Tag: Travel

Panama Rainforest Discovery Center

Posted in Animals and Birds, Canals, Day Trips, Great Fun For The Kids, Hiking, Incredible Vistas, Panama, Travel, Visitor Centers, ZoosTagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , 2 Comments

Yesterday I went on a group adventure to the Panama Rainforest Discovery Center which is located approximately 45 minutes outside Panama City near Gamboa. Built as an educational center, it allows people to experience jungle life with the numerous birds, insects and animals who survive and thrive within its boundaries.

Within minutes of our arrival we heard the howler monkeys (monos aulladores) voices echoing from the treetops. It is hard to believe that an animal of such a small stature can make such a big noise! Later on one of the many hiking trails, we spied them sleeping as a group in the trees.

Howler Monkeys

The Panama Rainforest Discovery Center is known as one of the premier bird watching locations in the world. In fact, in 1985 the Audubon Society held a bird count and an amazing 385 different species of were spotted…a new record for the greatest variety of birds seen within a 24 hour period. Birdwatchers advise getting to the center at opening time (6 am) to get the most out of your birdwatching experience.

One of the educational offerings is the hummingbird observation area at which you can see numerous different types of hummingbirds. Unfortunately, when we were there we only saw a few which I believe was a result of the size of our group and the time of day. Because my photos did not turn out very good so I am posting a picture that is found at the center which shows the types of hummingbirds that you can observe in the area.

The Discovery Center has numerous groomed hiking trails throughout its boarders and they range from easy to slightly more difficult. As you hike along you will hear bird songs which range from soft and sweet to slightly jarring. There is nothing like a good bird song to delight the ears! Click the picture below to hear one very happy bird.

Click to hear the birds

Another interesting feature of the park is the Observation Tower which takes you high above the jungle canopy. There are numerous steps to the top but it is a relatively easy climb and you are well rewarded by the incredible vistas. There is a slight sway to the tower but don’t worry it is a completely normal.

View from the top

There is also a small lake named Largo Calamita with benches to sit and enjoy local waterfowl such as jacanas and egrets. Park rangers say you might even spy a crocodile or two.

Lake Calamito
Termite Nest

If you are a tourist there is a rather hefty entrance fee to get into the park but between the possible encounters with monkeys, birds, sloths and anteaters I think it is worth it. In addition, to get to the Discovery Center you have to pass on the other side of the Panama Canal which gives you an up close view of the boats passing through. That alone is worth it in my opinion.

For now, I leave you with more photos of the day which I hope leaves you wanting to visit the incredible nation of Panama and its many forms of diversity.

Cuernavaca, Mexico

Posted in Archaeological Treasures, Architecture, Art, Cities, Day Trips, Festivals, Good Food, Historical, Incredible Vistas, Mexico, Mountains, Museums, TravelTagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

One of my favorite adventures in Mexico was our visit to Cuernavaca. While I loved the one-hour drive through the mountains from Mexico City, parts of which reminded me of Colorado or Flagstaff; I did not enjoy my first experience driving in Mexico City. On the one hand, you have to be Mario Andretti and push the peddle to the metal to squeeze into spaces the size of a dime in front of the one hundred cars whose drivers have the same idea as you, but on the other hand, you have to have the patience of a saint to know when to be cautious as you fight twenty-three million city dwellers for your right to be on the road when no one follows what should be common sense traffic rules. Seriously, it’s like being in intense labor ready to deliver while driving…everything is just coming at you at once! But enough of that…let’s head to Cuernavaca.

Cuernavaca is the capital of the state of Morelos. What brought us to this place was the Palace of Cortez but what we found was so much more than we ever imagined. Built somewhere between 1523-1528 by the conqueror Hernan Cortez, the palace is the oldest conserved colonial era civil complex within the Americas. And while all that information is interesting what really brought Michael and I here were the Diego Rivera murals that decorate the upstairs floors. Little did we know there was a museum connected to the property which housed more than just the magnificent wall art.

With an entrance fee of about $5 USD it is certainly a bargain in this day of $10-20 fees in the USA. The first floor contains artifacts from the ancient civilizations that flourished in this land. It’s a nice collection for a museum of this size.

