A PRAYER . . . UNA ORACION . . .

For the children in the furthest places in the world who cannot get an education . . .

for the clouded forest which does not receive the sun to help the flowers bloom . . . 

for the environmentalists who are hopeful planet earth will survive the debris . . . 

for the countries called 'third world' and cannot yet ascend to 'second place' . . . 

for the travelers who undergo the hustle and bustle of mistakes made in airports . . .

for the clean air we breath and fill our lungs with hope . . . 

for the people we meet through travel and bring joy into our lives . . .

forr the pioneers who thought of keeping the rain forest alive. . . 

for the trains that travel early in the morning to get us to work or home. . . 

for the friends we make alone the way . . .

for the fruits that grow in trees which keep us free of colds and refresh our days . . . 

for the vendors and the . . . .

for the maliku tribe which tries to keep their ancestry alive . . . 

for  the day destined to take us back home . . . 

for the friends and family who wait for us in airports. . . 

for the silent night that allows us to reflect in the experience we just had. . 

TORTUGUEROS . . . TURTLE CATCHERS . . .

Crystal waters

ebony sky

innocent creatures  

sleep in the dark 

The sultry air 

instigate our minds

as we slide down 

the river at nigth 

The hope for the encounter

with bright scary eyes

 carefully breathing 

to not wake them up 

The river our friend 

to discover the night

our flashlights the weapon

to catch them alive 

Big dipper and jupiter

thousand lights

a dome  is perceived 

on top of the trunk

 

predators and prey

struggle,  splash . . .

silence suddenly

comes back. 

 

 

LA CUCARACHA 'STANLEY'. . 'STANLEY' THE COCKROACH . . .

 EL ESCARABAJO 'HERCULES' Y EL GRILLO 'LUIS'. . ESTOS SON LOS INSECTOS MAS GRANDES QUE YO HAYA VISTO EN MI VIDA! Y LO MAS PECULIAR ES QUE SON INOFENSIVOS, CLARO, SI TU LOS SABES AGARRAR!

'Hercules' the beetle and 'Luis' the cricket' . . . these are the biggest insects I have ever seen!  AAnd what is most peculiar is that they are  harmless if you know how to grab them that is!

LOS PAJAROS . . . LES OISSEAUX . . . THE BIRDS

QUE LINDOS LOS PAJAROS!  QUE ALEGRIA PODERLES TOMAR FOTOS DE CERQUITA!  ALGUNOS PARECIA QUE QUERIAN MODELAR MIENTRAS OTROS SE VOLABAN SI NO NOS QUEDABAMOS CALLADOS. . . 

How beautiful the birds are! What joy to be able to close shots of them. some of them seemed to want to model while other flew away if we were not quiet . . .   

LA COMIDA . . . THE FOOD

RICE AND BEANS for breakfast, for lunch and for dinner.  .  . are you hungry at midnight?  Maybe they will offer you rice and beans. . . This is very typical of Spanish countries; to eat rice and beans for at least two meals of the day but I had never seen it or ate it for breakfast; at least not in my native country Colombia. 

ARROZ Y FRIJOLES PARA EL DESAYUNO, PARA EL ALMUERZO Y PARA LA COMIDA O LA CENA . . . TIENES HAMBRE A MEDIANOCHE? A LO MEJOR THE OFREZCAN  ARROZ Y FRIJOLES . . ESTO ES MUY TIPICO DE LOS PAISES LATINOS; COMEEER ARROZ Y FRIJOLES POR LO MENOS DOS VECES AL DIA PERO NUNCA HE VISTO QUE LO COMAN AL DESAYUNO. POR LO MENOS NO EN MI PAIS NATAL COLOMBIA. 

In Ecuador there's a saying (way back when I learned this in  college when I was studying Hispanic  American Culture) that says "Without rice there's no God". That's how we (Latino-Americans) think of rice: It is essential for our diet and here in  Costa Rica they seem to honor this belief even more. 

EN ECUADOR HAY UN DICHO (QUE APRENDI CUANDO ESTABA EN LA UNIVERSIDAD ESTUDIANDO CULTURA HISPANOAMERICANA) QUE DICE "SIN ARROZ NO HAY DIOS". ASI ES COMO PENSAMOS (LOS LATINOAMERICANOS) DEL ARROZ: ES ESENCIAL PARA NUESTRA DIETAY AQUI EN COSTA RICA PARECE QUE LO VENERAN MUCHO MAS. 

