First stop was at the Mistico Arenal Hanging Bridges.
The Hanging Bridges are like walking on top of the jungle. There are a total of 6 bridges and we were offered the opportunity to do one, three or all six. Any guesses how many I wanted to do? Any guesses how many I actually did? The part of our brochure saying there were uneven trails and steps put me on guard so I elected to do only the first one even though I wanted to do all six. Pat did three and a few of our group elected to do all six. Oh well, it gave me some extra shopping time in the gift shop.
Stupido here was so enthralled at the jungle below her that she didn't take a picture of the bridge itself. Anyway this is what I saw.
The teeny little white flower above the yellow ginger plant is a Sensitivity Plant. If you touch its leaves it will immediately droop. The last one is a Costa Rican Cattail. Sure doesn't look like the cattails I know.
Off to walk on the beaches where the Leatherback Turtles lay their eggs.
The Leatherbacks, are on the vulnerable list because their numbers are decreasing. They are killed for their oil to be used in lamps or for caulking boats. If left alone they can live up to 45 years, grow to 7' and weigh up to 2,000 pounds. They are one of the most migratory of sea turtles crossing both the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans.
Oh, the name? Their shells are the texture of leather instead of hard as we think of turtle shells.
Not much to see other than the displays since the turtles do all their egg laying at night, but they sure chose a beautiful place to start their lives.
No picking up of shells or driftwood on the beaches here. So these are my souvenirs. :) The conservation efforts of Costa Rica are amazing and should be followed by a lot more of the world.
I tend to shy away from political or controversial subjects but the deforestation of rainforests is a major concern and can seriously impact our planet. Read up on it, it can be scary.
After our visit to the beach it was time to head to another beach, this one not as sandy - more rocky - at the JW Marriott Guanacaste Resort.
Thursday was Thanksgiving so we had the day off from touring just to relax and enjoy this beautiful place. Some went on nature trails, some went out on a catamarand, other swam in the the infinity pool, and some just hung out and did a bit of shopping. A few shots around the resort.
This was my banana for breakfast. That is a normal sized hotel key. People were in the hammocks all day long. I figured if I got in I would never get out.
So let's go croc hunting!!! The river of choice is the Tarcoles River adjacent to the Carara Biological Reserve. Although we didn't see any, it is the nesting site for the scarlet macaw. Again we were on board a boat and a bit rougher water so look past the fuzziness and imagine how wonderful it is to see these babies in the wild.
You recognize the crocodile and the next one is a Black Necked Stilt and then the rarely seen Costa Rican Cow Bird :) . We were all amazed at the Charolais and crocodiles living in unison but Aaron explained the crocs want fish not beef.
The lizard is a "Jesus Christ" lizard. According to Aaron it is because tourists see one and go "Jesus Christ - it's a lizard!!!!!" Actually the name comes from its ability to walk on water.
The lizards can run on water because they have a fringe of scales on their hind toes which makes little webs that can trap bubbles of air and water beneath their feet. This keeps them from sinking into the water if they run quickly enough across. When they do stop running they don’t mind taking a little swim. The smaller lizards can run further than the bigger and heavier ones. Basilisks usually weigh between 200-600 grams (0.44 - 1.3 lbs) and may grow to be about 2 feet (61 cm) long although they average about 1 foot (30.5 cm) in length. They can run up to 5.2 mph.
Wonder if that Snowy Egret is wiggling his bright yellow toes making fish think they are worms - work smarter not harder!
Had to stop along the way for ice cream and a visit with a couple of the larger reptiles of Costa Rica. I was in the back of the bus over a wheel well on this leg of the journey but from what I could hear and understand - the dairy was started by conscientious objectors that moved to Costa Rica in 1950. I did a little Googling and found a fascinating history of the area and the dairy. Worth a read if you have a couple of minutes. History of Monteverde The ice cream was wonderful.
On to the Baldi Hot Springs to relax and enjoy. Although I do not like to be on the lens side of the camera I made an exception this time.
Although a cool glass of Chardonnay was more appealing than sitting in the waters many of the group did and loved it. Oh did I mention there was a gift shop?
Their website's "About Us"
Baldi is located in La Fortuna de San Carlos, Costa Rica on a privileged site at the base of the imposing Arenal Volcano and surrounded by exuberant nature, is the largest resort of the world with its 25 pools of thermal water, rich in minerals and healing properties.
Beautiful and the Chard was good too!
Next post will be full of beautiful butterflies, silly monkeys, walks in the jungle and whatever else is hanging around in my picture directory.
Lots of whispers to be heard around Costa Rica, wish I had had the time to listen to more of them.
What an awesome place Costa Rica is! Wow on the birds! And those hanging red flowers that look like inside out hibiscus are gorgeous. Thanks, Becci!
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