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Though butterfly season is past its prime, there were quite a few at the Cristal Ballena Hotel in Uvita last week. Here’s some I was able to capture photos of (many I couldn’t).
“Happiness is a butterfly, which when pursued, is always just beyond your grasp, but which, if you will sit down quietly, may alight upon you.”
~Nathaniel Hawthorne
¡Pura Vida!
See my Butterflies Gallery and
This trip gallery: 2019-September 13-21–Cristal Ballena, Uvita
Well, you already know what I think about Costa Rica, but Conde Nast Traveler published it’s ranking of “The 40 Most Beautiful Countries in the World” and Costa Rica tops the list. 🙂
The photo above is one I took of Nauyaca Waterfall last Friday – one of many beautiful waterfalls in the world’s most beautiful country! 🙂
“It is good people who make good places.”
― Black Beauty
¡Pura Vida!
This trip gallery: 2019-September 13-21–Cristal Ballena, Uvita
Wednesday of my visit to Uvita I took a taxi back close to the Palmar Sur Airport I flew into for the Mangrove Boat Tour on Rio Sierpe – my sixth place to do a Mangrove or River Tour in Costa Rica which always provides a lot of birds and other wildlife to photograph. This one did not disappoint! (Not my best, but very good!)
The big surprise for my solo boat tour with a captain and guide was that Carlos Gonzales was the guide – the same guide I had in Drake Bay at Aguila de Osa Hotel in 2017. He is one of the few “older” guides I’ve had in Costa Rica with the majority looking like they are fresh out of college. Carlos is 71.
Plus the funny coincidence was that the boat captain was also named Carlos and my name in Spanish is Carlos! 🙂 Tres Carloses!
“Oh, Eeyore, you are wet!” said Piglet, feeling him.
Eeyore shook himself, and asked somebody to explain to Piglet what happened when you had been inside a river for quite a long time.”
―
🙂
¡Pura Vida!
Another Nature Adventure arranged by Hotel Cristal Ballena!
This trip gallery: 2019-September 13-21–Cristal Ballena, Uvita
An oxymoron? Maybe, because they do sleep about 80% of their time and for why you will have to read about sloths on Wikipedia – the animal, not the cardinal sin! 🙂 The one sleeping in a tree near my room at Cristal Ballena Hotel near Uvita, Costa Rica decided to move around about the time I went out to check on him and here’s a portfolio of his activity. 🙂 Click image to enlarge or start slide show:
“Live Slow”
Says my Sloth T-shirt
![20190604_111253[1]-A-WEB](https://www.charliedoggett.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/20190604_1112531-A-WEB.jpg)
¡Pura Vida!
See also my Sloth (3-toed) Photo Gallery and
This trip gallery: 2019-September 13-21–Cristal Ballena, Uvita
Dateline: CRISTAL BALLENA HOTEL, UVITA, COSTA RICA, 15 September 2019
I got here late morning and by the time I got settled in my room and the map figured out for my bird walk before lunch, it started raining (like it is suppose to this time of year). Well, I got my tours lined up for the week with Whale Watching tomorrow morning, then went for a little light lunch in the rain.
From the restaurant, in the rain, I got photos of 8 birds and one sleeping sloth. Not bad! 🙂 Also overlooking the Pacific Ocean at Marino Ballena National Park.
This trip gallery: 2019-September 13-21–Cristal Ballena, Uvita
Nice extras for lunch! 🙂
The only thing I shall want for a rainy day will be my umbrella.
– Agatha Christie, Nemesis
-o-
Costa Rica’s Independence Day is celebrated on September 15th. It commemorates the independence of the entire Central America from Spain, which took place in 1821. The news of the country’s independence reached the nation’s people about a month after the declaration of independence that occurred in Guatemala.
Following the independence, the first constitution of the country was soon embraced. The celebration of the first elections in Costa Rica was held in December, 1821. The first elected Chief of State was Juan Mora Fernández, whom did much for the advancement of his country and people, as well as promoted industrial and commercial development.
The Independence Day of Costa Rica has been declared an official national holiday in the country and is celebrated with much joy and cheerfulness. The national holiday is marked by raising the National Flag, patriotic parades and the singing of the National Anthem.
Even though September 15th is Costa Rica’s official Independence Day, festivities begin on the 14th, with the reenactment of the notification of Costa Rica’s liberation carrying the ‘freedom torch’. At precisely 6:00 p.m., national TV and radio stations broadcast Costa Rica’s National Anthem, as the entire country sings along in a burst of patriotism. Following the anthem, the popular ‘faroles’ parade begins – homemade lanterns symbolizing the original freedom torch. Children in traditional costumes perform typical dances and then the fireworks begin.
