PHOTOS —>> https://photos.app.goo.gl/L5g25K93mENAvLdn9
Golfito,
While still awaiting the arrival of the new engine part, we got on with what we needed and wanted to get done, plus enjoyed all the beautiful parrots and macaws we saw everyday.
Dinghy wheels are a real necessity on the Pacific side with the tides being quite formidable. Taking advantage of being attached to a dock at Banana Marina, John hauled the dinghy out and proceeded to attach our new wheels. Our next step was to try them out.
We went across to the peninsular opposite Banana Bay had a look around the bay with its amazingly, green, foliage, from the mangroves at the shoreline to the mammoth trees covering the hillsides.
When reaching the bar area we chose a spot and ran the dinghy ashore. All went well, the wheels made it much easier to pull the dinghy’s weight up the beach. Admittedly there was no surge, nor any rollers to contend with.
The beach was covered with tiny crabs and their amazing, sand art. I was fascinated by the symmetry of each crab’s sand trail.
The beach area was really quite shabby. It must be what’s been left from a camp of some sort.
To break the week up and relieve the boredom:
we again rented a car.
On our first day trip we drove up through the mountains along a roadway that wound around and around affording us some lovely views of the slopes and valleys around.
Wilson Botanical Gardens
The Robert and Catherine Wilson Botanical Garden has a rich, internationally recognized collection of tropical plants from around the world. Over 1,000 genera in more than 200 plant families form the unique collection that is an integral part of the Las Cruces Research Station. There are hundreds of bromeliads and orchids; dozens of philodendrons and other aroids of all sizes; scores of heliconias; plus ferns, gingers, marantas, giant bamboo and close 500 species of palms well represented on the 12-hectare (30-acre) site.
The Wilson Botanical Garden is part of “La Amistad Biosphere Reserve” that encompasses 472,000 hectares of park land and buffer zones centered in the southern Talamanca mountain range in Costa Rica’s South Pacific.”
Was our planned visit today. We arrived and were greeted by a friendly receptionist, given a map and off we went.
Our first stop was the observation tower, walking along a beautiful pathway in the shade of huge trees we both enjoyed the walk.
From the tower we could see all across the adjoining mountain slope, off far into the distance.
Not surprisingly all ahead was greens or every hue and shade as far as one could see.
We followed several other pathways around other areas, starting with area:
E the bamboo, as it was sign posted. One clump of bamboo was amazingly enormous, not only in height but also each stalk/branch was massive.
Quite incredible considering it’s a part of the grass family.
D – Dracaenas, was the next pathway which looped around through wonderful gardens and headed to the dining room for lunch.
Lunch was a set menu with a set price and it was excellent. Lasagna, salad, cauliflower and a ginger cake dessert. We were both surprised that there were no other guests. And were guessing it was because of it being low season.
After lunch we continued our explorations of the exquisite gardens starting with the pathway F. Gingers.
On our way we saw a few Agouti. They were hunting through the brush for berries and nuts to eat. Such cute animals, looking like a huge Guinea pig but with the legs of a short deer.
The gingers flowers were very impressive, with so many varieties and all under the huge, shade, trees which made for a lovely, walk.
Marantas were the next area, followed by Bananas. Our final loop took in the bromeliads, which I love!
The orchids were a bit of a disappointment as they were in locked greenhouses, but we had a peek of a few.
We finished off by passing through the butterfly garden,
where we saw enormous honey bees. And finally the glasshouse with the differing cactus.
As we were leaving we noticed the clouds moving in from across the mountains and sure enough misty rain began to fall followed by the regular late afternoon downpour.
Back at the boat it was as if we had never left. Chico had made many new friends. This time they were the folks going and coming from fishing trips. They loved Chico, he was very happy to be admired!
Day 2
Piedras Blancas National park and mountain drive:
Piedras Blancas National park was our destination for the morning. We needed to find the park entrance.
I had googled and researched with my best results being it was near the settlement of La Gamba. Off we went up the incredibly, rough, mountain road/track out of the end of town.
Again the slopes were so amazingly, green, jungle foliage, lush and dense, trees and vines with steep sided gorges and streams pouring down.
Nearing the top we followed a road that branched off and was sign posted Piedro Blancas National Park. We did pass through what I guessed was the settlement where we thought the palm oil workers lived. This led to acres and acres of palm oil fincas.
The farms or fincas as they are called stretched for as far as one could see. There were also a few small cattle farms with the cattle enjoying the lush pastures.
Palm oil
We encountered a fellow with a couple of horses that had baskets on their back where the palm oil fruits were being carried. He was trying to get a colt to the side of the lane so as we could pass.
We also saw where the palm oil “crop” was being stored.
The massive acres of palm oil stretched for miles. Neither of us had realized it was such an important crop in Costa Rica.
We had seen in the town of Golfito many huge trucks used for transporting the oil to a storage facility. Plus we had seen a ship along side the town dock where other tankers were loading the oil.
Upon looking it up we learnt:
“In many areas in Southern Costa Rica where banana used to be cultivated, African palm has taken over. Palma Tica, (Grupo Numar), owns some 35,000 hectares, and the Farmers United in Co-opeagropal some 10,000 hectares.”
After not finding the Piedras Blancas National park entrance we headed towards the mountains to enjoy some cooler temperatures.
The beginning part of the drive had us driving along side a massive river, the Sierpe River. It was a brown water river flowing down from the mountains through an impressive gorge which we drove along, stopping for photos of course.
By this time we were getting hungry and so started to look for a lunch stop. Neither of us wanted to stop at the roadside cafes, but wanted something more exciting.
Further along we saw a sign which looked interesting, “Chocuacos”
Chocuacos
Turning onto a very, steep, downhill, dirt track, I was a bit freaked out, as there was no-way we could turn around if we had to. By then we were committed and down and down we went until we came to a lovely lagoon, with waterlilies outside an attractive restaurant.
Chocuacos turned out to be a delightful family venture. The Dad had reforested a cattle farm and built the restaurant next to the old cattle pond that is fed from a fresh water spring.
We both enjoyed looking around, chatting with the family and having an excellent lunch. And I loved all the water birds seen around the lagoon.
Plus there were bats roosting on the inside of the restaurant area. They were so sweet, just hanging up above us.
Believe it or not, but, after lunch, we found our car windshield had a busted area. The culprit was a mango off the tree under which we had parked!
The rest of the afternoon we drove through the mountains enjoying the views and the cooler mountain air.
until eventually the clouds descended, and the afternoon rain arrived.
A few days later our engine part arrived. It had sat in the city San Jose for a week……
John got everything back together. The engine was great, better than ever with less rattle.
John went to the Port Captain as here in Costa Rica you need a zarpe from port to port. They like to know where visiting boats are located. It took 2 days to be completed. And finally we were ready to move on.
4. Costa Rica boasts an intriguing legend surrounding the Blue Morpho butterfly: some indigenous communities believe that encountering a Blue Morpho brings good luck and symbolizes a visit from departed loved ones.
5. Beyond its reputation for relaxation, “Pura Vida” is also a philosophy deeply ingrained in Costa Rican culture, encouraging individuals to embrace life’s simple pleasures and prioritize happiness over material wealth.
16. Within the Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve lies a hidden wonder: the “Enchanted Tree,” a centuries-old strangler fig believed by locals to possess mystical powers and serve as a guardian of the forest.
