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Goodbye & Good Riddance 2020
  • Nancy Webb...Pat Bonetar
Dec 2020 – Jan 2021

Goodbye & Good Riddance 2020

I'm off to Costa Rica to slam the door on 2020 and greet 2021 with a smile. Read more
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  • Trip start
    December 29, 2020
    Nancy Webb...Pat BonetarGoodbye & Good Riddance 2020Nancy Webb...Pat Bonetar

    And I'm Outta Here!

    December 29, 2020 in the United States ⋅ ⛅ 55 °F

    I have had my fill of 2020, so I'm off to Costa Rica to celebrate the New Year. Yay!!!

  • Nancy Webb...Pat BonetarGoodbye & Good Riddance 2020Nancy Webb...Pat Bonetar

    On my way to Jaco

    December 30, 2020 in Costa Rica ⋅ ⛅ 73 °F

    I arrived without incident, which is always good. I hired a driver to take me to Jaco today where I'll meet my friends. Yay! The country is beautiful and humid, and it is so nice to back in the warmth. I can't wait to get to the beach! Right now, we've stopped for me to take pictures and for him to smoke. We stopped earlier when he bought me a beer.

    Pura vida!!    Read more

  • Nancy Webb...Pat BonetarGoodbye & Good Riddance 2020Nancy Webb...Pat Bonetar

    First Day of the Year

    January 1, 2021 in Costa Rica ⋅ ☀️ 82 °F

    Today is the first day of the year, and I've spent it so far with friends in the pool and a long walk on the beach. Now we've walked down the beach to another restaurant for lunch.

    Last night was a bust as everything closed at 1900 to keep people from partying. But apparently it only stopped the tourists as there was a locals-only party next door with about 2,000 people. 😱🤣

    Happy New Year!!

    Pura vida!    Read more

  • Nancy Webb...Pat BonetarGoodbye & Good Riddance 2020Nancy Webb...Pat Bonetar
    Sunrise at Jaco Beach with the waning moon and a leftover fire I stoked to flame

    Down the Coast to Quepos

    January 2, 2021 in Costa Rica ⋅ ⛅ 81 °F

    Yesterday after lunch we walked through town and came across a field of grazing iguanas. Big ones, too. Then we were back on the beach where we met up with another two Hash House Harriers from Ottowa. What a great time even though we all had to leave by 2000. Oh well.

    With everything on the beach closing so early every night, I decided to go south with Kris and Lynne. We had another delicious breakfast on the beach and drove about 60 kilometers to Quepos.

    I got a room in the Blue Monkey Hotel, booked my tour of Manuel Antonio National Park tomorrow, and had a beer with the owner Cornelius by the pool. Great day so far!!

    Pura vida!!    Read more

  • Nancy Webb...Pat BonetarGoodbye & Good Riddance 2020Nancy Webb...Pat Bonetar

    Manuel Antonio National Park

    January 3, 2021 in Costa Rica ⋅ 🌧 82 °F

    Last night, I said goodbye to Kris and Lynne as they are wrapping up their trip. I, on the other hand, have just begun mine, so last night we had a farewell dinner and this morning went our separate ways, they back to San Jose and me into Manuel Antonio National Park.

    My purpose for taking a guided tour into the park was to see the animals, but before I even left the hotel, I already had pictures of capuchin monkeys and scarlett macaws. Gorgeous!

    The park was even better! We saw so many animals: both two- and three-toed sloths, howler and capuchin monkeys, Jesus Christ basilisk lizard (it runs on top of the water) and its relative the helmet hat lizard, an aguti, a white ibis, a black iguana, a green vine snake that was in the same location as yesterday because it ate a baby hummingbird (video), and so many more. It's was just amazing. Now we're having a snack before going to the beach.

    Pura vida!

    Photos:
    Jesus christ basilisk
    Helmet hat
    Lesser white lined bat
    Aguti
    Howler monkey
    Three-toed sloth
    Adisdolocia dutchman pipe pelican flower
    More howlers
    Green vine snake (same one from video)
    Two-toed sloth sleeping
    Pelicans
    Hermit crab
    Poisonous tree always on beach
    More pelicans
    Black iguana
    Another two-toed
    Neotropical land crab
    White ibis
    Millipede
    Mangrove crab    Read more

  • Nancy Webb...Pat BonetarGoodbye & Good Riddance 2020Nancy Webb...Pat Bonetar

    Further South

    January 4, 2021 in Costa Rica ⋅ 🌧 79 °F

    Yesterday, the heat and humidity in the park got to me, so I spent the rest of the day at the hotel trying to stay cool. It worked, and I was up at 0630 to catch my shuttle van further south.

