Secret Hike, Snake!! , Beautiful Y'lang Y'lang

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Geo: 9.66303, -85.0671

Secret Hike

Call it that because we have been told by locals that the road is a private one that leads to a very old estate which overlooks the pacific, that is now being developed.



Decided to try the road we discovered two years ago again. First time we attempted it discovered that now their was a barbed wire makeshift gate across it. A guy rode up on a motorcyle and Robert tried to ask permission in Spanish but we could not understand his reply.

We talked it over with some locals. It was suggested to us that they were building up on the road and we could probably get away with hiking there, just go around the the gate.

When we went back up the VERY STEEP winding road from Luna Llena fence we discovered that the gate was down !!!

So we took that as a sign we were supposed to go on that walk. : )

You could see new roads heading off the main road but we did not take any of them and continued on the road we had always walked on a couple of years ago. Did take one wrong road that lead to an old costa rican rancho with fab views, but soon figured that out when we got to a dead end we had not seen before. The owner was leaving in his car and we shyly asked where the rio was and he said 'Directo.'

Unfortunately the birds were not in evidence as they have been in the past. Don't know if it was because we were out later in the day or if the construction noise had been bothering them, or maybe later in the year. Whatever the reason we did not see the bird life we had in the past on this first part of the trail.

Did see a blue black grassquit as we were heading down to the small cascada we enjoyed in previous visits. Some of the vegetation as been cut back and so we found another place to sit and enjoy the sound of the water. Could hear birds moving around but did not see any while we were sitting there.

Headed on up the hill to see if we could see howlers like we had in the past. This was when we did have some great wildlife experiences. Watching where she walked, Laura spotted a small thin snake on the road. When first saw it thought it was a twig but then it moved! It was long and thin with dull gray and pale reddish stripes on its back with a yellow stripe around its neck and two fake eyes on the top of its head. Disappeared soon after we were able to get a picture and still do not know what kind it was and unless find a snake book probably never will. Oh well, it was interesting.

Headed on up te hill talking to the sounds of the birds and lo and behold a parrotlet flew right into a tree next to us and stayed there for quite some time allowing us to enjoy watching it and getting some pictures as well.

On the way back down the hill came upon two squirrel cuckoos flying back and forth across the trail. Seems this is our signature bird for this trip. May have already mentioned this but is amazing the number of times we have seen them.

Heading back down toward the creek we got to watch a morpho butterfly move in and out of our view. They are incredibly hard to photograph and so we just watch them flit about. We also saw a beautiful lime green and brown butterfly that was much more cooperative.

Just as we came back to the same area of the creek we were had stopped before startled a tiger heron that flew up above us and sat there for awhile. Headed on back to Luna Llena ready for some brunch. Fixed ourselves some quesadillas with leftover chicken sauteed with onions, garlic and spinach. Quite delicious.

Spent the afternoon working on travel stories. Had to go inside our room after the white-faced capuchins showed up to eat the cashew fruit above our room. Laura had gotten up to look at a picture on Robert's computer when one of the mischievous guys decided to let one of the cashew fruits slam into Laura's back. Did not hurt her but did startle her!

Decided to have dinner at Ylang Ylang tonight. Walked along the beach to get there and the waves crashing and pelicans gliding along were beautiful. Sat at our favorite table outside and the waiters there also remembered us coming to eat here. The food choices are always so hard because they all sound so good. Laura had the tuna in mango sauce and Robert had fish chunks wrapped in grilled eggplant with a sauce. Both very delicious. Decided to walk back along the beach because the moon was full and bright and made the walking back quite easy.

Got back to Luna Llena and went upstairs and had a drink and enjoyed the moon through the palm leaves from our favorite chairs.

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