Sharing the road...

Leaving Zancudo Beach, Costa Rica to return to Panama. I love the small dirt roads and the ranchers you find herding their livestock. Something you don't see in the states.
He was just too cute, had to get a closeup. I think he was making eye-contact, don't you?

Transformation Italian style!

Having heard how FABULOUS this Italian restaurant down the beach was from several people, I walked down during the day to see it and get a reservation for that night. Like a reservation was actually needed in the off season! Anyway, I found the owner lounging and having a cig in front of the fan, with a big smile, and he had quite an accent. Here from Italy for about 20 years, and operating this on the beach restaurant for about 8 years, and very serious about his food.

The transformation was astonishing! The ambiance was of a fine eatery in Italy. White tablecloths on all tables, fresh flowers, and the lighting was unbelieveable since we were 'on the beach' in what is lovingly called "the end of the world" by tourists and townsfolk.

The Porcini mushroom raviolis I had that night were excellent, and he brought the mushrooms back with him on the plane from his last recent visit to Italy! Now thats what I call dedication. Also, he makes the pasta from hand.

I really like how he draped cloth across the ceiling to hide the corrugated tin roof. And with the tropical plants and sound of the ocean it made for a wonderful, completely surprising experience at the 'end of the world'!

3 days on the Costa Rica beach!

Food was fabulous where I stayed. This shrimp cocktail had 4 of the biggest shrimp and a wonderful salad to boot! Fresh caught just that morning. umm, with lots of lime, yum. Wish I could have another right now.

Black sand beaches. Sometimes the waves would be close, licking at the drift wood piles high on the beach, other times it would seem you had to walk far on the sand to get to the roaring waves. It was quite an experience. I enjoyed it alot, even though it could be quite warm. Luckily this time of year, the sun was hidden behind clouds most of the time.

Walking away from the beach to the entrance of the cabinas where I stayed. I was so happy to find one of the few places that had air conditioned rooms at a reasonable price. Thank God. I wouldn't have made it otherwise.

I will post more information about where I stayed next time and also the OMG fabulous Italian restaurant I found down the road!

If creepy crawly things bother you, skip this post!

I wanted to share this experience with you before I ended my posts on Costa Rica.
The first day at Wilson's Botanical Gardens I was heading for my room and saw this black kind of blob thing at the front door. It was moving, I knew it was alive, but had no idea what it was. I had never seen anything like this before. Since it was moving so slowly I figured it was safe to take a closer look. And besides, it looked like it was heading to go under my front door!

Once I got a close look, I ran up to the office to tell management, I figured they would want to capture and study this thing, or things, or do something kind with it, like remove it from my front door. I described it, in a hurried, out of breath, emergency type voice, and was calmly told, it was ok, nothing bad, it was a cluster of Beetles in caterpillar form! I had no idea that beetles started out as caterpillars! I assume they move together as one to protect their individual selves from looking small and enticing to all the birds here.

I have a video of them moving that I really wanted to show you, its truly amazing, but I can't figure out how to turn the sound off on the video. If you know how, let me know please. In the end, I gently scooted them over with a leaf (a very large one) onto the grass away from my door, as the guide suggested. I think nature is amazing!

Two Comical Characters!

I had so much fun watching these 2 characters playing in the trees and making many different kinds of sounds. They kept watching me and I really think they were putting on a show for me. They are such beautiful birds, and watching them fly was amazing. I would see this big long bill flying through the air with a bird behind it! Quite a sight.

Strange and Beautiful

More experiences in Wilson's Botanical Gardens in Costa Rica.This tree is amazing. When it is young it has these large hard thorns to protect it from the animals who would push on it and knock it over to get the fruit. But when it gets larger and stronger it will drop its thorns!
One view of the gardens.
A huge bamboo!! Largest variety that grows in the world. Grows about 4 inches each day.
Ever heard of pink furry bananas??? Well, here they are. Not eatable, but very pretty and unusual. What a place!!
Later, my new friends the toucans!!!

some sights in Botanical Gardens

When I first arrived here at Wilson's Botanical Gardens in Costa Rica, I walked through my room and onto the deck overlooking the gorgous gardens and trees. I was wondering how long would it take for me to see something really cool. I am staring into the trees and right in front of me, kind of hidden inside the tree was this beautiful long tailed bird. I had only been there less than 5 minutes!! I looked it up and its a Blue Crowned MotMot. A good sized bird with a beautiful long tail. And my stay here was only just beginning!
In front of my balcony I could see these Agouti running around. I think a family of them lived under the large tree because every once in awhile a mom would come out with her twin babies. Too cute for words. They Agoutis here are very happy as their favorite food is the palm nut and this botanical garden has one of the largest collections of palms in the world.
Always one of my favorite flowers. Passion Flower. I had these growing at my home in Cambria California when I lived there. One of these days I will plant them at my new home (where ever that will be!)

Day 2 ~ leaving San Vito and hello Botanical Gardens!

