Costa Rica Trip V.

1-26-19 LA FORTUNA, COSTA RICA: We left Senda early and drove to Rio Chiquito on the southern shore of Lake Arenal, three hours, through farmland--dairy, beef, sugar, coffee, and little villages on dirt roads that were mostly in bad repair. Driver Jordan handled the potholes and washouts well. Every village has three things—a Catholic church, a school and a soccer field. Usually there’s a cantina, they’re called ‘sodas’ because that’s what they sell. Driving is on the left, except when you’re on the other side of the road to avoid a pothole.

We and transferred from the van to a small ferry that motored us across the lake to the boat landing by the dam at the eastern end of the lake. The lake was man-made for electrical generation. There were relatively few houses on the lakeshore, but lots of egrets, one heron, one anhinga, many cormorants. We saw the Arenal volcano with its top in the clouds.


Our ferry boat.

Great egret, yellow beak, black legs.

Neotropical cormorants. the one in the middle is getting fed by mom.

Volcanos at the eastern end of the lake, Arenal on the left. The clouds are hiding the tops.

Costa Rica uses hydroelectric, hydrothermal, solar and wind generation and has almost reached a goal all renewable energy. They hope to be carbon neutral by 2021. We were picked up by driver Alvin and taken to the nearby, Lost Iguana Resort, and checked into a beautiful room in the lavish resort.

Sumptuous room opens onto a patio with many flowering plants.

That afternoon, we did a hike in Arenal National Park up the side of the Arenal volcano with guide Luis to the site of the lava flow from the1970’s. It was rough terrain for walking and fairly high up, fortunately, we paused often for bird pix. At the base of the volcano there were educational demonstration of growing sugar, coffee, fruits and veggies and a tilapia pond.

Arenal with sun through the clouds and old lave flows on the side.

Tropical king bird.

"I'd like to buy a vowel."

Geezers at the top of the hike through the lava flow from the 1970's, only a little ways up the mountain, but enough for us. The path was strewn with rocks and gravel.

Looking out at the lake

Montezuma oropendula. A large bird, an oriole, that builds hanging nests.

Crested guan is larger, a turkey-sized bird.

Red-lored parrot.

Dinner was at the Lost Iguana Resort Blue Hibiscus restaurant.