Cashew Fruit is ripening on trees around Atenas now. Photographed from my balcony, Hacienda La Jacaranda, Atenas, Costa Rica |
Sharing the Mangos
If you’ve never heard a howler monkey you must listen to the howler monkeys. We are hearing them more often now, day and night. But they don’t bother my sleep.
Mother-child don’t show their faces as much as Papa. Hacienda La Jacaranda, Atenas, Costa Rica |
Papa keeps a watchful eye on us humans looking up at them. Hacienda La Jacaranda, Atenas, Costa Rica |
If you liked my simple cell phone photos of the Easter Procession at our Atenas Catholic Church yesterday, check out this video of Easter Procession in an Escazu, Costa Rica church.
Resurrection Morning Mass & Processional
The Priest leads congregation behind the costumed children and statue of Christ. Iglesia Catolica San Rafael De Atenas, Costa Rica After the 9 AM Easter Mass, April 5, 2015 |
Altar Boys and Girls Lead the Processional |
Followed by a statue of the Risen Christ |
A haphazard collection of unorganized shepherd boys (disciples?) with family members and others following along with them (The Mamas did great job on costumes! Probably Dads who didn’t organize them.) |
And the girls, the only organized ones marching in a straight line (Love the girls!) |
Followed by the priest and as many of the congregation who wanted to follow the march around the central park block (on left). |
Another interesting observation was that there were many more young adults and children than old people, which might have been related to the time and/or processional with children included. Never counted, but the Iglesia Biblica worship services seem to be about 50/50 older/younger adults with most children leaving after the hour song service for a children’s church. Both congregations are very family oriented with even teens sitting with their parents. This mass was a little over an hour long while the evangelical service is always at least two hours long with more than an hour of music and a 45 minute sermons, while the priest’s was maybe 15 minutes. Both churches are made up of very happy, friendly people, typical of Costa Rica!
Good Friday Mass
A cross draped in red and candles are about to be brought into the Good Friday Mass Atenas, Costa Rica |
I love symbolism, ceremony, and beauty in worship and keep saying I will go to Mass and wish I had been dressed differently today for I would have enjoyed this probably more than the praise band I will hear Sunday morning at the Bible Church. But hey, I may surprise everyone and go to Mass instead.
Lent Purple at Catholic Church Atenas, Costa Rica |
My “DIAPAUSE”
Merriam-Webster Dictionary
My new word today is usually referring to animal dormancy, particularly butterflies in the pupae stage. I’m not in a pupae, unless you call my apartment that, but after preparation for two differents sets of visitors and a particularly full week with Kevin, I’ve kind of pulled into my apartment and mostly resting, reading, and taking care of just necessary business – not running all over Costa Rica looking for birds to photograph! This pre-sunset photo kind of symbolizes my diapause. It frequently looks like rain without ever doing it. It makes me look forward to May when the rain actually starts. It is very dry and grass fires are common.
Rain Clouds that Don’t Rain! Atenas, Costa Rica |
It is fun to just sit on my balcony, watch the town below me, the sky, the birds and listen to the howler monkeys who are hollering as I type. Click to hear them yourself: Mantled Howler Monkey Oh, go ahead! Click it and listen for 20 seconds! I hear every morning & evening.
Male Howler Monkey Hacienda La Jacaranda, Atenas, Costa Rica My photo made by me here at the apartments in a tree along the river |
And by the way, it is pretty easy to rest this week as most every business has closed already or will after today for Holy Week. No Spanish Class either! Semana Santa.