    We arrived in Sierpe around 1030, and I found my boat for tomorrow. I'm headed to Drake Bay, as in Sir Francis Drake, on the Osa Peninsula, which serves as the gateway into Corcovado National Park.

    I didn't sleep well last night, so as soon as I got into my room I crashed hard. I woke up around 1400, but didn't roll out of bed until 1600, so now I'm having a late lunch next to the Sierpe River. I think I'm the only tourist in town 🤣.

    Pura vida!    Read more

  • Nancy Webb...Pat BonetarGoodbye & Good Riddance 2020Nancy Webb...Pat Bonetar

    Down the River

    January 5, 2021 in Costa Rica ⋅ ⛅ 82 °F

    After my late lunch yesterday, I took my leftovers back to my room and spent the rest of the night sleeping and drinking water. I woke up at 0300 thinking it was morning and ready to go 🤣. I felt great, but I was still able to go sleep for another couple of hours.

    The hostel had pretty good wifi, so I watched Apocalypse Now Redux to kill some time this morning. Still an amazing movie!

    Around 1000 I walked down to the river where the boats for Drake Bay debark. While having breakfast, I met an Irishman named James who chatted with me. He has been in country 8 years and in Sierpe 3. His story is not mine to tell, but it was a very moving one about love and loss, depression and salvation.

    As I boarded the boat and we were making our way down river, I decided watching Apocalypse Now was probably not a good idea. I kept expecting arrows or bullets to coming tearing out of the jungle. My brain 🤣.

    Now, I'm having a late lunch just off the beach near my hostel.

    Pura vida!!    Read more

  • Nancy Webb...Pat BonetarGoodbye & Good Riddance 2020Nancy Webb...Pat Bonetar

    Isla de Caño

    January 6, 2021 in Costa Rica ⋅ ⛅ 81 °F

    After lunch, I went back to the hotel to combat the heat and humidity. With only a fan, I was only slightly successful.

    I met the hotel owner when he arrived later in the evening, and he explained that he booked me on a snorkeling trip off Cano Island in the morning. Yay! I spent the rest of the evening trying to stay cool in bed. Again, only slightly successful, so I didn't sleep very well.

    Despite poor sleep, I was looking forward to today, and it has not disappointed so far. I didn't bring my contacts, so I knew I wouldn't be able to see very much snorkeling, but I was extremely fortunate to spot a small octopus in the coral. My first one while snorkeling!

    [Note: If you were happy for me to see an octopus, I highly recommend you watch Netflix's nature documentary "My Octopus Teacher." It is absolutely incredible!]

    On our way to the island, we were surround by a small pod of Pantropical Spotted Dolphins, one of which was missing its dorsal fin, most likely from a shark attack. Better yet, while transitioning to another snorkeling spot, we happened across a critically endangered Hawksbill Sea Turtle. I'm always a little leary of guides who boast about seeing very rare species. However, we were right next to it when it took three breaths, and its head and back were clearly visible. The guide was very excited, so I believe him. I wish I would have had time to take a photo, but it happened too quickly. Gorgeous!

    Now, were finished with snorkeling and taking a break on the beach before heading back for lunch. What a great day so far!

    Pura vida!

    The Day:
    Pantropical spotted dolphins
    Brown boobies feeding from dolphins
    Ranger station
    Dive 1
    Octopus!
    Dive 2
    Hawksbill turtle endangered
    School big eye jack with yellow fin sturgeon eating their poo
    Yellow puffers
    Rays jumping out of the water
    Beach: female j.c. basilisk?
    Food back at Drake Bay    Read more

  • Nancy Webb...Pat BonetarGoodbye & Good Riddance 2020Nancy Webb...Pat Bonetar
    Red and Green Poison Dart Frog

    Corcovado National Park

    January 7, 2021 in Costa Rica ⋅ ⛅ 82 °F

    After snorkeling, we finished the day with lunch back at Drake Bay. The old dog got most of my very dry fish so it wouldn't go to waste. Great outing!

