Yes, yes, behind again on the not-so-daily blog. We have been traveling a bit, so time at the computer is limited.
We took off in our comfy bus for the province of Limón on the Caribbean side of the country. People napped under the gentle rhythm of Paolo’s expert driving.
First, however, we traversed another province, Puntarenas, still in the mountains. We bumped and joggled over the roads, heavy rains beating against our windows.
“STOP,” Arnie and I called out.
There was a break, and midst winds that nearly blew us off our feet at times, there was a dramatic rainbow. Sure, I got my rainbow, but true to form, I looked in the other direction. The sun lit patches of fields and made the trees stand out, both above and below. The zig-zag patterns of the hills appealed to me, a whole series of triangles for my palette. A road even peeked out here and there.
We arrived at our hotel several hours later, a buffet lunch awaiting us, before we started off for La Selva Biological Station, owned and operated by OTS (Organization for Tropical Studies) that had been such an immense help in organizing this trip.
Access to the station is by boat on the Sarapiquí River. Our captain slowed down and pointed out sites on the river swollen by the rains we had passed through. A bird here, an iguana further on, the omnipresent Spider Monkeys, there were plentiful things to enjoy.
Our captain told us that the river can rise 30 feet in a very short time! With all the steep volcanoes and mountains around, that was no surprise.
Split up into two groups with separate guides. Everyone wanted to see one of the famous green frogs, so the group that wanted to do flash photography went with Arnie, and I took the others who were more interested in the flora of the area. I loved these leaves with their velvet green and bright magenta.
Later, as it got dark, we had a lecture from one of the guides that explained what OTS did, the sophistication of their remote data-gathering stations, the compelling argument for global warming based on dramatic declines in the numbers of some species. Backed up onto the side of one of the volcanoes, they have a corridor that heads up the mountain slopes, taking in several elevations, and therefore different biodiverse areas.
We were very impressed with what the scientists do, and a lot of people asked questions to learn more.
After supper, we returned to our hotel and enjoyed a nightcap and a hearty round of laughs and joking, along with good conversation. The group was having a lot of fun, and for us, that is always good!
A river trip tomorrow, so early to rise!
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The Leaves is a beautiful image, sensuous in color and texture. The shadows are warm with enough detail to suggest the rich natural world it inhabits so gracefully. My favorite.
I prefer the Vertical Landscape image. The array of lines and forms is satisfying in some psychological way that the Horizontal doesn’t quite reach. The colors complements the structure and are understated in a way that makes the entire image unconsciously beautiful.
David,
What a lovely comment. I am so glad the images touched you. That is, after all, what any artists wants. I agree with you on the vertical landscape, but we always encourage people to look behind them or to the side, lest they miss something.
Take care, and thanks again. You made my day!
TBC