Slowing down for a day or so has brought so many things to mind that I know I have not put in the emails - so here goes.
Everything is damp and growing or rotting and bromelias grow on anything, dead trees, living trees and even concrete posts.. As long as they can get a grip, they stick, it seems. In the leaves of the bromelia's are all sorts of creatures, some frogs lay their eggs in the tree tops in them, others live in there as adult frogs, as do many other creepy crawlies.
We went on the mangrove tour yesterday afternoon - it was nothing much at all - a slow putter around some mangroves for about 3 hours. We saw one boa constrictor curled up in a tree but the guide did not want to wake it up. It rained the whole time we were out on the boat, be we did not get wet - the roof had a good overhang and I still managed to click away a good many times. It was nice to sit in that quiet little boat, only 6 of us including the guide and driver and not have any expectations at all - just a gentle passing of the time to the tune of gently swishing water. We went to have lunch, as part of the tour, and it was really good - chicken served with the typical rice and black beans. And another very lazy night followed with many thoughts popping into my mind.
Our first morning at the Coco Beach hotel while we were eating breakfast, the white faced monkeys came down to grab some bananas that were lying next to the pool. It was good to see them so close by as they made a mad dash for a banana and then screamed off as if they had succeeded in the raid of the century! And then, the first non pregnant cat we have seen here, arrived on the scene and showed a good amount of interest in the monkeys. Cat sat under a chair thinking she was invisible, with her huge eyes like saucers, pointed upwards to the railing where the monkeys danced and pretended to make a dash at the bananas. Evidently they did not much like Cat sitting there. One of the bigger monkies made a sound and at the same time, a more serious fake play towards the bananas. I think that he was dared, as right before this, there was much chattering and jabbering amongst them up high in the trees. Anyway, Cat had had enough - monkey got too close, so off she slunk and watched from a distance as the monkeys then raided the rest of the bunch of bananas. Some of them grabbed three at a time and then still managed to cling to the trees as they dashed away. Yup, I do have photos of that too. The camera is pretty much with me all the time.
There is a fascinating little plant here - it totally wilts the instant you touch it, even gently. Its such a faker! One second its all green and happy looking and then next it looks as if its never had a drop to drink in its life! After about 8 - 9 minutes it swells up again and looks perfect again. Very strange. Apparently there is an electric charge when we touch the leaves..Talking about electrics and stuff - the tiny little window/wall unit airconditioners here dangle precariously from their spot on the wall, pretending to be all cozy and sealed up with what looks like old cushion stuffing jammed all around where there should be no air leaks. Well. Life is not perfect :) And the steps are broken and one is quite a steep step, so they put a little plastic foot stool there for one to use as a step. The pool looked good, though, all clean and crisp with beautiful and intricate tile work all around on the walls. Its amazing how they take so much trouble with one thing, and then something like washing the floor of the walkways is left well alone.
The different colors of bouganvilla and hibiscus flowers are just lovely - they light up gloriously right after a rain and the drops catch the sunlight and sparkle all over the place. Right after it has rained, and before the steam starts, is my favorite. Everything drips, its cool and there is a special light that really sings to the camera.
The town of Quepos, which is the town for the locals and not much for the tourists and which is just outside of Manuel Antonio, used to be flooded by the sea water, with the houses and buildings all up on stilts. Then a banana company came in and built the wall to keep the sea out and now everything is solidly built on the ground. The banana plants later all got a very bad blight from the country just south of here, Panama, and they were all pulled out and African palm Oil palms were planted. These now fill huge tracts of land all over the place - they are quite impressive in size and also the different shades of green all in one field.
There are so many hotels and other places to stay around Manuel Antonio. When we first came in and drove those really horrible roads to the other fancy hotels, we hoped so hard that the place we had picked was not like that. It wasn't. We were within really easy walking distance to everything, the beach, the National Park and the store to buy beers! Manuel Antonio also offered a zip line, and all of them say they are the best, the highest and the most visited. We did the best one - I just know it :)
And so yesterday ended slowly and lazily, but I did manage to book us the bus ride to Sierpo, which is down on the Osa Peninsula and the gateway to the Corcovado National Park. Actually, I booked two different companies without realizing it and a little while later emailed one of them to cancel. I never got a response. So this morning, we upped, packed, ate breakfast and stood outside on the steps with all our luggage waiting to see who was going to pick us up. We amused ourselves while waiting by playing with those plants that 'die' when you touch them - we had a whole flowerbed all wilted :). Finally, about 15 minutes late, a mini van comes screaming around the corner, shudders to a stop right in front of us in a cloud of dust and a guy jumps out saying "Annie?". Yes. He threw our luggage in the back and off we zinged up the hills and around the corners, leaving Manuel Antonio behind us....
And then I wondered which bus service had got to us first! Yup - only then. We were the only two on the ride and the driver did not speak English either. But we sat back and enjoyed the two hour ride down the coastal road, only having a vague idea of exactly where we were. The road was a good one, with sidewalks most of the way and the rolling hills accompanied us all the way to the ocean where we could see palm tree lined beaches and tidal pools stretching for miles and miles. The coastline is not reserved for the rich at all and much of the way seems to be owned by private individuals with very roughly put together houses. Its a totally different life here.
We passed through Uvita, Saverge and a few other little towns that I cannot begin to try and pronounce - but they are all quaint and feel as if one has gone back in time a good many years. Many bicycles, many people walking, kids allowed to walk on their own and people actually watch for oncoming cars. About 30% of Costa Rica's lands are protected in some way or another - National Parks or just Protected Status. Its so good to see so much just left to be whatever its going to be. - makes for a really beautiful country.
And so we headed further and further south, to the beat of Costa Rican music blaring from the radio that had very scratchy speakers, and the driver bopping to the music with his earphones in. Occasionally he would pull them out as if they were bees that had stung him, only to grab his cell phone and talk loudly and animatedly into it - and then get back to the boppin. In Palma Sur we passed through more banana plantations on the left and palm oil trees on the right and in the town center there were a good many huge round stones that came from Cano Island. They dont know how the orginal local people made those stones, or why, but they are really impressively large. Reason for research.
We were dropped off at the Las Vegas Bar and Resturant to wait for the boat to the Corcovado Eco Lodge. It was a long wait but fascinating watching all the people coming and going there. We were very surprised at just how few people speak english here - both the tourists and the people in the town of Sierpe. Both Frank and I did a short walk around the town, but quickly headed back to the shady resturant where we watched the mangrove shoots float down the river. the tide was on the way out and little islands of new mangroves floated by the thousands out to sea - many sporting beautiful purple flowers and doing a twirling dance, just for us, as they passed by. It was quite something to watch. I almost wanted to wait there and see them all float back upriver.
As we were sitting there quietly contemplating the tides of life - actually just blanking out for a while, I get this tap on my shoulder, a phone thrust into my hand and this guy telling me in very broken english that I had a phone call! WHAT?? Heck, not even I knew exactly where we were - how could someone be calling me?? On the other end of the phone was Carlos, from the Eco Lodge, telling me that he would wait for us on the beach. He asked me something else, but I have no clue what it was, so he just said that he would meet us on the beach. Beach? What beach? But it sounded good to me..... its not often that I have been tracked down by someone who only knows my first name, with an accent like that and who wants to meet me on a Costa Rican beach.......... Sounded good to me! And Frank too :)
And so started one incredible ride....... But you will have to wait for the next email before you get that story
Love light and much laughter
especially to U6
Annie
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