    After a shower and rest at the hotel, I met the owner for a guided night tour at 1830. Javier was fantastic! We saw so many animals, most notably: red and green poison dart frogs (not as poisonous as in the Amazon but still), two kinds of glass frogs (named so because you can pretty much see through them), and an eyelash viper (named so for the protuberances over their eyes). Just incredible.

    We arrived back at the hotel around 2045, so I just took a cold shower and went to bed. I was probably asleep by 2200. BUT. At 0200 I woke up with ants all over me. Ugh. I hate when that happens. I took a shower and went downstairs to a hammock. I didn't get back to sleep, but I had to meet for breakfast at 0520 anyway, so not as big of a problem as it could've been.

    Anyway, we left on the boat this morning at about 0700 and arrived at the park around 0800. It was a rainy ride out, but we saw many animals despite the bad weather. We saw all four kinds of monkeys: howlers, spiders, squirrels, and capuchins 😱. We saw a giant American Crocodile on the beach and another in the water 😱. We saw a very young Fer de Lance Viper 😱 (https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bothrops_asper). We saw many Brown Mandible Toucans 😱. We saw White-Nosed Coati, a relative of the raccoon 😱. And we sqw.so very much more. But unfortunately, we did not see any tapir or anteaters 😟. Regardless, it was an awesome day trip and we walked about 6 miles/10 kilometers 😱.

    Now we're waiting for the boat back to Drake Bay and another lunch at Robertos. I hope today's chicken is not as dry as yesterday's fish.

    Pura vida!!!

    P.S.: FUCK YOU, PRESIDENT TRUMP, AND ALL OF YOUR SUPPORTERS. ALL OF YOUR DICKS ARE STILL JUST AS SMALL AS THEY EVER WERE. YOU'RE FIRED!!!

    The Night Walk:
    ___ sordida (deaf) frog
    Marine toad
    Red eye tree frog
    Millipedes mating
    Spider scorpion (that is neither)
    Jumping spider (many)
    Wolf spider
    Guanacosta (area of CR) walking stick
    Common rain frog
    Leaf mimicking catydid (usually green)
    Red and green poison dart frog huaca
    Reticulated glass frog
    Spotted glass frog
    Baby tink dink frog
    Eyelash viper
    Opposum
    Water spiders in gutter under road

    The Day in the Park:
    Spider monkey
    Ground chicken
    Roadside hawk
    Squirrel monkey
    Howler monkey
    Colored Pecare (pigs, like javalina)
    Common black hawk
    White neck puff bird kingfisher family
    Crested guan
    Great curacau
    Rio Sirena (where bull sharks and crocs come)
    Snowy egrets on trees
    Herons and vultures on beach
    Black hawk again
    White ibis
    Squirrel monkey
    Spider monkey with no tail
    Brown mandible toucan
    Capuchin white face monkey
    Another brown mandible toucan
    Capuchin monkey again
    Spider monkey again
    Brown mandible toucan again
    Anole
    American crocodile (as in The Americas, not just US)
    White nose Coati
    Fer de Lance!!!!!!    Read more

  • Nancy Webb...Pat BonetarGoodbye & Good Riddance 2020Nancy Webb...Pat Bonetar

    Driving back to San José

    January 8, 2021 in Costa Rica ⋅ 🌧 72 °F

    Yesterday's park excursion ended with a good meal just off the Drake Bay beach...and the chicken was better than the fish. Lunch was late again, though, and I was hot from the trek and wet from the boat, so headed back to the hotel, where I spent the remainder of the night.

    During the trek, I met and hit it off with two Americans from Berkeley who had room for me in their rental car, so we're driving back to San José today.

    The drive is spectacular! We started with dirt roads, several brief river crossings, and the oldest, rustiest ferry I've ever seen much less been on. That was crossing the Sierpe River back into Sierpe, from where I took the boat to get to Drake Bay. We stopped in to see James the Irishman, but he was out on a tour, unfortunately.

    We stayed for a brief drink and rest, then hit the paved roads. We lucked upon a beer brewery and restaurant on the side of the mountain. (What would I ever do without Google Maps!?) So, we've stopped for lunch and a brew. Yay!!

    Pura vida!    Read more

  • Nancy Webb...Pat BonetarGoodbye & Good Riddance 2020Nancy Webb...Pat Bonetar

    On to Monteverde

    January 9, 2021 in Costa Rica ⋅ ⛅ 70 °F

    After lunch, the guys and I made our way to my hotel near San José city center, where we hugged our goodbyes. What great guys.