But what we had really come to see involved climbing quite a few steps to the balcony level which includes a magnificent view of the city and the countryside which surrounds it. That alone was almost worth the climb.

But the piece de resistance were the murals and when we turned the corner our breaths were literally taken away and not just from the stair climb! Commissioned by the US Ambassador to Mexico, Dwight Murrow, Rivera himself chose the subject. of the murals…the history of the invasion of Mexico by the Spanish…and he holds nothing back. They are truly spectacular!

If you are a Diego Rivera fan this is one place you need to check out!

From the Palace of Cortez we walked down the cobble streets, ducking into an alley and surprised ourselves by finding an incredible taco place. I wish I could remember the name but here is the view from the upstairs of the eatery.

From there we meandered the streets arriving at the Catedral de Cuernavaca also known as the Templo de la Asuncion de Maria. Work was started by the Franciscans using indigenous forced labor in 1526 and the religious complex also houses the Templo de la Tercera Orden de San Francisco (pink) and the Capilla del Carmen (yellow) . At the left side of the Catedral is the Museo de Arte Sacro which showcases close to 100 paintings, sculptures, and religious artifacts from the 16th to 20th centuries.

From here we wandered further… passing the theatre and library until we arrived at a food festival in the middle of the historic square. It was fantastic and we enjoyed seeing various regional foods from all over the country. Unfortunately, due to time constraints we missed the UNESCO World Heritage Site known as the Archaeological Zone of Xochicalco

Being drawn further in by all the spices and herbs wafting as we passed by booth after booth was the perfect way to end our day in Cuernavaca. I hope someday you will get to walk the streets of this enchanting city yourself to experience small city charm in a very big way.

The Embera’ of Panamá

Posted in Art, Day Trips, First Nations, fishing, Food, Hiking, Mountains, Panama, Travel, VideoTagged , , , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

Today I visited the indigenous people known as the Embera, who have lived within the forest of Eastern Panama for thousands of years. Surviving primarily through fishing and growing various crops; the Embera’ now earn a living by educating tourists as to their way of life over many millennia.

Arriving at the river we were greeted by men in traditional clothing and ushered into dugout canoes for our journey up the waterways.

Our adventure really began as we ventured onto the river’s tributaries spying huge neon blue butterflies drifting along the banks, blue herons standing on their tall skinny legs around the waters edge, and small waterfalls sliding down the hills. Finally, we arrived at the biggest waterfall in the area where we had to clamber along slippery rocks in order to enjoy its fine mist and thundering show. The sacredness of this beautiful place was not lost on anybody.

After experiencing the earth’s natural tranquilities we headed to the Embera’ village where we listened to an educational program about the tribe, learned about how baskets and made through naturally dyed chunga palm fibers and heard the story of how tribal justice is delivered using interlocking foot boards, honey, and any insects that decide to make their way to the disgraced person via that sweet honey treat.

The Embera’ are also known for their use of kipara which decorates their bodies and unlike a permanent tattoo only lasts for several weeks. The color is derived from the Jangua fruit and the art of kipara has been shown to repel mosquitoes as well as other kinds of insects.

After the program we feasted on a lunch of taro, fresh-caught fish, and various fruits. It was delicious!

One of the things I enjoyed the most was a little girl who climbed down the steps of her home and hightailed it under the house in order to hide from her mother. She looked at me and put her finger to her lips to let me know in no uncertain terms that I was not to inform her mother as to her whereabouts as she scampered away!

After lunch we were entertained by the traditional dances of the Embera’ people and asked to participate after a demonstration. Let’s just say my partner was lucky that I only stepped on his barefoot toes once with my two left feet!

All too soon it was time to head back to “civilization” after shopping for traditional artwork made by the villagers. All in all a great and well orchestrated experience which was fun and educational too.

My new basket! Isn’t it amazing!

