Hike to Talamanca Lodge and its environs

---

Geo: 9.42715, -83.6614

hiked to Talamanca Lodge and enjoyed meal while working on the Internet

We don't have as much time in San Gerardo de Rivas as in previous trips, but decided to make the best of the time we have and so decided to head up to the Talamanca Lodge and work on some stories up there. The cost of Internet use has gone up to $4.50 an hour but the view out over the valley is quite nice.

We did this hike twice and both times really enjoyed the scenery as you walked along. One of the mornings we got to see the milk cans sitting out for pickup and drop off. Also saw the milk truck as it came past.

As you walk along this road, you marvel at the people that participate in the Cerrera Chirripo. The road goes from fairly normal looking gravel road to "bull rock" ( much larger stones), and then dirt and then back to bull rock, or small strips of cement all about one lane wide. This is what the runners traverse until they get to the entrance to Parque de Chirripo and then the trail narrows. Same trail up and down!

The road on up to Talamanca Lodge crosses the river which runs through the Cloudbridge Preserve and it quite lovely to stop and watch the water rushing down the boulders. As we got close to the Talamanca Lodge, the trees came alive with birds.

Some of them were those wonderfully elusive small birds of the vireo, warbler variety that would not be still long enough to get a good picture of them. Some of the great ones we saw were the red-headed barbet, scarlet thighed dacnis, red-legged honeycreeper, golden hooded tanager, buff throated saltater and the crowned motmot. What a wonderful treat.

Once we were inside we saw a squirrel cuckoo which was a great treat as it worked its way up and down the tree in front of us. Also saw the male and female masked tityra.

Had some of their fruit batidos as we arrived and they were quite delicious. Robert also had a yummy iced coffee that looked delicious.

Ate both breakfast and lunch and the food was good but the vegetable soup we got the first day was some of the best I have had in some time. Something about the seasoning, I believe.
Managed to get a lot of our travel journey stories taken care while we were enjoying the view out over the valley and fine food and great service.

---

Photos

the trees were alive with the birds
this is right at the entrance to the Talamanca Lodge

the best soup at Talamanca Lodge
Our waiter, Kenneth, was such a great waiter. Kind, attentive and made sure we had everything we needed. He also served us this soup, which was some of the best!