Hike in Cabo Blanco

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Geo: 9.66303, -85.0671

Up and did our usual routine. It was our last day in Montezuma and we wanted to do something fun. Took our laundry in because you know things pack better when they are clean! Decided to eat breakfast at Sano Banano because we always enjoy sitting outside in the garden and watching the comings and goings.

Decided to go to Cabo Blanco and hike some of the park before heading back to Luna Llena to get ourselves packed up. The history of Cabo Blanco is quite interesting. A couple from Sweden came to Costa Rica and settled near Montezuma. They saw that much of the Nicoya Peninsula was being cleared and they took steps to preserve the wilderness. They managed to convince the government to creat a park; Cabo Blanco. The man was continuing to do the same on the Osa Corcovado Peninsula when he was murdered because of his efforts. Eventually a national park was created there as well. Nice story of the efforts of dedicated people!

The bus drops you off at the gate to the park and you have to walk the rest of the way in. It is a nice experience as you walk along the road; lots of towering trees and lots of bird calls as you move along. Took our time and just enjoyed the walk.

Got to the park entrance and paid our entry fee, $12 for non-Costa Rican seniors. Did not write the fee structure down for all the various categories unfortunately. They have added a new trail, the Arboretum Trail which is 1 km and they suggest it will take 30 minutes. Sounded like just what we wanted to do. There is the 4.5 km trail which we did last time and is quite the effort if you are using the bus because it is quite steep and hot and humid and you finally get to the beach at the end of the trail and sit down for 20 minutes and you have to head back to be able to catch the 3:30 bus back to Montezuma.

The Arboretum Trail was perfect because it meandered through the trees and was nice and shady as we walked along. As you start the trail you cross a small stream and there was a pizote down in trhe river nosing around. Robert had gone to take some pictures of the water and got to see the pizote as it climbed up out of the river bank.

We kept hearing a bird making a very melodic call and finally Robert spotted the bird and it was the long tailed manikin! The males are such beautiful birds; with red and blue on them as well as their very long tail feathers! He was trying to attract a female with his call and there was a female there and we did not realize it was the female until we got back and looked in the bird book and there it was!

Took off from the park at a pretty fast pace in hopes that we had not missed the bus. We had heard another pizote as we were on the final part of the trail and stopped to enjoy his moving through the underbrush.

While we were walking back ran into a member of the band we had enjoyed at Organico and he told us of some of the places he enjoyed in Santa Teresa. Got to the Super Chico and there were people still waiting for the bus so we went and got ourselves a snack for the ride home. This trip to Cabo Blanco had not been a totally planned out trip so we were short on water and had not snacks with us when we set out. The bus arrives and we hop on and then the clerk at the store runs out with my scope in her hand. I had left it on the counter. Oh Noes! So thankful for her seeing it.

Went and picked up our laundry and headed back to the room and did our packing. When and cleaned out the refrigerator and boiled the eggs and cut up the fruit so we could have a breakfast before we took off in the morning.

Decided to go to Ylang Ylang for our final dinner. Walked along the beach and enjoyed the sights and sounds of the waves crashing. Laura had the chicken kebobs and they came out so artfully presented. They had cut a slice of pineapple and left the rind of the slice above it and stuck the chicken skewers through it so it resembled a globe. Very creative I would say. Robert had the blackened tuna with mango sauce and we shared a salad. All so very nice.

Walked back to Luna Llena, up the hill one last time for this trip and had a final drink. Of course we had to finish the wine because it might not travel well! We are using a shuttle service to get to Santa Teresa tomorrow.

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