Corcovado National Park

The only way to see Corcovado Park is to take a boat to the center of it.  The boat ride from Drake Bay is about an hour and a half long.  It went by fast because there is so much to look at.

This tour was expensive, 85$ for everything (transportation, entrance fee, a guide, breakfast and lunch) and 100% worth every penny.

This is the entrance to the park.  The research station is about an hour and a half walk from here.

Toucan.

This is the first time I have ever seen squirrel monkeys.  They are the smallest of the four species that live in the park (about 30 mm) and live in groups of up to 150. 

This one was having breakfast.

Scarlet macaw.

Walking stick.

On a crocodile hunt (don't worry, they were not that close).

Red cup mushroom.

Ctenosaur iguana.

Spider monkey.

Strangler fig tree.

The Sirena research station.  Our guide informed us that we were welcome to use the wifi...

Howler monkey.

Golden orb spider, with a kleptoparasite living about it, waiting to steal some food.

I know, I should give them some privacy.

Crocodile.

Coati, in the raccoon family.

Ocelot with a mutualistic caracara on its back cleaning him.

The beach I am going to walk to tomorrow.

Our tour ended with a humpback whale sighting.  It really doesn't get much better than this.  What an incredible, unforgettable day (and my sister's birthday!!).

After returning I spent a few hours at the beach. 

Stupendous.   

Frog Night Hike at Drake Bay

Night hikes are amazing, especially in the Osa Peninsula. 

Glass grasshopper are see through, and initially look like spiders. 

A glass frog, carefully watching her eggs.  The eggs will drop one by one into the water below and once they are all in the stream she will leave her leaf.

A walking stick, the first one I have ever seen in the wild.  It was about 6 inches long.

A wolf spider, very different from the ones in California.  About 15 years I killed a wolf spider when I was sleeping by crushing it in my hand.  I woke up, turned on the light and saw huge harry legs sticking out between my fingers.  Good thing it wasn't a costa rican wolf spider!

Now we are talking... poison dart frog.  They are called dart frogs because they were used by indigenous people to poison their arrows. 

Red eyed tree frog. 

What a successful hike, I couldn't have asked to see more (well, maybe a pit viper would have been nice...)

San Jose to Drake Bay (Osa Peninsula)

I was standing outside the Tracopa bus station in San Jose at 4:20 this morning, tired and completely alone.  They didn't open the doors until 4:40 (they are supposed to open at 4), or start selling tickets until 4:50.  Ugh.  I read that it is better to get tickets the day before because it can get crowded and since I didn't arrive in San Jose until after the ticket office closed I was paranoid that there wouldn't be a seat for me and I wouldn't make it to Drake Bay today.  There was plenty of room on the bus.  But whatever, I wouldn't have been able to sleep anyway wondering if I would get a ticket.

After the 6 hour bus ride to Palmar Norte I got a taxi to Sierpe, and then it was just a short wait until the captain was ready to take us to Drake Bay (there are only two times a day when boats take tourists there, and I got the earliest one).  The hour boat ride was absolutely amazing.   

National Geographic magazine has said that Osa Peninsula is the most biologically intense place on earth, which is why I am here, and why the journey is totally worth the time and money. 

It was a smooth ride until we left the Sierpe river and headed into the Pacific ocean.  I was given a life jacket at this point.  You can see the waves in the distance to the right. 

We survived!  I managed to hide my fear well (not really).

Good thing that Cabinas Manolo has such great directions for getting here on their website.  I knew that we were going to get a little wet because there is no dock (others on the boat were not aware).

The owner of the hotel's brother picked us up at the beach (and pointed out his own hotel along the way in case we wanted to stay there instead).

Cabinas Manolo is perfect.  There are tours that leave directly from here, and you can pay with a credit card in an area that doesn't have an ATM (I am signed up for two already). 

Drake Bay is one of my favorite places that I have ever visited.  It is so tranquil; there are few vehicles, it is quiet, there is not an over abundance of tourists... it is simply incredible. 

Soon after I took this picture a pair of the loudest birds flew over, I looked up because of the noise to discover they were red parrots.  SO AWESOME!!!

La Reserva del Bosque Nuboso Santa Elena

Today I spent the first part of the day at Santa Elena Cloud Forest Reserve.  I was interested in doing a canopy tour or zip lining but those are all owned by private companies so the fees do not go towards conservation so I stuck with my feet, and the reserve. 

I am so happy with my decision to come here.

A cloud forest is a type of rain forest that receives less rain because it is at a higher elevation so instead of rain, clouds form.  (If you need more of an explanation make an appointment...) 

The forest is filled with sounds of water dripping from trees.  It is totally amazing.

I rented boots for 2$, more for the coolness factor than necessity...

Of course my favorite bird was not found in the forest, but on the boots for rent.

After an amazing day at the cloud forest I caught the 2:30 but to San Jose.  It was a bit of a change of plans after researching and coming to the conclusion that it is impossible to get to Osa Peninsula from Monteverde in one day.  I instead have to get the 5am bus to Palmar Norte, and then take a taxi, and then a boat, and then (after jumping out of the boat into the river because there is no dock) walk to my hotel at Drake Bay...  should be a fun day of traveling!!