Another important parade takes place on the morning of the 15th. School bands march along with children wearing traditional dresses, dancing at the beat of drums and lyres. During the vibrant and colorful processions, Costa Ricans, young and old alike, sit on sidewalks and enjoy the parade in a peaceful, friendly and family oriented environment.
There is typical Costa Rica food for sale in stands along the roads, such as arroz con pollo (rice and chicken), tamales, fried yucca, black beans and rice, fried plantains, rice pudding, coconut flan, and tres leches (three milk cake.)
Independence Day activities at commercial centers and other communal places are also very popular and free to the public, offering folkloric shows, typical dancing, great music and more. ~copied from Google
If you are afraid of bugs then Costa Rica might not be the best place for you. We supposedly have one of the largest number of insect species of any country our size in the world – more than U.S. & Canada combined in a country the size of West Virginia! But if you see the beauty, adventure or just novelty of different kinds of weird bugs, then you will love it here! See my other insects gallery!
This guy was on a plastic drinking glass waiting for my dish-washing chore yesterday evening. I’m showing two shots because one was with only the overhead light and the other with my flashlight added for brightness. Yeah, flashlight photography is common here! We don’t worry about sophistication! 🙂 ¡Pura vida!
“Those who find beauty in all of nature will find themselves at one with the secrets of life itself.” ~L. Wolfe Gilbert
See my photo galleries: Butterflies & Moths of Costa Rica (80+) –and– Other Insects CR (65+)
¡Pura Vida!
The latest trip book is completed, a short & simple photo book of 36 pages for only $19 which is low price for a photo book + order by 10 September and get 40% off with discount code: SEPTEMBER4T
Banana Azul is maybe my most relaxing hotel in Costa Rica or certainly the Caribbean, thus I focused on the tranquility of nature there with several sunrise photos along with birds and other nature! 🙂 Click this link or the cover image below to see a FREE PREVIEW electronically of all pages of the book. As always, full screen mode is better for photos! 🙂
https://www.blurb.com/b/9637630-tranquilo-banana-azul
“Live in each season as it passes; breathe the air, drink the drink, taste the fruit, and resign yourself to the influence of the earth.” ~ Henry David Thoreau
¡Pura Vida!
“Just Hangin’ Out” or “Chilling” is a good thing when it’s such a cool place!
Sometimes you gotta just chill. You gotta chill your thinking process. ~Ghostface Killah
¡Pura Vida!
I guess this is becoming typical of me, too many photos the first day of a trip. There just seems to be so many photo possibilities that I can’t stop. To not look overwhelming, I’ve grouped them into slideshows. Pick the one that interests you! 🙂
¡Pura Vida!
“When the destination becomes gracious, the journey becomes an adventure of beauty.”
-John O’Donohue
One week from today I return to the Costa Rica South Caribbean (Atlantic Coast South of Limón) for my 5th trip there, not counting 3 other visits to the North Caribbean (North of Limón or Tortuguero NP).
I’ve been “mulling over” (That’s a late 1800’s English idiom meaning “to think about” or “to ponder.”) what my 
photography focus would be this time (see previous focuses below–mainly birds!). I originally thought I was going during Carnival week, but got the dates confused (It’s the last week of October not August) so Carnival is no longer the theme for my photos and ultimately a photo book. 🙂 Here’s my previous South Caribe galleries & books:
Browsing Blurb’s Bookstore travel and art photography books (for ideas) I came across the above quotation by John O’Donohue in a book and decided next week’s destination is such a “gracious” place (both the Hotel Banana Azul and the Caribe) that the friendly, loving, kind graciousness of the place will make it truly an “adventure of beauty!” So now my mind is running in a thousand directions of how I can photograph that gracious beauty!
Of course there’s the beauty of nature as my sunrise photo above from another year depicts. The graciousness of the people there presents opportunities for grand portraits or activity shots. While the graciousness of the sea, or the forest, or the wildlife, or the plants . . . oh my, oh my – the destination becomes so gracious!
Soon I start my next adventure of beauty! ¡Pura Vida! 🙂
I arise today Blessed by all things, Wings of breath, Delight of eyes, Wonder of whisper, Intimacy of touch, Eternity of soul, Urgency of thought, Miracle of health, Embrace of God. May I live this day Compassionate of heart, Clear in word, Gracious in awareness, Courageous in thought, Generous in love.”
~John O’Donohue
¡Pura Vida!