I finally got all the photos sorted, processed, labeled and have them organized into my latest TRIPS sub-gallery: 2018 Rancho Humo, Palo Verde National Park — Next comes the book! 🙂
¡Pura Vida!
Rancho Humo Photo Gallery
“Home on the Range”
Northwest Costa Rica, the Guanacaste Province, is mostly flat, dry and generally with more sun than rain with lots of cattle ranching. Today Walter drove me to and through this area of Costa Rica for my 5-night stay at Rancho Humo where it is near the end of Rainy Season, so nice and green now! Above photo is from my room deck when I arrived. Here’s a few shots enroute and on the first of 6 days at “Home on the Range.”
BIRDS First Afternoon, 30 minutes in Wetlands
On the Road to Rancho Humo
My “Jr. Suite” at Rancho Humo
Rancho Humo Outside Views
And their 2 Minute Video on Rancho Humo:
¡Pura Vida!
Today at Esquinas Rainforest Lodge
No rain today – so far at 3pm! I had a wonderful 6am birding hike with birding guide Kevin and returned for breakfast and the morning photographing wildlife from my cabin terrace – amazing!
Below is a slideshow of a few of today’s photos – mostly birds but some other animals. Tomorrow Kevin and I go on a boat trip through the mangroves which always yields a lot of birds rain or shine. Then over the weekend I plan to just enjoy walking the forests that surround me here and the really good food someone else is preparing! 🙂 And oh yeah, a night hike one of those nights which is always interesting!
And I’m hearing thunder now, so rain tonight which is always the best time and well, it just started at 3:42! 🙂
Among the scenes which are deeply impressed on my mind, none exceed in sublimity the primeval [tropical] forests, … temples filled with the varied productions of the God of Nature. No one can stand in these solitudes unmoved, and not feel that there is more in man than the mere breath of his body.
— Charles Darwin
¡Pura Vida!
Xandari Room – Art Gallery in Nature
My room at Xandari Resort Costa Rica is like an art gallery sitting in a garden or surrounded by nature. Here’ two slideshows to explain; first is views of each part of my room or rooms – more like an efficiency apartment. Second is a slide of each piece of art placed somewhere in my room or rooms, including three outdoors.
The original owners or developers of Xandari were an architect and his artist wife. They included an art studio here where students came and created the art that is all over the property including each villa or room. Later I will show some of the art that is outside in the gardens around the buildings. It is one of the most unique places I have ever been and a lot of birds too! 🙂
VIEWS OF MY ROOM
PIECES OF ART IN MY ROOM
To affect the quality of the day, that is the highest of arts.
~Henry David Thoreau
-o-
¡Pura Vida!
See my Trip Photo Gallery: 2018 Xandari Resort
Xandari costa rica (their website)
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.
My Cabin at Villa Blanca
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| All rooms here are cabins – 36 of them! Villa Blanca Cloud Forest Hotel 20 km North of San Ramon, Costa Rica |
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Morning Fog is Common in the Cloud Forest!
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| Fireplace felt good some nights! Villa Blanca Cloud Forest Hotel 20 km North of San Ramon, Costa Rica |
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| Comfortable Bed Villa Blanca Cloud Forest Hotel 20 km North of San Ramon, Costa Rica |
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| View out my front door Villa Blanca Cloud Forest Hotel 20 km North of San Ramon, Costa Rica |
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| View out my back door Villa Blanca Cloud Forest Hotel 20 km North of San Ramon, Costa Rica |
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| 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!
Cloud Forest Experience This Week
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| The mountains north of where I live contain many small farms and large forest reserves. I am going to experience that as well as seek out mountain birds, relax, and enjoy great food! |
While at Aguila de Osa Hotel on Drake Bay I learned that they were part of a small chain of 4 nature hotels under the name of Greentique Hotels and that one was less than 2 hours from Atenas, just north of San Ramon and not too far from Arenal Volcano, one of the most beautiful in the world! It is Called Villa Blanca Cloud Forest Hotel and Nature Reserve. (Click link or logo for their website.) I decided then to add it to my list of future trips and here it is this Monday-Friday. I have 3 guided birding/nature hikes scheduled and if at least 2 other adults there to make a group, I will take the day trip to Arenal Volcano National Park. Otherwise, more of the reserve!
