View Full Version : Costa Rica pictures...
camojack
12-10-2008, 09:24
...80 of 'em, from my recent trip there, are posted HERE (http://whiteblaze.net/forum/vbg/browseimages.php?s=&do=member&catid=&imageuser=8204&searchid=&orderby=dateline&direction=DESC&cutoffdate=-1). :sun
Dances with Mice
12-10-2008, 11:48
No pix of coffee plants, bananas, pineapples, toucans or monkeys? No touristy zip line photos? Come on now, where were you, really? ;)
I was there about this time last year. Your photos are nice, I see some familiar places.
Something I pondered - almost every house we passed, whether in the rain forest or the cloud forest, had laundry outside hanging on a line. I theorized that was actually how they did their washing then they had to take it back inside to dry.
LOL. Isn't that right DWM? Thanx for the pics CJ.
Great pics, thanks for sharing. I'll get down there one day...
camojack
12-10-2008, 18:32
No pix of coffee plants, bananas, pineapples, toucans or monkeys? No touristy zip line photos? Come on now, where were you, really? ;)
The only toucans and monkeys I saw were at the National Zoo in San José.
(But just for you, I'll post pictures of them, too)
I did do a zip line canopy tour, but took no pictures at the time.
(I was too busy holding on to use my camera, sorry)
I was there about this time last year. Your photos are nice, I see some familiar places
It reminded me a lot of Hawaii...for less dinero ($$$).
LOL. Isn't that right DWM? Thanx for the pics CJ.
Great pics, thanks for sharing. I'll get down there one day...
You're quite welcome... :sun
Dances with Mice
12-10-2008, 18:39
The only toucans and monkeys I saw were at the National Zoo in San José.
(But just for you, I'll post pictures of them, too)That's quite all right. We visited some preserve for poisonous frogs (...really, I"m not making this up...) that set out plates of fruit and the toucans would come down close enough to snap at the touristas. And at first we were taking photos of monkeys way off in the distance but by the end of our trip we were kicking the damn things off the trail.
camojack
12-10-2008, 19:03
That's quite all right. We visited some preserve for poisonous frogs (...really, I"m not making this up...) that set out plates of fruit and the toucans would come down close enough to snap at the touristas. And at first we were taking photos of monkeys way off in the distance but by the end of our trip we were kicking the damn things off the trail.
I just posted another ˝ dozen pictures from the zoo. I saw ads for rana (frog) places...but didn't visit any.
buff_jeff
12-10-2008, 19:44
Awesome pictures, man! I saw your pictures from Big Island, too. I'm going there for 3 weeks on Sunday. Hoping to climb Mauna Loa and spend at least a week in the park.
You can hike from Monteverde to Arenal (La Fortuna). I have always wanted to, but haven't in 6 trips.
camojack
12-10-2008, 19:58
Awesome pictures, man! I saw your pictures from Big Island, too. I'm going there for 3 weeks on Sunday. Hoping to climb Mauna Loa and spend at least a week in the park.
I'm glad you like the pictures.
We will be heading back to Hawaii in January.
(I'm leaving the 11th, coming back the 25th)
Too bad we won't be there at the same time, but I see that you don't live far from me...maybe we should get together for lunch or something; I could give you some suggestions on what to see on the Big Island. At the very least, I can give you some contacts over there. I know some folks who Winter there, and others who live there year 'round... :sun
camojack
12-10-2008, 20:04
You can hike from Monteverde to Arenal (La Fortuna). I have always wanted to, but haven't in 6 trips.
True enough. They're not all that far apart, really... :-?
True enough. They're not all that far apart, really... :-?
The Children's International Rainforest is between the two, and there is a shelter of sorts you can stay at. At least there was back in '99. Dropping down from the continental divide towards the Caribbean Coast, you drop through a number of different ecosystems providing opportunities to see all kinds of different flora & fauna.
Did you hike on the Bajo del Tigre Trail in Monteverde? It's a short trail; near CASEM and the bakery. I've seen all kinds of wildlife there including a Tayra, White Faced & Howler Monkey, agouti, sloth, coati, and a kinkajou. Lots of birds too including Resplendent Quetzal, 3 Wattled Bellbird and Swallow Tailed Kites.
