Costa Rica - Day 4 - Palo Verde National Park

Wednesday
Time is flying. Tuesday afternoon we decided to do a tour. No shortage of offers. Some negotiating at the beach and we were set for a bus ride and a boat ride on the edge of the Palo Verde National Park to see as much wildlife as possible. Authentic Costa Rica lunch included. And zip lining for some of us.
We were to meet at 6 am. Everybody is ready and off we go having grabbed a to-go cup of coffee in the lobby. Something suitable for breakfast had been grabbed from the buffet the night before and was in the backpacks.

It was an hour or more drive but very interesting. Our driver/guide Gerson explained a lot. This park is to honor an archeological site.

He stops to show us certain trees or fruit. Very interesting. Our guesses are usually wrong.

We pass miles and miles of sugar cane fields. This field is ready for harvest. They set fire to it so that the poisonous snakes and other creatures move out.
Then the workers go in with huge machetes and cut things down. They will be covered in black soot in no time. Very hard work and not paid very well. That's why most workers are from Nicaragua.

Here we got out to see some macaws but I wasn't fast enough taking a photo. I love to see them fly. So elegant.

We are at the Tempisque River which borders the park.

Our boat is waiting for us. There is another small group which came in a seperate van from the same hotel.

You can see at the river's bank that the water is tidal here. It is low tide right now and we are asked to all sit in the front.

Obviously the boat driver has a keen eye for the animals and soon we go very close to the bank. Our guide makes some noises and these curious monkeys come. Caleb calls them George (as in curious George).

We see crocodiles. Mostly just the heads when they are floating in the water.

We see long-nose bats which are quite tiny and like to line up on a tree trunk to look like a snake.

We see a good number of iguanas and lizards.

Sarah lines her family up and the guide takes the photo. I am not fast enough to take the photo too.

I do better with Helen and her family.

Gerson gives us also leaves to smell and pieces of twig. Wild herbs.

I think this was a success.

Gerson asks us whether we would like to see the potter on the way since it is a bit early for lunch.

The potter was out but on his way and we had to wait a little.

James and I had a lesson like this when we were in Costa Rica before. The craft is handed down in the family for generations. This potter had learned from his father. Truly an artist. The things in the little shop were very nice and I was kind of sorry that I didn't feel like buying anything. Downsizing!

Even the children watch very interested.

We didn't realize that it wasn't very far to the lunch place. We could have walked. We had made a potty stop here on the way to the boat.

A nice place and the food was excellent.

Bowls were passed around with rice, beans, mixed vegetables and grilled chicken breast. Of course there was Lizano sauce which I like.

Plantain chips and fried cheese. Very nice.

Each table had an animal painted on it. This was my end.

Back in the mini bus. We decided to skip the last stop in Coco Beach. It is close to Caleb's nap time.

He does fall asleep on my lap. I try to make him comfortable. I don't know how much he slept in the bus but I was able to carry him to their room where he promptly wakes up, calls for his Mommy and wants to be on Papa's arm. Papa is able to rock him a little and then lay down with him.

Eventually he can roll him off and Caleb has a good long nap after that never moving a bit. I stayed with him and checked several times whether he was breathing because he was so still.

Ben, Sarah and Wade had left right away with the bus after they had dropped us off to go to the zip line. No pictures since I wasn't there but I hope that everybody shares with me after we are home and I can make a blog just with shared things. I can report though that they all came back excited!
James went for a little walk (probably looking for Helen and William) and took this picture near the pool.

Caleb woke up with a beautiful smile on his face just at the right time when everybody was just back.
And then came pool time again of course. They had so much fun.
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James and I left them at the end to get a quick walk on the beach in. Didn't feel I had done much walking today.

James and Ben say you have to touch "the wall" before you walk back. Ok then!

The bay with the hotel is so pretty. And every day you see something different. It doesn't get old.

Quick showers and all that and we meet for dinner at 6:15 at the main buffet again. To be honest it is the easiest with the children. Plenty of good food.
Something was going on though because deciding where to sit took longer then usual. After a little while balloons showed up. James took this photo. I laugh because my birthday was "last year" but the girls insisted. They had tried the previous two dinners to arrange something but we're disappointed every time.

This was a perfect evening though. I am a happy person!

I must say that the hotel tries to have something different every day. Chocolate fountain with pretty water melon carvings today.

But wait. There is more. They did come with a cake with a lighted candle. And singing. And clapping. Gosh, I have to keep my happy tears in.

Yes, hip hip hip hurray. James' family knows what that means.
They didn't have enough space for all the writing but we understood anyway!

And off to the rooms. Omi shares her balloons.

What else can I say? Night night!

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