Based on my experiences in their Drake Bay hotel, I will be happy just hanging out at the hotel grounds and hiking through their reserve. Plus their sister hotel had the best food of any yet in Costa Rica, so that alone may be enough! 🙂 And possibly one relaxation massage! And of course lots of photographs, especially of birds and other nature! If the internet connection is good there, I will try to post daily reports with photos.
If anyone is paying that close attention to all my trips, this in some ways will be similar to my other cloud forest places visited, though all are unique. San Gerardo de Dota is the best place for photographing the Resplendent Quetzal bird and most lodges there are a little more rustic, catering mostly to birders in steeper mountain terrain. I’ve been there 3 times so far and will go again! I’ve been to Monteverde once and it may be more similar to Villa Blanca terrain on top of a mountain, though Monteverde has lots of small local hotels & cabinas and two national parks plus one big commercial hanging bridges park. It is harder to get to, driving up a steep mountain on a gravel road and a little more “touristy” than I prefer, but I got a lot of bird photos there and will go again! My other mountain experiences weren’t quite high enough to be considered “Cloud Forests” but were each good in their own ways. And the adventures continue! See reports of each in my gallery TRIPS.
I’m coming close to my 3-year anniversary living here (December) and have traveled the entire country, visiting many places for birds and other nature experiences, more than most of the expats I’ve met here. But I still have a long way to go and many new places to visit yet! One goal is to visit all 34 National Parks which shouldn’t be too difficult since I visited all 55 Tennessee State Parks! And I’m about 1/3 the way done now! Thanks for following my adventures!
¡Pura Vida!
Traveling Costa Rica
“Remember what Bilbo used to say: It’s a dangerous business, Frodo, going out your door. You step onto the road, and if you don’t keep your feet, there’s no knowing where you might be swept off to.”– JRR Tolkien
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| Beach or Mountain – Every Place is Good to Visit Here! Above is sunset at Flamingo Beach. |
That is part of my retirement job of “enjoying retirement.” And though my entire photo gallery titled “Charlie Doggett’s COSTA RICA” includes much from these trips I take about every two months or more frequently, it has been mostly organized in subject galleries like Birds, Butterflies, Flora & Forest, places and events. Because people ask me about traveling to a specific location, what I saw there, about guides, activities, hotel, food, etc. I decided to add a new section to the photo galleries called “TRIPS.” Here you will find a gallery or folder on each trip with most recent trip at top and most include multiple photo galleries, like one for all the birds I photographed there, one on the hotel, other animals, scenery, etc. So if you are interested in what you might see and do in say Drake Bay, Tortuguero, or Sarapiqui, just check out my trip gallery to that place. And you already know that nature is my primary focus on all trips! 🙂
I guess this will be most helpful to persons considering a particular place to visit to see if it is something that interests you. Now also be aware that I travel to places multiple times and usually in different hotels/lodges. So check out all three of my trip galleries to San Gerardo de Dota for example. Or if you are just wanting . . .
HOTELS & LODGES
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| Me at hotel by Arenal Volcano |
And if you only want my opinion on a hotel or lodge? Well, I’m using a new “story-telling” feature on my web gallery host (SmugMug) now to present my opinions of the various hotels and lodges I have visited, over 30 in 3 years! These are listed alphabetically by locations (town. park, etc) and include links to the hotel’s website as well as other links of interest like my above trip galleries! 🙂 You find it in my big gallery under “PLACES & THINGS” as Cost Rica Lodges & Hotels.
And for different kinds of reviews, I also write a report on most hotels on TripAdvisor where you should find a list of my reviews.
