Monteverde

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The end of our stay arrived and we caught the bumpiest truck back into San Juan del Sur for our bus connection to Rivas. We checked into a small Hotel on the panamerican highway in preparation for our bus to Costa Rica the next day, then headed into town. Rivas is very small and very hot, one day to explore was enough for us. We stocked up on snacks at the supermarket and forgot (again) just how expensive apples are here, it is the equivalent of buying mangos at home!



The crossing back into Costa Rica went smoothly and we stopped one night in Liberia before heading on to Monteverde. The road up to Monteverde from the highway is dramatic, twisty turning, incredibly steep and rough. The views are fabulous, you can see the pacific coast and the cloud floats through the trees like smoke. Most of the mountainous cloud forest around Monteverde are protected reserves and they draw a stagering amount of tourists each year looking to see the unique flora and fauna of these ecosystems.





We decided to visit a reserve called Selvatura to see butterflys, humming birds and a huge insect collection. The humming birds were amazing, so many of them all in an open garden attracted by the feeders filled for them. We also went to a frog breeding program and saw some wonderful tree frogs. For a very touristy place it had a nice relaxed atmosphere and our hostel had a sort of conservatory style kitchen on the second floor, so we could watch the birds and trees whilst cooking, or cling on as the thunder and lightning shook the building.

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Photos

Blue Morpho butterfly, Monteverde
This blue morpho had just emerged from the chrysalis that's why we were able to photograph it with it's wings open, normally they have wings closed when they aren't flying for camoflage.

Caterpillar, Monteverde
Mark says this one looks like a fishing lure!

Comments

[Tanya]

widlife
Those humming birds are so.o..o beautiful!