leave the canal waters were high and the shoreline was noticeably affected with areas of slides and downed trees as well as debris being sent rushing past. A lesson about the power these rains could create. Our rain ponchos borrowed from the lodge were much appreciated. This is certainly a special place. On the way through Guapiles the same sloth was in the same stand of trees, proving they are called sloths for a reason. We stayed again at Hotel Bergerac, having arrived at a much nicer hour.

Hey Guys! There's Lava!

Dec 04, 2008
Tiger heron
Tiger heron (Janet Gordon)
A sunny morning greeted us along with our guide, Mario. Our first stop was at a coffee plantation where we learned about one of Costa Rica's most important exports and began to become coffee snobs ("avoid the 1820--it's swill; the Tarrazu is the best.") Ask me about how they process it, if you dare. It was early enough in the day to welcome the samples too. Our next stop was La Paz Waterfall Garden. By then our friend Rain had returned. Since it was not cold, those of us from the Pacific Northwest could not complain. This was an amazing park with many different displays, including hummingbirds and other birds, butterflies, reptiles and amphibians. The trail through the gorge with the waterfalls was well-constructed and the waterfalls were especially powerful from all the recent rain. My heart goes out to all those affected by the recent earthquake. It is humbling to have stood in places that only a few weeks later were scenes of devastation. I hope this wonderful destination can recover quickly. We continued on to Arenal Observatory Lodge near the slopes of Arenal volcano. It was soon dark but the clouds lifted. As we were unpacking in our rooms, Walt and Deann called out from their door next to us. You can see lava! Sure enough, red streaks and bursts tumbled down the slopes in front of us. Each room had a patio from which one can view this awesome display from a close but safe distance. There was a red glow at the summit emanating from the crater. Those were some of the most memorable moments of this trip and of my life. We continued to watch as we ate dinner in their fine restaurant.

Looking for Snakes in the Dark On Purpose

Dec 05, 2008
Coati
Coati (Janet Gordon)
Our umbrellas got a lot of use this morning but the rain didn't stop us. After watching colorful birds and the resident coati during breakfast our hike took us to views of some of the lava flows from earlier Arenal eruptions. Then we opted for the Hanging Bridges hike nearby. More birds and lush vegetation. Our free afternoon gave us a chance to get wet on purpose. The large hot tub at the lodge was under cover so we snuck some wine and cheese there to have while we soaked and relaxed. We had to guard against a coati coming up to steal our food. At dusk we started our night-time hike nearby. Somehow Mario found a snake just off the trail curled in a bush. This was an eyelash palm pit viper that let us live. We also got a close look at a brilliant rain forest frog--that's the name of the species, not just my description. You have to hand it to them for these fanciful names! We also saw a kinkajou. Unfortunately we had no joy juice.

Birds Out the Wazoo

Dec 06, 2008
Oropendola
Oropendola (Janet Gordon)
Before leaving Arenal Lodge we got a good look at their resident mascot, a wild oncilla. This is a wild cat that looks like a small leopard. It was an orphan and spent the first part of its life with a family. It is now encouraged to live wild but it likes to hang around the lodge. It would be rare to see this species otherwise. This was mostly a travel day but in Costa Rica that still means new bird sightings. Colorful birds such as the Montezuma oropendola flock to the feeders outside the dining room. A leisurely breakfast was a nice way to start the birdwatching for the day. Our route to Monteverde included a boat trip across Arenal Lake where birds included Anhinga, kingfishers, woodpeckers and cormorants. On the far side of the lake a van took us up a steep dirt road that opened up views across lush valleys. At our lunch near the Hotel Montana there were more new bird species such as black guans and chlorophonia. The bird list we got at the start of the trip helps me recall and spell these things. Although this area is the central highlands, from our balcony we enjoyed a beautiful view to the Pacific along with a nice Chilean wine.

We Tarzan

Dec 07, 2008
Eyelash palm pit viper
Eyelash palm pit viper (Janet Gordon)
Zip lines have become popular in a lot of places but our zip line tour here was special. It was a fun way to experience the cloud forest canopy. In addition to about a dozen zip lines there also was an Indiana Jones-like suspension bridge (without the Nazis) a short rappel and a rope Tarzan swing. It was a bit hard to make yourself step off the platform even with all the safety lines. The hike in Monteverde Cloud Forest Preserve was actually not very rainy. The thick canopy catches a lot of the moisture so it is more like walking in a cloud (well,duh). The phrase "forest primeval" came to mind. Our wildlife sightings included seeing a fox trot :-) across the trail. The trail reached a promontory on the Continental divide. On a clear day one can see both the Pacific and the Caribbean. The day finished with a soaking in the hot tub while watching the sunset.

Rocks and Crocs

Dec 08, 2008
White-faced monkey--Tortuguero
White-faced monkey--Tortuguero (Janet Gordon)
This was mostly a travel day. It was a 5 hour drive to our next destination, Manuel Antonio, on the Pacific coast. Along a rocky dirt road we continued to have views all the way to the Gulf of Nicoya. There were stops for road construction along the way. Mario commented that these projects have been going on for decades (possibly a slight exaggeration from someone that is endured many trips on this route). Along the way we stopped to walk across the bridge where there are always many crocodiles just below in the river and along the shore. Apparently they congregate there to feed on the cruise ship passengers on their excursions. Our hotel near the town of Quepos was close to a large public beach. We had a swim in the ocean then after Happy Hour in the hotel pool we went back to enjoy another great sunset.

