Tuesday morning we rose early with great excitement for our trip to the other end of  the OSA Peninsula along the Gulfo Dulce to Puerto Jimenez and Carate. Unfortunately this excitement was banished when a woman from the German group asked me if I had heard the bad news. I said I had not. She then burst out that the camp safe had been stolen in the night with everyone's documents and money. I said impossible, but she assured me it was true.

At this news I asked for the camp phone and called our travel agent in San Jose. The travel agent asked us for a full list of what was missing. We quickly put together a list of passports, Ellen's green card, drivers licenses, credit and debit cards, cash,etc. and sent it off to the agent and gave a copy to the camp manager.

While eating breakfast the agent emailed us that she had set up appointments for the embassies, a meeting with the local police, and reporting stolen the credit and debit cards. She also was creating a line of credit for us since we only had $9.00 between us.

So off we went on the 15 mile boat trip to Sierpe, then a 30 kilometer trip by taxi to the police station to fill out paper work. 

No one in police station could speak English, but we finally got it figured out enough to get reports,to take to San Jose and the embassies on Saturday when we will return. When finished with the police we woke our driver and returned to Sierpe to get our bags and continue our adventures.

Now we discover that we are on the wrong side of the river to meet our next driver so we get a local boat taxi to take us over to a gravel landing on the south side. There sitting on the shore is Sandra and her driver to take us through the middle of the Osa Peninsula to the village of Puerto Jimenez. It was a grand ride across the coastal mountains with wonderful views of the Rio Sierpe mangrove system all the way to the ocean. About an hour and a half later we enter the village of Puerto Jimenez and park right in front of the small hotel where I had been five years earlier with my friend, Barry Wulff, and a group. Here we find Arturo waiting for us with his Carate/Luna Lodge taxi. 

It takes about another hour and a half throught the rain forest and ford 3 or 4 rivers to finally reach our next destination of Luna lodge at 3:30 in the afternoon. It has been a while since breakfast and we have only had one cup of coffee between us since breakfast. Fortunately the gracious owner of Luna Loxge, Lana, has a sumptuous lunch awaiting us on arrive.

This place is another paradise on our journey.  The folks at "My Costa Rica" have been brilliantt . Everything that can be done has been done, so we are on with our painting and hikingree. This area is filled with tanagers, honey creepers, and trogons. The howler monkeys greet us each morning with the early light at 5 AM. Off to find more adventures!

Tent Camp

Yesterday was Sunday  and Valentine's Day I think. We kind a hung out all day after getting up early every day for a week to go off on some sort of outing. There are amazingly no biting insects here so the only protection we have had to use is sun screen?
Today we slept in again and then headed off south along the coastal trail towards the sea turtle rescue. We were not 50 meters from camp when we found a Violicius Trogan.A beautiful medium size bird in the same family as the Quetzales.There are some many North American migrants here birds I mean. Today we had a Dusky  Flycatcher, a Wandering Tattler, Brown Pelicans, and Dark Peewees. We spotted a big patch of pink blossoms in the canopy over head and discovered they were on  an Oak tree. Another nice surprise was a colony of Leaf Cutter Ants. We followed the trail of ants to the source  and made a few videos of their work.

Sirena Station Corcovado National Park

Five AM wake up at the tent camp. They have desayuno ready for us at 5:30, rice and beans with fresh Costa Rican coffee. We are on the boat by six, beach loading as always here. The one hour ride south to Sirena   Station in the sunrise is glorious. We cut through several Cabos where Boobies, Frigate Birds, and Pelicans are feeding.

We are met on the beach  by our guide Carlos who gives us a run down for our 10 kilometer hike for the day. Things start out pretty slow as we wind through the  morning rain forest with a few heronsand a trogon. Lots of interesting info on the ecology of this special place.

After stoping for lunch things begin to pick up with crocodiles and a fun bunch of spider monkeys. Then more spider monkeys and a rowdy bunch of howler monkeys. There's a host of army ants  attacking insects on a tree with 3 different kinds of an birds snatching the escaping insect. As we return to the ocean We sit exhausted on some logs strewn on the high dune under some coconnut trees. Carlos asks for quiet and takes us mysteriously 2 at a time into the brush. Amazingly he leads us to within a fewfeet of a sleeping young Tapir. As many of you know these are very rare endangered animals. 
What  a great great to end out long day before loading up and returning to our tent camp.

