Just back from a wonderful trip to Costa Rica. Definitely on the list for a return trip to see more of this country. I arrived on Tuesday 16th and met up with others of the group. We were split into two groups to keep everything smaller. Unfortunately, I didn't get all the names from the second group. I traveled with Judy, Avril, Sue, Barbara, Bill, Bonnie, David, Cusim, Haicusim, Chris and Pam - apologies for spelling mistakes. We were accompanied by our tour guide from Swiss Travel, the local tour company, Ricardo and ably driven by Carlos.
We stayed at Tryp in San Jose for the first two nights. The next day the first excursion was to Poas Volcano and Botos Lagoon then on for lunch and tour at Doka Coffee Plantation.
 |
| Sunrise view from my suite at the Tryp |
 |
| On the way to Poas Volcano. I couldn't resist taking the graffiti and the guy on the phone was a bonus |
 |
| Took this on the short walk to the volcano |
 |
| We were lucky that the clouds were off to one side so we had a clear view of the crater |
 |
| Ricardo giving us information |
 |
| Tame squirrel - one of the four species in the country but I am still in process of identifying the wildlife |
 |
| Botos Lagoon |
 |
| Learning about coffee growing |
 |
| Coffee beans |
 |
| The ox carts the coffee beans were transported in |
 |
| Inside the mill |
 |
| Coffee |
 |
| Drying and raking coffee |
 |
| Caterpillar at the butterfly garden |
 |
| A lizard feasting on bananas at the butterfly garden |
Ricardo had a rest from us the next day. He and Carlos would meet up with us at the dock after our visit to Tortuguero and take us to Arenal. We were picked up after 6 am by Leo who accompanied us to Tortuguero and took us on our excursions there. We stopped for breakfast on the way as it was a long drive, then a boat ride to Pachira Lodge, our accommodation.
 |
| Our one and only sighting of a crocodile |
 |
| Local traders |
 |
| View of the river |
 |
| Snowy egret |
 |
| Green vine snake - I think. There is a pic of another one later which is discarding its skin |
 |
| spider |
 |
| Butterfly |
 |
| Spider monkey - there were about four in this tree outside reception |
 |
| Resident cat |
 |
| One of the many species of hummingbird |
 |
| A boa? |
There are a lot of bird pics on the blog which I have yet to id. I thought I would start the blog before doing my research. The above pics were taken on the boat ride and in about an hour while waiting to visit Tortuguero village so there will probably be a few posts for this trip!
 |
| Palm leaves near the green turtle research station, taken while I was supposed to be listening to Leo |
 |
| Judy and Avril to the left of Leo, Viv behind Avril. To the right of Leo were 3 of the two couples from Leicester and Portsmouth. |
 |
| Blue grey tanager |
 |
| Kiskadee |
 |
| Village girl |
 |
| Lipstick palm |
 |
| Interesting looking fruits/seeds |
 |
| Local artisan |
 |
| Nests of Montezuma Oropendola |
 |
| Taking the window then realised the resident was in view - shame I missed her |
 |
| Montezuma Oropendola |
 |
| Village cat and kittens |
 |
| Barbara and Bill on the Caribbean coast |
 |
| Basketball game in the village |
 |
| Phone study |
 |
| Tortuguero barber |
Up early the next day for our boat ride at 5.30 am. Five of us joined four from another company with their personal guide. His knowledge was excellent and together with our boat driver, spotted lots of things - I did spot one before them though.
 |
| Waiting for the guide to get the permits we were entertained by the howlers in the tree |
 |
| Caiman hiding |
 |
| Lizard |
 |
| White headed capuchin eating pineapple which can not be found in the jungle - hence not a natural pic! He had scavanaged from a house nearby. |
 |
| Great White egret |
 |
| Pachira flower |
 |
| Chestnut mandibled toucans |
 |
| Osprey |
 |
| Iguana |
 |
| Family of Howler monkeys with iguana at the top right |
 |
| Snake bird (Anhinga) with netting caught in beak |
 |
| Iguana |
 |
| Iguana or lizard |
 |
| My spot which I thought might turn out to be growths on the tree. Turned out to be a tiger heron sunbathing. I have never seen a bird sitting on its back before |
 |
| Reflections |
 |
| Boat billed heron |
 |
| Not a great photo of spider monkeys but shows the mother waiting for baby to climb on her back. Baby went in the other direction! |
 |
| Probably the mate of the sunbathing bird tending to the nest. We saw the fledgelings pop out but I failed to get a pic |
 |
| American widgeon in the background with laughing gull in the foreground |
 |
| Royal terns squabbling over the space left by the brown pelican |
 |
| Frigate bird |
 |
| Back at Pachira Lodge and a pic of another howler |
 |
| Hibiscus |
 |
| A flycatcher of some sort? |
After the boat ride it was breakfast, then a hike at 11.30 am.
 |
| The towels were beautifully arranged. This one ended up as two swans on a heart. |
 |
| Birds seen on the hike. From left, Lineated woodpecker, then rufous woodcreeper above, female black throated trogan, I think, in the middle with chestnut mandibled toucan at top right |
 |
| Eyelash viper |
 |
| Bees at their hive |
 |
| Spotted by Simon from the second group but I have forgotten what it is called |
 |
| Leo, our guide on bottom right, Sue above, David - expert birder in the middle with Bill top left |
 |
| Land turtle spotted by one of the other group |
 |
| Vine snake discarding its skin |
 |
| More howlers. The one on left and right is the same one, I think |
At 2 pm it was off to the canopy tour for a zip wire experience - no pics of that unfortunately. I was too busy listening to instructions. A few pics from around the dock where we set off.
 |
| Land crab - lots of these but I did not get a good pic |
 |
| Beach debris |
Walked around the lodge grounds in the afternoon before dinner.
 |
| Slaty -tailed Trogan |
 |
| Parrot on the tree, with aeroplane arriving to the village |
 |
| Enjoying the pool |
We had to leave the next day but there was time for a few more photos.
 |
| Trogon |
 |
| A better photo of the rufous woodcreeper |
 |
| Poured with rain before we left and continued with showers during the boat trip. |
 |
| Leaves in the rain |
 |
| This large iguana was pointed out to me by one of the staff so there were a few guided tours to show it off. |
 |
| These flowers look lovely with raindrops |
 |
| Managed to catch a butterfly |
That is all of Part 1 - off to Arenal and Monteverde for Part II.
