Archive for January 2024
Costa Rica Day One: A Scenic Drive Through The Cloud Mountains To The Arenal Observatory Lodge
My flight from Newark to San Jose Costa Rica arrived about a half hour early. After my unexpectedly quick exist through immigration I was a little worried my driver to the Arenal Observatory Lodge and Trails may not have arrived. I walked past the long line of drivers and tour companies holding signs for their …
Read MoreCosta Rica Day One: Back On The Road And Up In The Sky Again
It’s 5 a.m. as I begin writing this blog 0n Friday January 5 . I am back on the road again, at the Wilkes Barre-Scranton International Airport in Northeastern Pennsylvania. It is a lot less stressful flying out of this airport. It is a 40 mile drive from my home in the Green Ridge section…
Read MoreCosta Rica Day Two: A Morning Exploring A Few Of The Many Trails At The Arenal Observatory Lodge
I was up before dawn on my first morning in Costa Rica. I was staying at the Arenal Observatory Lodge at the foot of the Arenal Volcano. After a cup of coffee in my room I walked to the observation deck and found the volcano was still shrouded in clouds. I had not yet scene…
Read MoreCosta Rica Day Two: Arenal Observatory Lodge: An Afternoon Walk With An Anteater After the Rain.
After my morning walks at the Arenal Observatory Lodge in Costa Rica on Saturday I was going to spend some time on the observation deck watching the many species of birds attracted to the fruit that is put out by the guides. However the skies clouded and rains came and continued into the afternoon. The…
Read MoreCosta Rica: Day Three. Arenal Volcano Observatory Lodge. More Rain In The Rainforest
My alarm went off at 5:30 a.m. It didn’t take me long to remember I was in Costa Rica and in a rainforest. It was raining again. And this time it was a torrential downpour. Even though I was staying at a lodge on the lower slope of the Arenal volcano it was again shrouded…
Read MoreA Wintertime Walk At The Penrose Swamp Barrens Preserve
I was planning to return and explore some more of the Montour Preserve last Saturday. It is where I participated in my first National Audubon’s Christmas Bird Count the previous week. However, there was some snow showers in the forecast so I decided to stay closer to home. I drove to the newly acquired State…
Read MoreCosta Rica Day Four: Arenal Observatory Lodge. More Rainy Walks, Some Mushrooms, And A Waterfall
It was my third morning in Costa Rica, where I was staying at the Arenal Observatory Lodge, at the foot of the Arenal volcano. And, for the third morning, it was raining when I awoke. It was a steady rain but there were still some folks on the observation deck, dressed in full rain gear.…
Read MoreA Return To The Bleakness Of Winter At The Susquehanna Wetlands
Last Sunday morning it had been three weeks since I last visited the Susquehanna Wetlands in Luzerne County on Christmas morning. And one of those weeks was spent in the lush and green tropical rainforest of Costa Rica. It was cold and cloudy when I arrived early in the morning. The stark contrast between the…
Read MoreCosta Rica Day Five: Finally, A Clear View Of The Arenal Volcano And A Long Hike At The Lodge
It was my fifth day at the Arenal Observatory Lodge in Costa Rica when I awoke early Tuesday morning. And it wasn’t raining! It had rained much of the last five days. I still had not seen the summit of the Arenal volcano even though t he lodge is located only a few miles away,…
Read MoreTrudging Through The Snow On the Greater Hazleton Rails To Trails
December and early January were mild here in Northeastern Pennsylvania. There was little snow and almost no ice on our ponds, lakes and rivers. I missed the snow storm last week when I was away in Costa Rica. However when I returned it had already melted. This is very unusual and I knew we would…
Read MoreCosta Rica: Day Six. Arenal Observatory Lodge. Birds, Butterflies And Spider Monkeys
I had seen many beautiful tropical and migratory birds, wildlife, exotic flowers and plants during four day stay at the Arenal Observatory Lodge in Costa Rica. I am sure I would have seen more if we didn’t have the daily steady rains. And it was difficult to discover where the birds were in the many…
Read MoreFinally, Snow And Ice At The Susquehanna Wetlands
Anyone who knows me, or follows my blog or social media, knows I don’t like the cold, snow and ice anymore. I used to. I once loved the snow and cold but that was a long time ago. So I wasn’t real excited about my hike Sunday when I awoke to a 13 degree temperature…
Read MoreCosta Rica: Day Seven. More Rain, And A Change Of Plans At The Arenal Observatory Lodge
One of the main reasons for my stay at the Arenal Observatory Lodge in Costa Rica was the many hiking trails that were accessible from the lodge. I would be able to explore the surrounding gardens, ranch lands and rainforest whenever I wanted, without relying on transportation. This certainly was helpful with all the rain…
Read MoreCosta Rica Day Seven: My Last Afternoon At The Arenal Volcano Observatory Lodge
It was my last full day at the Arenal Observatory Lodge in Costa Rica. I had wanted to do some hiking in the nearby Arenal Volcano National Park during my seven day stay. The closest trails were about a twenty minutes drive from the lodge, but because of the almost daily rains, I didn’t get…
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