3 Quetzales, 2 Red-collared Redstart,

It was worth getting up at 5AM to see the Quetzales cavorting in the tall white oak trees. The trails here in the mountains are killers on the knees with 70 degree slopes. This morning we rose at a more respectable hour and went to the top of the cordillera at 3200 meters to see all the plants and birds of the Paramor (the Costa Rican Alpine region). The views of Volcano Turrialba were spectacular. There were many Volcano Hummingbirds and Slaty Flowerpiercers. They have a wildflower very similar to our Monkey Flower that they call Baby Shoes. There are two endemic Paint Brushes and several wild orchids, and fushas.
After hiking the high mountains we returned to Dantica Lodge and walked about 1 kilometer up hill to a small farm for  a home made lunch with fresh vegetables , rice, and beans. After lunch we wandered the gardens that were full of Acorn Woodpeckers, Rufus Collared Sparrows, and Flame Tanangers.
Now this afternoon I am sitting in our room looking out the 8 ft. high by 30 ft. long window at 150-200 ft.Black Oak trees that are heavenly laden with epiphytes of all descriptions. Of course I have my Imperial Lager with me.

Travel day to Cerro del Muerte

Yesterday ended quite nicely with a exquisit dinner at the corner Italian restaurant. There is great food in San Jose, but ou do have to look for it.
When we retrned from Cartago yesterday afternoon Ellen discovered that shee had misplaced her special camera. Yikes, sshe was ready to cry; wee were standing front of the statue of John Lennon in the middle of China Town while walking back to the hootel from the Lumanca bustation. She searched everywhere. Alas, no camera and she was so upset no photo with my camera of her and john. When we returned to the  hotel we went to the desk and Ellen pulled a reciept from her purse for the last place she remembered having her camera. It had a phone number but when the hteel desk called not answer so they left a message. Then Ellen remembered seeing her camera later when she gave a few colones to an  indian woman and her child. So she had her camera when we went to lunch later in thee day. I looked in the Rough Guide book and ssure enough for some  reason I had used the luch reciept for a bookmark. The reciept had a phone nuumber so we tried that one and, Yes they had found Ellen's pouch and camera!! So she is already to run back to the bus station and do the round trip again because it is not far and the buses go every 10 minutes. "No," says JEsica behind the desk, "I live in Cartago, and I will return here tomorrow morning at 6 AM before so leave."
Wala, this  morning Jesica has her usual bright smile, "I have youyr cameera!"
So, we're off this morning with the world good and Ellen will not need to paint and draw her memories which may be a not so good thing.

San Jose Sabado, Febrero 7

One thirty in the morning as we arrive at Fluer de Lys hotel in San Jose Costaa Rica. The landings were hard on my head, but all was fine by 2 AM  and we were well rested by 9 AM. Deysayno of rice and beans with plantinos on the side.  we are off for the central market and the artesians market.
We find the local bus to Sabana Park with lots of help from the local folks. (the sign marking the bus stop had been torn  down). It is so much easieer than the taxis and much cheaper only 30 cents each way. The art at the museum of modern art in the park is fantastic. As soon as I learn howw to post photos I will show you.
On the bus ride back from the park a medium sized parrot/parakeet flew by Ellen's head. She missed it but one block further on in a tree in front of the National Theater there were dozens.
Today we are going to  try our luck at catching a bus to the former capital ciity, Cartage, to see the old cathederal and bassilica.
The fruit and the people are marvelous. Ellen says that they are so friendly she feels bad when she can't buy something from each of them.

Corcovado riding the Pacific waves to Camp

On this year's journey to the Osa Peninsula and the Corcavado National Park Ellen and I will be spending 9 days birding, hiking, snorkeling, and lazing at two stops, the Corcovado Adventures Tent Camp with Tent cabins over looking the Pacific Ocean on the northern end of the Osa near San Pedrillo and at  Luna Lodge in the rain forest on the hills above the coastal villiage of Carate on the southern end of the Osa. I briefly visited the village of Carate in January 2011. On that trip we had to hike 1.5 miles up the beach at low tide to La Leona tent camp. Fortunately the La Leona folks sent a donkey cart to Carate for our baggage.



