Costa Rica Day 14 - Stephanie

Last full day here in Costa Rica.  Mixed emotions.  Would like to stay longer and explore more new areas, but I also miss home and our cats, dogs, horses, donkey, and our own bed. 

We were told by the manager of Ti-fakara, the fabulous hotel we stayed at the past 3 nights, about a refuge about 15 minutes out of town, so after we checked out, off we went. 

We opted to get a guide and he was excellent.  We learned a lot from him and started the day off with a bang - Sloth #1!  We ended up with 5 Sloths for the day, Red-eyed Tree Frogs, I got several new birds to chalk up on my growing bird list, all kinds of butterflies and their cocoons and caterpillars, Boat-billed Heron, Camens, several "Jesus" lizards, and a pair of Mot-mot locally made earrings. :) 

Then the trek to San Jose stared.  OMG, the drivers.  I'm amazed there is not an ambulance, or hearse, around every corner.  While en route, and after we had just passed through Las Angeles (yes, that is right) I spotted a big white bird way up in a tree.  My competent chauffeur turned the car around and I was able to get some shots of a White Hawk!!

We made it to the Hamilton Hotel safely, filled the car back up, turned it in, and had a pretty bad dinner at a local pollo (chicken) place.  Next door to our hotel is casino.  We decided what the heck.  We both anted up $20 to some slot machines (I think Kevin anted up $40), and I walked away with a ticket to cash that was for $252.80!  I only picked the machine because it had cute cows and bulls in space ships floating around.  Glad I picked it!!!

Cashed my ticket and back to the hotel to drink the bottle of wine the hotel manager gave us after Kevin mentioned we had been here for our 20th anniversary.  How nice, and how good it was!

I guess this will be my last day posting.  Thank you for joining Kevin and me for this very special trip and occasion.  Mostly, thank you Kevin for always being there for me and for being my best friend through thick and thin.  I'm always amazed at how well we travel with each other, and even being with one another 24/7, we always have a great time and enjoy being with the other.  We are so very lucky to have the love and friendship we have.  I love you always, and here is to another 20 plus years together bugging the crap out of each other!!!  :)

Stephanie

Blue-gray Tanager with Berry

Blue-gray Tanager

Boat-billed Heron

Eliaxx  Ramirez

Golden-hooded Tanager

Gray-breasted Wren

Not so good photo of a Grayish Salator

Rare Cutie Pie Kevin

Butterfly Caterpillar

Live Butterfly Cocoons

Live Butterfly Cocoons

Butterfly Caterpillar

Orche-bellied Flycatcher

Sleepy Red-eyed Tree Frog

Red-eyed Tree Frog

Red-eyed Tree Frog

Red-lored Parakeet

Sloth #2 - Two Toed Sloth

Sloth #3 - Three Toed Sloth

White-eyed Vireo

Great-Tailed Grackles

Jesus Lizard

Sloth #4 - Three Toed Sloth

White Hawk

Live Butterfly Cocoons

Naturally Braided Vines

Sloth #5 - Two Toed Slot

Day 14 - Last day Sloth-a-thon - Kevin

Last day and we hired a guide for one last photo safari. I've come to the conclusion that guides are well worth the price. We saw 5 sloths and birds galore and he told us the names of the birds, that was worth the money in time arguing with each other while pouring over guide books on the minute details of each bird. Long ride to San Jose in full combat driving mode. Back to reality tomorrow.

Frog eggs

Poor guide was trying to show us serious stuff and I yell SQUIRREL 

Future Butterfly

Butterfly porn

Costa Rica Day 13 - Stephanie

Well, another wonderful day in Costa Rica with my honey.  Up early to catch hummers while sitting on the balcony sipping coffee.   Later this morning I got lucky and spotted a hawk being terrorized by a pair of birds.

Explored the road traveling along ]Arenal Lake, where we found a path not to well taken down to the waters edge.  So glad that we ended up with a 4-wheel drive, this is the 2nd time we have needed it.  I took a quick dip in the water of the lake, and then started thinking about crocodiles...........needless to say it was a quick dip.

Heading back to the hotel, we stopped at "Toad Hall" for our daily meal, and while there we were lucky enough to see White Necked Jacobin hummingbirds and Montezuma Oropendola!  The Montezuma Oropendola are hilarious to watch when they sound off their call.  They tilt forward with their heads down and brilliant yellow tails straight up in the air,

Back to the hotel where their dog mascot followed me to our room, proceeded to jump up on one of the beds, and beg for a treat (cookie) she just knew I had in the bag.  It's very late here, the latest I've stayed up since we've been here (almost 2 am here, which is almost 4 am at home).

We are headed towards San Jose tomorrow ,and unfortunately on Saturday our time here will end and we will be heading back home.  I honestly can't wait to get back to my babies - (cats, dogs, horses and donkey).  It's been a wonderful 2 weeks and a great way for Kevin and I to have celebrated our 20th anniversary here.  And we can honestly say we have experienced the authentic Costa Rica lifestyle!

I love you Kevin, thank you for a wonderful and memorable 2 weeks.   But more than that, thank you for the last 20+ years!  Here's to another 20+!!!!

Stephanie

7 Black Mandible Tucan

Typical way to transport a cow

Flowers in the water

Hawk that was being terrorized by a couple of birds

Montezuma Oropendola nests

Rufus-tailed Hummingbird

Rufust-tailed

Smoking Volcano

Western Kingbird

White-Necked Jacobin

White-Neckied Jacobin

Montazuma Oropendola