Museo de Arte Moderno-Mexico City

Posted in Architecture, Art, Day Trips, Gardens, Mexico, Museums, TravelTagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , 1 Comment

Mexico City has some of the best collection of museums in the world and the Museo de Arte Moderno certainly didn’t dissappoint. It was established in 1964 designed by architests Vazquez, Alcerreca and Salcido. With a focus on Mexican art ,permanent exhibition artists include Kahlo, Jair, Montenegro, Rivera, Loza; just to name a few and features works from 1930 until the present day. With basically four wings and an incredibly beautiful outdoor sculpture garden you will want to give yourself plenty of time to experience the flow between outdoor and in that the building encourages.

The day we got there they were installing a new sculpture and it was amazing to watch the process

As you enter the Museum you are met with gathering areas on both the first and second floors. They are beautifully designed and meant to allow to to view glimpses of all areas of the interior and grounds.

Here are a few of the more famous paintings on display and/or some of my favorites.

Olga Costa
Diego Rivera, Alfredo Zalce
Frida Kahle
Roberto Montenegro
Fermin Revueltas

The gardens and sulptures just can’t be missed and there is a small outdoor cafe at which you can sip your coffee and view the magnificence all around you.

Just a few more pics but I guarantee you that there is so much more to see. As a person who has never been much impressed with “modern art” I can say that I have changed my perception of the genre. It has elements that I can readily identify with as a woman born in the 1960’s and allows for a glance at past history that will hopefully influence the future.

Open Tuesday-Sunday from 10a.-6pm. The cost about 70 pecos with no fees for the disabled and young children. Afterwards, walk throughout the large city park to which many of the museums are connected.

San Juan Del Sur – Nicaragua

Posted in Art, Beaches, Day Trips, Incredible Vistas, Magical Places, Markets, Nicaragua, TravelTagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

Going to Nicaragua is a different experience. We had to leave the truck behind, pay exit fees at the Costa Rican border, walk a distance in the ” NO MAN’S LAND” which lies between Costa Rica and Nicaragua, pay $1 outside of the Nicaragua customs building, stand in line for about 20 minutes to get to see a customs official, pay another $13 (I think), have our luggage scanned and then exit the building walk about 300 meters to the Alamo Car Rental.

Driving is easy as they drive on the same side of the road as in the USA but what struck me first were two things: beautiful trees on both sides of the road created a beautiful green canopy as we drove. It was gorgeous and reminded me of the East Coast. The second thing that I found interesting is as we traveled down the main highway (NO POTHOLES!!! unlike Costa Rica) there were cows and horses tied up to the fences all a long the road. It was amazing.

It is only about a 45 minute drive from the border to San Juan Del Sur. It is an old beach town that is slowly getting discovered by tourists but retains its gritty but sweet character from years gone by. We were located at the bay but there are beautiful beaches all around the area. We arrived just as the sun was setting and what a gorgeous sunset it was. This is a real fishing town so watching the boats head out to sea and return with family waiting for them is a reminder of that “waiting history” that fishing hubs around the world have experienced for eons.

Night time is interesting here as there are beach volleyball games with families watching the kids do their thing. Horses meander along side the water and parrots squawk in the trees. The town basically rolls up the sidewalk at 8 pm as families walking hand-in-hand head back to home.

The next couple of days were a blur. We walked the town peeking in shops and enjoying the street markets. Grills were set up on the street where you could buy pollo and rice for about $2-3 bucks. I loved watching the women and men carrying their wares on their heads, the buzz of the street market, and the kindness of the people we talked to along the way. Everyone was friendly and put up with my attempts at speaking Spanish, often teaching me a word or two along the way.

We also visited the local park and church which is incredibly beautiful in its simplicity. In addition, you can’t help but view The Christ of the Mercy which is a colossal statue of Jesus Christ which rises to a height of 134m above sea level and can be seen throughout the town.

While here we took time to look at real estate that is for sale in the area. Take a look at this three-bedroom beauty which was selling for $459,000 with pristine teak woodwork and views that were amazing. One of my favorite was a small villa in a gated pool community which was selling for $140,000 with HOA’s of $400 per month

If you know me; you know I love a good mural. From the out-of-this world type of paintings to the murals that can bring tears to your eyes; San Juan del Sur has plenty of talented artists offering up their best.

