charliedoggett.net
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| Red Passion Flower This is same family as the more common purple passion flower which we also have here in Costa Rica. Several neighbors have this red variety, and like the purple one is also a vine that can take over other plants. Atenas, Costa Rica |
See my photo gallery, FLORA & FOREST for many more tropical flowers here.
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| On Ruta 135 going north out of Atenas is this B&W Sign pointing to (maybe 500 meters on this road) Hogar de Vida, Atenas, Costa Rica |
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| I failed to photograph the entrance sign because I’m attracted to the park-like atmosphere inside! Next time I will include that attractive sign & more of the campus. Hogar de Vida, Atenas, Costa Rica |
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| One of the children’s’ cottages with a worker hanging out the laundry. Hogar de Vida, Atenas, Costa Rica |
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| Another children’s cottage on campus. Hogar de Vida, Atenas, Costa Rica |
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| Playground Hogar de Vida, Atenas, Costa Rica |
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| Rancho, which is what we call a picnic pavilion or covered dining/meeting patio here. Hogar de Vida, Atenas, Costa Rica |
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| 8:30 AM Prayer Meeting every morning with all children, staff and volunteers. The table & chairs is for the children’s snack time after devotional. Breakfast is much earlier! Hogar de Vida, Atenas, Costa Rica |
One of the many reasons I moved to Costa Rica was so I could afford to travel, by traveling locally to innumerable nature places in Costa Rica, year around! And it is now even cheaper than if I owned a car! Because I travel by local bus or occasionally by local airplanes it is cheaper than buying and operating a car – and healthier! For the first half of 2018 I have now booked a different experience monthly for February-May.
Here’s some links to places I will visit the next few months (without specific dates for security):
February – OROSI VALLEY & TAPANTI NATIONAL PARK
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| Chalet Orosi Birding at chalet as well as in the nearby parks. |
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| Tapanti National Park One of many waterfalls supposedly. |
February – San Jose for performance of CIRQUE DU SOLEIL
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| Read article about show designed just for Costa Rica |
I am going with the expat club of Atenas on a bus like several other trips to San Jose. Fun! Though I just read the article and I believe it is actually in Alajuela and not San Jose, so even closer!
March – DANTA CORCOVADO BIRDING
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| Real jungle living for 5 nights in rainforest. |
Bird Watching
My 3rd trip to Corcovado is this time on the eastern side of the large park/reserve compared to my previous trips to SW & NW corners at Carate & Drake Bay.
This will compete with my Arenal trip below as the best trip the first 6 months! 🙂
April – MISSION TRIP TO HOGAR DE VIDA, ATENAS
May – ARENAL VOLCANO RAINFOREST BIRDING
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| My Room window and deck will look out at the famous volcano. If erupting, I will see the red lava at night. Arenal Volcano, Costa Rica |
I am staying at best birding lodge in the area, Arenal Observatory Lodge with room view of the volcano.
My only other time here was on the 2010 Caravan.com Tour of Costa Rica when we spent one night in a different hotel.
And then there is my photo gallery of all my TRIPS made thus far in Costa Rica. Lots to see!
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| Sunday evening I was watching the 5:30 TV News when the loud chattering began of 30 or more Chachalacas landing in the tops of my trees, including the above Guarumo. A few came down low enough for me to get this decent shot of full name: Gray-headed Chachalaca There is a huge colony of this chicken-sized, noisy bird in Roca Verde and they occasionally visit my trees. Atenas, Costa Rica |
Check out my photo gallery BIRDS. https://charliedoggett.smugmug.com/BIRDS
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| On a walk over my hill today, not quite to the top, a different view. Roca Verde, Atenas, Costa Rica |
Click image for larger view.
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| A new business in Atenas is quite popular, especially with young adults. Fresh tropical fruit juices/smoothies frozen on a stick. Some with ice cream filling Atenas, Costa Rica |
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| I had the green one on the right, Cas/Mora, Cas fruit (CR Guava) with Blackberry filling – Tart but Yum! Atenas, Costa Rica |
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| Along wall by windows are a “Crown of Thorns” that blooms constantly year around and I just moved from white pot, as it is growing! Stair-stepping down is my favorite which is a Desert Rose or Adenium Obesum. And the tiny pot is a now small Jade Plant. Desert Rose came from it in my transplantings. There are of course more pot plants on the terrace all the way back! 🙂 Atenas, Costa Rica |
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| Desert Rose or Adenium Obesum It too is growing and I just moved it from that smallest pot above. Atenas, Costa Rica |
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| Desert Rose Blooms This is the most blooms together like this yet in 2 years. For those who knew Anthony, this came from him when he moved to states. For locals: they are available at Vivero Central in La Garita, but not cheap. Atenas, Costa Rica |
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| A Cecropia or Guarumo leaf with its exquisite shape, color and lighting in this case. Captivating to me. Villa Blanca Cloud Forest Resort, San Ramon, Costa Rica |
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| A dying banana or other tropical plant leaf with its vibrancy of change in color, contrast and life/death Villa Blanca Cloud Forest Resort, San Ramon, Costa Rica |
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| On the Sidewalk Atenas, Costa Rica |
Recycling older photos that may or may not have been used on this blog. For more see
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| Scarlet Macaw Tambor Tropical Resort, Costa Rica by Charlie Doggett |
Christopher Howard is affirming International Living’s ranking of Costa Rica as the best place in the world to retire. You might like to read his take on it:
Costa Rica as the Best Place to Retire
It has been good to have so many people, organizations, blogs and magazines confirm my decision to retire in Costa Rica! Of course those of you who follow my blog know how much I like it here. The perfect place for a nature lover and peace lover.
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| Sunrise Tambor Tropical Resort, Costa Rica by Charlie Doggett |
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| A photo from the river trail in Tambor not used yet and a fun effort at nature poetry by Charlie Tambor Tropical Resort, Costa Rica |
For more of my nature poems as see Haiku Nature