HowardPhoto wrote:
>Sounds like the Moskitia area of Honduras. Where in Central America did you
>go Moose?
>
>
I'm sure much of Central America is similar. I was in Costa Rica for 3
weeks.
We spent few days each in:
Rara Avis, a research station in untouched cloud forest. This is where
the practice of mounting wire cable trams in the canopy originated, a
technique now used all over the tropical world that revolutionized
canopy research. It was reached by what has to be in the running for the
world's worst road, in an iron trailer pulled by a FWD tractor. I
thought I might lose some internal organs on that road. Of course, the
cable line wasn't working when we were there. A huge tree had fallen
across it. Great place anyway.
Tortuguero. Again a spot pioneered by a research station, in this case
for sea turtles. And we did indeed get to see a turtle come up the
beach, lay her eggs and head back to the water. There was a continuing
battle between the people acsociated with turtle preservation and locals
who took the eggs to eat/sell. After we watched our turtle, our guide
messed up the site and broke a couple of the eggs on it, so it would
look already plundered and increase its chances of survival. This is on
one of a series of barrier islands on the NE coast. The rivers from the
interior mostly don't go directly into the sea, but into a sort of canal
behind the barrier islands. There are big areas of swamp rain forest
accessible by small boat. Another great place.
Drake's Bay on the South coast. This was a very remote area with no road
access at all most of the year, and apparently appaling access
occasionally. The main highway is the sea. The 'road' along the shore is
a foot path that varies from wide enough to walk two abreast to single
file only. Here we visited an island for snorkeling and wandering. Saw a
basilisk lizard and a snake eating a hige bird, among other cool things.
All three of these places had only very limited power from generators
for a few hours a day. None in the living quarters.
Tamarindo on the W coast. This was the most touristy busy place we
stayed. Nice beaches, water, etc., but nothing like the tourist areas in
Mex., etc. Really a pretty quiet little town. No big hotels.
We drove up the central plateau to Volcan Arenal. We got there late and
couldn't see all that much, as it was only slightly active at the time,
but it was an interesting trip through a different kind of country. I
lost my Marks & Sparks umbrella purchased some years before in
Bournemouth in an odd little town with a park of big topiary animals for
town square. Bought a new umbrella in the next town, as it was rainng
again by then.
Went river rafting on a fabulous river (Pacuare?) through a deep jungle
canyon. Great guide, great rapids, warm water, Pendulo d'Oro (or some
such name) birds building nests, a huge blue Morpho butterfly fluttering
over us for some time.
Notice all the past tense in my descriptions. I've been other fabulous
places that later were ruined, and I know nothing about what may have
happened to various places we went 15 or so years ago. I still remember
the friend who went to a little island in Mexico that I had visited and
found magical. A club Med had since been built nearby, along with much
other development. The places I remembered were more like garbage dumps
by then. There was an amazing, narrow section between tall, vertical,
rock faces on the river trip where I was told they were thinking of
building a dam, so that may be gone for good.
Thanks for setting off a very pleasant wander down memory lane. The
slides from that trip are still awaiting their turn in my slow,
haphazard scanning of old images.
Moose
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