Wow. Just wow. We have been here less than 48 hours and it feels like a week! In a good way!

We gathered together Monday morning, many of us meeting for the first time. We set off early, doing some cultural site-seeing. For instance, we saw the world’s largest ox-cart and a church made out of steel in the late 1800s. Then we were off to Else Kientzler Botanical Garden to start acquainting ourselves with the native flora. We then headed over the mountains from the Pacific side to the Caribbean, stopping at a couple of places that did a great job of attracting a variety of birds. We saw about 8 species of hummingbirds just on the first day (there are 48 species in the country, so still a ways to go). We also saw a new Gunnera species, well, new to me, Gunnera insignis. I loved it! I don’t think we can grow it but it was nice to add it to my life list. Then we landed at Selva Verde, an eco-resort owned by Holbrook Travel, the company we have used for our trips. It is a large parcel of second-growth forest, with lots to see and do. After a night walk that revealed the glowing eyes of a caimán and other interesting critters like a transparent frog, we settled down to hard rain beating on the metal roof that put us to sleep.

Many of us got up early for a bird walk, then after breakfast we set off for another hike through the forest, seeing interesting birds and plants. A highlight of this walk were the lovely plants in the coffee family known as “Hot Lips,” for the red sepals that attract pollinating birds. But as usual, sigh, it was a bird that stole our hearts. A large semiplumbeous hawk posed for us, while looking disdainfully down at us.

This afternoon, my husband, Brian, Janka Hobbs, and I opted for an adventure river rafting down the Rio Sarapiquí. With all the heavy rain last night, the river was high and we had some good adrenaline rushes, without much danger. We saw several howler monkeys with their young in the trees above the river, and large orange iguanas sunning themselves high in the trees. The rest of our group opted for a more genteel cruise on a milder part of the river. They are not back yet, so their adventures are yet to be heard. Stay tuned! Tomorrow we visit a primary rainforest, which will reveal many interesting plants and animals!