The food has been magnificent.  Besides rice and beans for breakfast we've had fresh scrambbled eggs, fruits such as pineapple, watermelon, bananas, pomegranates. . all kinds of juices such as blackberry, guava, kiwi, passion fruit, tamarind, guanabana and others that I had never tasted before.   All of these have brought sweet memories from my childhood in Colombia. 

LA COMIDA AQUI HA SIDO MAGNIFICA.  ADEMAS DEL ARROZ Y LOS FRIJOLES PARA DESAYUNO HEMOS TENIDO HUEVOS FRESCOS REVUELTOS, FRUTAS TALES COMO PINA, SANDIA, BANANO, GRANADILLAS. . . TODO TIPO DE JUGOS COMO MORA, GUAYABA, LULO, MARACUYA, TAMARINDO, GUANABANA Y OTROS QUE NUNCA  HABIA PROBADO. TODO ESTO MEE HA TRAIDO UNAS DULCES MEMORIAS DE MI NINEZ EN COLOMBIA.

For lunch and dinner we've had plenty of salad made of either lettuce or green and red cabbage, plenty of tomatoes, cucumbers, even little pieces of palm tree trunk and sweet peppers. the salad dressing was delicious; it was made in vinegar with shredded carrrots, onions and other condiments. 

PARA EL ALMUERZO Y LA COMIDA HEMOS TENIDO MUCHISIMA ENSALADA HECHA DE LECHUGA, REPOLLO VERDE Y ROJO, TOMATES, PEPINOS, HASTA PEDACITOS DEL TALLO DE LA PALMA. EL ADERESO HA SIDO DELICIOSO; HECHO DE VINAGRETE CON ZANAHORIA, CEBOLLA Y OTROS CONDIMENTOS. 

The desserts have been different every day. Sometimes ice cream; usually chocolate and vanilla, on top of some type of cake, and various flans such as caramel, coffee or milk and rice.

LOS POSTRES HAN SIDO DIFERENTES TODOS LOS DIAS. ALGUNAS VECES HELADO,USUALMENTE DE CHOCOLATE Y VAINILLA ENCIMA DE UNA CLASE DE TORTA O PONQUE, Y O VARIOS FLANES COMO DE CARAMELO, CAFE O ARROZ CON LECHE. 

Let the photos speak for themselves . . .  

DEJEMOS QUE LAS FOTOS LO DIGAN TODO. . . 

LO BUENO, LO MALO Y LO FEO . . . THE GOOD, THE BAD AND THE UGLY . . .

THE GOOD - LO BUENO  

*  Costa Rica's government's philosophy:  'No army, let's spend our money in education instead'.

LA FILOSOFIA DEL GOBIERNO COSTARRICENSE: 'NO FUERZAS ARMADAS, MAS BIEN  INVERTAMOS NUESTRO DINERO EN EDUCACION'. 

*  Costa Rica's emphasis on bio-diversity and the protecting of their fauna and flora. 

EL ENFASIS DE COSTA RICA EN BIO-DIVERSIDAD Y EN PROTEGER SU FAUNA Y SU FLORA. 

*  Costa Rica's tourism industry - is very solid and the country is prepared to educate the thousands of tourists that come every year to visit.  The tour guides  are bilingual  (Spanish / English) and are very knowledgeable of the country's richness and culture and the very small details of the tiniest animals and plants in every remote corner where they exist.   

LA INDUSTRIA DE TURISMO DE COSTA RICA - ES BASTANTE SOLIDA Y EL PAIS ESTA PREPARADO PARA EDUCAR LOS MILES DE TURISTAS QUE VIENEN  A VISITAR TODOS LOS ANOS.  LOS GUIAS TURISTICOS SON BILINGUES Y TIENEN MUCHO CONOCIMIENTO DE LAS RIQUEZAS Y LA CULTURA DEL PAIS Y DE TODOS LOS PEQUENOS DETALLES DE LOS MAS PEQUENITOS ANIMALES Y PLANTAS EN CADA ESQUNA REMOTA DONDE EXISTEN. 

*  Los Ticos -- The happy ticos, friendly, hospitable, humble, genuine and just pure joy to be around.  They have PURA VIDA within them and they are an injection of peace and happiness for all who have the unique opportunity to visit their country and  meet them. 

LOS TICOS -- LOS FELICES TICOS, AMIGABLES, HOSPITALARIOS, HUMILDES, GENUINOS Y SIMPLEMENTE PURO GOZO DE ESTAR JUNTO A ELLOS. ELLOS TIENEN PURA VIDA DENTRO DE ELLOS Y SON UNA INYECCION DE PAZ Y FELICIDAD PARA TODOS LOS QUE TENEMOS LA OPORTUNIDAD UNICA DE VISITAR SU PAIS. 

