Tag: nature reserve

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Chapel at Villa Blanca

Mariana Chapel  
 Villa Blanca Cloud Forest Resort & Nature Reserve
 San Ramon, Costa Rica

Chapel    
Villa Blanca Cloud Forest Resort & Nature Reserve 
 San Ramon, Costa Rica

Chapel   
 Villa Blanca Cloud Forest Resort & Nature Reserve 
 San Ramon, Costa Rica

Chapel   
Villa Blanca Cloud Forest Resort & Nature Reserve 
 San Ramon, Costa Rica

Chapel   
 Villa Blanca Cloud Forest Resort & Nature Reserve 
 San Ramon, Costa Rica

Flowers in front of Chapel   
 Villa Blanca Cloud Forest Resort & Nature Reserve 
 San Ramon, Costa Rica
Oxcart in front of Chapel  
 Villa Blanca Cloud Forest Resort & Nature Reserve 
 San Ramon, Costa Rica

Villa Blanca’s Mariana Wedding Chapel was the 50th anniversary-wedding gift from former President Rodrigo Carazo Odio to First Lady Estrella Carazo Zeledon. Its unique hand painted ceramic ceiling depicts the history of the Virgin Mary when first introduced into Latin America by Christian missionaries. It is located on a grassy knoll overlooking the farm village and hacienda of Villa Blanca. The Chapel’s backdrop is the 840 Ha (2000 acre) Los Angeles Cloud Forest, with over 300 listed bird species included within a variety of flora and fauna in this protected habitat and serene mountain setting. The chapel, a replica of a 17th century chapel in Rome, features a high beam ceiling composed of 840 individual ceramic plates, all of them hand drawn and painted with high temperature enamel paints. Each side of the ceiling has 15 panels of 28 plates divided in two vertical rows of 14 plates. Each one of the columns formed by the 14 plates conveys a theme allusive to a Latin-American virgin and her country of origin.

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.
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Birds From Morning Walk

Orange-bellied Trogon female 
 Villa Blanca Cloud Forest Resort & Nature Reserve
 Near San Ramon, Costa Rica

Silver-throated Tanager
 Villa Blanca Cloud Forest Resort & Nature Reserve
Near San Ramon, Costa Rica

Tropical Kingbird
 Villa Blanca Cloud Forest Resort & Nature Reserve
Near San Ramon, Costa Rica

Broad-winged Hawk
 Villa Blanca Cloud Forest Resort & Nature Reserve
Near San Ramon, Costa Rica

Yellowish Flycatcher
 Villa Blanca Cloud Forest Resort & Nature Reserve
Near San Ramon, Costa Rica

Green-crowned Brilliant Hummingbird
 Villa Blanca Cloud Forest Resort & Nature Reserve
Near San Ramon, Costa Rica

Bay-breasted Warbler juvenile female
 Villa Blanca Cloud Forest Resort & Nature Reserve
Near San Ramon, Costa Rica

Rufous-collared Sparrow
 Villa Blanca Cloud Forest Resort & Nature Reserve
Near San Ramon, Costa Rica

And of course as on all bird walks, we saw many more than I photographed. Some are too small or too far away or I try and don’t get a usable photo. The last 2 photos were actually shot on  my first afternoon here while exploring, but we did see both of them on the morning bird walk. The three new birds for me are the Silver-throated Tanager, Bay-breasted Warbler and Broad-winged Hawk. Plus the photo of the Orange-bellied Trogon female is my new best photo of that species. Every trip has its rewards even beyond new birds and this one is no exception!  Villa Blanca Cloud Forest Resort & Nature Reserve

And of course the new ones will soon appear in my Costa Rica Birds photo gallery.
My Trip Gallery on this visit  (being developed now)
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Cloud Forest Experience This Week

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!