It’s a bird…it’s a plane…it’s Lili…

As long as I can remember I have had a fear of heights. I don’t do roller coasters. Ferris wheels frighten me and I have been known to scream driving up or down steep hills. So, why on earth would I fly over the tops of trees hooked on a cable? Sometimes there’s just no turning back, I guess. After a long hike, all uphill, we arrived at the canopy tour and gazed out at the first cable which I now understand is 935 feet long and 262 feet high. Lucky for me, one of our guides, Pablo, agreed to go with me on the first cable (and several of the longer, scarier ones that followed). Soon we were deep within the jungle and began zipping from platform to platform. The platforms were hand-built around trees hundreds of feet above the jungle floor. What a view! Robin and Danny were “naturals,” zipping over trees and through them. Robin even rode one cable upside down! Me, not so natural…a little, no, make that a lot of practice on “braking” will make my next trip smoother. All in all it was a thrilling adventure that I would highly recommend to anyone in the area.

Lazy afternoon at the Sloth Refuge

Yes, on occasion we can spot a sloth in the trees around our home. And, yes, we have had them in the yard before. However, the family was here as was the rain so a day at the beach was out of the question. We decided instead to hop aboard the local bus and head to Aviarios del Caribe to get an “up close and personal” look at this adorable but often misunderstood animal. Since Aviarios del Caribe is the only sloth refuge and rehabilitation center in the world, and is only 30 minutes away by bus, it sounded like an interesting place to spend the afternoon. Gordie dropped us off at the bus stop where several others were already waiting for the bus. Our intended bus never came. Possibly it was running early and we missed it, possibly the schedule changed due to widespread flooding and washed out bridges. Guess we’ll never know, but luckily a bus did show up an hour later and Steve, Megan, Danny, Robin and I hopped aboard eager to learn everything there was to know about the sloth.

When we arrived at the center we were directed up to the main building where we were informed of the $25 (each) tour fee. I thought I had read that it was free but what can you do -- we had already spent an hour-and-a-half getting there. We paid our fees and boarded a canoe for a lazy trip around the lagoon and along the canals of this 104 acre reserve. We saw several species of birds, some crazy iguanas and lizards, sloths in trees and caimans hiding in the brush. The still waters surrounded by stands of bamboo and covered in jungle vines and foliage made the hour plus ride well worth the admission price. When we returned to the dock we were brought over to a small auditorium where we were shown a movie about sloths. Our guide from this point on was the very knowledgeable grandson of the refuge’s founder.

The majority of the sloths that come here are rehabilitated and returned to the wild as quickly as possible, but due to various injuries and circumstances there are some “long term residents.” We were able to visit with many of these sloths, cage doors open, up-close and personal. It was quite an experience. Our final stop was at the “sloth nursery” where we were able to see several babies that are currently staying at the refuge. The visit was great. The 2-hour return bus trip – well, I hate to change the mood of this happy adventure so I will save that for another story.

What do you call a “baby” crocodile?

Something nice, I hope! Since coming to Costa Rica I had heard stories from friends, neighbors and strangers about caimans, a subfamily of alligators, that inhabit the local rivers around here. I was told that they look like “baby” crocodiles and won’t hurt you. Someone even told me you can pick them up and put them back in the river if you find them in your yard. Not sure I would want to try that trick. Anyway, I finally got to see these little guys in action while on a canoe trip at Aviarios del Caribe, a privately operated wildlife refuge (see related “sloth” story). We were trying to get a closer look at a colorful bird by the river’s edge, and apparently spooked it – just in time. The bird flew off and at the same time a well-disguised caiman snapped its jaw in anticipation of a little afternoon snack. It took us several minutes to spot him in the water – only his eyeballs were showing above water. A little farther downstream we spotted another, slightly larger caiman, this one sunning himself in the reeds.

…10 days and nights of rain…

…was not going to stop us from having a great time when the family visited over the Thanksgiving holidays. By their second night here (6th straight day of rain) we were without electricity, there was no water at the house and the telephone was down. Seemed like a perfect time to head over to the neighboring town of Cahuita – maybe we could even catch the monkeys howling at Cahuita National Park. As we arrived we soon discovered that high tides had caused the beach and bridge accesses to the Park to wash away. Pura Vida as they say here, not to worry, there was electricity AND water in town as well as stores, bars and restaurants. A clean, inexpensive, convenient hotel WITH hot water topped off the night. The next morning we took advantage of a temporary break in the weather for a stroll through town. We spotted a pickup truck near the school that was attracting a lot of attention and decided to see what all the excitement was about. To our surprise, there was a large – a very large – crocodile in the bed of the truck. Apparently, we heard, this critter had come down to the ocean by way of the swollen waters of the Rio Estrella. I guess there really are crocodiles in this part of the country and am very happy we did not run into him while surfing! I think I will limit my swimming to clear waters from now on.

…and it’s still raining…

Can’t remember if we are on day 4 or day 5, but the much-needed rains are still coming down strong. Based on our yard rain gauge it’s rained more than a foot this week. In Arizona that would strand us on the “wrong” (un-passable) side of Tonto Creek for many weeks. Here it’s an inconvenience if you were planning to spend the day at the beach or work in the yard, but so far no flooding or visible damage. Just lots of water. The photos were taken by our neighbor, Ruth, who ventured out to Puerto Viejo yesterday. Would you believe that the “boat parking lot” was a road in front of the beach just last week!

Getting in out of the rain…

I was sitting on the front porch this afternoon enjoying a much-needed rainfall when I noticed an animal by the front gate. At first I thought it was one of the dogs, but soon realized this matted-fur creature was a two-toed sloth looking for some cover from the elements. He climbed to the top of the gate and over to a mamon chino tree. The tall, thin branches were good for climbing but the tree lacked enough leaf coverage to keep him dry, so off he went, branch-by-branch, to an adjoining tree. This one, a cashew tree, had great overhead protection but lacked the tall branches that sloths seem to prefer to keep them safe from predators. Next he tried climbing over to the car. Now this place definitely looked safe and dry. But he soon discovered that his two-toed arms and legs that are so great for climbing throughout the jungle couldn’t help him get in or on a metal and glass car. He tried crouching under the car but that didn’t seem right either. The rains continued. Two-and-a-quarter inches in an hour. Another tropical plant was tried and rejected. Finally he was at the house which is built on stilts. Here he could crawl under the house to stay dry and curl up for some much needed rest, totally ignoring the 5 dogs that were also seeking refuge there. It’s late now and still raining. The only sounds we hear are the chirping of frogs and rain on the tin roof. All seems quiet under the house. We hope our new visitor has a safe, dry night and comes back often.

Would you believe Howler Monkeys!

The first time you hear these blood-curdling sounds you'll swear you are being surrounded by wild beasts. It's even more shocking when you discover the mighty roars that echo throughout the jungle every morning and evening are actually just the sound of monkeys -- average size howler monkeys. We brought our visiting friends on a hike through the jungle near Cahuita to see these delightful creatures up close and personal. Hope you enjoy our version of the "survival guy."