We have been kicking back in La Fortuna and exploring some of the surrounding area. Yesterday was spent taking a boat tour in the wildlife reserve Cano Negro. This area is approximately 1.5 hours northeast of La Fortuna and is known for incredible bird watching and wildlife. We were not disappointed. The tour van picked us up at 7:00 a.m. and we headed off with five others. The guide with Canoa Aventura was very knowledgeable and along the way stopped the van so we could all see a sloth hanging in a nearby tree.
We also stopped to see the 'chicken of the trees.' Along the route a shopowner started feeding the iguanas and now there are hundreds that occupy the trees along a small river below his shop. Apparently they taste like chicken, but we were assured that they were not being served in the adjacent restaurant.
We reached Lost Chiles, a small town three kilometers south of Nicaragua. It used to serve as an important supply route for the Nicaraguan Contras. Today tourists ply the waters of the Cano Negro or take boats into Nicaragua. We spent three hours on a boat and with the help of an "eagle eye" guide were very fortunate to see many different birds and animals, such as cayman, Basilisk lizard (Jesus Christ lizard), Anhinga (snake bird), cormorants, kingfishers, howler monkeys (phew they stink and are very loud), long nose bats, snow egrets, eagles, vultures, limpkin bird, white-faced monkeys, the common potoo (king of camouflage) and spider monkeys.
We were really astounded by how hard it was to spot all of the wildlife and how good the guides were at finding everything hidden in the jungle. Prior to going back to the dock we went north along the river and low and behold suddenly we were in Nicaragua. Everyone got off the boat at the boarder crossing and had pictures taken.
Later today we are off to Arenal Volcano park and the Baldi hot spings. It is so hot here..... I am sweating and gross just writing this. Aidan is handling things just fine and has been a trooper about doing his school work. He can also swim the entire length of a pool now unassisted - yeah! Tomorrow is the jeep-boat-jeep ride to Monteverde. Aidan will get to do his zip line canopy tour in the famous cloud forest.
Pictures are on Picasa.
Monday, October 6, 2008
Nicaragua by accident...
We have been kicking back in La Fortuna and exploring some of the surrounding area. Yesterday was spent taking a boat tour in the wildlife reserve Cano Negro. This area is approximately 1.5 hours northeast of La Fortuna and is known for incredible bird watching and wildlife. We were not disappointed. The tour van picked us up at 7:00 a.m. and we headed off with five others. The guide with Canoa Aventura was very knowledgeable and along the way stopped the van so we could all see a sloth hanging in a nearby tree.
We also stopped to see the 'chicken of the trees.' Along the route a shopowner started feeding the iguanas and now there are hundreds that occupy the trees along a small river below his shop. Apparently they taste like chicken, but we were assured that they were not being served in the adjacent restaurant.
We reached Lost Chiles, a small town three kilometers south of Nicaragua. It used to serve as an important supply route for the Nicaraguan Contras. Today tourists ply the waters of the Cano Negro or take boats into Nicaragua. We spent three hours on a boat and with the help of an "eagle eye" guide were very fortunate to see many different birds and animals, such as cayman, Basilisk lizard (Jesus Christ lizard), Anhinga (snake bird), cormorants, kingfishers, howler monkeys (phew they stink and are very loud), long nose bats, snow egrets, eagles, vultures, limpkin bird, white-faced monkeys, the common potoo (king of camouflage) and spider monkeys.
We were really astounded by how hard it was to spot all of the wildlife and how good the guides were at finding everything hidden in the jungle. Prior to going back to the dock we went north along the river and low and behold suddenly we were in Nicaragua. Everyone got off the boat at the boarder crossing and had pictures taken.
Later today we are off to Arenal Volcano park and the Baldi hot spings. It is so hot here..... I am sweating and gross just writing this. Aidan is handling things just fine and has been a trooper about doing his school work. He can also swim the entire length of a pool now unassisted - yeah! Tomorrow is the jeep-boat-jeep ride to Monteverde. Aidan will get to do his zip line canopy tour in the famous cloud forest.
Pictures are on Picasa.
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3 comments:
got this site from brian and wendy.are you guys ever organized.you have done a couple vacations already and are just beginning.jean and del call tomorrow so I will update them.keep the updates comming.Howard and the other Susan McFarlane.
Good Morning Susan, Michael, and Adian!! It looks like you guys are having an amazing time!! The pictures are beautiful! I hope all is well, and we miss you bunches! Keep up with the photos, and stories, we love to see how you are doing!
Thanks to you both! I'd like to say we're missing Edmonton...but we aren't (yet).
We'll keep the posts rolling.
Hey, we did TKD patterns in front of a volcano. How zen is that!
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