Travel date: July 5, 2024

Seriously. I’m melting.

I cannot properly explain myself in this climate.

Visited Manuel Antonio National Park today. Can sum up our day thusly: beautiful park, waaaay too many fuken people.

We had an energetic guide. But there were hundreds of energetic guides, all carrying giant spotting scopes, jumping from one cluster of people to another, all in a quasi-competition to see the best critters. I spent the day sweating and throwing elbows with people jockeying for the best camera position.

Highlights:

The very first thing we saw was the most dangerous snake in Costa Rica – the fer-de-lance. And let me tell you, had we not had a guide, we NEVER would have seen him. Hell, I couldn’t even see him when our guide pointed my camera directly AT him. His camouflage is perfect. Anna took this picture w/ my zoom lens, bc I still couldn’t see the mfer. No idea where his head was, and not about to go rearranging leaves to find out.

Saw whole tribes of white-faced Capuchin monkeys. They are a joy to watch. Also got to see the elusive and endangered squirrel monkey. That was super cool. Got a pic of him, but he wouldn’t face the camera, so enjoy this pic of monkey-butt. We spotted a two-toed sloth, and since we’d already seen the three-toed sloth at the house, that’s pretty much Costa Rican sloth BINGO.

When we left the park (which is completely gated), we were mobbed by people selling ice cold coconuts. We bought a couple (bc hot and thirsty), but the guy tried to scam Ken on payment. Oh, señor, you picked the wrong tourist. Ken was having none of it.

Anna took this pic of a toucan at our house this morning. Who needs a National park?

Sidebar: there is no shower like the shower that removes 2 layers of sunscreen and 3 layers of bug spray.

Wonderful little birthday celebration for Ingrid last night. 80 looks beautiful on you!!

Critter count: 3 sloths , 37 monkeys , 18 iguanas , 2 snakes , 1 spider , 1 toucan, 1 hummingbird, 1 grasshopper, and 10 thousand humans.

Salud!