Our tour group met in the evening for orientation about what
was going to happen on the trip. After
that we had a buffet dinner in the hotel.
Some of us sat around after dinner and chatted about things. Went to bed and slept well.
Day 3 Feb 8
After a good buffet breakfast, a local biologist talked an hour about Costa Rica biodiversity and how it came to be. An extremely good presentation. The group then headed out to the old military fort for a tour of a butterfly house and a view of the cultural history from the earliest history, pre-columbian. The butterflies were fun.
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| this round sphere top has the star constellations. |
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| Jade jewelry |
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| Ceremonial grain grinding metate |
In 1948 a revolution occurred because the old elected official refused to surrender power to the new government. The new government eventually won and the country decided not to have a military any more. The new governor apparently said something like “guns win battles but love wins peace”. The military was disbanded and the the old fort was converted to a museum. We went by bus next to Café Britt which is on the site of the Britt coffee plantation, one of the best known in the country.
After a good lunch we
got a tour of the plantation where they described in detail how they plant,
take care of the plantation, harvest the beans and process them. Britt was the first Costa Rican coffee
company to roast beans and sell the finished product around the world.
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| Coffee beans (reds are ripe) |
Day4
We were at the bus to go to the Caribbean sea and 5:50 am.
We finally got out of town and headed east to the mountains toward the continental
divide. As we approached to pass, there
was fog in the air. The road was narrow
and slow. Two trucks were smashed
together off the road into the forest.
We had breakfast on the road at about 8:30 am in a very nice place. Our guide Pedro pointed out a poison dart frog
and a mother and baby sloth. 
We were now
out of the mountains and headed to Tortuguero national park. It required a boat to get to the park.
On the small river we saw white egrets,
tricolor egret, lizards, a caiman, blue
heron, king fisher and some howler
monkeys. Not bad for the late morning. This river emptied into a big river and our
resort for the next two nights was on the shore of the river. The Pachira lodge is very nice. Our room was in
a cabana fourplex. Did I say it is hot
and humid here? No air conditioning but
all the other amenities. After lunch we
headed off across the river to the sea turtle conservation area and watched a
short video on conservation efforts. Outside the room were three bats hanging
under a palm leaf. We walked a short
distance to the sea and saw where the sea turtles come to shore in the
summer. After wandering around and
seeing some green macaws we headed back across the river for our evening talk
on the history of the park, On the way
to the talk we saw a spider monkey with baby riding on its back up in the
trees, Dinner and then to bed. The day was fun and long.
We got up early to the sounds of howler monkeys just outside the room. Someone said they were doing it all night. We headed down to the boat for an early morning critter watching trip. We saw lizards, caiman, river otter (rare sighting) and many different birds, mostly waders.
Green macaws flew
over. Near the end of the trip the
thunderstorm started so on went the ponchos.
We had breakfast when we returned.
Before lunch we took a nature walk around the lodge. It is amazing how much our guide Pedro knows
about the flora and fauna. At 3 pm we
went on another boat ride for two hours and saw anhinga, egrets, two different
toucans, and three different monkeys
(spider, howlers, and white faced capuchin). 
Day 9 Feb 14 Happy Valentines day
Judy and I got up early to go on a birdwatching trip here on
the resort grounds. There were just
three of us from our group. We saw lots
of different birds. It was darkish so it
was not good for photos.
We had
breakfast with the group then headed out to Mystio park with lots of trails and
three suspension abridges we went over.
Our hike (sans Judy) was for two hours and we saw peccaries (very rare
to see them),
a snake,
howler monkeys,
leaf cutting ants and lots of
birds. Pedro also talked about a lot of
plants
. One suspension bridge was 140 feet in the air and 250 feet long.
After the hike and on the way back to the
resort was stopped by the Arenal lake dam and looked at a very rare to see
raptor. We had lunch when we got
back. 
For evening dinner we went to
Arenal Vida Campesina which is a sustained cultural education center where we
toured the farm and saw local edible and non-edible plants. We watched how to make sugar cane juice and
have some local rum. Before dinner, some
local kids performed some local dances.
We had dinner from foods grown in the garden. Very fun and educational evening.
 |
| Blue jeans frog (poison dart frog) |
On the small river we saw white egrets,
tricolor egret, lizards, a caiman, blue
heron, king fisher and some howler
monkeys. Not bad for the late morning. This river emptied into a big river and our
resort for the next two nights was on the shore of the river. The Pachira lodge is very nice. Our room was in
a cabana fourplex. Did I say it is hot
and humid here? No air conditioning but
all the other amenities. After lunch we
headed off across the river to the sea turtle conservation area and watched a
short video on conservation efforts. Outside the room were three bats hanging
under a palm leaf. We walked a short
distance to the sea and saw where the sea turtles come to shore in the
summer. After wandering around and
seeing some green macaws we headed back across the river for our evening talk
on the history of the park, On the way
to the talk we saw a spider monkey with baby riding on its back up in the
trees, Dinner and then to bed. The day was fun and long.
