Pura Vida!

Time has gone both slowly and very quickly.  Today is my last night in Costa Rica and I'm spending it at a super nice B&B in Rio Segundo and hopefully very close to where the rental car gets returned.  The drive today from the Caribbean side was, for the most part, delightful passing stands selling organic coconut oil, moving on to stands selling papayas four for less than two dollars, then melons.  Traffic slowed down just outside of Guapiles and a man at a fruit stand was looking up.  There was a three-fingered sloth climbing around right above his head!  That was, IMO, Costa Rica saying good-bye to me.  The road into San José skirts the bottom of Braulio Carrillo Park and is just beautiful with some of the densest jungle I've seen . . .  Next time!
Cahuita was my last destination on this trip and it is truly a unique place.  The Afro-Caribbean influence is evident everywhere:  in the food, the buildings and the people.  I spent a day walking and getting acquainted with the town including an afternoon swimming at Playa Negra - a beautiful beach.  The next day I went on a snorkeling trip which was fun, beautiful, informative and, if I had been paying attention instead of swimming off on my own, I would have seen a nurse shark.  Oh well!  I also took a trip to the Sloth Sanctuary which was a sad, happy, rewarding and educational experience.
The highlight of the trip was definitely when my new friends that I met in La Fortuna arrived.  We had dinner at Miss Edith's (an institution in Cahuita) and the food was good.  We then spent the next day in their long-term rental built by a man from Switzerland who moved to Costa Rica 27 years ago. It was probably the most relaxing day of my trip, just hanging around, cooling off in the spa (it was a cool tub instead of a hot tub!) and looking for birds.  We went for dinner in Puerto Viejo (a bustling town, especially for a Sunday night) and ate at a vegan Thai/Mexican/Middle Eastern fusion restaurant.  It was delicious!  After meeting for breakfast, I headed out and here I am, richer for the experience of crossing paths with these four great individuals as well as a lot more knowledgeable  and inspired in many ways. 
One more thing - it seems the Europeans were onto Costa Rica long before we discovered it.  Most people from Europe I've met (France, Italy, Switzerland in particular) who live here all say they moved here around 27-30 years ago.  Just an interesting fact. Here are some photos.

The First (and only) Kingfisher of this trip

A Montezuma Oropendula - Don't you love that name?
You should hear their call!

Coahuila Point

Playa Negra

A surf shack? Along the Playa Negra beach

The two photos below are of Buttercup, a world-famous three-fingered sloth and the first to be rescued at the Sloth Sanctuary. She is a permanent resident.  Many of the sloths will stay at the sanctuary forever.  The babies below will hopefully all be able to be returned to the wild.

 

 This sloth was on the side of the road on the way back from the sloth sanctuary - of course!

And the Baby Sloths - Is there anything cuter?  The ones with the dark raccoon-like masks are three fingered and the ones with the shiny, hairless noses are two-fingered. They are all adorable!

Where your chocolate comes from . . .  

And, finally, some howler monkeys having lunch.

 

Buenas Noches desde Costa Rica and Pura Vida!