This appeared to me to be the city square. Saturday there were venders selling and music.
This is the balcony off the back door of the hotel in San Vito. Very lovely view off the balcony, but it was only big enough for barely 1 chair if you sat sideways (looks much bigger in the picture) and there was no other window in the room to look out of at the view. The room was like being in a box. Something I don't like. I like windows, the more the better. There was a window on the opposite wall, but it opened into a hallway (open air hallway, but still a hallway) which meant you had to leave the curtain closed or folks would be looking right in at you. So with that closed there was only this small door that opened to the balcony and this lovely view. However you couldn't see it from the beds because the bathroom wall was in the way, so, like I said, it was like being in a box. To see outside you had to walk around the wall and stand by the door. Hard to explain, but I hope you are getting the picture. For those of you interested it was 49. a night american dollars.
Now on to bigger and better things........ DO REMEMBER TO CLICK ON THE PICS TO MAKE THEM BIGGER FOR MORE DETAIL.
I had been hearing about Wilson's Botanical Gardens even before I made my trip, but I thought it was on a completely different road, another couple hours away. Can you imagine my joy when I discovered it was only 15 minutes from where I spent the first night! What a beautiful, amazing place. It is a ecological study center and they only rent a few cabins to help offset their expenses. I was so afraid it was going to be closed 'cause this is the slow (winter) season, but I found out they are open year round.
This pic is the main visitors center, lobby, and gift shop. The cabins are a bit further up the hill along with the restaurant and offices and study rooms.
The restaurant was family style and had several long tables inside and 3 outside on this large patio with an absolutely breathtakingly beautiful view. You sat with the other guests and it was quite interesting. I met a lovely couple from Austria who were here studying frogs. I really learned alot about frogs from them in the 2 days I was there, and believe me folks, it is not good news. They say that we can learn the health of the planet from the health of the frogs. And I am sad to say, that they are dying off in many parts of many countries.
MY ROOM!!!! Look at those windows! The whole wall is windows! And a private balcony that overlooks the beautiful gardens. I feel like I am in heaven, and I haven't even told you about the plants in the gardens yet. I could have stayed here much longer. Serene, peaceful, birds everywhere, and Agouti running around like crazy. A mother and her twin babies lived just below my balcony. I will post a picture next time.

early morning and where is some coffee!!

One thing my friends and family know about me, is that first thing in the morning I HAVE to have my cup of java. Not just want, but,I am a bit crazy until I get down the a couple good draws on a nice foamy latte or cafe con leche. Best not to talk to me until then. So after a lovely night (not) in the best hotel in town (good news and not so good news) I throw myself together enough to walk downstairs to the lobby and restaurant to get whatever kind of coffee they have available to drink while I finish getting ready.
Now, you know without asking that there are no coffee pots in the rooms, don't be silly, I didn't expect that. I didn't even expect much of a room, but I would have liked a WINDOW!!! (more on that later).
So I trot downstairs to the lobby, and wait! whats this?! The front door to the hotel is closed, locked, not open. What if I had wanted to pay and check out?? Oh well, I will just walk down the street and find a coffee shop, or something no problemo.
I am telling you now, that I could not find a place at 8 oclock in the morning that was open to get a cup of coffee. I was getting desperate! I ran up to a taxi driver, cause they know everything about their towns right, and in my best broken espanol, I say, "Donde cafe (coffee in espanol) awww, restaurante, cafe??" I am pantomining drinking a cup of the good stuff and the driver says " ummm, cafe, ummmm" and he is turning his head in all directions and I can see he is thinking where can I tell this poor girl to go to get some coffee, and he looks back at me and says, "no, no place, no restaurante, nada."with this apologetic look on his face. Oh no, what am I doing here, this can't be, how can this be?? I only want a simple cup of coffee, I am in Costa Rica, known for its wonderful rich java joe.
I can't quite believe this is happening, but on the walk back to the hotel, I spot this little, tini tiny restaurant that just opened its doors. Yea! so I go in and have coffee and breakfast. I am human again. (confession: My watch said 8 oclock, but it was really 7. No one had told me there was a time difference between Costa Rica and Panama.)
Later in the day I find this bakery, really, a very nice bakery (much better selection than any bakery I have seen in Panama). And they have a wonderful espresso machine and I think this is a good thing, or maybe its very, very bad!!! yum yum

And the best part of the trip is still to come.
Wilson's Botanical Gardens!!!

1st day, San Vito, Costa Rica

I love checking out venders on the streets. This man was selling banana chips in the hanging bags with different kinds of spices on them. Most of them I noticed were hot spices with the bananas. I bet they were good, but I didn't try any. He had a nice friendly smile.
After walking around the main central square in town, which was actually more of a triangle, I went to check into the 'best hotel in town' and this was the entrance. I could have taken a pic of the inside of the room, but really, it was a bit too depressing. I did take a pic of the back patio though and I will put it on the next post. And also tell you about my morning search for a good cup of coffee. After all, this is coffee country.

3 days in Costa Rica!!

I just spent 3 days in Costa Rica and will have lots of pictures and posts soon!