Category: Places

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Waterfalls and Challenging the Ethnocentric Mind

Xandari Falls #4

Xandari is different and that challenges me to be different. One example is that more than in most places I am speaking Spanish with all the staff and they love it! They help me when I don’t know a word and they encourage me! When I walk into the dining room now they all come up and speak to me in español. I smile and we chat. It is a great feeling!

As the linked video below suggests, change is not easy. Change can be overwhelming like these 5 waterfalls here at Xandari. But wow! It’s wonderful as the college student show in the video. Thanks to Retire for Less in Costa Rica for sharing this video first!

¡Pura Vida!

See my Trip Photo Gallery:  2018 Xandari Resort

Xandari costa rica   (their website)

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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

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PIECES OF ART IN MY ROOM

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To affect the quality of the day, that is the highest of arts.

~Henry David Thoreau

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¡Pura Vida!

See my Trip Photo Gallery:  2018 Xandari Resort

Xandari costa rica   (their website)

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Xandari – Room View

This is the view from my room after checking in around noon on a cool and rainy day. I have photos of the room I planned to share but too tired with 5.5 miles walking today. More tomorrow in a beautiful place connected to nature.

¡Pura Vida!

See my Trip Photo Gallery:  2018 Xandari Resort

Xandari costa rica   (their website)

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Almost all of Costa Rica’s Energy has come from Renewable Sources for 4 Years Now  Interesting article in the online English-language Tico Times  –  Little Costa Rica is setting the standard for all you big countries!  🙂

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My Cabin & Lodge Facilities

I cannot explain why I never photographed the main building with dining room, etc. But I didn’t!

My “Cabin” or actually 1 of 4 rooms in this building with me alone.
Tranquilo Bay Eco Adventure Lodge, Bocas del Toro, Panama

My Porch & Hammock   
   Tranquilo Bay Eco Adventure Lodge, Bocas del Toro, Panama

Inside my Room   
   Tranquilo Bay Eco Adventure Lodge, Bocas del Toro, Panama

Part of the 200 acres of forest behind my cabin to explore 
 Tranquilo Bay Eco Adventure Lodge, Bocas del Toro, Panama

The Trail between my cabin and dining room & dock 
 Tranquilo Bay Eco Adventure Lodge, Bocas del Toro, Panama

The Birding Tower – My Favorite Place Maybe 
 Tranquilo Bay Eco Adventure Lodge, Bocas del Toro, Panama

Dining Room & Lobby
Featuring the Mike Smith family of Nashville, my old hometown! It’s a small world!
Tranquilo Bay Eco Adventure Lodge, Bocas del Toro, Panama

Bocas del Toro Archipelago, Panama
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More Water Scenes from Bocas

You may remember my first post from this trip, Life on the Water – check it out again and then here are some more water scenes in addition to that post and the Bird Island & Soropta Canal photos! It is all about water at Bocas del Toro, Panama!

Our dock at
Tranquilo Bay Eco Adventure Lodge, Bocas del Toro, Panama

A Little Island within swimming distance of our dock 
 This was the best area for snorkeling with colorful coral and fish!
Tranquilo Bay Eco Adventure Lodge, Bocas del Toro, Panama
15 year old Scott, one of the owner’s sons and an excellent birding guide!
Tranquilo Bay Eco Adventure Lodge, Bocas del Toro, Panama

Sunrises & Sunsets were mostly indirect for my times on the water
Tranquilo Bay Eco Adventure Lodge, Bocas del Toro, Panama

A common view when we went away from the island
Tranquilo Bay Eco Adventure Lodge, Bocas del Toro, Panama
I think this is a lodge or restaurant on one of the islands
Bocas del Toro Archipelago, Panama
And many people lived on the islands and thus on the water as here in Bocas Town
Bocas del Toro Archipelago, Panama
Bocas del Toro Archipelago, Panama
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Isla Pájaros – Bird Island

We stopped by here on our way back from Soropta Canal. Interesting island!

We felt like we were approaching the Jurassic Park Island
Bird Island, Bocas del Toro Archipelago, Panama

Bird Island, Bocas del Toro Archipelago, Panama

Bird Island, Bocas del Toro Archipelago, Panama

Flocks of Magnificent Frigatebirds flew overhead with other birds
 Bird Island, Bocas del Toro Archipelago, Panama

Magnificent Frigatebird Juvenile
 Bird Island, Bocas del Toro Archipelago, Panama

Brown Booby
 Bird Island, Bocas del Toro Archipelago, Panama

Brown Booby
  Bird Island, Bocas del Toro Archipelago, Panama

Brown Booby Baby
 Many seabirds nest on this island.
Bird Island, Bocas del Toro Archipelago, Panama

Red-billed Tropicbird
 Bird Island, Bocas del Toro Archipelago, Panama
From Institute for Tropical Ecology & Conservation
Note a column for “Bird Island”
Also column for “Soropta Canal” we visited the same day. 

Bocas del Toro Archipelago, Panama
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Mainland Birding Near Bocas del Toro

Only a sample of the many birds we saw driving from the coast up the mountain in mainland Panama at closest point to Bocas del Toro Archipelago of islands. For all that I photographed on this trip see my TRIP GALLERY 2018 Tranquilo Bay, the Birds sub-gallery.

Green Ibis
Mainland Panama near Bocas del Toro Islands, Panama

 

Passerini’s Tanager
Mainland Panama near Bocas del Toro Islands, Panama

 

Dusky-capped Flycatcher
Mainland Panama near Bocas del Toro Islands, Panama

 

Pale-vented Pigeon
Mainland Panama near Bocas del Toro Islands, Panama

 

 

Cattle Egret Juvenile in Nest
Mainland Panama near Bocas del Toro Islands, Panama

 

Boat-billed Heron Juvenile near nest
Mainland Panama near Bocas del Toro Islands, Panama

 

Swallowtail Kite
Mainland Panama near Bocas del Toro Islands, Panama

 

Silver Throated Tanager
Mainland Panama near Bocas del Toro Islands, Panama
Bocas del Toro Archipelago, Panama

See my “Trip Gallery”:
2018 Tranquilo Bay, Bocas del Toro, Panama

 

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ALSO OF POSSIBLE INTEREST TO YOU:




 

Check out BirdLife International for ways you can be a better conservationist.
Their People & Nature Program!
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And of course the serious birder must join eBird and the
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And for Costa Rica Birders I recommend the Facebook Group
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Soropta Canal Birds

Just a sample of the many kinds of birds we saw and I photographed on the old Snyder Canal for Banana Boats now called Soropta Canal for the nearby beach it parallels near the little town of Changuinola, Panama. A rich diversity of plants and wildlife are there!

Yellow-headed Caracara
Soropta Canal, Changuinola, Panama

Groove-billed Anis
Soropta Canal, Changuinola, Panama

Purple Gallinule
Soropta Canal, Changuinola, Panama

Roadside Hawk Juvenile
Soropta Canal, Changuinola, Panama

Black-bellied Whistling Duck
Soropta Canal, Changuinola, Panama

Roseate Spoonbill
Soropta Canal, Changuinola, Panama

Snowy Egret (in the rain)
Soropta Canal, Changuinola, Panama
Bocas del Toro Archipelago, Panama