Canyoneering involves rappelling, scrambling, swimming and hiking down a steep canyon. After we gear up we pause for a photo with our two guides. In addition to the harnesses, we will wear thick gloves to protect our hands.
Canyoneering
Predator?
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.
Froggy Obscura
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.
Three Toed Sloth
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.
Bird on Barbed Wire
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.
Arenal Lava Flow
When I was a child, I would wake up during the early morning hours of Christmas Day to see if Santa Claus had come. Last night and early this morning, I woke up every hour to check the volcano for lava flows. At 4AM, I was rewarded for my efforts when the clouds lifted for a 30 minute window during which we had great views of the lava streaming down every five minutes or so. I woke Jeanine and the children for what will be a long remembered Christmas morning gift, one enjoyed by few people who visit Arenal. Using my travel camera it was nearly impossible to photograph the eruptions but I did get exactly one photo from the dozens I shot which captured a sliver of the action. Trust me when I say it does not begin to capture the views we enjoyed.
Naturalist
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.
Boa Constrictor
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.
Poisonous Tree Frog
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.
Serpentarium
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.
Chantal and Zigfreid
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).
Monarch
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.
Cabina
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.
El Castillo
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.