San Gerardo de Dota - Roads and Quetzales

I suppose I should have known I was in for a strange trip when, about six kilometers outside of San Ysidro de General, just as promised in Lonely Planet, was a giant rock with melted plastic.  This the result of a giant statue of Jesus that once stood on this very rock being struck by lightning!  Another what are the chances moment and I'll leave it at that. 
This was at the beginning of the climb up the Montana de Muerte (Really!  The mountain of death!). It is the highest peak in Costa Rica at a bit over 11,300 feet.  At the crest of this mountain is the turnoff for San Gerardo de Dota - my destination.  The road into the valley (still at 7,700 feet) is 9 km of one lane hairpin turns, occasionally paved and sometimes not with traffic coming in the opposite direction.  That's a pretty steep descent of almost 4,000 feet in 9 km. Try backing up or down a road like that in a stick shift.  Challenging - but I did survive. 
After completing the drive back up from a really delightful stay in San Gerardo de Dota, I realized my hand was clenched to the steering wheel and was cramping!  The fun had not ended though.  The main highway into Cartago has had huge sections just fall into the valley below.  It hasn't been repaired though.  It just becomes one very scary lane with a huge drop off and cars and trucks in each direction take turns.  There were at least 5 of these drop offs. 
Later, as I passed Turrialba and was almost to Siguirres, I was just saying to myself what a great road it was - smooth, no potholes.  Ha!  Traffic stopped for a half hour because they are making a new road!  I got to meet the woman road worker while I sat there.  She was really nice.  I also bought some of the most delicious fried plantains from a man selling from car to car.  Yum!
So, San GDD is known for two things: Quetzales and fly fishing for rainbow trout.  You'd have to be crazy about one thing or another to drive down that road.  For me, it was the quetzals.  There was a young man, Jake from Boston, staying at the same lodge as me and he was on a fishing trip (fly fishing - catch and release) between high school and college.  After Costa Rica he is heading for Chile and Argentina - also fishing.  He said that the US military introduced this trout into Panama and they somehow made their way upstream into the rivers (in this case the Savegre River) of Costa Rica.  His trip to get there was even stranger than mine.  He took buses and didn't know there were two San Ysidros so went to the wrong one.  Then took a bus to San Gerardo - not San Gerardo de Dota.  He said he ended up having to pay $150 for a taxi from the wrong San Gerardo.  Poor guy!
The local lodges have ponds also stocked with trout if you want to catch and keep them.  I had trout in different ways the two nights I spent there and it was delicious!  This area is just incredibly beautiful with water gushing out of the mountain all over and forming the cleanest roaring river full of waterfalls that I've seen.  I fell asleep each night to the sound of the river. 
Okay, enough talking.  Some photos below.

Melted Jesus

At over 11,000 Feet and deep in the clouds

View of Moon Rise from my cabin

Walking to dinner from my cabin

 

A View from the mountain toward the valley of San Ysidro de General

The Savegre River



All the same bird.

Another View



Three Different View of a Male Quetzal
The long tail feathers are just to attract a mate.
They lose them after mating.

Female Taken 2.27.  Their colors can look different I'm told depending on the light.

Female taken 2.28 with a front view.

 I had some other bird photos, some of them pretty nice but it seemed silly to include them.  They are beautiful but these are called resplendent quetzales for a reason. 

Monkeys, Monkeys, Monkeys and Sloths

Today was definitely a mixed bag.  Manuel Antonio Park is an incredibly beautiful place but it has been discovered in a big way.  Granted, it was Sunday so maybe busier considering that they're closed on Monday?  Anyway, crowded even when I arrived at 7:30 (to avoid the crowds). One parking place that motioned me in turned out to cost about $6 but was 2 km from the park.  I said no thanks and he said some nasty things.  Glad I didn't park there because I found a very nice place much closer and run by nicer people for the same price. 
So I hiked about 7 miles and went swimming in my underwear because the water was just wonderful and I had on nice sports underwear.  That was at a great beach (photo below).  It wasn't as crowded as the main beaches because it was a good hike to get to it. 
Sadly, after leaving the beach I found a man had passed away while hiking.  No other info but it sure puts things in perspective.  I took a time out and, after a break decided to continue with my hike in his honor.
I saw amazing wildlife the rest of the day.  I've included some photos below. 
I know I've been blogging a lot, but there's been a lot to see and the WiFi has been good. 
That will not be the case at least for the next part of my trip.  Tomorrow I head into the mountains (as high as over 11,0000 feet in some places and end up at a lodge in a valley in search of the Quetzal - a beautiful Costa Rican bird. 
Then it's off to the Caribbean side of the country for some relaxing and (hopefully) snorkeling.
Until then - Pura Vida!

Howler Monkey

My Beach for the Day

My Friend at the Beach - He hung out right next to me!

Mother and Child Capuchin Monkeys - Don't let her fool you though.
This was right after she stole food from some picnickers.

Sloth resting

Howler Monkey Baby and Mother - Also Resting

This is a three-toed Sloth (I'm pretty sure) - Once again, resting!

And Some Squirrel Monkeys - So Cute!

What Are the Chances?

