Adventures with Julia

March 10 and 11, 2017

Tropical flowers beside the pool.

There were 2 days left to this adventure and we chose to spend them doing very little.  Unusual for us.

Trying to stay cool in a too warm pool.

It was very hot and humid and we were happy to stay in the shade and close to or in the pool, where we could listen to the multitude of birds singing and calling out the names of the few colorful ones we could see.  Mostly Red-Rumped Cacique (black with brilliant red rump feathers), Great Curassow (about the size and shape of a turkey with a fuzzy head, which I have shared earlier), Morpho butterflies (large and iridescent blue), parrots and a pair of rodents, called agouti, that looked like a cross between a large rat and a very small dog.  They were cute, but skittish and difficult to photograph.

An Agouti, a cute rodent that lives in the garden

Even though we were sitting in the shade, we both got burnt from the ultraviolet light of the hot sun.  We had some sunscreen on, but not nearly enough.  We had happy hour drinks with the other guests and enjoyed relaxed conversations with them.  Most were from England, one was from Philadelphia and one from Atlanta.

Brown Boobies

On the 11th, we went out on a boat ride to see dolphin, but after a couple hours of running around the gulf, the boat driver and guide gave up.  It was disappointing not to find them, but at least we had seen a few on other boat activities and I got a few nice photos of birds and reflections in the glass-like water.  Couldn’t  decide on one so you get to see three.

Dolphins from another day

Reflection on the gulf

Reflections

Where the water meets the sky.

After lunch on the 11th, I went to a waterfall with Jackie and Jane from England.  It took us 15 minutes to hike up to the falls, after being told it would take us half an hour.  The water was cooler than the pool, but not nearly cool enough.  Still, it was a pleasant walk with good company.

Jackie and One at the waterfall.

Moses taking us to Puerto Jimenez

Today, March 12, is departure day.  After breakfast of Huevos Rancheros, Costa Rican style, we said good bye to the staff, jumped into the boat with Moses, the staff boat driver, and sped across the gulf to Puerto Jimenez on the Osa peninsula.  There we caught a flight on Nature Air to San Jose.  San Jose is at about 3000 feet and quite comfortable compared with sea level low lands.  As we wait for the flights to Houston and then Sacramento, I am writing this last post and wanting to share details and thoughts, but am out of time.  Will post this now from the San Jose airport and send a final post when I can.