Final post for this roadtrip

Today is Thursday, August 21st.  I returned to the U.S. after changing my flight on August 11th.  I had completed everything I set out to do, and with my Dad not feeling well, and looking at the prospect of traveling alone, I decided to change my flight.  It turned out to be good timing, as Dad went into the hospital for a few days.

For the last few days I went with a Costa Rican university student to ride horses in the mountains, and I also stayed with his family.  His father has a coffee finca behind the house, so I was able to get a close up look at an organic farmer at work.  The family was very generous and kind.

I look forward to visiting with the family again in July and August of next year, God willing.

Horse riding towards the forest, going through an abandoned sugar field.

One of the trails was slippery clay, so we had to walk the horses a bit.  The mule upon which Luis Fernando rode nearly fell over on him.  It's an unsettling feeling to ride a horse down a steep, wet and slippery ravine and to feel the horse's feet slipping out from under it.

If you like taking close up photos of beautiful flowers, Costa Rica is the place for you.  The flora is often more interesting than the fauna.

Luis Fernando ready to ride.  The guide was a 64 year old local that had a speech impediment.  His explanations weren't that good, but he did get us pretty far into the forest.

We stopped to visit an aunt and uncle of Luis Fernando, both in their 80's and in very good health.  They offered me a drink of 'contrabando', a clear local liquor that his 86 year old uncle highly recommended.  They told amusing stories, and their rural house kept for weekends was a delightful spot where they kept 3 healthy cows and a large garden.

This is Luis Fernando's father's coffee finca, where he grew many products, but mostly coffee.  Again, if you are into fascinating insects, reptiles and plants, you won't be bored in Costa Rica.  Spiders as well.

Captured an anole with a red flap down by the river.

Bracket fungus.  In a rainforest everything is constantly breaking down something else.

Inside their riverside shed they had a small group of bats living there.  Much like flying mice.

Frog we grabbed in the same shed.  Saw a few others around the farm as well.

Butterflies are everywhere in Costa Rica, and you instantly want to photograph them, but this is not easy, as they flit and fly very quickly.  They will escape before you can get close to them, and it's about 1 in 10 shots that turns out well.  This one came out nicely.

Termite nest.  Lots of nests of insects all over the place.

Costa Rican money.  Very colorful, with cool images of animals on them.  It's about 500 colones to 1 dollar.

Adios Costa Rica!