Day 5 Feb 10
 |
| Spider monkey |
We got up early to the sounds of howler monkeys just outside the room. Someone said they were doing it all night. We headed down to the boat for an early morning critter watching trip. We saw lizards, caiman, river otter (rare sighting) and many different birds, mostly waders.
Green macaws flew
over. Near the end of the trip the
thunderstorm started so on went the ponchos.
We had breakfast when we returned.
Before lunch we took a nature walk around the lodge. It is amazing how much our guide Pedro knows
about the flora and fauna. At 3 pm we
went on another boat ride for two hours and saw anhinga, egrets, two different
toucans, and three different monkeys
(spider, howlers, and white faced capuchin). 
Day 6 Feb 11
Got up early and were at the boat dock at 8:30. We took the same way back to the boat
launching place we started from. 
We
drove for one and one half hours and had lunch the same place we did the other
day. The bus then headed north west
turning off highway 32 at Guapiles instead of south west to San Jose. We saw in the distance a volcano that started
erupting two days ago spewing ash and apparently the magma level is
rising. 
We got to the rainforest lodge
which is a nature preserve and part of the jaguar corridor system. The lodge
name was Selva Verde which is also the name of the corridor.
Lots of birds and critters. 
After settling in, we took an hour walk with
our guide and saw more birds (two different toucans), sloth, and lots of
different plants. 
A university
professor gave a talk on the Mesoamerica corridor system for animal movements
from Panama to the US border. At least
they are working on it. Had dinner, did
the blog and went out to look at some green tree frogs about two inches
long. Then to bed.
We
drove for one and one half hours and had lunch the same place we did the other
day. The bus then headed north west
turning off highway 32 at Guapiles instead of south west to San Jose. We saw in the distance a volcano that started
erupting two days ago spewing ash and apparently the magma level is
rising. 
We got to the rainforest lodge
which is a nature preserve and part of the jaguar corridor system. The lodge
name was Selva Verde which is also the name of the corridor. |
| Our room |
After settling in, we took an hour walk with
our guide and saw more birds (two different toucans), sloth, and lots of
different plants. 
A university
professor gave a talk on the Mesoamerica corridor system for animal movements
from Panama to the US border. At least
they are working on it. Had dinner, did
the blog and went out to look at some green tree frogs about two inches
long. Then to bed.
Day 7 Feb 12
Got up early to watch birds at the feeder near the dining
room. Lots of different birds came there
to eat on the bananas. A toucan, oropendula,
various tanagers, an opossum named Andy, and many other birds.
We then had breakfast. After breakfast we went on a short 1.5 hour
rafting trip down the Sarapique river which eventually runs into the San Juan
river which makes the border with Nicaragua. Fun but with only class 1 and 2
rapids. Had lunch and they feed us well,
maybe too well. We then went on a tour
of an organic pineapple plantation.
Very
educational and entertaining with pineapple upside down cake and pina coladas
with run after the tour. After dinner at
the lodge, we went on a night walk looking for critters. Only saw a cute a male red eyed green tree
frog.
We then had breakfast. After breakfast we went on a short 1.5 hour
rafting trip down the Sarapique river which eventually runs into the San Juan
river which makes the border with Nicaragua. Fun but with only class 1 and 2
rapids. Had lunch and they feed us well,
maybe too well. We then went on a tour
of an organic pineapple plantation.
Very
educational and entertaining with pineapple upside down cake and pina coladas
with run after the tour. After dinner at
the lodge, we went on a night walk looking for critters. Only saw a cute a male red eyed green tree
frog.
Day 8 Feb 13
We left Selva Verde lodge after breakfast and headed
northwest to La Fortuna. We stopped for
lunch in the small tourist town of Fortuna.
After lunch we headed out to the Arenal Volcano national park for a
nature walk. Our guide talked about the
area we were in and how it has changed from the 1968 eruption in which 85
people were killed and a town destroyed.
Saw one toucan and two lizards. 
A nice one hour walk but it was hot and humid. We will spend the next
two nights in the very fancy Arenal Paraiso resort and spa. 
Individual fancy cabins, hot springs,
etc. Before dinner we had a very good
talk about the volcano and volcanic activity in Costa Rica.
A nice one hour walk but it was hot and humid. We will spend the next
two nights in the very fancy Arenal Paraiso resort and spa. 
Individual fancy cabins, hot springs,
etc. Before dinner we had a very good
talk about the volcano and volcanic activity in Costa Rica. Day 9 Feb 14 Happy Valentines day
 | ||||
| Rare view of cloudless Arenas volcanao |
 |
| Two crested guans and two toucans |
a snake,
howler monkeys,
leaf cutting ants and lots of
birds. Pedro also talked about a lot of
plants
. One suspension bridge was 140 feet in the air and 250 feet long.
 |
| Sloth hanging from toes |
After the hike and on the way back to the
resort was stopped by the Arenal lake dam and looked at a very rare to see
raptor. We had lunch when we got
back. 
