Author: Charlie

Retired American nature-lover, living in Costa Rica, photographing birds and other jewels of nature. This site simply reports on my joys of being RETIRED IN COSTA RICA!
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Metropolitan Cathedral in San Jose

Our first stop on an Atenas Expats tour of San Jose today was
The Metropolitan Cathedral of San Jose
My favorite art work there is this statue of the Pope’s visit
 to San Jose in 1983 by a Costa Rican sculpture. 

We visited two more places which I will share over the next two days along with finishing up my report on Villa Blanca. Though I have done my own tour of San Jose earlier, this was different and led by the author of the book on San Jose for visitors, so always something new. 

Or my San Jose Gallery  with photos from several trips to the capital.

And a separate gallery for Costa Rica Churches, most in San Jose

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Hotel Grounds & Vistas – Villa Blanca

One of many vistas from Villa Blanca

The main building seen from the chapel. 

sign at entrance gate

Traffic on the road coming up to Villa Blanca. 

One view from outside dining area. White spot is chapel on the campus.

You can come here each morning and milk a cow if you wish!

One of many hiking trails.

Trail exit to a hummingbird garden

One row of cabins. There are a total of 36.

Greenhouse

There are nearly always clouds in the cloud forest! 
My trip gallery: 2017 Villa Blanca
My reviews of other Costa Rica Lodges & Hotels  if exploring this fun country. Note that at Drake Bay I stayed at the sister hotel of Villa Blanca, Aguila de Osa – both are Greentique Hotels.
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Hotel Lobby, Restaurant & Activities – Villa Blanca

On top of the hill, the center of everything that happens at Villa Blanca Cloud Forest Hotel:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

My trip gallery: 2017 Villa Blanca
My reviews of other Costa Rica Lodges & Hotels  if exploring this fun country. Note that at Drake Bay I stayed at the sister hotel of Villa Blanca, Aguila de Osa – both are Greentique Hotels.
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Earthquake Here Last Night

Image result for Nov 11, 2017 Earthquake Costa Rica maps, photos
The epicenter of a 6.5 Earthquake was about 40-50 miles southwest of where I live in Atenas.
The house shook violently for about 30 seconds around 8:30 pm and then an aftershock a minute or so later.
Only damage for me was pictures hanging on wall are crooked now.  🙂
In Jaco grocery store shelves were emptied.

READ ABOUT IT IN:

EarthquakeTrack.com

Costa Rica Star English Online News

Earthquake Facebook Page

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My Cabin at Villa Blanca

All rooms here are cabins – 36 of them!
Villa Blanca Cloud Forest Hotel
20 km North of San Ramon, Costa Rica

 

Morning Fog is Common in the Cloud Forest!

Villa Blanca Cloud Forest Hotel
20 km North of San Ramon, Costa Rica

 

Fireplace felt good some nights!
Villa Blanca Cloud Forest Hotel
20 km North of San Ramon, Costa Rica

 

Comfortable Bed
Villa Blanca Cloud Forest Hotel
20 km North of San Ramon, Costa Rica

 

View out my front door
Villa Blanca Cloud Forest Hotel
20 km North of San Ramon, Costa Rica

 

View out my back door
Villa Blanca Cloud Forest Hotel
20 km North of San Ramon, Costa Rica

 

Stained Glass Window in my Cabin
Villa Blanca Cloud Forest Hotel
20 km North of San Ramon, Costa Rica
 
My trip gallery: 2017 Villa Blanca
My reviews of other Costa Rica Lodges & Hotels  if exploring this fun country. Note that at Drake Bay I stayed at the sister hotel of Villa Blanca, Aguila de Osa – both are Greentique Hotels.
And oh yeah, I’m home now, writing this Friday night to post Saturday and it will be emailed out Sunday morning around 2 am. I still have several more posts I want to make before I’m finished telling about Villa Blanca, the facilities, the grounds & vistas, a chapel, and a research center.
100,000 Views is what the counter says this blog passed yesterday with 83 views that day. Thank you for keeping up with “Retired in Costa Rica” and all my adventures and photos! I love it here!
¡Pura vida!
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Flora & Forest at Villa Blanca

