Costa Rica

We went to Costa Rica and Nicaragua for an NSF MARGINS meeting and Active Volcano geological field trip.  How lucky is that?  Not just going to volcanoes but active volcanoes with the world's experts, it was a fascinating time.

Photo: Coffee growing on the hills outside of the capital San Jóse.

I go on a day trip to a coffee plantation, the butterfly park, and Selva Verde rain forest.

Coffee beans.

Hummingbirds on the feeders at the butterfly park.  It was raining hard so no butterflies to be seen this day.  The hummers would fly in and out of the curtain of rain to feed.

Volcán Poás is an active volcano in Central Costa Rica.  I waited for twenty minutes to get this shot of the lake in the crater.

In Selva Verde rain forest.  What the photo does not show is the mosquitoes.  Oh, it was terrible, even with the strongest protection they were biting.

In the rain forest one of the critters we came across was a Jesus Christ lizard so called because he can walk on water.  Funny to watch walk on the water.

Snakes, bugs, mosquitoes .... this home does not offer protection from all three.

The plants are absolutely beautiful in this country.  I love the color and my guess is that hummingbirds would love it also as they go for red.

This would give you a big headache if it landed on your head.  A ballistic from a volcanic eruption.

An ash flow in Arenal National Park.

Photo: Web Image

Arenal Volcano which is constantly erupting and provides a spectacular night show.  We missed out.  It was foggy and nothing could be seen all night.  In the morning it was still not visible.