For evening dinner we went to
Arenal Vida Campesina which is a sustained cultural education center where we
toured the farm and saw local edible and non-edible plants. We watched how to make sugar cane juice and
have some local rum. Before dinner, some
local kids performed some local dances.
We had dinner from foods grown in the garden. Very fun and educational evening.
Day10 Feb 15
Bags were at the door to be loaded into the bus at 6:45 am
and off to breakfast at 7. We left the
resort at 8 am and headed westerly over the continental divide again to the Pacific
side of the country. It was easy to see
the different forest type on the drier side of the mountains.
When
we reached the coast, we headed south to
the Tarcoles river. At Crocodile Safari
we had lunch and then headed out on a boat trip up the river and then back down
to the mangroves at the mouth of the river.
We saw lots of crocodiles, more than thirty species of birds. One really big croc was named Obama.
A really good trip. We then drove a little further south to Punta
Leona where there was a resort right one the Pacific Ocean. A really expensive looking place. After dinner we had a talk about the local
clash between preserving the natural beauty and biodiversity of the country and
tourist development.
When
we reached the coast, we headed south to
the Tarcoles river. At Crocodile Safari
we had lunch and then headed out on a boat trip up the river and then back down
to the mangroves at the mouth of the river.
We saw lots of crocodiles, more than thirty species of birds. One really big croc was named Obama.
A really good trip. We then drove a little further south to Punta
Leona where there was a resort right one the Pacific Ocean. A really expensive looking place. After dinner we had a talk about the local
clash between preserving the natural beauty and biodiversity of the country and
tourist development.
Day 11 February 16
Hot and humid. Whew.
After lunch we went to the beach called white beach and lounged around,
wading and taking in the sun.
Dinner at
6 pm. Then we got ready for an early
departure for another park high up in the southern mountains.
Day 12 Feb 17
We left Punta Leona and headed south on the coast
highway. We stopped at the Hacienda
Baru for a presentation from and American who was involved in converting a
ranch into a nature reserve. He had
a very interesting and compelling
story. This area had no roads until 1970
and no electricity until 1987. They get
about 17,000 eco-tourists every year. On
their 800 acres they have over 300
species of birds and lots of different mammals.
We then headed up the west and crossed the continental divide
again. We stopped at a restaurant for
lunch high up in the mountains above San. Isidro.
Our goal was Trogon lodge which we found out
was down a narrow, steep dirt road. The
area is very pretty with a creek running through it and fish ponds. 
We had a good talk about the one man’s view
on how the country became so heavily involved in conservation and
eco-tourism. Then a nice dinner which
included trout from the resort’s plan.
It is cool here probably in the 60’’s at dinner and will be in the 50’s
in the morning.
Our goal was Trogon lodge which we found out
was down a narrow, steep dirt road. The
area is very pretty with a creek running through it and fish ponds. 
We had a good talk about the one man’s view
on how the country became so heavily involved in conservation and
eco-tourism. Then a nice dinner which
included trout from the resort’s plan.
It is cool here probably in the 60’’s at dinner and will be in the 50’s
in the morning.
Day 13 Feb 18
We got up early and went with the group birdwatching. Saw some birds especially hummingbirds. The goal today was to find a quetzal. 
We had breakfast at 7 with the typical
menu. At
8:15 we took the bus up the hill aways to
where there were some wild avocado trees which the quetzals love to eat. After about a half hour two of the birds
appeared and then disappeared rapidly.
After another half hour or so we found one at it sat round for quite a
while. However it was quite a distance
away. A very beautiful bird greenish
with long feathers. The Mayans and
Aztecs considered it a god. We had
lunch and headed back to San Jose airport where we stayed at the Wyndhum
hotel. We had a final dinner and get
together as we are leaving in the morning.
Our flight leaves here at 7 am and we get home around 5 pm.
We had breakfast at 7 with the typical
menu. At
8:15 we took the bus up the hill aways to
where there were some wild avocado trees which the quetzals love to eat. After about a half hour two of the birds
appeared and then disappeared rapidly.
After another half hour or so we found one at it sat round for quite a
while. However it was quite a distance
away. A very beautiful bird greenish
with long feathers. The Mayans and
Aztecs considered it a god. We had
lunch and headed back to San Jose airport where we stayed at the Wyndhum
hotel. We had a final dinner and get
together as we are leaving in the morning.
Our flight leaves here at 7 am and we get home around 5 pm.
PURA VIDA
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| magnificent quetsal |
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| Judy and I a Trojon Lodge |
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