One of my reasons for visiting the Corcovado, Blue Morphos!

With a length of nearly six inches, the Blue Morpho butterfly is one of the largest butterflies in the rainforest.

 



My second reason for visiting Corcovado.
 I can watch these leaf cutter ants for hours.

AN ANCIENT BURIAL GROUND AND MYSTIFYING SPEHERES

The interior of Isla de Cano features evergreen trees that reach heights of up to 164 feet, which watch over the remains of the island’s Indigenous, Pre-Columbian inhabitants, the Diquis tribe. Not only have archeologist found remains, which concludes that the site was used as a burying ground, but there are perfectly spherical stones that adorn the land. Take a walk through history on these trails and ponder the formation of the spheres, which mystify even the scientific community.

Pirate's Cove Isla Caño. Here we snorkel.

These spheres are at ancient burial grounds.

Stone Spheres of Isla Caño

Corcovado Quick Facts
Weather:
13 feet (4,000 mm) of rain fall annually. The drier months are January through April. the wettest are September and October.

Size:
103,000 acres (4,178 hectares, 161 square miles, 122 times the size of Central Park NYC, and 4/10ths the size of Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado)

Elevations:
Sea level to 2,444 feet (745 meters) on Cerros Rincón and Mueller.

Habitats:
Lowland rain forest, highland cloud forest, jolillo palm forest, and mangrove swamps, costal marine, and beach habitats.

Inhabitants:
All four of the monkey species (including the highly endangered Red-backed squirrel monkey), and all six of the feline species found in Costa Rica inhabit Corcovado. All four of the sea turtle species that nest in Costa Rica visit the beaches of Corcovado as well. Over 40 species of frogs including red-eyed tree, rain, glass, dink, and poison arrow varieties, dozens of snakes including a variety of Boas and the dreaded bushmaster, as well as 28 species of lizards. More than 100 species of butterflies and at least 10,000 other insects call the Osa peninsula home (including a few you may wish were endangered). More than 400 species of birds including 16 different hummingbirds and the largest number of Scarlet macaws anywhere in Central America.

Mountain of Death

I remember leaving San Jose on a bright sunny January 2010 morning full of expectations with my friends Barry Wulff, Jane Luther, and 11 others. This was a 2 week journey through the mountains of the Cordillera de Talamanca to the Corcovado National Park, across the border into Panama and back over the mountains to Bocas Del Toro, and finally up the Caribbean Coast to Puerto Viejo, and back to San Jose. This trip was to be accomplished using public transportation, but after that first day crossing the Mountain of Death (Cerro de Muerte) with death defying curves and spectacular over looks to the city of San Isidro in a large public bus 5 or 6 of the group rebelled and forced Barry, our intrepid leader, to dig into our reserve funds and hire our own private bus and driver.


Here is a little "youtube" video showing a small car driving the Cerro de Muerte. Remember this is the PanAmerican Highway, the main and only route from North America to South America.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yAdoMEcoBuw

Home in the Cloud Forest

This guy is the reason for spending a few days here on top of the world in Costa Rica.

 

The Cloud Forest view from one of the rooms at Dantica Lodge

http://www.dantica.com/



These pieces of art work at Dantica are the carrot to get Ellen here.



San Jose, Costa Rica

Hotel Fleur de Lys right in the middle of down town San Jose, Costa Rica will be our home for a few days before heading south into the Cordillera de Talamanca.

Swiss quality with warm hospitality, the Fleur de Lys is a small, enchanting, discrete Hotel located in the cultural district of San José, Costa Rica. This newly restored Victorian mansion offers 31 individually decorated rooms, to make you feel at home. Rather than impersonal numbers, every room is lovingly named after a species of flower native to Costa Rica. Native artwork adorns the walls of each room, lobbies and corridors of the Hotel. Warm woods and soft colors provide an atmosphere for complete relaxation, and large comfortable beds guarantee a good night's sleep. Discover the hotel's charming atrium gardens with lush tropical planting

