Carara National Park Plants

Pixie Cup Fungi, Carara National Park, Costa Rica
Ceiba Tree, Carra National Park, Costa Rica
Also called Kapok or Silk Cotton Tree
In all tropical forests I’ve seen, Africa, South America
The back side of the above Ceiba has a “cave”

 

Rain forests have an incredible variety of trees
and plants. My guide Victor leads the way down
and old road used as trail now.
One of the several varieties of Cecropia Trees,
similar to my Guarumo but not the same. Cousins!
This whole family of trees has multiple medicinal uses.
Rare plant that only grows in this particular
transitional forest and only in the shade.
Has medicinal uses.
And another fungus!   🙂

“The clearest way to the Universe is through a forest wilderness.”

— John Muir

 

Finally! A U.S. Ambassador to Cost Rica!

They’ll be here in time for the
Embassy 4th of July Picnic!

See this article with video clip in the TICO TIMES:  http://www.ticotimes.net/2015/06/25/senate-confirms-s-fitzgerald-haney-us-ambassador-costa-rica

We have been without an ambassador since 2013 thanks to the shameless, mean, Anti-Obama political stalling by Republicans in the Senate. It had nothing to do with Ambassador Haney or his qualifications, just silly hatred of President Obama that is now backfiring. Yesterday I read in the Washington Post that this kind of Republicanism is finally dying out in the states.

Be sure to read his stellar qualifications for this position in the above article. He should have been approved the day he was appointed! Hopefully he will help the U.S. image here during the one year he has left for sure and maybe he will get to stay longer if the next U.S. President is a Democrat.

I am trying to avoid politics in this blog, but this is about Costa Rica and affects us here and indirectly you there in the states. Plus I wanted to share what a great new ambassador we now have here. Some things are slowly getting better!  🙂

Some of the surrounding forest and farm land as seen from my bedroom window (above the ugly power lines)

Have you seen the Chamber of Commerce video promoting Costa Rica?  essential COSTA RICA
 Pure marketing, but it does show some of the diversity and strengths of my new home country. (2 min.)  But the shorter tourism promotion clip with singing animals is more fun! Called:  Save the Americans  made especially for those of you who are overworked!  🙂