We spent last weekend in Costa Rica's Monte Verde National Park, about a four hour drive northwest of San Jose. First a bit about Costa Rica generally; this is a country that's leaps and bounds ahead of it's regional neighbors - clean, orderly and livable! Mark had to work the Thursday and Friday before we headed for the mountains so we were forced to entertain ourselves in San Jose and, while it's still a Central American city with Darwinian traffic we walked(!) all over, including to an art fair in a local park and caught an oboe & piano recital in the beautiful old national theater.
We left San Jose Saturday morning for the vast primeval fastness that is Monte Verde
click on photos, they are way more beautiful when you see them full size. Please click!
Waterfall
We went for a guided night walk Saturday evening and were rewarded with sightings of "Clickhead Beetles" whose eyes glow orange as they fly though the forest in the dark; the moon was nearly full which kept the mammals close to their dens - but we also saw tarantulas and a variety of other exotic insects as we quietly strolled through the forest.
On Sunday we got an early start, beginning a full day of hiking at 7:00 AM; the park was blissfully empty and we almost had the cloudforest to ourselves for the first few hours.
The birdsounds were so complex and lively it was almost overwhelming. We saw so many birds. The trees and plants and flowers and bugs. It's strange to say but it felt unreal, like someone had created both the soundtrack and the visuals for a movie.
At one point, the howler monkeys went crazy and we expected one to swing out of the trees on all the Tarzan vines surrounding us.
We walked all day, then walked home - about a 7 kilometer walk. Just because we could. Monteverde was originally set aside with the help of American Quakers who had moved to the country to escape the draft of the Korean War. They were attracted to Costa Rica because the country had recently abolished its army. The Quakers also brought along good Pennsylvania dairy expertise, so we enjoyed good cheese and ice cream while we were there.
Next day we got up even earlier - 5.30! - to go on an early morning bird watching hike. We loved our guide, Olman, who really brought the place alive. We had been hearing and seeing so many birds and plants, but with his expertise it all came together.
Our last night in Costa Rica was spent at the hotel closest to the airport - which also happened to be a super nice old-feeling hotel built on an old coffee plantation. A great way to end a fun trip. Costa Rica Rocks!
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