Tag: Wildlife

My Morning (Mostly)

Posted in Costa Rica, Incredible Vistas, Magical Places, Mountains, TravelTagged , , , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

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

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.

Sierra Vista Open Space Preserve (Near San Jose)

Posted in California, Day Trips, Free Site, Great Fun For The Kids, Hiking, Incredible VistasTagged , , , , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

About 15 minutes outside of San Jose California in the Eastern foothills of Santa Clara County; there is a nine mile hiking preserve that offers expansive views of the mountains, the South Bay and San Jose itself. With many different hikes and loops to choose from including a meadow hike that is perfect for young families as well as longer more challenging walks; it is hard to believe that the city is just below.

One of the more appreciated aspects of the preserve is the careful grooming of the trails as well as the thoughtfully placed bridges and benches just to rest and take in the views. Horses are also allowed on some of the trails however dogs and drones are not allowed due to habitat conditions.

While I was visiting in May the wildflowers were out in abundance brings swathes of colors to the hills.

The wildlife in the area although somewhat elusive includes hawks, badgers, gray fox and along with owls, kestrels, hummingbirds, bob cats and mountain lions. As always when hiking one should carry bear spray to ward off larger predators.

The preserve is open from 7 am until 8:30 pm but parking is somewhat limited so it is best to get there early because when the lot fills up you cannot hike. The only downside to this spectacular area is the lack of any sort of restroom facilities including porta-potties.

For more information visit: openspaceauthority.org. The site provides plenty of information about Sierra Vista along with several other Open Space hiking trails including their guided hike program, biking and horse trails.

Point Cabrillo Lighthouse

Posted in Accommodations, California, Federal, State and City Parks, Free Site, Incredible Vistas, Lighthouses, UncategorizedTagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

If you are like me lighthouses hold a deep fascination. It’s not just the buildings themselves that pull at my heart but its also the people who dedicated their lives to ensuring that passing ships were not swallowed up by the sea.

The Point Cabrillo Lighthouse on the Mendocino Coast is nothing short of breathtaking. The lighthouse hugs this wild and windy shoreline like a blanket, warming and protecting the boats which pass by headed to distant ports around the world.  Wildlife is abundant. Walk quietly and you will see the deer grazing, some eagles soaring, and most likely you will be able to hear the seals bark; as the Fresnel lends patrols the outer coast for a distance of 13-15 miles, 24/7.

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This lighthouse was constructed in 1908 and was lit for the first time at midnight on June 10, 1909. The point was chosen to increase and protect maritime travel as boats picked up loads of timber that were harvested from the Redwood forests which stretched from mountain tops straight down to the sea. When you visit today you will be able to view the lighthouse as well as the three keepers residences, the Oil House, the Blacksmith and Carpentry shop along with various outbuildings.

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Personally, I think that the best time to visit this beautiful piece of the world is in late November – February or Mid-February to early May. This is when the Gray Whales migrate from Alaska down to Baja, Mexico to birth their young and then make the trip back with their calf in tow. Watching them spout and breach from the lighthouse sends a “HAPPY” chill straight down your spine and a sense of awe exploding throughout your brain.

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One of the many things I like about lighthouses and their grounds is that they are often available to rent for short stays and Point Cabrillo’s accommodations are amongst the best. The Head Lightkeeper’s House, The 2nd Assistant’s House and two cabins, all of which have been historically restored, are ideal for family vacations. Best of all they are reasonably priced, not cheap, but in-line for this type of experience.

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The Point Cabrillo Lighthouse is open, like most state parks from sunrise to sunset, but many of the exhibits are only available from the hours of 11 a.m. until 4 p.m.  To rent the houses contact:DSC03920

 

 

Ahwhanee Hotel in Yosemite

Posted in Architecture, California, Federal, State and City Parks, Free Site, Historical, Incredible Vistas, Magical Places, Uncategorized, United StatesTagged , , , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

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One of the great United States Park Service hotels is undoubtedly the Ahwahanee located in Yosemite National Park. Opened in 1927 it is considered to be a masterpiece of U.S. Park Service Rustic architecture and hospitality but it has also served its troops well too. Back during WWII the Ahwahanee served as a rehabilitation hospital for Naval troops with a skiing program put into place to help the soldiers regain their strength. But its greatest honor occurred in 1987 when it became one of the premier destinations on the National Historic Registry.

It really doesn’t matter what season you visit you will always find the service impeccable and the views breathtaking. Yet, if I were planning a vacation here I would avoid the summer when the place is packed and the weather is often uncomfortably hot.  Personally, my favorite time to venture here is in the winter when the Ahwhanee is all decked out for Christmas. Using ornaments and decorations from a bygone era it is step back into history.  And perhaps the most coveted ticket in this neck of the woods is the one to the annual Bracebridge dinner held during the holiday season.  Here fortunate guests travel back to Christmas past, feasting all evening on delicacies and local wines while enjoying entertainment that might have been served up in a manor in the 1600’s. So alluring is the show that people sign up years in advance for a part in the production and famed photographer Ansel Adams was once one of the performers.

One thing I love to do while here is to sign up for the Ahwahnee Tour and History walk. Here hotel experts will fill you in on how the hotel was constructed and you’ll learn interesting Hotel tidbits like the fact that the chairs in the drawing room were made to purposely tip you up towards the windows so you always have an amazing view.

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As you can plainly see the  Ahwahnee Hotel is an amazing place of natural beauty and even if you cannot get reservations you can certainly stop in for a stroll and a cool glass of ice tea. But more importantly, take the time to wander outdoors. Cross over a bridge or two and watch the mist from the waterfalls soar into the sky. And if you are lucky, you might just see some of these beautiful creatures…but don’t get too close… because Momma bear is near and she would be happy to have you for breakfast.

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Finally, one of the biggest disappoints regarding the Ahwahnee is the despicable behavior of the Delaware North corporation which operated this park until it lost its lease bid to a rival company. Unfortunately, this greedy corporation is claiming rights of ownership to the names of all of the buildings in the park and today the Ahwahnee is being renamed after almost 100 years. It is a disgrace and I refuse to refer to this hotel by anything but its original name. In fact, I urge you to join me in a boycott of Delaware North properties and airport concessions. You can also let this malicious corporation know about your displeasure of their name grab of our historic buildings by contacting Victoria Hong Director of Corporate Communications at the corporate headquarters at this email address:vhong@delawarenorth.com