I know! It’s just a dead leaf! But I think it is beautiful art!  🙂
Villa Blanca Cloud Forest Resort & Nature Reserve
San Ramon, Costa Rica

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Add caption

 

 

 

 

 

 

My trip gallery: 2017 Villa Blanca
 
See also all of my Flora & Forest photo galleries or just this Villa Blanca Flora & Forest
 
 
 
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Daytime Nature Hike

Our guide told us a lot about plants as well as animals.
 I’ll do a separate post about plants & flowers in the forest.
The 2 young men behind the guide are from Chicago. 3 of us on hike.
Villa Blanca Cloud Forest Nature Reserve
 San Ramon, Costa Rica

Parsa or Synchlora gerularia Moth 
 I’ll research more when I get home.
 Villa Blanca Cloud Forest Nature Reserve
 San Ramon, Costa Rica

Unknown Insect, a little beetle
 Villa Blanca Cloud Forest Nature Reserve
 San Ramon, Costa Rica

Unknown Insect, a little beetle
Villa Blanca Cloud Forest Nature Reserve
 San Ramon, Costa Rica
Stink Bug
Villa Blanca Cloud Forest Nature Reserve
 San Ramon, Costa Rica
Unknown Caterpillar  
 Villa Blanca Cloud Forest Nature Reserve
 San Ramon, Costa Rica 

Unknown Caterpillar 
Villa Blanca Cloud Forest Nature Reserve
 San Ramon, Costa Rica
Unknown Butterfly  
 Villa Blanca Cloud Forest Nature Reserve
 San Ramon, Costa Rica

Glasswing Butterfly
 Villa Blanca Cloud Forest Nature Reserve
 San Ramon, Costa Rica

Red-tailed Dragonfly
 Villa Blanca Cloud Forest Nature Reserve
 San Ramon, Costa Rica

Walking Stick Insect
 Villa Blanca Cloud Forest Nature Reserve
 San Ramon, Costa Rica

Paw Print of Ocelot 
At least our guide thought so. See three toe prints right of beige leaf.
 Villa Blanca Cloud Forest Nature Reserve
 San Ramon, Costa Rica

And the next morning this guy was in hotel garden – he fits with day hike varmits:

Hooded Mantis
 Villa Blanca Cloud Forest Resort & Nature Reserve
 San Ramon, Costa Rica

Hooded Mantis
 Villa Blanca Cloud Forest Resort & Nature Reserve 
 San Ramon, Costa Rica

We saw a lot more stuff and he told us about plants used for medicines, not only by natives, but also by modern pharmaceutical companies. Interesting but I will never remember most of that!  🙂

My Trip Photo Gallery:  2017 Nov 6-11 Villa Blanca

Or go through my general Costa Rica Gallery for subsets on insects, butterflies, plants, etc. 
Or see the Villa Blanca Website  And several more blog posts with more photos!

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Birds From Morning Walk

Orange-bellied Trogon female 
 Villa Blanca Cloud Forest Resort & Nature Reserve
 Near San Ramon, Costa Rica

Silver-throated Tanager
 Villa Blanca Cloud Forest Resort & Nature Reserve
Near San Ramon, Costa Rica

Tropical Kingbird
 Villa Blanca Cloud Forest Resort & Nature Reserve
Near San Ramon, Costa Rica

Broad-winged Hawk
 Villa Blanca Cloud Forest Resort & Nature Reserve
Near San Ramon, Costa Rica

Yellowish Flycatcher
 Villa Blanca Cloud Forest Resort & Nature Reserve
Near San Ramon, Costa Rica

Green-crowned Brilliant Hummingbird
 Villa Blanca Cloud Forest Resort & Nature Reserve
Near San Ramon, Costa Rica

Bay-breasted Warbler juvenile female
 Villa Blanca Cloud Forest Resort & Nature Reserve
Near San Ramon, Costa Rica

Rufous-collared Sparrow
 Villa Blanca Cloud Forest Resort & Nature Reserve
Near San Ramon, Costa Rica