When the sun comes out, it is warm, then hot and irresistible and brings another smile to your face!

CUANDO SALE EL SOL, ES TIBIO, LUEGO CALIENTE E IRRESISTIBLE Y TE PONE OTRA SONRISA EN LA CARA!

The history, present and future of Costa Rica -- Men and women who fought for freedom from Spain, were able to capitalize on the country's richness of banana, coffee, bio-diversity and worked to establish a solid democracy. 

LA HISTORIA, EL PRESENTE Y EL FUTURO DE COSTA RICA -- HOMBRES Y MUJERES QUE LUCHARON POR SU LIBERTAD SOBRE ESPANA Y PUDIERON APROVECHAR LA RIQUEZA DE PLATANOS , CAFE Y DIVERSIDAD DEL PAIS, Y TRABAJAR TODOS JUNTOS PARA ESTABLECER UNA DEMOCRACIA SOLIDA.  

  

THE BAD - LO MALO 

*  Those of us who don't know how to pack when they tell us over and over again to pack light!  

AQUELLOS DE NOSOTROS QUE NO SABEMOS COMO EMPACAR CUANDO NOS DICEN UNA Y OTRA VEZ QUE EMPAQUEMOS LIVIANO!

*  Those of us who are so excited when we arrive in Costa Rica that spend our entire money on the first day and don't trust the system that los ticos have in place to send what we buy home for a small fee; believe me, it is worth it. Otherwise your luggage will look and feel like is going to burst any minute and you might just have to buy a new suitcase before you depart. 

AQUELLOS DE NOSOTROS QUE ESTAMOS TAN ENTUSIASMADOS CUANDO LLEGAMOS A COSTA RICA QUE GASTAMOS TODO NUESTRO DINERO  EL PRIMER DIA, Y NO CONFIAMOS EN LOS SISTEMAS  QUE LOS TICOS TIENEN PARA MANDAR LO QUE COMPRAMOS POR CORREO POR UN COSTO MINIMO. CREEME QUE VALE LA PENA. DE OTRA MANERA  TU EQUIPAJE SE VERA Y SE SENTIRA COMO QUE SE VA A ESTALLAR EN CUALQUIER MOMENTO Y A LO MEJOR VAS A  TENER QUE COMPRAR UNA NUEVA MALETA ANTES DE PARTIR.

*   Those of us who thought that we were going  to get a tan on the first day and did not realize that when someone said we were going to visit the rain forest it meant rain might accompany you the entire trip or at least 80% of the time although this is the dry season.  The rain falls on the forest, in the town, during our boat rides, while sitting in the restaurant, on the roofs; it falls on the ponds and rivers, it comes down at midnight and the day and sometimes with such strong winds that it actually scares you because it makes you believe that the roof tops and trees are going to fly away at any moment. Those ponchos we were asked MANY TIMES to pack were essential for our dry survival in Costa Rica.  

ESOS DE NOSOTROS QUE PENSAMOS QUE NOS IBAMOS A DORAR DESDE EL PRIMER DIA Y NO NOS DIMOS CUENTA DE QUE CUANDO ALGUIEN DICE QUE VAS A VISITAR EL BOSQUE LLUVIOSO QUIERE DECIR QUE LA LLUVIA TE PUEDE ACOMPANAR DURANTE TODO EL VIAJE! O POR LO MENOS 80% DEL TIEMPO AUNQUE ESTA SEA LA TEMPORADA SECA.  LA LLUVIA CAE SOBRE EL BOSQUE, EN LOS PUEBLOS, DURANTE NUESTROS VIAJES EN BOTE, MIENTRAS NOS SENTAMOS EN EL RESTAURANTE, ENCIMA DE LOS TECHOS, CAE SOBRE LAS LAGUNAS Y LOS RIOS, CAE A LA MEDIANOCHE Y DURANTE EL DIA Y A VECES CON VIENTOS TAN FUERTES                 QUE VERDADERAMAENE TE ASUSTAN PORQUE TE HACE CREER QUE LOS TECHOS Y LOS ARBOLES SE VAN A VOLAR EN CUALQUIER MOMENTO. ESOS PONCHOS QUE TANTAS VECES NOS PIDIERON QUE EMPACARAMOS FUERON ESENCIALES PARA NUESTRA SOBREVIVIENCIA SECA IN COSTA RICA. 

*  Those of us who decided NOT to GET A WALKING STICK although we were given plenty of resources to get them such as the web, Walmart, or any of the sophisticated sporting goods stores  wwere gifwe had references of. 

