{"id":885,"date":"2022-10-31T22:19:57","date_gmt":"2022-10-31T20:19:57","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/tuijasonkkila.fi\/?p=885"},"modified":"2024-09-20T13:19:11","modified_gmt":"2024-09-20T10:19:11","slug":"costa-rica-2013","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/tuijasonkkila.fi\/?p=885","title":{"rendered":"Costa Rica 2013"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Apr 3, 2013<\/a> Hotel Pullman 5km from Madrid Barajas (MAD) has got one big pro: you can stretch your legs in Parque Juan Carlos I.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Apr 3, 2013<\/a> The park is very Spanish dare I say. Huge artwork bordering surreal. Walkways of royal dimensions. Sporty people with a character. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Apr 3, 2013<\/a> All of a sudden, two parrots! My first ever in mainland Europe. Most likely escaped from captivity. Another nice sighting: Green Woodpecker. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Apr 3, 2013<\/a> It’s good to have a bottle of rum in the luggage. The concoction of heat, moist & bugs in the rainforest easily overwhelms one’s nerves. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Apr 3, 2013<\/a> The rum of Costa Rica is Rum Centenario but it’s hard to come by abroad. At MAD, we bought instead Nicaraguan 12 yro Flor de Ca\u00f1a. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Apr 3, 2013<\/a> This time, IBERIA flew us via the coast of Venezuela, the land of lost nature tourism opportunities. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Apr 3, 2013<\/a> Costa Rica smells of burning trash and wild coriander.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Apr 3, 2013 <\/a>You know you are in Costa Rica when in Alajuela, 30 min drive from SJO, you hear the lek song of Long-tailed Manakins while you eat breakfast. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Apr 3, 2013<\/a> After Pital, the dirt road via Boca Tapada to Laguna del Lagarto Lodge was bad but better than in 2007. 3.5 hr drive from Alajuela. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Apr 3, 2013<\/a> German-born V. Schmack bought this 100+ area in the 80’s for $5K. Son of a farmer, his plan was to use the land for cultivation. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Apr 3, 2013<\/a> First he tried pineapple (a success), then black pepper (world trade prize was soaring). <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Apr 3, 2013<\/a> The trouble with pepper is that you cannot hurry. When the first crop was ready, the price was down again. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Apr 3, 2013<\/a> Schmack selected tourism thanks to an advice of a friend. He could’ve just as well cut all trees, and planted cocoa. Luckily not. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Apr 3, 2013<\/a> The lodge was opened for the winter season 1992\/93. German tourist groups started to check in on a regular basis. Pura vida! <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Apr 3, 2013<\/a> Then, on the night of 1.1.1996, a group of masked Nicaraguan guerrilla came with machine guns to the lodge.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Apr 3, 2013<\/a> They where after money, mostly. Strategy: hostage & ransom. The group took two women, Schmack’s Toyota, and left. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Apr 3, 2013<\/a> The drama lasted over 2 months. At the end, the ransom was paid and the women were released.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Apr 3, 2013<\/a> All of this was of course a disaster for the business. The lodge was closed for a year. German tourist agencies said they’d never return.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Apr 3, 2013<\/a> Schmack is bitter on German media. He was accused for cowardice during the armed incident, and the lodge was described as a hellhole.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Apr 3, 2013<\/a> Schmack has recently published his memoirs in German:”Der lange Weg von Oberschlesien nach Costa Rica”. My tweets here are based on it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Apr 3, 2013<\/a> Today, Laguna del Lagarto Lodge is just about the only place in Costa Rica where you can see Great Green Macaws. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Apr 4, 2013<\/a> At dinner time, dozens of wood-colored junebugs arrive, circle around the whitest bulb, land on the green tablecloth, and stay put. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Apr 4, 2013<\/a> This has been a productive year for horse-flies. Handsomely black and orange. Work between 8 and 16. Bite like little devils. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Apr 4, 2013 <\/a>Cover song of today: “Me and Pumilio down by the schoolyard”. Dendrobates pumilio aka Strawberry poison-dart frog is common in Costa Rica, like in here.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Apr 4, 2013<\/a> The male has an “insectlike buzz-buzz-buzz” as someone has said, but in my ears the sound is more like a tiny engine. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Apr 4, 2013<\/a> Wikipedia features an all-red species but local ones don’t have the nickname Blue-jeans frog without a reason. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\"P1020334\"<\/a>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Apr 4, 2013 <\/a>Frogs in Costa Rica are usually nocturnal but Pumilios hop on the forest floor and on moss-covered logs and trunks in daylight. Photogenic fellows. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Apr 6, 2013<\/a> From my notes 4\/2007:”Bats (16) fly out of the restaurant roof at 6:30 pm every day” Now: new roof, no bats. With all due respect – pity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Apr 6, 2013<\/a> “Costa Rica represents 0.03% of the world’s land surface but is home to about 12% of the world’s bat species” https:\/\/www.nhbs.com\/the-natural-history-of-costa-rican-mammals-book (good book) <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Apr 6, 2013 <\/a>There are bird feeding platforms in front of the restaurant. Every morning, birds find a fresh bunch of bananas. It lasts until lunch. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Apr 6, 2013<\/a> Today is an exception. Banana is served all day, and the platforms are decorated w\/ twigs. Professional bird photographers are here.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Apr 6, 2013<\/a> They’ve been lucky: Brown-hooded Parrot, both Toucan sp, Collared Aracari, many Honeycreeper sp etc. The most spectacular ones. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Apr 6, 2013<\/a> Another banana station is located at the entrance to forest trails. That one is on the ground level. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Apr 6, 2013<\/a> No surprise that Coati cannot resist a free banana lunch but surprisingly, also Great Curassow tiptoed out from the dark. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Apr 6, 2013<\/a> Another flash-rich day has dawned. Whenever Palm Tanagers or Clay-colored Robins land on the bananas, burst shooting goes silent. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Apr 6, 2013<\/a> Strategic thinking is not restricted to humans. A nesting Cinnamon Becard has a security deal with Great Kiskadee https:\/\/en.m.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Great_kiskadee#section_2<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Apr 6, 2013<\/a> It’s comforting to see that Central American Spider Monkey seems to have it OK here. One reason: a national park on the Nicaraguan side. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Apr 6, 2013<\/a> A new verb from the book: to brachiate means “to swing hand to hand beneath branches like a gibbon”. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Apr 6, 2013<\/a> Did you know that spider monkeys are next to thumbless? I didn’t (pic from Wainwright p. 146) <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Apr 6, 2013<\/a> A group of spiders has been several times on top of the tall trees easily visible from the entrance of the lodge. Several youngsters. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Apr 6, 2013<\/a> Female w\/ a young come often to fruiting trees near the river. It looks like they’d throw fruit down but I guess they just spill a lot. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Apr 8, 2013<\/a> The soundscape of the night is cosmic. Frogs, insects, owl. The rest is dark matter that is hard to locate, could be inside my own head. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Apr 8, 2013<\/a> Hard to tell apart here: thunder, jet, volcano. All pulsate with a deep echo. Maybe swampy areas have special acoustical qualities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Apr 8, 2013<\/a> It’s unlikely though that you could hear the active Arenal volcano from here. The distance is over 50 km. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Apr 8, 2013 <\/a>The lodge lagoon houses a number of individuals from the only member of the Alligator family found in Costa Rica, Spectacled caiman. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Apr 8, 2013<\/a> Likewise, from the Crocodile family, only one species: American Crocodile. The lodge doesn’t have them on their list. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Apr 8, 2013<\/a> If either one swims towards you in some resort, look if it has a curved ridge in front of its eyes, like a bridge on a pair of glasses. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Apr 8, 2013<\/a> Also, if the mouth is closed (probably is ‘cos the reptile is swimming) no teeth protruding from the lower jaw? Relax, it’s a caiman. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Apr 8, 2013<\/a> Anyway, “only the African Nile crocodile and the Indo-Pacific crocodile are known to include humans in their diet.” (Leenders) <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Apr 8, 2013<\/a> Chestnut-colored Woodpecker has the trendiest hairdo: chestnut rasta dreadlocks that stay in horizontal position with x-strong gel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Apr 8, 2013<\/a> The only cicada sp I’ve ever identified in Costa Rica by the sound is the Sprinkler. Truly miss the Asian singing cicadas. Beautiful, varied songs. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Apr 8, 2013 <\/a>A couple of days ago, before noon, a group of German tourists had seen a Tayra up on a tree in the forest. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Apr 8, 2013<\/a> Our stats since 2000 is one Tayra \/ trip (all about 4 weeks in dry season) on average. All but one sightings in Corcovado National Park. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Apr 8, 2013 <\/a>The book tells how A. Skutch had seen one climb 30m up a clean, vertical trunk to get at a Laughing Falcon nest. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Apr 8, 2013<\/a> In January 2004, we were honored to meet Skutch on his farm, Los Cusingos, near San Isidro el General. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Apr 8, 2013<\/a> He watched politely the short video we’d filmed in Sirena, Corcovado, feat. an ocelot walking along a river bank at noon. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Apr 8, 2013<\/a> Fragile as he was, we didn’t stay long. Sadly, he didn’t see his 100th birthday, the preparations of which were under way. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Apr 8, 2013<\/a> The visit was arranged by Pieter Westra, son of the then owner of Talari Mountain Lodge (new mgmnt now).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Apr 8, 2013 <\/a>Pieter started his own birding tour company shortly after https:\/\/www.aratinga-tours.com\/ Warmly recommended, Talari too I hope & believe. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Apr 8, 2013<\/a> On the 7th, just before dusk: a big, loose flock of migratory raptors heading West. I lost count but easily more than a hundred. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\"P1020516\"<\/a>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Apr 9, 2013 <\/a>First encounter with a snake this year. Length ~1m. Frog-eating Snake, maybe?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Apr 9, 2013<\/a> Zoologists haven’t been able to fully explain why there seems to be more adult oropendolas coming out of the nests than going in.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Apr 9, 2013<\/a> Animals who pay attention to humans: spider monkeys (threatening gestures), howler monkeys (stare), Hermit hummingbirds (hover close).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Apr 9, 2013<\/a> “I smell rain”, says the US-Taiwanese guy who volunteers here for some months. Ex-software engineer, and a keen photographer. Nice chap. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Apr 9, 2013 <\/a>He has been eg to Borneo (Kinabatangan River). From here, he’ll move to Ecuador. I’d expect more people like him follow suit. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Apr 10, 2013<\/a> Pasture. On one side, a herd of mooing cows. On the other, howler monkies. In the middle, a lone, tall, white tree w\/ macaw nests. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Apr 10, 2013 <\/a>Standing under a cow shed surrounded of all sides by wet, red mud and fresh cow dung, you cannot avoid some Sunday philosophing. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Apr 10, 2013<\/a> During the past 10 nights, we haven’t heard the remarkable, otherworldly call of Great Potoo. In 2007 we did. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Apr 10, 2013 <\/a>It was full moon, and the bird began to roar at a treetop, few meters from our cabin. I seldom say “awesome” but – double awesome. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Apr 10, 2013<\/a>The audio file in https:\/\/en.m.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Great_potoo is uploaded by me – but it gives only a faint idea, unfortunately. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Apr 10, 2013 <\/a>Another non-seen: Agami Heron, the star on the lodge’s bird list. It dons a suit that would make every colorist green with envy. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Apr 10, 2013<\/a> Corcovado Info Center has a new set of shots from Sirena on their Facebook page. Many tapirs again. Sirena is like that, still. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Apr 10, 2013<\/a> The Mono forest trail drops momentarily down to a small swamp. Beneath the wooden bridge, old tapir tracks in the mud, filled w\/ water. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Apr 10, 2013<\/a> We were told that, while canooing on the Second Lagoon (2 km from the lodge), a tourist had seen a tapir’s head on the shore. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Apr 10, 2013<\/a> Baird’s Tapir suffers from illegal hunting and deforestation. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Apr 10, 2013<\/a> Time to leave Laguna del Lagarto Lodge, the simple yet practical cabin, no-nonsense food and Macaws. Next: La Selva Biological Station. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Apr 11, 2013<\/a> Although w\/o armed forces, the 11th April is a national holiday to celebrate the war hero “The Porcupine”.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Apr 12, 2013<\/a> Early morning in Caribbean lowlands is not far from a Turkish hammam. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Apr 12, 2013<\/a> Two-toed Sloths do are slow. One was up on the same tree than six years ago. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Apr 12, 2013<\/a> On the 7th, tracks of two jaguars were seen ~2km from the station. Still, herds of Collared Peccaries roam the camp. Too few predators. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Apr 13, 2013<\/a> Things happen when you least expect them. Last night, in the dark, while walking back from dinner: eyeshine ~4m above the trail. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\"P1020612\"<\/a>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Apr 13, 2013<\/a> A Central American Woolly Opossum was showing “monkeylike specializations of its arboreal lifestyle” as Wainwright puts it. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Apr 13, 2013<\/a> With its delicate fingers and toes, it had a good grip from a twig. The partly naked, prehensile tail hang free. Pink ears, pink nose. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Apr 14, 2013<\/a> Guided night walk on the 12th. Highlights: sleeping Casque-headed Lizard; one big Fer-de-Lance (1,5m) and one much smaller, both coiled.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Apr 15, 2013<\/a> “Poisonous snakes are relatively abundant” says the La Selva welcome leaflet and doesn’t exaggerate at all. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Apr 15, 2013 <\/a>In April 2007, during 5 nights, we were lucky to see 2 different venomous snakes: an Eyelash pit viper (yellow) and a big Fer-de-Lance. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Apr 15, 2013<\/a> My husband had extra luck. He almost stepped onto them both. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Apr 15, 2013<\/a> Cabins are 1 km from the station, at the end of a 1,5 m wide concrete walkway, mossy and partly covered with fallen leaves and twigs. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Apr 15, 2013<\/a> It was just before breakfast. A 10 minute walk through a cool tropical forest is the best hors d\u2019\u0153uvre. We were chirping like Manakins. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Apr 15, 2013<\/a> After the old iron bridge, the last leg is straight ahead. Good spot for sloths. In the distance, one corner of the soccer field. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Apr 15, 2013<\/a> We look back. On his side of the walkway, resting against the edge of concrete, a spear shaped head of a snake. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Apr 15, 2013<\/a> He stops, mid-sentence.”What was that?” <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Apr 15, 2013<\/a> The Fer-de-Lance wasn’t after us. Slowly, it came up to the concrete and slid over it. 1,5 meters. The width of the walkway, exactly. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Apr 15, 2013<\/a> It is still 2007. Next day, next concrete walkway (in total, 60 km of it in the park). Guided walk on the other side of the river. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Apr 15, 2013<\/a> Midday is approaching, temperature rising. He films a Pumilio. I am half present, in lazy thoughts. The guide is a bit further away. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Apr 15, 2013 <\/a>“Is that plastic?” On the ground, between his legs and the tripod, something bright yellow. Unusual color on the forest floor. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Apr 16, 2013<\/a> Why none of us saw the snake a) coming or b) being there to start with – I honestly cannot comprehend. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Apr 16, 2013<\/a> Madventurism and crocodiledandyism are not our cups of tea. I got pretty scared. One side step, and his boots would hit the viper. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Apr 16, 2013<\/a> It is in the interest of snakes not to spend the venom in vain. Would this one consider being stomped on a serious threat?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Apr 16, 2013<\/a> I signalled him -> he understood at once -> did not panic -> stepped away -> happy end. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Apr 16, 2013<\/a> The viper’s stomach was bulging and it moved clumsily, inasmuch snakes can be blamed clumsy. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Apr 16, 2013<\/a> Stars were in favourable constellations; the snake was not alert and fast but probably quite drowsy after a good meal. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Apr 16, 2013<\/a> The guide was a bit shaken about the incident. So were we. Visitors sign a liability waiver but in the end it’s just a piece of paper. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Apr 16, 2013<\/a> “Many changes in La Selva”, answers the guide when we asked about what’s been happening here since our last visit. “Global warming” <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Apr 16, 2013<\/a> “Draught has become more common. We have seen many starving snakes for example, maybe because rodents are moving to higher elevations.” <\/p>\n\n\n\n