Tarcoles Catch-up Photos
Yellow-headed Caracara Tarcoles River, Costa Rica |
Striped Basilisk Tarcoles River, Costa Rica |
Yellow-crowned Night Heron Tarcoles River, Costa Rica |
Common Black Hawk Tarcoles River, Costa Rica |
Tiger Heron Tarcoles River, Costa Rica |
Black-necked Stilt Tarcoles River, Costa Rica |
American Crocodile (Great Egret in background) Tarcoles River, Costa Rica |
Sunset over the Pacific Ocean Manuel Antonio Beach, Costa Rica |
Alajuela & La Garita
Museo Histórico Cultural Juan Santamaría, Alajuela, Costa Rica Kevin’s kind of museum! And a country without an army finds all forts to be historical! This is across from the central plaza. |
Alajuela Plaza Cathedral |
Church of the Agony, Alajuela |
We stop in La Garita at a plant nursery called a Vivero in Costa Rica |
Kevin enjoyed shooting flowers there |
We also tried to find a sugar cane mill we had passed earlier in the week, but failed to get on the right country road. So missed that photo op!
ZooAve
Chestnut-mandibled Toucan RESCATE ANIMAL zooave, La Garita, Costa Rica |
Collared Aracari Toucan RESCATE ANIMAL zooave, La Garita, Costa Rica |
Emerald Toucanet RESCATE ANIMAL zooave, La Garita, Costa Rica |
Central American Spider Monkey RESCATE ANIMAL zooave, La Garita, Costa Rica |
Great Curassow RESCATE ANIMAL zooave, La Garita, Costa Rica |
Torch Ginger or Etlingera elatior RESCATE ANIMAL zooave, La Garita, Costa Rica |
Well, there is so much more I could share. It was my second time at this little zoo, gardens, and animal rescue association. I really like it and think it a better (and less expensive) place to visit than La Paz for birds and gardens. Now, La Paz has hummingbirds not here and of course the beautiful 5 waterfalls, but it costs twice as much! And Zoo Ave is just 20 minutes from my house.
IMPORTANT NOTE: In 2020 this facility has been “rebranded” to eliminate the zoo concept and is now called Rescate Wildlife Rescue Center.
¡Pura Vida!
Wildlife Morning
White-faced Capuchin Monkey behind our hotel on the beach before breakfast. |
Kevin with two monkeys behind him, not posing! |
We said “Goodbye” to Manuel Antonio Beach and went to breakfast. |
Striped Flycatcher from breakfast table |
Cherrie’s Tanager seen from breakfast table |
Striped Basilisk seen from breakfast table. |
Then we drove back to Atenas with stops in Quepos, Jaco, and Tarcoles to help Kevin find those last minute souvenirs and gifts for Robbie. Though the one by Crocodile Bridge is good, I found a new favorite gift shop with locations near both Jaco and Tarcoles. I will take future visitors to one of these locations:
With two locations, one near Tarcoles and one near Jaco, and the best overall selection I’ve seen in one place plus a woodwork collection that rivals or beats the shops in Sarchi. |
Kevin’s visit is helping me to get prepared for future visitors and where to go for specific things that interest you or whoever else comes for a visit. I will of course continue to refine my “tour.” 🙂
Manuel Antonio National Park
Baby Green Parrot Snake in the Pacific coastal rainforest of Manuel Antonio National Park, Costa Rica Shot with cell phone through a spotting scope |
Three-toed Sloth Manuel Antonio National Park, Costa Rica Shot with cell phone through a spotting scope |
Glass Frog Manuel Antonio National Park, Costa Rica Shot with cell phone through a spotting scope |
Rare and elusive Squirrel Monkey Manuel Antonio National Park, Costa Rica Shot with my Canon Rebel, 75-300 mm lens |
A People-Watching White-faced Capuchin Monkey Manuel Antonio National Park, Costa Rica Shot with my Canon Rebel, 75-300 mm lens |
Sunset from El Avion Restaurant Manual Antonio, Costa Rica Cell Phone photo |
We spent the morning on a guided tour of Manuel Antonio National Park with a guide who had a spotting scope making some of these photos possible. The web connection is still slow, but I was more patient today uploading these 5 photos, though it took about an hour. Only a couple of birds today, but a lot of birds yesterday which I will show some of after back home in Atenas with a faster internet. We are tried a different approach to the sunset tonight by eating in a restaurant overlooking the ocean. Not as good as last night, but we accomplished dinner at the same time!