    I grabbed some dinner at the bar to take up to my room, then crashed hard. I was up at 0430 to grab a cab to the bus station. Another early morning 🥱. I caught the bus just in time...one guy told to wait for the office to open, then another told me it was always open, then I stood in line for 20 minutes, then the office told me to pay the driver. So, even though I was there about 45 minutes early, I just made it.

    Now I'm curving up the mountain to Monteverde. The climate and countryside are already completely different than the steamy jungle terrain I've been in so far. I can see pine trees and people wearing long pants and jackets. Very different.

    Pura vida!    Read more

  • Nancy Webb...Pat BonetarGoodbye & Good Riddance 2020Nancy Webb...Pat Bonetar
    Bluejean poison dart frogMe and MalibuCoffee

    Selvatura Park in the Cloud Forest

    January 10, 2021 in Costa Rica ⋅ 🌧 68 °F

    I arrived in Santa Elena around 1030 and was able to check into the hostel, Pensión Santa Elena. It had a kitchen, so after I dumped my stuff in my room, I bought a few groceries. I had a couple of sandwiches with a wedge of gorgeously delicious manchego cheese, then rested for a couple of hours.

    At 1500, I went horseback riding for sunset. It was great! We were on trail for about two hours with plenty of trotting and galloping. And to top it off, we saw a magnificent sunset at the top of the mountain. At the end, they showed us how they press the sugar cane to extract the juice, then gave us some to drink. Surprisingly not as sweet as I thought it would be. I remember chewing on sticks of sugar cane as a kid, but they were much sweeter than this. Or perhaps my tongue has just become accustomed to sugar since Americans put it in practically everything. Then we made some caramel and had a piece of banana bread and a small empañada, a flatbread-looking thing made from corn and cheese. Yummy!

    After I got back to the hostel, I grabbed a quick quesadilla meal from across the street, ate a little, then went for a night walk tour. Wow!

    Although I didn't get to see my kinkajou, we did see a bushy-tailed olingo, which are endangered and very rare to spot. We saw so much, but the big ones for me were a short-tailed fruit bat eating a guava, a two-toed sloth on the move, a massive walking stick, and a bark scorpion, which is pictured under a black light. Really nice walk!

    When I got back to the hostel, I ate my quesadilla and crashed around 2200. I was up again at 0630 for today's excursion at Selvatura Park, zipline park that also has hanging bridges and exhibits of two-toed sloths, butterflies, and reptiles, where I got the pic of the bluejean poison dart frog. I did all three of those exhibits first because it is raining quite heavily, and they were awesome! I could've spent all day in the sloth exhibit, which also houses a scarlet macaw, because the adorable things were quite active considering they're nocturnal.

    As you can see by my pic, I'm on one of the hanging bridges now trying to take pictures with my real camera without getting it too wet. Today has been great so far, and I'll see the hummingbird exhibit next. I hope the weather lets up before I do the zipline!

    Pura vida!!

    Night Walk:
    Orange-kneed tarantula
    Brilliant forest frog
    Bushy-tailed olingo
    Rufous-eyed stream frog
    Pygmy rain frog
    Keel-billed or rainbow-billed toucan
    Sidestriped palm pit viper
    Waking stick huge
    Leaf mimiking catydid (green)
    Two toe sloth
    Bark Scorpion
    Emerald toucan endemic x2
    Short tail fruit bat eating guava
    Blue crown motmot    Read more

  • Nancy Webb...Pat BonetarGoodbye & Good Riddance 2020Nancy Webb...Pat Bonetar
    Female Quetzal, Guatemala's national bird

    Monteverde Cloud Forest Biolog. Preserve

    January 11, 2021 in Costa Rica ⋅ 🌧 72 °F

    (to be written later)

    5000 feet sea level
    Emerald toucan
    Female quetzal main food avocado
    Tiny orchid
    Hepaphite tree growing in tree not vines roots
    CR warbler
    Army ants
    Black face solitaire
    Silver fronted tapacolo no pic
    Calateya yellow flower earlier
    Lucky seeds come from mucuna urens ojos de buey (brown seed pods earlier)
    Violet saber wing largest hummingbird in central america
    Banana quit little yellow bird with hummingbirds
    Coppery headed hummingbird only one endemic to CR
    Dung beetle
    Common chlorosphingus nest by video
    White fronted parrot    Read more

