Bird Sightings

Beautiful birds are all over the grounds at the restaurant we are using for lunch. Here you see the red legged honey creeper, parakeet, Yellow hooded taninger, etc.
Iguana Sighting

This guy was blocking the way to our hotel rooms. The orange color tells us he is male. The length from head to tail was about 3 feet.
Hanging Bridges

We completed a two mile walk through one of my favorite ecotourism projects. Místico Hanging Bridges creates income and jobs while leaving the rainforest intact. My understanding is that the ownersLeia mais
Flowers of Costa Rica

We have seen incredible beauty here in Costa Rica. The flowers are particularly amazing to me. Many of the flowers pictured grow in the rainforest, so they are wild.
Cayman Sighting

Found a cayman in a small pond. They are smaller than crocodiles.
Reina de la Noche

This is the queen of the night flower. In Haiti this was used as a toxin to turn people into zombies for a punishment...related to black magic. It puts people in a comatose-like state and people wereLeia mais
Finca Luna Farm

We visited a sustainable farm today to learn about their practices. What I did not realize was that it would also be a taste testing...all spice, cinnamon, cocoa, a relative if stevia, a naturalLeia mais
La Escuela La Altura

We are visiting a rural primary school to learn about education in Costa Rica. Teachers of primary grades are required to have a college degree but are assigned to a school for the first five years.Leia mais
La Tigra Lodge

We are in the middle of nowhere at a super beautiful ecolodge. The cabins are open to the jungle, with just a curtain to separate us from the elements. We will enjoy a great dinner and will go on aLeia mais
Crocs-Big Ones

We are taking a crocodile tour to learn about these animals. Rio Tarcoles has plenty of them. Apparently, they can swim 20 miles per hour...so we don’t have much chance against these guys. When theLeia mais
Hunting in Costa Rica

About four years ago, hunting was made illegal. This is for all species. Interestingly, there are no populations of animals that are out of balance, like the deer population is in Virginia. So,Leia mais
Quick Stop in Jaco

We are heading south along the Pacific coast. To break up drive, we made a quick stop in Jaco, a popular tourist destination for foreigners and locals. Some students shopped and others put their toesLeia mais
Playa Hermosa

A quick stop at a beautiful beach...enjoy the pictures.
Hotel Tucan

We stayed in a funky hostel in Uvita. The shared bathrooms freaked students out just a bit, but they quickly adjusted. Chase used a pool cue to harvest some star fruit from the tree in the courtyard.
Boruca Masks

The Boruca tribe is known for incredible masks carved from wood. Luckily, we knew if a spot to buy them straight from the artist at prices 1/4 of what you see them for in the souvenir shops. We evenLeia mais
Broran/Teraba Tribe

We are now in the indigenous tribe and learned how the culture was quashed with the arrival of the Spanish, who did not allow use of indigenous languages. But now laws guarantee that lands and cultureLeia mais
El Pavon Waterfall

Last year we found this local swimming spot down a small road. So, we headed there this year and had the place to ourselves for an hour...except for the lizard. Our guide showed us how to do facialsLeia mais
Chocolate Workshop

The indigenous tribe grows chocolate, some of which is sold or traded. Currency used to be chocolate in these community. The pictures show the cocoa pods, which hold the beans. But they are coveredLeia mais
Mask Workshop

We are at the indigenous mask maker’s workshop. Balsa trees are planted and harvested. Wood is dried for 22 days. It takes two days for the husband to carve a small mask (10-11 inches long) or moreLeia mais
Local Swimming Hole

A crazy trek brought us to a favorite swimming hole of the indigenous villagers. We were not equipped, but some decided to swim in clothes...after all, when will you have this chance again.
Playa Ventana

Our last stop today was at Playa Ventana, named for the “windows” carved through the limestone by the water. The beach is a local hangout, so you see families together the Latin music is blaring gLeia mais
Another Great Sunset

Lots of beautiful sunsets here.
Rafting with Rafiki

Tucked into the jungle is Rafiki lodge. They offer great rafting excursions on the Savegre River (indigenous word meaning savage). The Savegre River is the cleanest in Costa Rica and one of theLeia mais
ViajanteSuch bright colors!!