Getting to Monteverde was half the fun as we started with an
hour boat ride on the Arenal Lagoon giving us some final views of the volcano.
We arrived at the take-out point where we were met by a slew of boys vying for
the opportunity to carry our bags up the short hill to our vans. Not ready with
cash, I had to purchase a couple of drinks in the bar to be able to offer the
boys a tip for their hard work. The ride to the Monteverde Lodge included the
requisite stop at a restaurant/souvenir shop for lunch.
 |
| Baggage Handlers |
Monteverde is home to one of Costa Rica’s cloud forests.
These forests are at an elevation where most of their moisture comes from the
clouds that regularly form just above the trees. They are great places for
birds and other wildlife because the moisture promotes the growth of the forest
providing plenty of food and hiding places. Unfortunately, the future of these
forests is uncertain because with global warming, the clouds are not as regular
or as prolonged as they have been in the past. Each of our guides commented on
the changing climate and the effects they are already seeing.
 |
| Purple-throated Mountain-Gem |
While right outside of Santa Elena town, the Lodge is still
rural and has its own trail system along with a great glassed-in butterfly
garden that can be available as a dinner venue if you reserve early enough.
Before dinner we arranged several tours. I walked into town while Linda relaxed
and organized our clothes and bathroom stuff for the next few days. Santa Elena
is a small town of about three blocks square with several restaurants,
including one in a tree. Several hotels and hostels along with souvenir shops and
guide offices dot each of the streets. The area is large enough to support two
supermarkets, a bank, and several small places to see the local wildlife
include a butterfly garden, a serpentarium, an orchid garden, and a frog pond.
Our first tour was to the Santa Elena Reserve Sky Trek. While
this includes some hanging bridges, we rode an aerial tram to the top of the
forest here for some great views of the surrounding area and close-up views of
the trees at that height. We also watch those zip lining down the mountain. After
several minutes at the top we began our walk down to the base over several
hanging bridges. After we arrived back at the base, I took a short trail and
was rewarded with some great views of a beautiful hummingbird. We enjoyed the aerial
tram ride and the time at the top even though it was cold and windy at that
elevation.
 |
| Each tree supports is own ecosystem in the sky |
That evening after dinner, I went on a night walk through
the forest. We saw some sleeping birds along with insects and a couple of
snakes. One of the snakes was resting alongside the path, but the other was
coiled in a branch right above the trail. This poisonous guy was in a perfect
spot for me to have walked right into him perhaps leading to something bad for
me. Fortunately I was not leading this walk so the small guide saw the snake
before I made him angry.
 |
| Snake on the ground where he belongs |
 |
| Snake in the tree, waiting for me |
The next day we rose early to ride about five kilometers to
the Monteverde Reserve where we met out guide for the day. Samuel began by
sharing his history. As a high school graduate, he knew he wanted to guide, but
had no money so he began by working as a laborer at the Reserve. Eventually
through classes and study and his work he was able to get a job as a guide. At
the same time he realized that the preservation of the wilderness always relies
on the next generation, so he began working with the schools to get the
students out into the forests and learn about their ecological heritage. He
started with the one school and today the program involves more than two dozen
schools and hundreds of children.
 |
| Purple-Throated Mountain-Gem |
On our spare time, we wandered the grounds of the lodge
taking advantage of the several benches and resting areas where we could listen
to the running water while watching the birds and monkeys flit through the
trees. The monkeys also entertained us at breakfast. Of special interest was
the butterfly garden. These are always fun to spend time watching the
butterflies in all their colorful geometric patterns.
 |
| Bananas |
 |
| Coffee |
 |
| Chocolate in the making |
On our last day at Monteverde we visited a chocolate/sugar/coffee
plantation for a tour. Our guide was a high school senior who seemed much older.
She was so at ease with our group, telling jokes and playing with us as she
explained the entire process of creating the coffee most of us can’t get along
without. Her goal is to be a full time guide. This work is an internship
leading to that career. We told her there was no doubt she would be an
excellent guide who earned lots of tips. Along the way we picked some berries.
She divided us into two teams: one for the men and one for the women. After
explaining how to pick the ripe berries and only the ripe berries she turned us
loose for about five minutes to see who could do the best job. She was not
surprised that the women had more berries and fewer unripe ones. We also got to
guide some sugar cane through the press, so it was a fun hands-on tour. We
finished up with some samples of their coffee along with some chocolate before
we met the owner and boarded the wagon for the short ride back to the entrance
and the souvenir shop.
 |
| Our Guide |
 |
| Picking Coffee |
 |
| Linda having a try |
 |
| Chocolate samples |
 |
| Posing with the 80-year-old owner |
 |
| Our ride back to the entrance |
After our return to the lodge we wandered into town to check
out the souvenir shops and have dinner before leaving the next day for Manuel
Antonio National Park down on the coast.
 |
| This seems so simple and logical |
No comments:
Post a Comment