If you missed it this trip, don't miss it if you go back. The forest is dryer than the cloud forest. I was swarmed twice by army ants there - in 2 separate years. Lesson learned - look down occasionally while birding. :eek:
buff_jeff
12-10-2008, 20:25
I'm glad you like the pictures.
We will be heading back to Hawaii in January.
(I'm leaving the 11th, coming back the 25th)
Too bad we won't be there at the same time, but I see that you don't live far from me...maybe we should get together for lunch or something; I could give you some suggestions on what to see on the Big Island. At the very least, I can give you some contacts over there. I know some folks who Winter there, and others who live there year 'round... :sun
I really appreciate the gesture but I'm actually in Pittsburgh at school right now.
Have fun on your trip! sounds like you have had some solid adventures.
camojack
12-10-2008, 21:06
The Children's International Rainforest is between the two, and there is a shelter of sorts you can stay at. At least there was back in '99. Dropping down from the continental divide towards the Caribbean Coast, you drop through a number of different ecosystems providing opportunities to see all kinds of different flora & fauna.
Sounds like a great place to check out.
Did you hike on the Bajo del Tigre Trail in Monteverde? It's a short trail; near CASEM and the bakery. I've seen all kinds of wildlife there including a Tayra, White Faced & Howler Monkey, agouti, sloth, coati, and a kinkajou. Lots of birds too including Resplendent Quetzal, 3 Wattled Bellbird and Swallow Tailed Kites.
If you missed it this trip, don't miss it if you go back. The forest is dryer than the cloud forest. I was swarmed twice by army ants there - in 2 separate years. Lesson learned - look down occasionally while birding. :eek:
I only did a loop hike to the suspension bridge, in on one trail, out on another.
I really appreciate the gesture but I'm actually in Pittsburgh at school right now.
Have fun on your trip! sounds like you have had some solid adventures.
No worries. Maybe some year we'll be in Hawaii (or somewhere) at the same time.
As for my adventures, I'm a firm believer in making the most of life, while it lasts...
You can hike from Monteverde to Arenal (La Fortuna). I have always wanted to, but haven't in 6 trips.
We took the little boat ride over the lake (jeep-boat-jeep). In fact that transportation was probably the single biggest splurge on the trip. Loved Monteverde, Santa Elena and the surrounding CloudForest, lots of birds and wildlife.
Fortuna was dissapointing, mostly because of the bad weather, but we stayed in a cute hostel and the Volcano "emerged" the morning we were leaving.
Fortuna was dissapointing, mostly because of the bad weather, but we stayed in a cute hostel and the Volcano "emerged" the morning we were leaving.
I was there in '93. Back then, the waterfall near La Fortuna was completely undeveloped. Someone in town told me about it and I walked the road. The trail down to the falls was harrowing, but I had the place to myself.
I had a farmer from Santa Elena stay with us for a month in '99 on an agricultural exchange project. It was an amazing experience. What a beautiful country. Wonderful people. And just think.... its nearly 75% deforested!
camojack
12-11-2008, 10:00
We took the little boat ride over the lake (jeep-boat-jeep). In fact that transportation was probably the single biggest splurge on the trip. Loved Monteverde, Santa Elena and the surrounding CloudForest, lots of birds and wildlife.
Fortuna was dissapointing, mostly because of the bad weather, but we stayed in a cute hostel and the Volcano "emerged" the morning we were leaving.
That lake region is quite scenic. Saw a lot of coati mundis around there. Plenty of birds, too.
I thought the "high volcanic risk" signs in Arenal N.P. were amusing, since the last time lava flowed there was in '92.
I was there in '93. Back then, the waterfall near La Fortuna was completely undeveloped. Someone in town told me about it and I walked the road. The trail down to the falls was harrowing, but I had the place to myself.
I had a farmer from Santa Elena stay with us for a month in '99 on an agricultural exchange project. It was an amazing experience. What a beautiful country. Wonderful people. And just think.... its nearly 75% deforested!
Another cool thing about Costa Rica is how much land has been set aside as nature preserves...
Another cool thing about Costa Rica is how much land has been set aside as nature preserves...
True. But essentially anything not protected has been cut. The amount of forest fragmentation is devastating to wildlife. Especially to cats and critters like the Harpy Eagle. And some of those parks are more on paper than they are in reality. Still a beautiful place.
