WEEKEND #5

Our first journey with Dave and Eben took us into the mountains to the Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve. It is just what the name says, a rain forest that is in the clouds. This is one of the oldest reserves in the country, a private one begun in the early 1970s. A group of Quakers from the US had come to this part of Costa Rica in the early 1950s to get away from the war-mongering US government. They settled in the mountains and started dairy farms. Eventually they became concerned about deforestation and the preservation of the headwaters of the rivers that fed their herds and crops. Thus began the reserve.

We traveled by bus to Santa Elena and stayed in a small, family-owned hotel there. In addition to visiting the reserve and learning lots about the plants and creatures living there, we did a canopy tour. That is basically a zipline through/above the forest. Well, actually it is a dozen or so ziplines--plus a Tarzan swing. What fun! Dave set aside his ropes course expertise to enjoy the zipping with us (tried not to think too much about the quality of the set-up, but still got a few ideas for new brake systems).

Once we got done zipping and started walking, we saw all kinds of beautiful birds (including the endangered quetzal), animals like the coati, many butterflies (love that blue morpho), and a few poisonous frogs.

A highlight for us all was celebrating Eben’s 13th birthday there. The crowning touch of that day was dinner at a nice Italian restaurant where Eben got his favorite, fettuccini Alfredo, and a birthday serenade from the waiters. A memorable trip for us all!