pr 16, 2013 <\/a>Service has improved: free WiFi in cabins; fresh fruit on every meal; restaurant area more comfortable; staff more relaxed. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Apr 16, 2013<\/a> The amount of wild life here is still staggering, changes or not. You only need to take a few steps away from the A\/C-ed reception. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Apr 16, 2013<\/a> Abundant right now: Motmot (both sp found here), Great Curassow, Crested Guan, Mantled Howler Monkey. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Apr 16, 2013<\/a> Talking about reptiles, in the scope right now: a hunting Bird-eating Snake.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Apr 16, 2013<\/a> Again, it crossed the walkway very close. Below dark yellow, green above with yellow spots, > 1m (wifi courtesy of one of the labs) <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Apr 16, 2013 <\/a>Actually, >2 m.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Apr 16, 2013 <\/a>A Snowy Cotinga! All-white with big dark eyes. Always at tallest treetops. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Apr 16, 2013<\/a> Taxi is coming soon. This is the hardest time; I want to stay here! But – next: Monteverde via San Jose. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Apr 18, 2013<\/a> Only it wasn’t via San Jose but the scenic, winding Arenal route.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Apr 18, 2013<\/a> Rd 4 ->San Miguel, 140 ->Fortuna, 142 ->Tilar\u00e1n, and gravel road via another San Miguel and Turin to Santa Elena. 5 hrs. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Apr 18, 2013<\/a> The top of Volc\u00e1n Arenal was in clouds, water level in Laguna de Arenal very low.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Apr 18, 2013 <\/a>The souvenir shop that shares premises with Aroma Tico in Tilar\u00e1n, sells local art. One oil painting features a wind turbine. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Apr 18, 2013<\/a> This is windy area. On the other side of lake Arenal is a wind farm of several dozen mills. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Apr 18, 2013<\/a> All the way from Fortuna, Toad Hall has sprinkled rd 142 with well over 100 signs of WORLD FAMOUS and MUST SEE. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Apr 18, 2013 <\/a>When the target is behind, a subtle change in tone: YOU JUST MISSED TOAD HALL <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Apr 18, 2013<\/a> A piece of personal nostalgia: Villa Decary some km’s before the town of Arenal. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Apr 18, 2013 <\/a>In year 2000, on our first trip to Costa Rica, we spent there some nights. Back then, all was new (not any more) and wonderful (still is). <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Apr 18, 2013<\/a> Alex, the driver from Costa Rica Anywhere, lives in Tamarindo, one of the beach hot spots on the Pacific side. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Apr 18, 2013<\/a> Before St Elena, Alex starts to wave to ppl. A sunglassed look in the rear mirror. “My mother, father and brother live in Monteverde”. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Apr 18, 2013<\/a> Costa Rica is constantly on four wheels. People, cattle and goods are transported from coast to coast. There is no railroad. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Apr 18, 2013<\/a> A set of mountain ranges runs from N to S through the country. It splits the country in two slices. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Apr 18, 2013<\/a> At dawn in La Selva, you hear heavy trucks change gear on rd 32 that climbs up to Parque Nacional Braulio Carrillo. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Apr 18, 2013<\/a> When Alex turns off the engine of the van at the entrance of Casa Hiro Rosa, we immediately hear two familiar bird calls. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Apr 18, 2013 <\/a>Three-wattled Bellbird belongs to that avifauna that migrates latitudinally. In April, it moves up here. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Apr 18, 2013<\/a> As its name implies, Black-faced Solitaire is relatively hard to see, except in springtime.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Apr 18, 2013<\/a> If you haven’t heard the song\/call of these birds, google and do.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Apr 18, 2013<\/a> Monteverde has a cute phone directory. 