And of course as on all bird walks, we saw many more than I photographed. Some are too small or too far away or I try and don’t get a usable photo. The last 2 photos were actually shot on  my first afternoon here while exploring, but we did see both of them on the morning bird walk. The three new birds for me are the Silver-throated Tanager, Bay-breasted Warbler and Broad-winged Hawk. Plus the photo of the Orange-bellied Trogon female is my new best photo of that species. Every trip has its rewards even beyond new birds and this one is no exception!  Villa Blanca Cloud Forest Resort & Nature Reserve

And of course the new ones will soon appear in my Costa Rica Birds photo gallery.
My Trip Gallery on this visit  (being developed now)
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Night Hike Creatures

Masked Tree Frog
Villa Blanca Cloud Forest Reserve
Near San Ramon, Costa Rica

Masked Tree Frog
Villa Blanca Cloud Forest Reserve
Near San Ramon, Costa Rica

Masked Tree Frog
Villa Blanca Cloud Forest Reserve
Near San Ramon, Costa Rica

Unknown Frog 
 Villa Blanca Cloud Forest Reserve
Near San Ramon, Costa Rica

Slim-fingers Rain Frog 
 Villa Blanca Cloud Forest Reserve
Near San Ramon, Costa Rica
Bullfrog   (Really Big!)
Villa Blanca Cloud Forest Reserve
Near San Ramon, Costa Rica

Pug-nosed Anole 
 Villa Blanca Cloud Forest Reserve
Near San Ramon, Costa Rica

One of 3 Species of Walking Stick Insects
Villa Blanca Cloud Forest Reserve
Near San Ramon, Costa Rica

One of 3 Species of Walking Stick Insects We Saw
Villa Blanca Cloud Forest Reserve
Near San Ramon, Costa Rica

One of 3 Species of Walking Stick Insects We Saw
Villa Blanca Cloud Forest Reserve
Near San Ramon, Costa Rica

Wolf Spider
Villa Blanca Cloud Forest Reserve
Near San Ramon, Costa Rica

Forest Floor Millipede 
 Villa Blanca Cloud Forest Reserve
Near San Ramon, Costa Rica

White-crowned Parrot Sleeping 
 Villa Blanca Cloud Forest Reserve
Near San Ramon, Costa Rica

Obviously this night hike was dominated my many kinds of frogs. I do the night hike every time it is offered in one of these nature lodges and they are all very interesting and very different. On this trip we saw two snakes but I did not get a usable photo. We also saw some other kinds of frogs not shown here, lots of other insects, and heard even more. It was about 2 hours in the dark with our only light being flashlights, even for the photos, which explains partly why these photos aren’t so good. And this was unusual to not see a red-eyed tree frog, but we had the masked tree frogs which I guess you could call blue-eyed!  🙂  We also saw no mammals including no bats, no owls or other birds beyond the sleeping parrots. Each hike is unique!

I still have many other interesting photos from the first day which will just have to come later! This morning was the bird hike and I’ll show those photos tomorrow. I like it here! Not touristy and not many people! Their website link again:  Villa Blanca Cloud Forest Resort and Nature Reserve.

My Trip Gallery on this visit


¡Pura Vida!

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Arrival at Villa Blanca Cloud Forest Resort

Stained Glass Window in my Cabin
Villa Blanca Cloud Forest Resort
Near San Ramon, Costa Rica

The One Traffic Jam Enroute to 
Villa Blanca Cloud Forest Resort
Near San Ramon, Costa Rica

The View in All Directions fromVilla Blanca Cloud Forest Resort
Near San Ramon, Costa Rica

Me at the entrance gate
Villa Blanca Cloud Forest Resort
Near San Ramon, Costa Rica

Rufous-collared Sparrow 
 Villa Blanca Cloud Forest Resort
Near San Ramon, Costa Rica

I have loads of photos I would like to show, but will settle for these “just arriving” shots now. Left Atenas about 10:15 and arrive around 11:30-11:45, had lunch, explored grounds, made many photos yet to show, 6:00 to 8:00 Night Hike and late dinner with two other guys. The hike was great with more species of frogs than I’ve ever seen, a flock of parrots sleeping, 2 snakes, gobs of strange insects, and I’m sure something else. That will be one whole post! So this quick post and off to bed for an early morning birding hike before breakfast. This place is wonderful!

My Trip Gallery on this visit   and   the Hotel Website