TRANSPORTATION
Most Americans are addicted to cars and thus will use a rent car with a GPS that will get you to any location. Just don’t depend on maps and addresses since house numbers are not used in Costa Rica much nor are streets or highways labeled, which can be a problem at the intersection of two highways where you need to turn. In addition to GPS systems, a lot of locals use WAZE on their cellphones for directions since it includes traffic problems, wrecks, construction work and detours. Or Google Maps provides good directions also on phones. Just bring a car charger for phone!
But if you want to forget the stress and travel the Pura Vida way, take a public bus to anywhere in the country for pennies on the dollar compared to rent car and no stress or getting lost. At your destination town, take a taxi to your hotel or many hotels provide shuttle transportation. To find bus schedules and plan your trip use http://horariodebuses.com/EN/cr/index.php and if you can’t handle Spanish, there is a menu item to “Change the Language” with many major world languages included, like English! 🙂
NOTE: Since this post I now use a private driver for most trips not needing a plane. I use Walter Ramirez whose business is linked in the right column of this blog and to logo at left. I highly recommend him and all of his drivers. It costs more than a bus but is quicker, more efficient, more comfortable and relaxing with stops anytime you wish.
For longer distances and to save a long bus ride, I recommend the Costa Rican Sansa Airlines to get you across the country quickly and efficiently (telephone them is best) or their Canadian competitor Nature Air. Booking online has not worked efficiently for me, so I recommend telephoning either airline. NOTE: Nature Air has gone out of business since this post. But Sansa was always better anyway! 🙂
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| Typical 12-passenger plane used for in-country flights and to neighbors Nicaragua and Panama. |
“Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts. Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the earth all one’s lifetime.”
― Mark Twain, The Innocents Abroad/Roughing It
Well, I may have gotten carried away with travel information and opinions! Sorry! My original purpose was to simply introduce you to my new set of photo galleries called
A New Photo Gallery!
So, I hope you check it out and enjoy some of my trips vicariously or get ideas for trips of your own!
buen viaje
(That’s Spanish for “Bon Voyage” or “Good Trip”)
“May your trails be crooked, winding, lonesome, dangerous,
leading to the most amazing view.”
— Edward Abbey
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| Caribbean Sunrise at Hotel Banana Azul, Puerto Viejo de Talamanca |
Hotel Banana Azul
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| Too many clouds for a traditional sunrise this morning, but I thought this shot to left of the sun was okay. Hotel Banana Azul, Puerto Viejo de Talamanca, Costa Rica |
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| The Garden I face from the Dining Room — Bird feeder off to the right Hotel Banana Azul, Puerto Viejo de Talamanca, Costa Rica |
This morning I decided to not keep posting so many photos on the blog, thus began my trip photo gallery for this experience where you can find lots of photos! Since this was to be the hotel post today, I will give links to three sub-galleries on the very relaxed and enjoyable Hotel Banana Azul:
Or for the whole trip, go to my trip photo gallery called
2017 Sept 4-8 — Caribe Banana Azul Puerto Viejo
including my visit to Cahuita National Park & Samasati Reserve
including my visit to Cahuita National Park & Samasati Reserve
And/or check out the Hotel Banana Azul Web Page
And plan ahead! They stay booked solid much of the time,
even in the “off season” which it is now.
And plan ahead! They stay booked solid much of the time,
even in the “off season” which it is now.
This new caribe gallery is the latest of my “TRIPS” Photo Galleries
where I am working backwards to document my Costa Rica trips
and neighboring countries’ trips in my bigger CR gallery:
At the time of this posting, I’m back to July 2015
and the trips started in January 2015!
Almost finished! Travel with Kevin is next!
¡Pura Vida!
