Approaching the river crossing.
For breakfast Christmas morning, we again sat on the patio overlooking the Pacific while macaws and hummingbirds flew by. Our final walk would also be in the Carara National Park, this time starting up high walking down to a waterfall, which Leo told us would be the most difficult walk of this tour. The bus took us northward from the hotel, where Sergio turned the bus right and onto a dirt road beside a stream where there were some new and expensive homes. Leo pointed out that the stream flooded every few years and that the houses were likely to be inundated during the next flood. The road wound up into the mountains passing numerous heliconias in bloom along the side, along with a large number of properties for sale.
Eventually we reached the trailhead and welcome center, although Alex (the owner) was nowhere to be found. With aplomb, we made ourselves at home, using the baños, and headed down the trail at about 0900. The first part of the walk was along a dirt road that had some murderous hills – I remember one being especially long and steep. The trees on either side were teak and melina used for wood and paper respectively – neither tree is native. Macaws will feed on the nuts of the teak trees. After about 80 minutes, we reached the trail down to the waterfall – with the key word being *down*. The narrow and shady trail switched back and forth as it hugged the steep hillside with rope railings frequently present. About halfway down, we spotted a pair of macaws in the canopy, but as Leo left his bird scope on the bus, I attempted no shots of them - - - well, OK, just one. It took Jonathan and I about 50 minutes to get to the end of the trail. We rested there for several minutes taking in the magnificent view of the countryside and the waterfall.
The way back up to the road seemed like an eternity, as I was huffing and puffing, and due to the hot, humid weather I was literally soaked with perspiration. The only dry thing I was wearing was the upper portions of my socks. It’s ironic that on the bright clear day, I got much wetter than I ever got on the days it was pouring rain earlier in the trip.
On the way back up, with Leo shepherding me along, he spotted the two macaws again, this time in their nest. Using his binoculars and my little camera, he took a few snaps of the birds. However, it’s difficult to maintain a steady hand with two objects vs. one (the bird scope was mounted on a tripod for all the other shots I took through it). I managed to heave myself up the trail to the road where the rest of the party was waiting, and I sat down on the bench to consume the rest of my water. After a rest we headed back up the road to the trailhead and the bus. The other walkers (Neal, Judy, Lin, and Sean) were waiting at the river crossing standing barefoot in the water on the concrete slab that’s reminiscent of the one crossing Donalson Creek to the Sumner-King farm in Cadiz KY. We had all crossed barefoot on our way to the waterfall (and this was the stream that feed the falls), redonning our boots on the other side. On the return crossing, I put on my flip-flops on the far shore. Although there was still a substantial hill to climb, I did it in the flip-flops so my feet were now the only dry part of me.
The ride back down the mountainside to the highway provided a number of animal sightings, including a caracara, a black iguana, and a mica (Spilotes pullatus), a yellow and black snake that was scooting uphill in the gutter beside the road).
Approaching the river crossing.
Melina flowers.
Unidentified flower.
Unidentified caterpillar.
The bench at the overlook, halfway to the waterfall.
The view - I think that's the Tárcoles River entering the Pacific in the distance.
There were quite a few of those 'head-knockers', treees leaning over the path, that we had to duck under.
Two macaws - Leo's bird scope was back on the bus, so this is just a tightly cropped image from my big camera.
The waterfalls.
Taking in the view of the falls.
Vegetation on the sides of the slopes.
Now taking in the view to the ocean.
Looking up the falls.
Jonathan taking a snap.
The walkers taking a pause.
Leo.
Leo's shot of the nesting macaws through his binoculars using my little camera.
Sergio (holding his son Julian), wife Gina, mother-in-law Doña Vera.
The spread.
Evidence.
Carambola in flower.
Carambola fruit.
Cashew, fresh off the tree.
The little dog who knew who would play with her.
By tradition the baby Jesus is added to the family's creche with great ceremony at mid-night Christmas Eve.
A papaya gone to the birds.
More papaya on the way.
This solitary capuchin seemed embarrassed to be caught in the cecropia tree on the road up to the hotel.
Towel origami reaches its creative peak. They appeared to be a boy and girl elephant.
Dining al fresco in the tropics can mean some unexpected guests drop by - a 2-3” inch cockroach.
Back on the highway, we headed to lunch, this time hosted by Sergio’s mother-in-law, Dona Vera. It was a real treat and a highlight of the tour to have Christmas dinner with authentic local cuisine and custom. The meal included picadillo bruja (chicken and potato dish), frijoles rojos (red beans), arros con pollo (rice with chicken), vainicas (a green bean dish), Christmas tamales, and carambola juice. For dessert, there was Costa Rican guava (“cas”) ice cream that was marvelous. The meal was served on the Christmas dinnerware to complete the festive meal. After lunch, Dona Vera took us on a brief tour of her farm that produces mangos, carambola (star fruit), but also had cashews and papaya. It was a wonderful experience.
Driving back to the hotel, on the lane between the highway and the hotel, Sergio spotted a lone white face capuchin monkey in a cecropia tree, looking a bit nervous at being the center of attention. Getting back to our room, we found the towel artist had been at it again, although Jonathan and I disagreed on whether it was supposed to be an elephant or an anteater. (Leo broke the tie in favor of elephants – the ears were too big to be an anteater.)
After showering, we adjourned to the bar where two rain showers put a damper on the sunset festivities, but cooled the evening air. After a while we were joined by Lin and Sean, and a bit later by Judy and Neal, and we had a drink or two before dinner. Joan arrived with Leo and Sergio and after a few minutes of conversation we went upstairs to the Mirador restaurant for our farewell dinner. At Judy’s suggestion, we dined al fresco. I was seated facing east (inland) and could see lightning in the clouds in that direction although at the same time I could see the half-moon directly overhead.
The meal was elegant with the waitstaff swirling around the table in choreographed delivery of our food. It was a five course meal starting with soup (chicken pozol) followed by a molded timbal of mango, lobster, and potato seasoned with cilantro and avocado, and the melon and mint sherbet to cleanse the palate before the main course. For the main, I selected pork tenderloin with tamarind, puff pastry, brie, and apple relish. Dessert was an apple strudel. I didn’t drink much wine, and Jonathan and I had split a bottle at the bar earlier, and didn’t want to disrupt my sleep pattern too much.