*  ESOS DE NOSOTROS QUIENES DECIDIMOS NO CONSEGUIR UN PALO O BASTON PARA CAMINAR AUNQUE NOS DIERON UN MONTON DE PISTAS PARA CONSEGUIRLOS, TALES COMO  LA WEB,  WALMART, O CUALQUIERA DE TODAS LAS SOFISTICADAS TIENDAS DE DEPORTES LAS CUALES TENIAMOS REFERENCIAS.  

THE UGLY - LO FEO 

*  If you are a person who needs a lot of light in your room, this is not the place to go.  The good thing about this is that the dimlight that it is used in most of the hotels are to save energy.  The light you get is enough. 

SI TU ERES UNA PERSONA QUE NECESITA MUCHA LUZ EN TU CUARTO, ESTE NO ES EL LUGAR. LO BUENO DE ESTO ES QUE LA MEDIA LUZ QUE SE USA EN LOS CUARTOS EN CASI TODOS LOS HOTELES ES PARA CONSERVAR ENERGIA. LA LUZ QUE TE DAN ES SUFICIENTE. 

*  If you are someone who needs to be wrapped in a huge and cozy towel, forget it, this is not the place to come or you should bring one from home.  The fact is that if you bring one from home, you will not have the necessary space in your suitcase to put in all the arts and crafts you will buy when you get here. . I am telling you, eventhough you say to yourself 'no, I have a budget, I am not buying anything', the temptation is way bigger than your original plans. The towels here are somewhat thin and big enough to cover your upper half or your lower half,  so be prepared to make a choice. 

SI TU ERES ALGUIEN QUE NECESITA ESTAR ENVUELTO EN UNA TOALLA CALIENTICA Y GIGANTEZCA, OLVIDALO, ESTE NO ES EL LUGAR PARA VENIR O TU PUEDES TRAER UNA DE CASA. EL HECHO ES DE QUE SI TRAEAS UNA DE CASA, NO TENDRAS EL ESPACIO NECESARIO EN TU MALETA PARA PONER TODOS LOS ARTIFACTOS QUE COMPRARAS CUANDO LLEGUES AQUI; LA TENTACION ES MAS GRANDE QUE TU PLAN ORIGINAL. LAS TOALLAS AQUI SON UN POCO DELGADAS Y PEQUENAS LO SUFICIENTEMENTE GRANDES PARA CUBRIRTE DE` LA CINTURA ARRIBA O DE LA CINTURA ABAJO, ASI QUE PREPARATE PARA DECIDIR QUE ES LO QUE VAS A HACER. 

Mud, mud and more mud . . . but no worries, if you bring your hiking  boots you will be fine. 

PANTANO, PANTANO Y MAS PANTANO. . . PERO NO TE PREOCUPES, SI TRAJISTE TUS BOTAS DE ESCALAR ESTARAS BIEN. 

Mosquitoes, mosquitoes and more mosquitoes. . . not to worry . . if you bring your anti-repellent you will be fine. . 

MOSQUITOS, MOSQUITOS Y MAS MOSQUITOS. . . PERO NO HAY QUE PREOCUPARSE. . . SI TRAES ANTI-REPELENTE ESTARAS BIEN. . 

The umpredictable -- Expect the worse at the airport departure and arrival ... this is a long story ...

LO IMPREDISCIBLE - ESPERA LO PEOR EN EL AEROPUERTO TANTO LA IDA COMO LA VENIDA ... ESTO ES UNA LARGA HISTORIA... 

MIS DISCULPAS . . . MY APOLOGIES. . .

Mis queridos seguidores, 

Ha  sido mi intencion poner algo de este increible viaje en mi blog todos los dias pero la falta de acceso al internet no me lo ha permitido y por eso quiero pedirles que me discupen. Cuando llegue a casa les prometo que este blog continuara con muchas fotos y videos que he tomado.NO veo la hora de poder compartir cada momento! muchas gracias por su comprension.

 MY DEAR FOLLOWERS, 

IT HAS BEEN MY INTENTION TO POST SOMETHING OF THIS INCREDIBLE TRIP ON MY BLOG EVERY DAY, HOWEVER, THE LACK OF INTERNET ACCESS HAS NOT ALLOWED ME TO DO MUCH.  I HOPE THAT YOU WILL ACCEPT MY APOLOGIES. WHEN I GET HOME I PROMISE THAT THIS BLOG  WILL CONTINUE WITH ALL THE  PHOTOS AND VIDEOS THAT I'VE TAKEN.  I CAN'T WAIT TO SHARE WITH YOU EVERY MOMENT. THANK YOU VERY MUC FOR YOUR UNDERSTANDING.