Costa Rica Cont.

When the young man carried our luggage upstairs to our room he pointed out that the windows were open and would make for good sleeping...I was sure I would be eaten by mosquitoes so we closed them but guess what?  No mosquito's! Didn't even see one. Maybe it was the time of year...they did have flies and some other little nat type things but for the most part not many bugs. There are only two seasons in Costa Rica.....rainy and really rainy. I loved the weather..warm, afternoon rains and cool evenings.

When you think about Costa Rica, you probably imagine lush tropical rain forest, flowing white rivers, spectacular waterfalls, birds, butterflies, monkeys, sloths, snakes, frogs and jaguars. At La Paz Waterfall Gardens, you are guaranteed to see all that and more. This was our first tour. It took us a two hour drive up a mountain on a very curvy road...now I had no idea what this tour involved and just thought we would drive to the different waterfalls....warning...be sure and read all the details of the tour...well, maybe not because if  I would have read it,  I wouldn't have gone and would have missed the most wonderful experience!

See this map...this is where we walked! 2 1/2 miles in all......either climbing up stairs or going down stairs, seriously there was very little level ground. This was quite a feat for me since it hasn't even been a year yet since the broken ankle incident.  The tour guide took such great care with me as well as my hubby. The wate falls were suppose to be the highlight but you know me....it was all about the animals. We were all told we should use the restroom at Peace Lodge  before we started .....it was located right around the corner.......What a view!

don't forget to wash your hands if you can figure out to turn the rock (to the right) to get the water to start...

(now if you want a different prospective ask your hubby to look at this picture and he will probably have a very different prospective of it or so it was with my hubby)

Wished I would have had more time to see the lodge and would love to have been able to stay here but too expensive and not enough time...........       Here we go into the jungle and have to be careful because the walkway looks just like this!

Along the way were all the animals.....

The most brilliant colored birds

This is the butterfly garden

Every where you looked there were butterfly's and although they were brown while sitting still their wings would open and reveal the most beautiful turquoise color ever as you can glimpse on this one eating a orange.

You could even touch them and they would continue to eat. They would stick their little antenna in and out of the orange...amazing!

Hummingbirds were everywhere and many many different species.....

Our tour guide interacted with the monkey...(wish it were me) I just love them.

The tour guide was amazed that this sloth unfurled and looked at me after I talked to him. He said he had never even seen him move! It must be my charm:)

Next were the cats.......

So beautiful

Only glass separated us from this pregnant female as she ate

and she did not appreciate the intrusion

Before we headed even further in the jungle we had a lunch break with a wonderful buffet..all you can eat:) It was very good and I loved these hanging lights made of wood.....

Looking back up to where we had our lunch

Our first glimpse of the first waterfall

The view from the top

Here we are in front of it and notice the water drops on the lens...

This was the best one

Looking back at it

Breath taking!

Hooray!!!!!! I made it clear to the end and look who came out of the forest to help me celebrate

This family of raccoons...but they really came out for some bites of bread.

(to be continued)