Photos of Hotel Aguia de Osa, Drake Bay
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| My Front Porch Hammock & Bay View Aguila de Osa Lodge, Drake Bay, Costa Rica |
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| My Front Door & Outside Chairs Aguila de Osa Lodge, Drake Bay, Costa Rica |
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| My Room, All those windows have only screens. High ceiling with Fan! Aguila de Osa Lodge, Drake Bay, Costa Rica |
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| One of 3 Flights of Stairs UP to Rooms on Top of Hill Aguila de Osa Lodge, Drake Bay, Costa Rica |
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| One of 3 Flights of Stairs DOWN from Rooms on Top of Hill Aguila de Osa Lodge, Drake Bay, Costa Rica |
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| Exit Sign from Drake Bay Community Trail to Hotel Aguila de Osa Lodge, Drake Bay, Costa Rica |
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| 3 Meals a Day Overlooking the Bay Though some trips included a box lunch on the day trip Aguila de Osa Lodge, Drake Bay, Costa Rica |
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| Gourmet Meals Served Three Times a Day! Plus Happy Hour with Appetizers! Aguila de Osa Lodge, Drake Bay, Costa Rica |
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| Hotel’s Fleet of Boats is Important to Guest Transportation! Aguila de Osa Lodge, Drake Bay, Costa Rica |
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| As Are the Boat Captains! Aguila de Osa Lodge, Drake Bay, Costa Rica |
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| A Familiar Scene Coming and Going from the Hotel Aguila de Osa Lodge, Drake Bay, Costa Rica |
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| And the Hotel Pier is Really the “Front Door” to Hotel You get here by boat or by walking a trail. No road for cars. Aguila de Osa Lodge, Drake Bay, Costa Rica |
I loved it here! Being gone the bulk of the daytime on adventures kept me from missing air-conditioning, which in the hot and humid coastal rainforest would have been better for resting inside during the day. But who does that with all the things to do during the day? At night the ceiling fan was more than adequate and I actually turned it off two nights and used the blanket.
The tour possibilities, guides and all other staff were simply great in every way! One family went deep-sea fishing and the kitchen cooked one of their fish for their dinner that night and the rest of us got a little as part of the appetizers! The food was excellent as was the food service. I highly recommend Hotel Aguila de Osa for anyone considering Drake Bay. Of course I have not tried any of the other hotels here to compare. This was not my best birding location, but was very good and a big variety of total animals to see both in and out of the park. I was disappointed I did not see a wild Tapir, though people on other tours did. Wildlife is always unpredictable and sightings cannot be scheduled!
It is not easy to compare this to my visit to the southern end of Corcovado Park at Carate Village and the two inns of Luna Lodge and Lookout Inn. That was on a 2009 Birding Tour from the states and the link is to my old PBase Photo Gallery of the total trip that included San Gerado de Dota in the mountains, so more than Corcovado. It was my first trip to Costa Rica and I fell in love with the country immediately! I may have seen and photographed more birds on that trip, but this was a better and more relaxed trip with more variety. And though Luna Lodge is very nice with gourmet food, Aguila might have even better food and my room was better. But glad I’ve seen both ends of this great rainforest park! Next time I may try one of those lodges on the east side of park.
Though not made yet, I will soon have a “Trip Gallery” on this trip in a new area of my Costa Rica galleries simply called TRIPS. And of course as always I use every trip to increase my collection of bird photos and other categories of photos in my big gallery called Charlie Doggett’s COSTA RICA. If interested in Costa Rica you might enjoy exploring my galleries.
And this concludes the Blog reports on my recent Corcovado-Drake Bay trip, though more photos may pop up here in the future. A 6-day trip is the longest I have made since my move here and I like longer visits in the same location! A friend has scheduled a week-long trip here soon for birding and will be in a different hotel every night. He may see more birds but will be physically exhausted by the end of the week! I’m too old for that now! 🙂 Pura Vida!
My TRIPS Photo Gallery on this Drake Bay Trip
And my Lodges & Hotels of Costa Rica photo gallery
Costa Rica to soon unveil its first hydrogen-powered bus!