Osa Peninsular

Slightly forgetting where we had got to on the last posting (due to being out of contact with most of the world) lets have a recap

After Leaving Mono Azul and Manuel Antonio area we continued driving south along the Pacific coast with small stops here and there. A night was spent in a small village next to Ballena National Park so we could take a trip by boat hopefully to see Humpback Whales and Dolphins. We thought we had chosen a nice hotel (ok the only hotel) with a small pizzeria attached. Room was great, air con, small pool and bar and restaurant. Oops how wrong can you get- worst case scenario, middle of nowhere and bar doesn’t sell alcohol. Seriously bad news that as nowhere else around, still a little detox never hurt anyone is what Jan reckoned, my view a little different.

Up early (again) next morning for a very wet boat trip to see one mother humpback whale and her calf. We were both a little disappointed really as when we saw humpback whales in Ecuador a few years back we have several around us, jumping, breaching, Fluke slapping and flipper slapping. This time it was so sedate, occasionally seeing the mother or baby just rolling over on the surface. Still we must have been lucky last time but we did see one and also several dolphins and a few turtles at sea. As I said the swell was big so it was very wet and not a lot of photography was done.

We left Park Ballena at lunch time and decided to drive the 150 or so miles first down the coast road then onto our final stop on the Pacific side, Peninsular Osa and Corcovado National Park. We knew the road would effectively run out some 30 kms before our chosen lodge (El Remanso) at Puerto Jimenez locally known as Port Jim or The Big City, and from there it would be a dirt track. What we didn’t know was that the road was in really bad condition from well before Port Jim and to make things worse we drove most of the way in torrential rain and lightening. The small towns and villages on the way were often under water with many of the rivers having flooded. We got to Port Jim around 4.00pm and stopped for water and a few supplies in this little local town and also a quick beer in a local bar. It was then time to push on down a track. The rain came down and we came to the first river to cross. No bridge just a brown torrent so undeterred I got out to check the depth. Another tourist car joined us and seemed pleased I was now soaked but had found out the river was only up to my knees. Through it we went successfully followed by a few hundred yards later by our second river. It was now also getting dark, pouring with rain so again a quick check to see the depth and once again through it we went. Less than half a mile later and still a couple of miles from our lodge we came to the worst one. The track turned to mud and rocks and started going downhill steeply, round a sharp corner and this time what looked like a really deep river. The other vehicle decided to take the lead this time and just went down into it and out the otherside up a steep hill. He made it so we could and did. That was the final one and it was then a clear run (OK muddy, slippery, large rocks and lumps of tree on this forest track) to the lodge.

El Remanso is a fantastic place just surrounded by forest and is perched on a hill overlooking the forest and pacific. Our cabin in the grounds has no windows just wooden slats covered with insect mesh, no doors as such just the whole front is a set of sliding wooden doors that open onto the verandah which we havnt shut once yet.

You wake up to Scarlet Macaws shouting the place down, Howler Monkeys proclaiming their territory at full voice and many other birds around. The main part of the lodge, restaurant, bar and swimming pools etc  is 100metres away. We are surrounded but trees and animals. We originally booked for 3 days but this is now our 5^th and we love it. Walking is the main reason to be here, looking at the wildlife. The place is alive with birds, monkeys, thousands of frogs and lots of snakes although these are a lot harder to find and even today when we took a guide to find the one of the commonest and most deadly, Fer-de-Lance we could not find one at all. We were partly beaten by a torrential rain storm and as we were walking a river valley with the water rising we felt it was better to get out. Jan and I are getting good at finding a Cat-Eyed snake as these are nocturnal and enjoy frogs so just go to the frog ponds and look in the trees and we find these snakes. They are not at all dangerous so as long as we look where we step we are fine with them.

The walk down to the beach is one we seem to have done daily or at least walked up it as often other trails seem to end up on the beach and we use the main one back up. It is always interesting as frequently there are a troop of Spider Monkeys around near this trail. They obviously think they own it as we have been “attacked” more than once walking up and down. They hang about in the trees above your head shaking branches, jumping about and throwing bits of tree, fruit and whatever they can at you below. It is quite a sight and funny to watch.

The many streams and rivers that run down often end in a large waterfall that are great to swim under after a hot walk and one of the rivers finishes by the beach in a lovely lagoon which is also a great place to swim if you don’t mind sharing it with the resident Caiman.

The food here has been wonderful with lots of fish and great veggie things for Jan. Tomorrow sadly we must move on back to the highlands where hopefully we shall have internet and you will be able to read this