Costa Rica!

La pura vida (the pure life) is Costa Rica's slogan, and that's what we experienced this past week. A country full of life and beauty, carefully preserving its rain forests and wildlife habitats. As ecotourists, my daughter Miranda, son Sam and I visited the Selva Bananito Lodge, deep in the rainforest in southeastern Costa Rica. The lodge has no electricity, recycles its "gray" water into marshes, and composts its wastes. We took an exciting tour of the rainforest to discover iguanas, tree frogs, toucans, bats and caimans, rode horses through an organic banana plantation, saw sloths, monkeys, even a boa constrictor at the Manzanillo Wildlife Sanctuary near Puerto Viejo. The highlight of the trip was whitewater rafting down the Pacquare River on Class III-IV rapids. If you love the outdoors and want to see what a country can do to make "green" profitable, I recommend you visit this amazing country.

Flying in - Costa Rican rain forest from the air

A perfect crescent-shaped beach, a scene in Jurassic Park
was filmed here, Puerto Viejo,
Manzanilla Wildlife Refuge.

Miranda and me

The beach at Puerto Viejo on the Caribbean side of the country

A poisonous tree frog - Jose was used to the
venom in the critter's skin!

Our tourguide from Selva Bananito Lodge, Jose, with Sam and Miranda

The view of the rainforest from our cabin deck

Sam and Miranda climb a giant kapok tree. I admire their work
safely from the ground. ; )

Ah, la pura vida!

I forget the name of this lizard, but it's cute!

Writing in my journal. It was a wonderful trip!