The Most Biologically Diverse Place on Earth: Part I, by Sam

Breakfast before heading out.

Here goes a long series of posts to make up for 18 days absence!

One month ago, I was looking at the Costa Rica guide book, and dreaming about going to the Osa Peninsula and Corcovado National Park. One month later, we've returned from our trip to that same fantastic place. And, we got to do it with friends! Lynette, Mark, Maddy and Jiri joined us on the adventure.

See the Julia Butterfly drinking the croc's tears?

As our car remains a little broken down right now, we decided to rent a car. We asked for a very tiny basic SUV, but instead both families got pretty large ones. I was sure to pack my binoculars, hat, climbing gloves, camera and books etc. The way there was pretty uneventful until we got to the crocodile bridge in Tarcoles. There we saw the same number of crocodiles as last time - 34! This time I made sure to get some good pictures. The sidewalk is really skinny (about half a metre across) and so the traffic, including transport trucks, go zooming right beside you when you're peering over to see the crocodiles. One interesting thing was a tiny Julia Butterfly that was daring to land on the biggest crocodiles nose and eyes. I think it was it was trying to get the salt water from the tears.

Fiery-billed Aracari in Dominical

After the bridge, we continued on and got stuck in a traffic jam near Jaco (which has lots of abandoned condos.) Just before Dominical, we stopped to get some gas and encountered a troop of White-faced Capuchin Monkeys! They were really cute (especially the tiny babies) and very active.We stopped in Dominical where we stayed for the night. Dominical is a surfer town with some really big waves, a pebbly beach, and restaurants and people selling things along the beach. There were some people living and camping on the beach. There were also some abandoned hostels and shops. It looked as if one had somehow survived an earthquake and World War III. The roof was missing and there were trees growing out of the rooms. We ate and could hear the waves crashing on the shore and the live music at the same time. Before we ate, Maeve spotted some Fiery-billed Aracaris, which are similar to small toucans.

One of the abandoned hotels or "economic rooms."

At dinner, we got to sit at our own kid table with high stools. After dinner, Maddy and Jiri played some pinball. A visiting pilot gave each of us a miniature helicopter that was kind of like a glow in the dark slingshot. We chose a clearing by the beach and let them fly. Maddy accidentally shot his into a garbage can and then on top of a car. Maeve shot hers clear into a leaf cutter ants' nest and we had some trouble getting it out. The hostel was okay, with some hammocks you could relax and read in.

When we awoke the next morning, we got some breakfast at the hostel (I got a fruit cup and banana bread - other than that, there was a WHOLE LOT of beans and rice on this trip.) As our car rolled out of the parking lot, our departure was delayed because of a flat tire. The source of this turned out to be a really big screw. Dan and Mark put the spare tire on while the rest of us went in search of the book store and ponchos (in case it rained in the Osa Peninsula.) The ponchos were a success, and the bookstore was not as it turned out to be closed. After the tire was changed, we headed to Uvita where we could get the original tire patched up. Then, we were finally off to Drake Bay!

One of the beautiful Scarlet Macaws

As we got further into the Osa Peninsula, the scenery changed from tropical dry forest (and lots of brown from the lack of rain) to primary rain forest (and lots of different shades of green.) You could sense the change immediately as the air was more humid, and the trees were bigger and there was so much green. It looked like something straight out of a National Geographic Wildlife Documentary.  When we were almost at the hostel, Mom spotted three scarlett macaws so we slammed on the breaks and got out to see them. They were mostly red with some yellow and blue on the wings. We didn't get great pictures because they were obscured by the leaves and then flew by fast (but Mark a great shot on a walk, later.) Maeve does a great macaw impression.