I loved San Juan Del Sur and who knows I might end up there one day. But for now I leave you with the local high school band practicing on the Main Street of the town.

My Morning (Mostly)

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Last night we had a major thunderstorm, which was so cool, but also very loud, as the thunder echoes back-and-forth from one mountain to another. You can almost see the lightning roll back-and-forth between mountains and every once in a while, the house shakes down to its very bones as the thunder spanks the ground. We lost power and we lost water due to errant rock splicing through the plastic pipe. By eight this morning two men on motorcycles carrying new pipe, glue, and a shovel were standing alongside the road making the necessary repairs.

I start my walk around 6 am because the sun is usually shining brightly in the sky, and the temperature is increasing exponentially as each ray of sun peaks out from under the clouds. As I walk, I am greeted by children on motorcycles with their parents traveling to the school. I must say buenos dias 15 to 20 times a morning as everyone smiles and waves as I walk by. Yes, it’s official. I am a gringo, as explained to me by a friend but luckily a gringo that everyone wants to help improve her in Spanish, so everyone talks to me, and I fumble along, trying to make sense with a language that I’ve never spoken before. The people are gracious about my feeble attempts, but they appreciate that I try.

Below we will find pictures of my walk. I hope you get a sense of the beauty that I see every day. 

Cool Morning Fog
Last Night’s Thunderstorm

A Painfully Noisy Day

Posted in Animals and Birds, Costa Rica, Festivals, Markets, Mountains, UncategorizedTagged , , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

Before you set off on a trip, you tend to believe that your time away will be nothing but glorious. Today was not that day.

It started with my computer that decided it did not want to wake up when I did. As a matter of fact, it hasn’t woken up all day. This is obviously a very bad sign, especially when you are living in the middle of rural Costa Rica and there’s nowhere that can fix it . Therefore, I’m attempting to write this blog by speaking into a microphone. We shall see how it goes, but I would expect a lot of typos that I’m probably too lazy to fix.

After I discovered the bad news about my computer, I decided to take a walk. It was a lovely morning … cloudy with mist hanging over the mountains and not yet hot. I had one cup of coffee in and enough caffeine to probably get me to the next village when I heard this.:

After that excitement, I drove to Nicoya where I was delighted to find a new store with all sorts of gluten-free items. Of course, it was expensive but great to find as I started home. A huge thunderstorm arrived. The thunderstorms are very loud because they echo across the valley. It’s kind of cool and I like them. However, I lost my GPS and therefore my way home. I ended up only God knows where in the back country, even further back than I currently am, trying to find my way out. Eventually, I made it home, unlocked the gate in the pouring rain, looked up, to see what all the racket was. It was these beautiful parrots. Take a listen and a look: (For some reason you have to press the triangles even though there is no movie… then it shows up)


Parrots

All is well until right after I finish filming this when I slipped on a wet rock and landed on my shoulder, you know the one with the torn rotator cuff. At first, I thought I broke my wrist, but I didn’t. Thank goodness, but I did screw up the shoulder again. I’d like to say the video of the parrots was worth it… We shall see about that!

Today is the festival so I will be going to the school at 4 PM to help celebrate. I was invited and I think it has something to do with beans. It is also Costa Rica’s Independence Day so I guess I will find out how beans tie into that But I’m excited and honored that I was asked to come. I’ll let you know how it goes. 



			





			
				


	

		
What To Do On A Hot Day in Costa Rica

				

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Since everyday is a hot day in Costa Rica I don’t have much advice about keeping cool with no AC except walk early, shower often, and keep your cooking short and sweet so you don’t heat up the entire house. Sometimes standing out in the relief of the daily evening rainstorm is helpful too. (note that there’s no water in the swimming pool) Sometimes life is cruel that way!













