Photos by Nanci Blog

  Green Whip Snake in Arenal National Parque. Day 5 of our adventure-December 6 we're exploring La Fortuna. After a fairly late night dinner in La Fortuna, we have a 7AM breakfast at the  Hotel Lomas del Volcan . Our bus is departing at 8 AM for our visit to Arenal Volcano National Park . The buffet breakfast was very yummy and the coffee very strong, we're refueled and ready for the day. It rained pretty heavily overnight and it seems a bit cooler than it was in Tortuguero but it's still very humid. Today we're hiking in the  Arenal Volcano National Park . Edgar shares his knowledge of local plants with us along the hike up to the view of Lake Arenal. He points out what's OK to eat and what's definitely NOT OK to eat. Also, what's OK to touch and what you shouldn't touch. Martha shows off a leaf that had a little too much competition for sunlight. We hike farther in and higher up to the area around the volcano's base. Edgar points out to us the fore...

  Day 4 of our Costa Rican adventure (December 5). Today we leave Tortuguero National Park and travel to the Arenal Region. (The Arenal Volcano is the youngest stratovolcano in Costa Rica. The 1968 eruptions killed almost 80 people and destroyed three villages.) But first we pack up and leave the Evergreen Lodge . It was a very pretty property but they should really consider filtering their water and it was not potable in the bungalows and had a funny smell that lingered in our tap-rinsed clothing. Suitcases were outside the room at 7 AM and our dock call was at 8:15 AM. We had a nice river cruise back to Cano Blanco to meet Eric and our group coach. Lots to see on our one hour cruise. A flock of Black-necked stilts. A small flock of Spoonbills. And a Juvenile Tri-Colored Heron that our two guides were very excited to see. Most birds are migratory and arrive as adults to over winter. This one is a bit too young to have flown here...so maybe it hatched here? We meet up with Eric a...