Monday, January 28, 2013

My Trip to Costa Rica 2013

Scartlet Macaw - A breeding pair

 My 3rd trip to Costa Rica was amazing! Reasons to keep going back is endless. The culture there is simply beautiful. The mantra for Costa Rica is: "Pura Vita", meaning "the pure life" or simply put: "the simple life". Costa Rica has the respect of the world for their respect of nature. Did you know that the residents who own property have to get permission to cut down a tree? The government then comes out and decides if the tree qualifies for killing it. Most of the time, they deny it unless it is completely dead already. Many species of trees are only found native in this country so wasting something so precious must require proper paperwork and removal.
Pygmy Owl

 There is very little crime in C.R. I found that fascinating. Talking with a local guide on 1 of our adventures told us that money isn't all that important. If you can pay your bills and feed your children, most people dont have a desire for luxuries. They have vast gardens for self-sustaining themselves so the rest just complicates their "pure life". What a way to live!
Chestnut-mandibled Toucan

All of these photos came from the same resort we had stayed in for the past 3 trips. The resort was cut out of a rainforest reserve. We stayed in bungalows that was surrounded in jungle. The resort removed very little trees, unlike alot of resorts who wipe out acres and acres to build huge highrises next to the beach. Not this place! That is why we go back to this particular place.
Fiery-billed Aracari

It doesn't feel like you are in a resort. When you take a trail to go birdwatching, you are enveloped in rainforest and you can only hear nature.
Three-toed Sloth

We took an early morning birdwalk tour to see where the birds were. From there, we revisited those places to find even more birds.
Capuchin Monkey Silhouette

Finding the sloth was a highlight I had not gotten in my previous 2 visits.
Capuchin Monkey

Stay tuned for all of the waterbirds we found during our Croc Tour!