So, did I tell you it is mucho caliente aqui? It is, and for that reason I have been walking early in the morning which led me directly to a wonderful day. As I was walking down the rough stone road I saw a young man on the porch of a very old home and he was giving a man a haircut. I assumed it was his grandfather and I yelled out “Buenos Dias!” Now, since I am probably the only white girl in a 20 mile radius I tend to draw attention to myself just by breathing. Shouting “Good Day” adds a whole new dimension so the hair cut immediately ceased. I tried in my very Malo Espanol to talk to them, when the young man with the scissors in his hands, after wincing at my pronunciation stated, “I speak English.” And that began our conversation which led to me hiring him to come over three times a week to just talk to me for an hour in order to try to improve my Spanish. I am paying him of course and he is as thrilled as I am. The people in this area are impoverished and money is hard to come by so this works well for both of us.  As you can see there is not a lot around here….there are more hooves than feet.



















Yesterday he arrived on his small motorbike and we talked for over an hour. He is a barber and also a chef. He showed me pictures of the food that he has created and I drooled. Everyone who knows me will tell you with a shake of their head and a little “tusk-tusk…the poor dear” look that I am a lousy cook. Therefore, I am working up the nerve to see if he would cook for me once a week so I actually eat some authentic and healthy food. 





After my Spanish lesson with him; I went on my walk and yelled out again “Buenos Dias!!!!” to an older woman. Turns out she knows absolutely no English but we managed to communicate a bit until she grabbed me by the arms and led me to the next house where she went in and brought out a young woman named Allan who speaks some English. Long story short we are going into town for breakfast this weekend to celebrate Costa Rican Independence Day. I think it will be fun and I am excited. The people here are so nice and welcoming.





Today I finally decided to leave the house and make the 30 minute trip to go to Nicoya using the 6 speed stick shift which I have been avoiding. I actually had no choice….I have had a headache for five days, another medical issue and was almost out of food. The traffic in Nicoya is horrid as there is one two-lane road in town and they are doing road work on it making traffic come to a crawl all the way through town. I got lost going to the hospital and ended up in the back woods down by a school where all the kids were going home in their blue and white uniforms. They looked adorable. When I finally found the hospital I went inside only to find a waiting room with about 100 coughing/snuffling people in it. But it was after visiting to bathroom I made a decision: I was not meant to be seen by a doctor on this particular day and I left.







Hospital Bathroom





Hospital Bathroom







I then proceeded to the store (which has some Wal-Mart Brands) and then drove home. I am amazed at the price of food and am surprised that people aren’t walking around skeletal-like. I mean seriously who can afford to eat? Not that the pictures that I put up are really food anyway but still…..







$3.27 USD Small Bottle





Small Bag $2.59































I arrived home to my new pets…this kitchen spider and the HUGE red ants that share my house with me. There is no use in trying to kill them as they are just replaced by their pissed off buddies. So now I just try to live and let live while just trying to get along with everyone. With any luck I will do no harm and neither will they.










Meanwhile, my daughters are in Massachusetts visiting with cousins and having a great time. I was suppose to be there and then decided to be traveling instead. I am wondering if I made a slight miscalculation. Here is a Video by my daughter Kellis of their afternoon…..you will notice there is water in this pool.










			





			
				


	

		
Living In Very Rural Costa Rica

				

			Posted in Costa Rica, Federal, State and City Parks, Gardens, Incredible Vistas, Plazas, UncategorizedTagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment		

			


		

			

	
	

		

If you have ever dreamed about getting away from in all…come to Costa Rica. Yes, there are resorts and San Jose, but if you really want to get lost, come to rural Guanacaste where the Brahma cows out number humans, the monkey are louder than them, and the nearest town is about twenty-five minutes away by car and 2 days if you are walking.







Moo





My Neighbor





Where My Neighbors Live







Yesterday, I went to the very small school down the road to see if anyone there could help me with my Spanish by talking to me a couple of hours a week and I would pay them. No one knows English, which while expected, was disappointing because even with my translator no one understood what I was really wanting. No one had to speak English just be willing to to talk to me in Spanish. If nothing else I proved to be a sizable distraction for the kids who thought my attempts at communicating in Spanish were hilarious! 





It is very impoverished here but I am not sure that anyone in the valley is truly aware of it. Everyone waves and smiles, and during my walk today several people waved and answered me back after I yelled out “buenos tardes!” Tonight I plan to go down to the bingo hall and play a game or two as a benefit for a sick child in the village.