Rafting Adventure

Dec 09, 2008
A butterfly at La Paz Waterfall Garden
A butterfly at La Paz Waterfall Garden (Janet Gordon)
This was our day for white-water rafting. We were upgraded from the Naranjo to a longer trip on the Savegre River because of water levels. Just the trip to the start was interesting. We rode in a small open Hummer through agricultural areas and stopped often to learn about the products. This included areas of palm oil palms, rice fields and teak plantations. There were also stops to identify lemongrass, cinnamon, paprika and vanilla. We could look down from high on a hillside to see the river. From there it looked like easy riffles. The day was sunny and the water was warm. The raft trip was 8-9 miles long and included Class II and III rapids. As someone who has not done this often, I can tell you these were not little riffles. In such a small raft the power of the water was intense and even intimidating. As you entered a rapid it seemed it would swallow you. In the midst of a rapid you could seem engulfed. But our guide knew the route well. Among the sights along quiet stretches were toucans and a boa constrictor. Along the way we stopped for a short walk to a waterfall and later a lunch stop along the shore. At that point we had about one more hour before finishing. Shortly after lunch a second raft with another group flipped near the end of a rapid. We were just downstream so used our orientation lessons to go back and help. Everyone was fine and seemed to take it in stride. The rest of our afternoon was the ride to our next destination farther down the coast, the incredible La Cusinga. From our patios we sat and watched another spectacular sunset over the Pacific with a different fine Chilean wine.

Another Day in Paradise

Dec 10, 2008
At La Paz Waterfall Garden
At La Paz Waterfall Garden (Janet Gordon)
A leisurely start to this day with coffee on the veranda looking at the Pacific across the grounds of La Cusinga. Our weather was mostly warm and dry. After breakfast there was a nature walk through the forest. Mario helped me get a good photo of a waterfall. Then a nice lunch. This is good opportunity to praise our meals here. The open air dining area was always pleasant. The food was fresh and varied. The staff was very friendly and helpful. This part of the trip offered various options. For this afternoon we decided to go snorkeling at Ballena National Park. We could see a sand spit from La Cusinga that became exposed at low tide and led to a rocky islet. It was a short drive there and then about a mile walk on the sand. We were actually splashing through the water at first as the water level was going down on both sides. The wave action was very unusual. The waves came straight at us from both the right and the left, meeting in the middle. We snorkeled in warm, clear water for 45 minutes. Saw a nice variety of fish and one eel. On the walk back, the sand that had been underwater was now a dry expanse around 200 feet across.

Sea Turtles Need Our Help

Dec 11, 2008
At La Paz Waterfall Garden
At La Paz Waterfall Garden (Janet Gordon)
Our destination today was Cano Island, a 29-mile boat ride offshore. This island is known for its mysterious round boulders, carved by an indigenous people apparently as burial markers. It is unknown how they were made but the material did not originate on the island. These rocks are exactly spherical and quite smooth. Our goal was to hike a trail where some could be seen and also to do some snorkeling. We did that but also had a very intense, amazing experience along the way. Along the way we passed a large commercial fishing vessel. Shortly after that we noticed some debris floating in the water. The boat went over to remove it. As we approached we saw that it was abandoned fishing floats and line. Then we saw them. Four sea turtles trapped in the tangle and destined to die if we hadn't happened along. One had a large hook in its mouth. We were able to cut and unwind the line to free them while they stayed in the water, except for the one with the hook. He was brought onboard and we gently removed the hook with pliers. All four seemed to swim away strongly when they were free. Undoubtedly the fishing vessel had found it preferable to break the law and cut away this section rather than take the time to free the turtles. We were able to report this to a nonprofit vessel that monitors the area for violations. It is heartbreaking to imagine this scenario year-round throughout the world. I can't think of another experience that moved me the way this did.

Winding Down

Dec 12, 2008
Anhinga
Anhinga (Janet Gordon)
The last full day of a journey such as this is always bittersweet. There are the memories already acquired, the last chance to savor the area and the realization that it is almost over but also the looking forward to getting home. We decided on a low-key day around La Cusinga. The usual coffee in the early morning on the veranda. As always there were many birds, including toucans, kingbirds and chachalacas. There usually were monkeys cavorting in the trees. We took a hike down to the beach just below the lodge. This was a large, sandy beach with large breakers. Mario showed us how to open a coconut and we drank its water and sampled its meat. After another nice lunch we headed back to San Jose. The road, part of the Pan American Highway, was mostly paved. We started at sea level and reached over 11,000' along the way. Most of this road is closed from 6 PM to 6 AM every day (because of worries about landslides) so you have to time your departure. We arrived back at Hotel Bergerac at 5:30 and said goodbye to Mario.

Homeward Bound

Dec 13, 2008
Chlorophonia--Monteverde
Chlorophonia--Monteverde (Janet Gordon)
We were happy for an uneventful trip back home to the Pacific Northwest with many wonderful memories to carry with us. This was my second trip with Adventure Life. I hope I can plan my next one soon.

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