14 pages of the size A5.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Apr 18, 2013<\/a> Browsing the directory, you wouldn’t guess the US Quaker background of this area; a clear majority of surnames are Spanish.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Apr 19, 2013<\/a> Here, biting the dust is not yet another saying. Roads are unpaved, and in heavy use. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Apr 19, 2013 <\/a>Monteverde is a top tourist attraction. Letting roads be on gravel, the Quaker community balances between income and sustainability.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Apr 19, 2013 <\/a>On the premises of the Casa nests a Blue-crowned Motmot. Favorite spot: electric power cable in front of the living room window. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Apr 19, 2013<\/a> At the moment, this is the only house in Monteverde which you can rent for a couple of days. All other accommodation is hotels.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Apr 19, 2013<\/a> Sonia, the owner, is a friendly lady. Elegantly gray-haired, she must have been a ravishing beauty. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\"P1030275\"<\/a>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Apr 19, 2013<\/a> How many kilos fudge am I allowed to import tax free to EU, I wonder. The brand made by Monteverde cheese factory is delicious. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Apr 19, 2013<\/a> Another noteworthy product of the factory: guava cheese. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Apr 21, 2013<\/a> The wooden electric pylon number G-6 in a dusty curve, 2 km before the Reserva Biol\u00f3gica Bosque Nuboso Monteverde, has a resident.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Apr 21, 2013 <\/a>The middle-elevation cousin to lowland toucans, Emerald Toucanet, has got all the characteristics of a cover bird. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Apr 21, 2013<\/a> The size of the bill is in perfect proportion to the body, and the guacamole feathering looks very nice in every lighting. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Apr 21, 2013<\/a> The nesting tree isn’t much but it comes w\/ a view: a wide valley w\/ a blanket of forest and its broccoli canopy in all shades of green. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Apr 21, 2013<\/a> For a long time, the Toucanet peaks out of the hole, just like woodpeckers do. I don’t know what’s the point, but it looks funny. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\"P1030022\"<\/a>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Apr 21, 2013<\/a> Is a cloud “a cloud” if it crawls towards you on ground level? Aerosolic rain. Metronomic, never-ending call of Highland Tinamou. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Apr 21, 2013<\/a> Every naturalist guide can imitate the call of a Resplendent Quetzal, a short nasal yapping. A bit irritating, if I may say so. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Apr 21, 2013<\/a> In Guatemala, Quetzal is an icon: the national bird, and the name of local currency. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\"<\/a>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Apr 21, 2013 <\/a>In Costa Rica, the bird is a genuine object of attention (and source of tourism income). Quetzals mostly eat wild avocados. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Apr 21, 2013<\/a> A fair amount of plastic waste in tropical forests are caps of water bottles. They’re also useless; fall of in 5 secs from the opening.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Apr 21, 2013<\/a> Sometimes changes in nature happen as we speak, and can even be a bit symbolic if you like. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Apr 21, 2013<\/a> The Monteverde area – from about 1400 to 1800 m above sea level – was free from venomous snakes until about 10 years ago.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Apr 21, 2013<\/a> The info leaflet of the hotel Monteverde Lodge & Gardens (where we checked in yesterday) has a matter-of-fact section about snakes. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Apr 21, 2013 <\/a>“Probably due to global warming,we are seeing Eyelash Vipers around the lodge. They’re leaf green, and in vegetation about shoulder level” <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Apr 21, 2013<\/a> Other fairly recent comers are spider monkies. In 2007, only few had been seen. Tomorrow we’ll hear more news; a tour w\/ Ricky Guindon. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Apr 24, 2013<\/a> On a clear day like this,when you stand at the Continental Divide and look W, what you see in the hazy horizon, is the Nicoya Peninsula. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Apr 24, 2013<\/a> On 5th September 2012, at 08:42, Nicoya was the epicenter of the 2nd heaviest earthquake ever recorded in Costa Rica.