The Bingo Hall





A Curious Neighbor





My Next Door Neighbor







The day before they left my hosts took me into Nicoya which is the nearest “big” town. It has A McDonalds, KFC and Burger King. Sigh. There are three supermarkets and a lovely town plaza full of Iguanas of all colors. I love the orange ones. Food at the supermarkets is expensive and I don’t know how the locals afford to shop. For instance a small sized Wall-Mart shredded cheese is $4 here while at home about $2. I was shocked and my heart went out to all the less-fortunate folks for whom shopping must be a cruel joke.







The Plaza at Nicoya





Nicoya





An Iguana at the Plaza







On Wednesday I took I & E to the airport in San Jose so they could go home to France to visit their first grand baby. I drove their truck…a six speed stick shirt. I was terrified. Why? Because no one seems to follow traffic laws, I had not driven a stick in 25 years, and I was driving in a big city.





Driving here is arduous. It is about a five-six hour trek from here one way to the airport.  I don’t think it is because of the roads per se even though the first thirty minutes is spent dodging potholes the size of small continents along rutted dirt roads. No, I think it takes so long because the trucks NEVER pull over even though there are fifty cars behind them and they are going 30 mph. Add to that road work and tree trimming along the highway and the time it takes to get from here to there increases dramatically. But the scenery if truly spectacular and it was nice passing the ocean and stopping off at the butterfly farm. Unfortunately, the farm had experienced a major crisis two days before I came when birds got into the butterfly pen. Let’s just say I was told that there were numerous casualties inflicted by the invaders. 












A Window Moth

















All in all my stay thus far has been a 180 degree change from my time in Mexico. It is HOT here and so very HUMID. There is no air conditioner which means I am too hot to cook and as a result I have lost 5 pounds. I am also sleeping under mosquito netting thank goodness. Yet despite all of this I developed a massive headache (which I never usually have) and my stomach feels like I have been sailing. I am hoping that I am not coming down with anything and that the tick that bit me is not some disease carrying vampire. Yes, I know, I am sounding like a whiny American and as sick as I am feeling today (now Saturday) I have earned the title. But I know that soon I will be feeling better which will improve the attitude and the whining will cease.


























			





			
				


	

		
Rural Costa Rica-Breathtaking

				

			Posted in Cheap Ways To Travel, Costa Rica, Incredible Vistas, MountainsTagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment		

			


		

			

	
	

		






So, I have been in Costa Rica for a little over 24 hours and I am experiencing a bit of culture shock. For me, the shock is not from living in a deeply rural part of the country near Nicoya but from the heat/humidity found here. I am just not used to it and it feels weird that my body constantly feels like it has been rolled in a vat of ice cream and then laid out to dry….only you never do… which means that boob rash will definitely be making an appearance soon. I feel sticky and wet and for a girl who has really never sweated in her life I have to wonder if there is such a thing as a deodorant that truly works! 










The people whose home I am sitting are marvelous. They are French and moved here two years ago. They are kind and generous, make a mean rum drink, and are giving me advice about everything under the sun such as which fruits I can eat off the trees and which snakes could possibly kill me (luckily there are not THAT many) They are doing everything in their power to make me feel comfortable and for me to enjoy my experience here.







I can eat these!!! They are yummy!







The wildlife is amazing on this land. There are iguana’s of every color and size. They are quite loud when they fall out of the trees and land on the ground with a huge thud. One is also the pet who comes and begs for food. Macaws fly through the trees as do yellow-headed green parrots. Butterflies of all types float through the clouds and land on the banana trees. There are peccaries roaming the property, armadillos, and I can hear the howler monkeys on the mountain behind the house.
























While there are few people there are plenty of trees. The property has Guanacastes, Bayan type trees, mangos. papaya, and a sweet lemon. Pineapple are just starting to reach their second year of growth. My hosts have really worked hard on their property and it shows.
























I’ll leave you with the spectacular views that can be seen within the 14,000 hectares that I will be living amongst for the next six weeks. I hope you are as awed by them as I am.