So, this whole trip I rented two places that have pools.  I don't really care that much about pools, but I thought it would be hot and so it seemed like a good idea.  Neither place had a functioning pool!  Andre at the beautiful round house said something in French about the wind and the 'filter not function'.  Juan Carlos at my current place in the pueblo of Manuel Antonio said he was sorry but they were changing either from chlorine to salt or vice versa.  In any case - no pool! 
This place is strange and funky and I like it a lot.  Juan Carlos is super nice and has 4 rescue dogs (one is named guapo which means handsome - he's not particularly) and 3 rescue cats.  He takes very good care of them and loves them all, baths them regularly (not easy he says) and gives them shots every 3 months for ticks.  To get to my room, you have to go through a locked gate, up some very steep stairs, through a garden, past the pool and up another flight of steep stairs.  The inside is red and green and purple and has orange curtains and a functioning kitchen and I have a deck to watch the sunset. Cool! 
I wasn't going to write today but the WiFi is good and it sure won't be when I get into the mountains. 
So . . . .
I tried to walk to the beach but kept walking and walking and realized after 3 people along the way said it was 2 km, that it was probably much longer than that and it was hot and it was downhill on the way which meant it was uphill coming back.  The road on the way was filled with very expensive looking hotels and gated homes.  Obviously no Ticos live here!  So no beach but a good (and hot) walk. 
Interesting fact - Souvenir shops here sell mostly stuff from Thailand and India - only for a lot more money.  You can buy elephant pants, purses, backpacks, etc. I asked a guy in one store, "Hecho en Costa Rica?". "Yes, yes", he said!!!  Hmmm.
Lonely Planet says squirrel monkeys have become rare in the park because of so many tourists, but I saw one while I was looking for the beach.  Here's a few photos. 

In the garden where I'm staying

Just a very bizarre sign on the walk.  I'm guessing these people have stayed there.
But what about the caption under the photos?? Huh??

A butterfly on the walk

Sunset from the non-functioning pool

From Cloud Forest to the West Coast - What a Difference a Day Makes

I loved the cloud forest.  It's been on my list of places I wanted to go for a long time and I'm so glad I went.  I, however, did not like the road there, but I have a feeling I may not have seen the end of bad roads in this country.  I loved the view of my place in Monteverde, but my room was a box (literally).  I went from that to living in a round castle . . . well almost.  I am staying in Andre's home.  He rents it out and stays at a smaller place on his property.  It has a pool, a fully equipped and modern kitchen, a Jacuzzi tub, a shower with jets and rain coming at you from all directions and it's on the top floor and has a deck that goes all around it!  AND IT'S A ROUND HOUSE!!  How cool is that?  It is amazing!  I hated to leave today but wanted to try to catch a sighting of a scarlet macaw in the wild.  They've become quite rare and only exist in the wild in a very few places.  The park (Carara National Park) also has ruins of burial sites of the Huetar, one of the indigenous people that inhabited this area, but you need a guide to find them (I looked).  The guide wanted $60 so I passed on that.  I DID find a scarlet macaw though, even though he tried to hide from me.  It's been nice to have a kitchen to prepare food for a few days, but all will change tomorrow as I move on to Manuel Antonio further South.

The weather!  It went from cool and rainy - duh - a cloud forest to dry and high 80's.  Here at this house is nice because there is always a breeze, but in the jungle today not a chance and the heat was oppressive. This older man (I think American) with a world's best grandpa shirt asked which way was out and said he had been lost.  He was soaking wet!  I helped him toward the exit.   I'm glad he made it okay!

While no one, except for the people who live in this area, have heard of Lagunilla, Tarcoles is famous for the crocodile bridge.  People park on either end of the bridge to walk out and look down at a LOT of very big crocodiles.  If the height of the bridge and the traffic whizzing by doesn't make you weak in the knees, looking at these crocodiles - some over 12 feet easily, will surely accomplish that.  It is said that the reason so many congregate in this particular area is because the water is brackish and polluted from runoff from San José.  Crocs supposedly prefer nasty water!

A View Coming Down the Mountain from Monteverde

The Scarlet Macaw (I think he's trying to hide from me!)

A butterfly and a few more birds from today.  Sorry, I like birds but you can skip them if you wan

 

The guy below looks angry!

 



This is from about 40-50 feet above.  In the top slightly left of middle is a great blue heron.  They must not eat heron!