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Apr 24, 2013<\/a> “It lasted maybe 30 seconds but felt like forever”. Ricardo Guindon stands on the brink of a vertical slope in the Curi-Cancha Reserve. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Apr 24, 2013 <\/a>“I stood right here when it started. Because I was afraid there’d be a landslide, I moved here”. He takes few steps away, and looks up. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Apr 24, 2013 <\/a>“Those big trees were shaking wildly above my head (grimace) and I thought, well, there is nothing I can do.” <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Apr 24, 2013<\/a> Curi-Cancha is recently been opened for public. Earlier, it was there only for the guests of the now ex-hotel El Sapo Dorado. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Apr 24, 2013 <\/a>“Last Friday, on Monteverde Day, we celebrated here the 60th anniversary of buying the 5000 ha from a gold mining company.” <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Apr 24, 2013<\/a> We are looking for Bellbirds. In Monteverde, there are few (you can hear them) but hard to see because they stay up in the canopy. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Apr 24, 2013<\/a> We were told that most of the Bellbirds are one ecozone lower – here, roughly 100 m. “You’ll see them everywhere in Curi-Chanca.” <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Apr 24, 2013<\/a> Some claim that Bellbirds can learn their song. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Apr 24, 2013<\/a> Fact or not, one thing is clear: there are different calls. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Apr 24, 2013<\/a> A QUACK! from above. Ricky shows his ambient smile. “That’s the Talamancan dialect”, he whispers. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Apr 24, 2013 <\/a>“The one on the George Powell trail in Monteverede Reserve is bilingual I think. It knows also the Monteverdian BONK!” <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Apr 24, 2013<\/a> In fall 2010, one special wild avocado tree species was fruiting here like never before – and brought Oilbirds http:\/\/birdingcraft.com\/wordpress\/2010\/08\/23\/oilbirds-in-costa-rica\/<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Apr 24, 2013<\/a> “It was such a big event that they named this trail after the Spanish name of the bird, Gu\u00e1charo” <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Apr 24, 2013<\/a> In her best novel so far, Sand (1986), Ulla-Lena Lundberg describes a homecoming from the wild. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Apr 24, 2013<\/a> Shower, clean clothes, a cold beer from the fridge. Everything is nice, easy, urban.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Apr 24, 2013<\/a> “Then, after two weeks or so, I started to miss back to the desert again”, she writes. I know what she means. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Apr 24, 2013<\/a> Onboard, IBERIA doesn’t offer newspapers nor a private entertainment console. So, for this return flight I’m better prepared. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Apr 24, 2013<\/a>Sonia, I promise to bring back The Tailor of Panama by John Le Carr\u00e9 you had on the bookshelf. Gracias! <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Apr 3, 2013 Hotel Pullman 5km from Madrid Barajas (MAD) has got one big pro: you can stretch your legs in Parque Juan Carlos I. Apr 3, 2013 The park is very Spanish dare I say. Huge artwork bordering surreal. Walkways of royal dimensions. Sporty people with a character. Apr 3, 2013 All of a … Continue reading Costa Rica 2013<\/span> →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[146],"tags":[138,132],"class_list":["post-885","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-travel","tag-costa-rica","tag-travel"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/tuijasonkkila.fi\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/885","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/tuijasonkkila.fi\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/tuijasonkkila.fi\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tuijasonkkila.fi\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tuijasonkkila.fi\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=885"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/tuijasonkkila.fi\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/885\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":906,"href":"https:\/\/tuijasonkkila.fi\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/885\/revisions\/906"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/tuijasonkkila.fi\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=885"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tuijasonkkila.fi\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=885"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tuijasonkkila.fi\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=885"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}