Just a few photos from Costa Rica, where I am now listening to what makes the rainforest a rainforest, and hoping it clears for the midday activities.
We've been at Arenal Observatory Lodge for the last couple of days. This lodge sits in the shadow of a huge volcano, that plays peek-a-boo with everyone, fan-dancing in and out of clouds in the most spectacular way. And occasionally, as in the 1960's, it explodes, makes a new cone out its side, blurps boulders and lava and kills 87 people. Arenal's been quiet since the early '90's, and I felt reasonably safe sleeping on its flank, except for violent winds that kept blowing the outside furniture around.
The view from La Fortuna.
It would be hard to forget that you live beneath a volcano.
In the town of La Fortuna I found color for my winter-weary eyes in the gardens and the streets.
I already like my group, merrily photographing what's growing on a wall.
Plato tipico de Costa Rica. Food is nice here.
Don't look for rich sauces; everything's served up plain but tasty.
A beautiful lake along the way. Oh, how I've longed for green. And blue.
Everywhere we went, beautiful, glowering Volcan Arenal looked down on us, with disdain or benevolence, none could tell.
I snapped photos out the bus window as we rolled along.
and the light went golden, all of a sudden, the way the evening falls near the Equator.
Mayan beadwork from Guatemala.
Yes, I did. Three of them, the three to the right--aqua, purple, orange/green.
America could do with even a wee dram of the color that pops off every surface here.
Hope this has been therapeutic. Grabbing Internet where I can to check in and give you a hit. :)
10 comments:
thank you for this color, for we are weary of the white stuff and have more due tonight....
Sunset at the equator is something to be experienced. I have not done so in South America, but have done so in central Africa. Night really falls there. And daybreak and sunset are as regular as clockwork--not of this shifting around all through the year.
Love the colors. Enjoy your blues, greens, purples, oranges...the whole color spectrum.
Volcan Arenal looks to me as if humans are much too puny to even attract his notice. If he does occasionally deign to notice us, it is much the same way that we would notice tiny ants: interesting to watch at times, but it's not like you'd go out of your way to watch where you step as you walk along. Living in his shadow would creep me out.
Are you in one of the rooms that face the volcano?
When we were there that's the view we had when we woke in the morning.
Very jealous of the warm, green and birds.
Enjoy it all.
Such beautiful colors there, a joyousness expressed. Yes, I wish we had such colors here. I think the closest we get to the palette of exuberance is at the farmer's market in summer.
I was there years ago with my wife, Heather. We met another young couple Naja and Devin who were driving the PanAm to escape the ugliness of the school-shootings in Springfield, Oregon. [Naja was a teacher there.]
While hiking Arenal, I stopped to show my wife a colorful snake under a stump - turns out it was a coral. My witless hand was mere inches from its open maw! The nearest hospital then was in San Jose...
On a jaunt from the hotel, we met a British couple who had been robbed and needed to share a cab ride. It is a beautiful paradise in a peaceful country, but it does hide its dangers.
Bob
junkmail@h2studios.com
Love, love, love all the color!!!
The turquoise wall and bird of paradise flower are exquisite together! I have been in that general area but not to the volcano. One week from today I will be on the other side of the country - in the steamy lowlands and a primary forest.
Staaaaahp! We're getting more snow tonight in western Ohio. I'm beginning to thing we all should paint our houses those bright color! Hope you enjoy your trip--thanks for the pictures.
Loving every colorful moment and walking every tropical step with you. Wish I were there.... Someday!
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