Costa Rica Feb 2019 Caribbean side

After the prop plane to San Jose, a bus to the coast.

But the seats were sold out, so we sat on the floor.

Hiking along the coast through the national park in Cahuita. Sore necks from looking up for birds and
monkeys all day.

Same coastal trail, and a very refreshing swim.

More leaves!

Monkeys in the garden of our lodge in Cahuita. Howler monkeys make a diabolic sound which every other Howler within earshot seems required to out-howl.

Our Cahuita bungalow.

Cahuita - Haney took a snorkeling excursion. They don't seem to believe in docks in Costa Rica.

The local bus from Cahuita to Manzanillo, near the Panamanian border.

Black vultures guard the grocery store in Manzanillo.

Fun discoveries in the national park in Manzanillo.

A sloth!  Amazing.

Eating leaf shoots.  Slowly.  Slowly.

End of day on the beach in Manzanillo.

Bicycles on the beach in Manzanillo - everyone bikes here.

Leaving Manzanillo.  Our Airbnb proprietor gave us a ride to the bus station in Puerto Viejo, a bigger, more touristy town.

On the way back to San Jose. Changing buses in P. Limon. We had a seat this time.

Sunset from our hotel balcony in Alajuela on our last night.

Costa Rica Feb 2019 Pacific side

The second destination: Drake's Bay. Down from the Cerro de la Muerte to the tidal estuary of Sierpe to catch the boat the next day.  A total of five bus rides and taxis. Very hot!

But first, a tour of the Estero Azul.  Here a White-faced monkey drinks water very carefully by dipping his cupped hand in the water so as to avoid crocodiles.

This boat took us out the Estero Azul, through mangrove swamps, out into the ocean, and down the coast to Drake's Bay. Breaking out of the river into the surf, then splashing into the water with your luggage is part of the charm.

Waiting for a ride to our lodge, the Finca Mariesa.

A mango shake at a cafe after a very long and hot hike.  It may have been what got us so sick.

A day and a half lost to "turista" at our lovely lodge.

The deck of our bungalow.

The deck, common area, and dining room of Finca Mariesa.

Waiting for dinner at Finca Mariesa.

Our bungalow, on the right.

While out walking, we ran into a troop of peccaries.

Hiking in the rain forest.

Lots of Scarlet Macaws in pairs.

Bamboo brought in by the foreign fruit industry to build worker housing.  But highly invasive.

Two nights at the more modest but equally lovely Casa Horizontes.

Back to San Jose and on to the Caribbean coast.

Costa Rica Feb 2019 Highlands

Our first destination. The bus dropped us off by the side of the highway, and we walked a kilometer to the lodge.

I don't think they've ever had anyone arrive that way.  We felt a bit trapped at first since we couldn't get out to a store or cafe but the meals there were not too expensive so we settled in for three nights. 

Haney was fascinated with these huge leaves, especially against the sunlight.

At 9000 ft, it was very cold at night.  Birdwatching from bed at dawn.

Haney discovered a secret waterfall on an unmarked trail.

The lodge's hummingbird feeders, outside the dining room, at sunset, looking out over the mountaintops.

Hiking in the cloud forest.

Woodpecker nest outside our bungalow.

Lots of bromeliads in the forest.

And vines.

The view from our bungalow window, and other lodge bungalows spread out on the hillside.,