7/16/14
We woke up bright and early to the sound of pouring rain. Luckily, the rain stopped just in time for us to meet Barbara our guide. There were only 3 other people besides Barbara in this big canoe, so we didn't have too much speed, but it was nice going slowly anyways. There's nothing like canoeing on the canals and rivers in this vibrant jungle. Barbara mentioned that motorboats cause a disconnect with nature and scare off the animals anyways, and I couldn't agree more. Yes paddling takes a little bit of work, but it's worth it to just glide through the calm waters, watching birds flying above or perching on branches. We even got to see a baby caiman! (As well as a couple of adult ones) I decided not to take my camera on this trip because of the random torrential downpours and also because I just wanted to relax and enjoy the tour.
Some interesting sights:
Snakebird: When our canoe was stopped, I saw a dark bird with a long neck just bobbing its head as it moved across the water. Was there some funky jam playing or something? I found out that this was the snakebird. This bird has very heavy wings in order to swim through the water and otherwise it can be seen with its wings open in the wind, drying off.
Montezuma: We saw a lot of these birds flying overhead. They are easy to spot because of their yellow tails and dark bodies.
Parrots: I didn't get to see any parrots up close but I saw them flying above in their little pairs (apparently they mate for life).
Toucans: Once again I didn't get to see one up close but I could see their silhouettes in the trees and hear their calls.
After three hours out on the rivers, we made it back to Tortuguero for some lunch and downtime. In our downtime we wandered along the beach (that was right next to our cabina) until the rain started to pour down; then we ended up jogging back. As much as I hate running back home, I really didn't mind the beach jog in the rain. It was really refreshing.
After Barbara told us that our turtle tour would begin at 8, Natalie and I decided to try Taylor's Place for dinner. The atmosphere at Taylor's Place is so romantic. We got to sit at a table for two under a gazebo with little lights everywhere. Besides all of the mosquitoes eating me alive at the table, I would definitely take my boyfriend here. I don't know why the waiter even gave us a menu because their were only 3 things available to eat, which he explained to us. Chicken, fish, or beef. We both went with the chicken and man it was really good! The fried yucca and "salad" (cut up cucumbers, carrots, and tomatoes) on the side were mediocre but that chicken was so good. And it wasn't too expensive either. Around $7 for the meal.
We then began our adventure into the jungle along the beach; rubber boots and flashlights in hand. We arrived at a concrete structure where all the tour groups sit and wait.
The way it works:
We got back to our room to a big surprise. Cockroaches! And big ones. Yea sure we had some food in our room, but we were not expecting these big beasts to try and steal our mayonnaise. We didn't know what to do, so we just let them be near the food, praying to god that they didn't come onto our beds while we slept. (It was a long night, I woke up a lot) Whether they had wings or not is unknown. By morning they had disappeared though, like nothing ever happened...
We woke up bright and early to the sound of pouring rain. Luckily, the rain stopped just in time for us to meet Barbara our guide. There were only 3 other people besides Barbara in this big canoe, so we didn't have too much speed, but it was nice going slowly anyways. There's nothing like canoeing on the canals and rivers in this vibrant jungle. Barbara mentioned that motorboats cause a disconnect with nature and scare off the animals anyways, and I couldn't agree more. Yes paddling takes a little bit of work, but it's worth it to just glide through the calm waters, watching birds flying above or perching on branches. We even got to see a baby caiman! (As well as a couple of adult ones) I decided not to take my camera on this trip because of the random torrential downpours and also because I just wanted to relax and enjoy the tour.
Some interesting sights:
Snakebird: When our canoe was stopped, I saw a dark bird with a long neck just bobbing its head as it moved across the water. Was there some funky jam playing or something? I found out that this was the snakebird. This bird has very heavy wings in order to swim through the water and otherwise it can be seen with its wings open in the wind, drying off.
Montezuma: We saw a lot of these birds flying overhead. They are easy to spot because of their yellow tails and dark bodies.
Parrots: I didn't get to see any parrots up close but I saw them flying above in their little pairs (apparently they mate for life).
Toucans: Once again I didn't get to see one up close but I could see their silhouettes in the trees and hear their calls.
After three hours out on the rivers, we made it back to Tortuguero for some lunch and downtime. In our downtime we wandered along the beach (that was right next to our cabina) until the rain started to pour down; then we ended up jogging back. As much as I hate running back home, I really didn't mind the beach jog in the rain. It was really refreshing.
After Barbara told us that our turtle tour would begin at 8, Natalie and I decided to try Taylor's Place for dinner. The atmosphere at Taylor's Place is so romantic. We got to sit at a table for two under a gazebo with little lights everywhere. Besides all of the mosquitoes eating me alive at the table, I would definitely take my boyfriend here. I don't know why the waiter even gave us a menu because their were only 3 things available to eat, which he explained to us. Chicken, fish, or beef. We both went with the chicken and man it was really good! The fried yucca and "salad" (cut up cucumbers, carrots, and tomatoes) on the side were mediocre but that chicken was so good. And it wasn't too expensive either. Around $7 for the meal.
We then began our adventure into the jungle along the beach; rubber boots and flashlights in hand. We arrived at a concrete structure where all the tour groups sit and wait.
The way it works:
- There is someone patrolling the beach up and down, keeping an eye out for turtles
- If a turtle appears and she starts digging her hole in the sand, the patrolman tells the people who are managing us at the waiting area.
- After she starts laying her eggs in the sand, then the small groups can go see her.
- There are two hour shifts, so you can only wait for a maximum of two hours, then you have to leave
We got back to our room to a big surprise. Cockroaches! And big ones. Yea sure we had some food in our room, but we were not expecting these big beasts to try and steal our mayonnaise. We didn't know what to do, so we just let them be near the food, praying to god that they didn't come onto our beds while we slept. (It was a long night, I woke up a lot) Whether they had wings or not is unknown. By morning they had disappeared though, like nothing ever happened...
June Bug I am so loving your journal. We just got back from Alaska. Had a great time and now we are reliving Costa Rica thru your journaling. Miss you Bug!
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