A troop of squirrel monkeys would visit our condo daily. They would either fourage through the trees for food or lounge about for siesta.

We arrive in Manuel Antonio where we will spend five nights in a rented cando. Our SUV fares well on the treacherous roads where it is not uncommon to encounter a portion of the highway collapsed into a ravine or to cross a 100 year old steel bridge with enough holes in it to clearly see the river below. Seriously, driving in Costa Rica is not for the timid.

Today we travel from the mountains to the Pacific coast. The drive consumes the better part of the day as we traverse the serpentine roads through rain and dense fog. Our efforts are rewarded when we reach the ocean where it is sunny, warm, and teaming with wildlife. We discovered several pairs of Scarlet Macaws just south of Jaco.

While the boys were rapelling, Jeanine and Maya were horseback riding. Apparently this was much more enjoyable for daughter than mother who reported that her horse was naughty.

 
 
After completing our climb out of the canyon we were treated to a glimpse of this exotic bird and on the drive back we encountered our first monkeys. This Howler was part of a troop eating thier way through the canopy.

Kyle uses his right hand to control rate of descent perfectly while his left hand keeps him positioned correctly in the harness. A guide belays us from the bottom. If we lose control they can pull on the rope effectively braking our descent. The actual rappelling is very fun. It is the leaning backwards off a platform 210 feet over a gorge to get started that takes real courage. I think it is safe to say that all three of us got in touch with our inner monkey which for better or worse was not a big leap.

Two different kinds of rappelling were necessary. Nico, pictured here, is doing a straight descent of just over 100 feet. Click on the photo for a better view. Our next straight descent was a thrilling 210 foot drop. The other style involves walking down the cascading water backwards leaning way out under the support of the rappelling line.

When this butterfly spreads its wings, you would swear you are looking into the eyes of a large predator. Amazing what this delicate creature has developed for a defense mechanism.

In the rain forest you are just as likely to find something interesting on the ground as in the trees, evidenced here by this cute little frog.

On their visit, Jeanine captures a great image of a three-toed sloth. Animals in the reserve stay because of the food supply as opposed to any physical barriers.

After breakfast, we headed to the town of La Fortuna so renamed after the last major eruption of Arenal destroyed all but this community. In the afternoon, the boys will take up canyon rappelling while the girls ride horseback to the La Fortuna waterfalls. Maya, Kyle and Jeanine spend the morning at an ecological reserve while Nico and I make the 90 minute roundtrip to our cabins for the gear we will need for our canyoneering. On the way we stop for this little fellow.

 
Our guide was a very knowledgeable naturalist with a good sense of humor. He had personally captured many of the creatures we were viewing. The boxes on the table contain tarantulas and he was more than happy to remove the lids so I could get in close for photos. Behind Jeanine is a shadow box full of beatles, some of which are almost as big as the dogs in this country. This may be a slight exageration, but you sure as hell would not want to find one of these things in your shoe.

Nicolai bravely strokes the skin of this large Boa Constrictor. Fortunately, the snake was not hungry or concluded that Nico was too big to swallow.

 
The variety and beauty of the creatures indigenous to the rain forests is amazing. Our guide allows me to get within 2 inches of this poisonous tree frog for the photo. I probably should have inquired if they can jump or not.

 We discovered a serpentarium within walking distance and learned more about venomous snakes, frogs, and spiders than is wise when you will be spending the better part of the next week in the jungles where they live.

Costa Rica has millions of dogs, mostly tiny, running freely everywhere. Maya attempts, nearly successfully, to meet every one of them. Here, she befriends Chantal and Zigfreid (so named by Maya and Nicoali).

The presence of butterflies is said to indicate a healthy ecosystem. I found this Monarch and a bunch of his friends just outside the cabinas.

The north side of the one-room cabina features a picture window offering a perfect view of the volcano’s lava fields. Arenal’s cauldren remains shrouded in clouds most of the time, and we are a little disappointed that we cannot see the peak.

We drive for several more hours before reaching our destination in El Castillo, where we have reserved two cabinas that are perfectly situated to observe Volcan Arenal, the largest of three active volcanos in Costa Rica.

By the time we reach the volcano, the afternoon clouds have set in. We elect to continue on rather than stumbling about in the mist. It is not long before we come across mist of a different kind. Please note the total lack of safety railing seperating my children (those little specs in the photo) from a combination bath, shower and whirlpool. You quickly learn here that your safety is in your own hands. Click on the image for a bigger view.

This morning, we head out for the Volcan (volcano) Poas and in little time encounter bulls of a more authentic variety. The cart features traditional Costa Rican decorations and the owner is happy to allow a photograph for a small donation. Although English is widely spoken here, we rely on Kyle heavily for translation when the need arises. Jeanine, armed with her Spanish dictionary and ear for language is soon an able communicator as well. I am surprised by how much Spanish I understand and how strangely I am viewed when I respond in broken French.

Other than its proximity to the airport, our hotel is most distinguished by this cleverly painted bull that greets visitors.

This morning we left for the airport at 3:15AM and the temperature was 8°F. If not for the anticipation of a tropical Costa Rican adventure, I do not know that we could have mustered the will to depart at such an hour into such conditions. We flew first to Philadelphia, pictured here at sunrise, then to Charlotte, NC and finally onto San Jose where we arrived by late afternoon. We rented a stick-shift 4×4 SUV equiped with a GPS navigator (the very best money we spent). For all its beauty, the roads of Costa Rica are not for the faint hearted and the universal lack of road signage a real impediment to going it on you own. Our first night was spent in Alejuela, close to the airport where we recovered from the day long journey.

A last look at winter before the family heads for a warmer climate. We leave the house at 3AM for a 5:30AM flight to Costa Rica. We will not have access to the internet so the blog will not be updated until we return. Wishing all our friends and family a joyous holiday season and happy New Year.

As of 5PM, the snow fall since Friday totals 17 inches (as measured with a yardstick on the deck). Neither parent could be coerced into driving anywhere today resulting in an epedemic of cabin fever. Kyle offered to pay his brother $5 if he would stand outside without his shirt on for one and a half minutes after being doused with a glass of cold water. Despite a powerful imagination, I am unable to understand what would inspire such a pay for entertainment stunt. Maya happily manned the timer and I tried to get close enough for a photo. Nicolai endured the water torture so well that Kyle decided to up the ante by kicking snow on him rationalizing that this was just another form of water. Nico survived and attempted to charge an additional $5 for the snow treatment. In the end the original deal was honored and everyone seemed satisfied except Jeanine who thought the whole thing was ridiculous and chastised me for permitting such insanity.

Since we will be in Costa Rica for Christmas, the kids cooked up a batch of Zeppole Balls, a Calabria holiday food tradition. These honey covered, sprinkle encrusted, fried pieces of dough probably have a more universally accepted name but it is unlikely we will ever call them anything else.