Costa Rica Tues 23 Nov 2010

Costa Rica Tues 23 Nov 2010


Today I hike into the depths of the forest with Peter and Lesley. This part of the forest is called The Hidden Valley and we follow the trails with the help of a rough map. Ancient and beautiful, misty and mysterious, a little forbidding, eirily quiet, the forest watches us as we tramp downwards and deeper in the half-light under the canopy.

There is a breathtaking variety of trees and undergrowth here, but we do not see nor hear any signs of wildlife, except a few strange looking bugs and the ever-busy leaf cutter ants. Until we come suddenly to a dead-end on the track at a point at the top of a steep tree-covered cliff that overlooks a valley - the hidden valley. A river crashes through the forest about 100 metres below us. Accross the other side, the trees cover gently rising ground up to a horizon which must be several miles away. It is a vista of astounding beauty.

Then, against the background of trees on the opposite side of the valley, and against the sky above the horizon, we see black vultures - huge birds, soaring in the air with no visible movement of the wings. Then an eagle, much more intense in its flight, searching for prey, maybe to feed chicks in their nest on cliff face or tree-top. Then a hawk of some kind, wings flapping as is also searches for a meal. Then another eagle, and more black vultures. This place is very special.

We eventually and reluctantly move on to continue our trek. A sudden movement in the trees reveals a squirrel, twice the size of ours in the UK, dark grey and almost black down its back, it turns and runs away from us.

After several hours in the forest, Peter and Lesley decide to head for an exit but I love it here, so go on alone back into the centre of the forest. I get lost, the map is useless here, but who cares, this is an amazing place. A sudden movement on the ground to my right makes me stop in my tracks. Something is heading towards the track just in front of me. I see through the trees and undergrowth that it is an orangy brown animal. Then it crosses in front of me, I get a clear view, it looks like a small hairy pig. I am told later it is probably an agouti.

I start to look for a way out but find that I have gone around in a circle when I recognise a bunch of bamboo growing in a clearing that I passed earlier. Never mind, I try a different way then come to a path I remember being on with Peter and Lesley so follow this. Suddenly there is a loud chorus of screeching above me, a flock of parrots are charging from tree to tree, obviously looking for trouble or shouting at something that has disturbed them............maybe me?

I get to the point that I parted company with Peter and Lesley, so walk the way I thought they went and promptly get lost again, on a track that ends in a mass of twisted foilage and dead branches. I retrace my steps and try another way, there is a grassy bank ahead, then a shack and a wider track that leads me back to (relative) civilisation.

I head for the bakery. A meat pasty, a chiken pasty and a huge chunk of the most gorgeous moist delicious carrot cake ever, are followed by a perfect cup of tea.

Now I am in a bus. It is fixed on a hillside amongst the trees and converted into an internet cafe where I am writng this blog. Bizarre.

This has been a good day.

Bye for now,
John