  • Nancy Webb...Pat BonetarGoodbye & Good Riddance 2020Nancy Webb...Pat Bonetar

    Curi-Cancha Nature Preserve

    January 12, 2021 in Costa Rica ⋅ ⛅ 72 °F

    (to be written later)

    Rufus colored sparrow
    Clay colored thrush national bird no pic
    Coati
    Dracula orchid
    Double strangler fig (ficus) over 300 yo
    Yellow throated red start
    Mushroom like sponge
    Highland tinamou no pic tried video. Like guinea fowl
    White throated thrush no pic tried video
    Turkey tail mushroom
    Spotted wood creeper
    White-fronted parrots    Read more

  • Nancy Webb...Pat BonetarGoodbye & Good Riddance 2020Nancy Webb...Pat Bonetar

    Back in San José

    January 13, 2021 in Costa Rica ⋅ ⛅ 75 °F

    Yesterday after the park, I finished reading a novel, "America America," which was quite good despite being mostly about politics (mainly set in the age of pre-Watergate Nixon).

    Anyway, I had to get up at 043o this morning, so I didn't do anything else last night.

    I was on the bus at 0530 rolling back to San José. I'm a little sad to end this terrific trip, but it's quite a bit more expensive than I thought it would be, so I need a little time at home to save up before hitting the road again. Two weeks should do it 😉.

    I arrived and was able to check into my hotel by 0945, so I walked up the hill to the Pre-Columbian Gold Museum, which also had Costa Rican money and artists exhibits. It was English-subtitled, nicely organized, well lit, and easy to social distance...of course most people are at work right now. Too bad for them!

    Pura vida!!    Read more

  • Nancy Webb...Pat BonetarGoodbye & Good Riddance 2020Nancy Webb...Pat Bonetar
    Plaza de la Cultural facing the National TheaterScarlett macawsStatue of Símon BolívarSpider monkeys

    Morning at the Zoo

    January 14, 2021 in Costa Rica ⋅ ⛅ 75 °F

    After the gold museum yesterday, I went back to the hotel with some beer and empañadas and hung out at the pool and jacuzzi. There I met a couple from Pennsylvania who come down here for their dental work. This is another indication to me that CR is the Americas' Thailand, just much more expensive.

    I watched CNN, the only English TV channel, and toasted the House of Representatives, particularly the 10 Republicans, for impeaching the president...again. History...again.

    This morning I went to the Simón Bolívar Park National Zoo and Botanical Garden. It is small, but well laid out. And although a few animals weren't on display, most notably the kinkajou, I was able to see a jaguar and an ocelot, two of the five cats in CR. I also saw a sleeping tapir, which wasn't on display but could be seen just barely around the back of the bathrooms. I though it was interesting, though, that they had a sign for the American Crocodile but not one for the alligator. I guess they don't think anyone will notice.

    [If you don't know at least one difference, then watch (hopefully again) Robin Williams's movie Jumanji:
    Sarah Whittle : "Alan, you wrestled an alligator for me."
    Alan Parrish : "It was a crocodile. Alligators don't have that little fringe on their hind leg."
    🤣🤣]

    Now I'm eating lunch at...yes...McDonald's. This country has great french fries, but these are just the regular McDonald's ones, so ugh. The burger was good though, a McNífica, with lettuce, tomato, and onions. Basically, it's the Royal if you're in Europe. (Good on you if that made you remember Pulp Fiction. I guess it's movie quote day 🤣.)

    Pura vida!

    P.S.: I just learned that the US will make all arriving international travelers pass a COVID test before boarding their inbound flight. But it doesn't start until 26 Jan, so I won't have to take one to get back. 😁    Read more

  • Nancy Webb...Pat BonetarGoodbye & Good Riddance 2020Nancy Webb...Pat Bonetar

    Bye Bye, Costa Rica

    January 17, 2021 in Costa Rica ⋅ ⛅ 77 °F

    I spent yesterday holed up in my hotel room with Netflix and room service. It was a nice ending to a great trip. Now, I'm on the plane, and we're pushed back with engines running. However, the flight deck just threatened to return us to the gate if people didn't properly wear their masks. Yet as I type this, we've started taxiing, so I guess all is fine.

    I had a great time and highly recommend CR.

    Pura vida!!!!    Read more

    Trip end
    January 17, 2021
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