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First — awakening to the singing birds and howler monkeys as I looked up at my cabin’s vaulted wood ceiling . . .
. . . then a final beachside walk before a hearty breakfast and . . .
Continue reading “Departing the Rainforest”
One of the fun things about some of my trips is getting to fly in a small plane. Though I almost had to hire a taxi to drive down today because yesterday I got an email from Sansa Airlines telling me my flight to Palmar Sur was canceled. But fortunately when I called Sansa they had one seat left on the 9 am to Quepos which is a little bit further from Uvita, but okay – an hour taxi drive which is better than 4 hours drive from Atenas. 🙂
I always keep my cellphone camera busy on these little short 30 minute flights. Here’s 5 of the many shots I made:
The Turkey Vulture (eBird description) is the most common vulture in Atenas and maybe in all of Costa Rica followed closely by the Black Vulture that I’ve seen more of in some wilderness areas. It is found throughout all the Americas. Today’s was flying above my house in Atenas. See my other photos in GALLERY Turkey Vulture — Zopilote Cabecirrojo.
“Sometimes you have to go up really high to understand how small you are.”
— Felix Baumgartner
One of my many joys of traveling across Costa Rica is occasionally getting to fly in the small planes for 20 to 40 minute flights and seeing this beautiful country from above and yes, learning how small I am as I look down! 🙂 I have so many photos from the plane this morning that it was hard to pare them down to just these 5 shots. I will use some of the other shots in the eventual photo gallery of this trip. We stopped in Tortuguero on our way to Limon. Enjoy the thrill of flying with me . . .
Continue reading “Learning How Small I Am . . .”
He was showing an interest in one of my dried up flowers in the garden the other day and I have not found a name for him yet – just another interesting creation of God!
“Why should man value himself as more than a small part of the one great unit of creation? And what creature of all that the Lord has taken the pains to make is not essential to the completeness of that unit — the cosmos?”
― A Thousand-Mile Walk to the Gulf
¡Pura Vida!
See my “Other Insects” Gallery for more fun bugs.
Not only does flying save me time and tiredness but I nearly always get at least one surprise photo on the little 30 to 40 minutes flights over Costa Rica. This latest flight to Liberia and back gave me many photos, but just two special ones today: The above photo of a very tall unknown waterfall with no roads around it! — My main prize! Saw it just south of Liberia and hope to find out its name, though I think it is isolated from tourists!
And again we fly over Atenas and I get a good photo showing much in Central Atenas (Central Park, church, schools) plus the roof of my house in the upper left corner to left of the little roundish cow pasture. The string of houses over the hill is Phase 1 of Roca Verde where I live near the bottom of the hill by cow pasture. 🙂
“There is no sport equal to that which aviators enjoy while being carried through the air on great white wings.”
~Wilbur Wright, 1905
¡Pura Vida!
By the time I get to a place and settle in I usually have less than half a day there but seem to get as many or more photos as other days – the excitement of a new place I guess! And so it was yesterday at Hacienda Guachipelín! 🙂
So to spare you, I’m saving today’s birds and butterflies for another day and putting today’s other photos in slide shows so it won’t look like so much. 🙂
“Wherever you go, go with all your heart” –Confucius
¡Pura Vida!
Knowing from past experiences that the return trip by boat and bus to San Jose is more tiring and less of an adventure, I chose to try flying back this time and not that early 6am flight! 🙂 But rather I took the 12:40 afternoon flight – and here is
The Tortuguero Airport Terminal. 🙂
Sometimes I think I live a charmed life getting to see such beautiful sights! (Even though my suitcase did not make it on our overloaded flight and is suppose to be delivered by taxi sometime this evening.) I love being “Retired in Costa Rica” and I’m still processing the bird and other wildlife photos from this Tortuguero trip – but coming soon!
See my 2019 Tortuguero Turtle Beach Lodge Visit Gallery for more on this exciting rainforest trip!
Or the Turtle Beach Lodge hotel website
Or my photo book on 3 visits to TORTUGUERO, The Amazon of Costa Rica
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| Kevin Hunter with Sloth at San Jose Airport |
Kevin reluctantly poses by The Tico Times sloth statue in the San Jose Santamaria Airport. This was right before I said goodbye and he entered the security line and I had to leave. We were already told that his 2:25 flight was delayed to maybe 3:30 or later. Well the last I heard it was not leaving until after 6 PM for Miami, missing his Nashville connection of course, and American Airlines has him spending the night in Miami and getting home around noon Tuesday. “Tico Time” often refers to things here not starting on time and it seems that American Airlines has fully integrated into the Tico Culture! Sorry Kevin! It was probably some computer’s fault! 🙂