Some fun art from San Jose  our transportation   San Jose with 288,000 population is about twice the size of Eugene, but the metropolitan area is well over 1,000,000. We hope to dance, eat, explore, find cool music, art, and visit the Bellavista Fortress near to the hotel. Ellen is hoping to keep up her training for the Mother's Day 1/2 marathon in Eugene.  The Bellavista Fortress, a crenallated, ochre colored building  was built in 1917 and was originally a military barracks: the exterior walls still have many bullets lodged in them from the country's 1948 civil war. It became the site of a museum in 1950. As a result of this coup attempt the president abolished the military in Costa Rica. Because of this Costa Rica has one of the highest literacy rates in the Americas of 95%. The infant mortality rate is about 8.7 per 1,000 live births compared to the U.S. rate of 6.2 per 1,000.

 

We hope to find more than "casado" (rice and beans) to eat while in San Jose. This may be the best food in the middle of the country. We are not expecting too much in the way of fine cuisine on the road, however this looks very good!

 



Costa Rica in February 2015

Here we go again off the beaten path. Costa Rica has so many different spaces and critters to explore that the choices are difficult. There are the famous stops to check out the sea turtles in Tortuguero and Puerto Viejo de Talamanca on the Caribbean Coast, La Selva the world famous rain forest experimental station, Monte Verde's Quaker Swiss cheese and cloud forest, and all the volcanos surrounding the Capital City of San Jose. We wont visit these stops except for a couple of days in San Jose on this trip. Instead we have chosen 3 stops, 2 in the same national park for this adventure. The folks at My Costa Rica put this itinerary together for us so we will be on our own rather than with a group like we did for Java and Bali a little over a year ago.
http://www.mycostaricalink.com/hotels/off-the-beaten-path/

Main road in San Gerardo de Dota

The first stop will be Cerro de la Muerte, "Hill of Death" and the village of San Gerardo de Dota (pronounced San Herardo) straight south about 80 kilometers from San Jose and the former capital Cartoga high the Talamanca mountains. This place is smack on the famous Pan American Highway that traverses Costa Rica from its northwest border with Nicaragua to its south west border with Panama. The Pan American Highway in this part of Costa Rica is a windy steep 2 lane road filled with pot holes that reminds me of the highway in the US that crosses Sonora Pass in the California Sierras. San Gerardo de Dota is home to the Resplendent Quetzal.








We will abandon the warmer clothes we have brought along for the mountains before leaving San Gerardo de Dota because we will be limited to 25 lbs. baggage each from here until we return to San Jose.



Map of boat trip from Sierpe to Drake's Bay and beyond. We will visit Isla de Cano 12 miles off shore.

 



 
 
 
 
 
 


The second stop will be down the south side of the Cordillera de Talamanca through the city if San Isidro to Sierpe, Drake's Bay and the Corcovado Adventure Tent Camp on the Pacific Ocean. The Pacific Coast line is now running west to east along the Osa Peninsula and the Corcovado National Park. These are pretty fancy tents with hammocks, mosquito nets and resident monkeys. The tent camp has all 4 Costa Rican primates in the near by forest.





 To get to the camp we need to transfer to a small boat for a hour plus ride down the coast. We will be in one of the only intact coastal rain forests remaining on the Pacific Coast of the tropical Americas that has not been clear cut. This is one of only two places in the world where we can find the beautiful Scarlet Macaws feeding above our heads in Palms and Cecropia trees.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The third stop will be further down the coast by boat to Sierna and Carate on the east end of the Osa Peninsula just out side of the Corcovado and up into the tropical rain forest mountains at Luna Lodge. Luna Lodge is the fanciest place we will stay on the whole trip. The entire front wall of the large room we stay in is windows looking directly into the tops of the trees below. Perfect for watching parrots, toucans, trogons, mot-mots, and hummingbirds.

La Luna Lodge

When we leave La Luna we will go by 4 wheel drive taxi to San Jimenez and the small airport to fly back to San Jose.

I will post a few more times with details about the places we'll be visiting. I will try to add web sites for your curiosity and investigation. For starters here is the web site for the Cecropia Tree and Azteca Ants. Cercropia trees are also a favorite hang out for sloths.

http://academic.evergreen.edu/projects/ants/ANTPLANTS/CECROPIA/Cecropia.html