Dances with Mice
12-11-2008, 15:53
To change the subject slightly - While in CR I discovered a vegetable I really liked - it turned out to be chayote. Never heard of it before but I loved the way they used it mashed, fried, grilled, boiled, baked, cooked with corn, carrots or onions, cooked in syrup or cooked with either savory or sweet spices. And it tasted like squash but always remained firm instead of getting mushy like zucchini. Plantains and/or chayote were served every meal.
When I came back I found they sold chayote at Kroger. Who knew? So I bought them regularly then this spring I planted one to see if it'd grow in the garden. Yeah, it grew - like kudzu. It might cover a small yard but I have a large yard and frost killed it before it covered the house. It was also productive - we harvested over 2 bushels of fruit off that one vine. I've still got some that we harvested back in October.
I took a bag of them into work to give away. A guy from Jamaica called it "cho cho" and some folks from China knew it by another name. It was a lot of fun to grow and it'll be a regular part of my vegetable garden from now on.
camojack
12-11-2008, 19:34
True. But essentially anything not protected has been cut. The amount of forest fragmentation is devastating to wildlife. Especially to cats and critters like the Harpy Eagle. And some of those parks are more on paper than they are in reality. Still a beautiful place.
Well, I tried to get around as much as I could...but was only there 8 days.
(The first couple in San José)
There seems to still be a lot of contiguous forest in the interior, though.
To change the subject slightly - While in CR I discovered a vegetable I really liked - it turned out to be chayote. Never heard of it before but I loved the way they used it mashed, fried, grilled, boiled, baked, cooked with corn, carrots or onions, cooked in syrup or cooked with either savory or sweet spices. And it tasted like squash but always remained firm instead of getting mushy like zucchini. Plantains and/or chayote were served every meal.
When I came back I found they sold chayote at Kroger. Who knew? So I bought them regularly then this spring I planted one to see if it'd grow in the garden. Yeah, it grew - like kudzu. It might cover a small yard but I have a large yard and frost killed it before it covered the house. It was also productive - we harvested over 2 bushels of fruit off that one vine. I've still got some that we harvested back in October.
I took a bag of them into work to give away. A guy from Jamaica called it "cho cho" and some folks from China knew it by another name. It was a lot of fun to grow and it'll be a regular part of my vegetable garden from now on.
I don't know if I had any chayote, although I did have plantain...
Well, I tried to get around as much as I could...but was only there 8 days.
(The first couple in San José)
There seems to still be a lot of contiguous forest in the interior, though.
If you go back, go to the Osa Peninsula. That requires a solid week to go there. Corcovado National Park is there. Some AMAZING lowland rainforest with good populations of Macaws and all 5 cat species.
camojack
12-12-2008, 01:28
If you go back, go to the Osa Peninsula. That requires a solid week to go there. Corcovado National Park is there. Some AMAZING lowland rainforest with good populations of Macaws and all 5 cat species.
Yeah, I had read up extensively about the place before I went; so much more to see than I had time for.
I definitely want to go back someday... :sun
Costa Rica just experienced a 6.1 magnitude earthquake last week. Check out the images in the attached PDF.
If you go back, go to the Osa Peninsula. That requires a solid week to go there. Corcovado National Park is there. Some AMAZING lowland rainforest with good populations of Macaws and all 5 cat species.
We stayed at the Corcovado Tent Camp a few years back. Ended up there by chance and had the place to ourselves as walk-in. It would have been a great place to start or end a backpacking trip. Worth a google.
Very cushy but in the right way. Our day hikes in Corcovado National Park were amazing.
We knew that trip was destined for success when Katahdin brand bottled water was delivered to our table along with our first of many "casados'.
I wonder how that name came about?
Ricky&Jack
06-08-2014, 00:20
What's the hiking like in Costa Rica?
I went o Puerto Rico in 2011 and 2012 for my birthday in November because no matter what airport you fly from, you can get a round trip to AND from Puerto Rico for about $300 thanks to their tourism plan.
But I noticed Costa Rico has the same deal. You can fly from pretty much any airport in the United States, to Costa Rica for about $300 ROUND TRIP. (Its cheaper for me to fly from Atlanta to Costa Rica than it is to fly from Atlanta to Dallas.)
So I was thinking of possibly checking out Costa Rica this november instead of Puerto Rico, since the $$$ is about the same.
But I'm curious as to the hiking in Costa Rica.