Hiking near Mastatal with Marcos Well, we have said our good-byes and are now on our way to Isle Ometepe, Nicaragua. While we are excited to see a new place and spend some time on a beach, we were also sad to leave Mastatal! The tiny farming community in the middle of nowhere, Costa Rica. After three weeks we came to feel like locals, passing familiar faces everywhere we went, and recognizing the newbies in town when they passed through. We will fondly remember the tink frog sounds at night, the rooster in the morning, and the smell of caca de vaca (cow poo) that frequently wafted on by.
During our last few days in Maststal Marcos, the finca owner at Siempre Verde, was very gracious to show us some of the most beautiful parts of Costa Rica and he enlightened us with heaps of birder knowledge. I have never met a real life "birder" before, and now that I have, the movie, "The Big Year" makes much more sense to me (if you haven't seen it, you MUST! It's hilarious!). I have always found birds to be very beautiful and neat, but I admit that I have developed a higher interest in them since meeting Marcos. He could name any bird making a peep or flying by at any time. He would be in the middle of explaining something about the finca and abruptly turn straight around and point dead square at a tiny humming bird five trees away! He really is connected to all of nature and being around him for two weeks really strengthened our connection as well.
During our last few days in Maststal Marcos, the finca owner at Siempre Verde, was very gracious to show us some of the most beautiful parts of Costa Rica and he enlightened us with heaps of birder knowledge. I have never met a real life "birder" before, and now that I have, the movie, "The Big Year" makes much more sense to me (if you haven't seen it, you MUST! It's hilarious!). I have always found birds to be very beautiful and neat, but I admit that I have developed a higher interest in them since meeting Marcos. He could name any bird making a peep or flying by at any time. He would be in the middle of explaining something about the finca and abruptly turn straight around and point dead square at a tiny humming bird five trees away! He really is connected to all of nature and being around him for two weeks really strengthened our connection as well.
Marcos sharing some cocoa seeds (beans?) Marcos took us on a hike down (and through a few times) one of the main rivers that runs through Maststal to show us the sights, birds, insects, plants, etc. We took a bunch of video footage and will be making a short video about the Costa Rican wildlife while we are in Nicaragua. He also took us on a very cool night hike near the finca where we got to see some nightlife in action!
One thing that I find kind of hilarious is how used to something you can become. For example, I was cooking dinner a couple of nights ago, stirring a bunch of rice and beans in a big frying pan on the stove, when the rice began to move! I gave it a second before poking it with the wooden spoon and all of a sudden two large cockroaches crawled out of the rice and over the side of the pan. I did take a half a second before I continued stirring but I realized that it really didn't have much impact on me. But if I think about how I would react if that happened at home?! No friggin way would I even still be in the same room, much less continue cooking and EATING it! Haha. Also, on our night hike, I had stopped to take a picture of something (a frog maybe?) and Marcos came up and asked me if I had seen the giant tarantula standing next to me. I calmly looked down and started taking pictures of it, without a second thought. If this had happened on the first, or even fifth night in Costa Rica, I would probably be in the ground, dead from a heart attack. Not only have we gotten used to these things, we have grown very fond of them, and will miss them terribly while we are gone!
But we don't have to get too far ahead of ourselves just yet, we are staying in Central America for at least a couple more months and I am sure will have many more encounters with the jungle. Next time you hear from us will be from a beach in Nicaragua looking at a volcano! Hope everyone at home is doing well, I heard it was snowing in Whitehorse today (hehehe).
Love you all!
Chelsea
One thing that I find kind of hilarious is how used to something you can become. For example, I was cooking dinner a couple of nights ago, stirring a bunch of rice and beans in a big frying pan on the stove, when the rice began to move! I gave it a second before poking it with the wooden spoon and all of a sudden two large cockroaches crawled out of the rice and over the side of the pan. I did take a half a second before I continued stirring but I realized that it really didn't have much impact on me. But if I think about how I would react if that happened at home?! No friggin way would I even still be in the same room, much less continue cooking and EATING it! Haha. Also, on our night hike, I had stopped to take a picture of something (a frog maybe?) and Marcos came up and asked me if I had seen the giant tarantula standing next to me. I calmly looked down and started taking pictures of it, without a second thought. If this had happened on the first, or even fifth night in Costa Rica, I would probably be in the ground, dead from a heart attack. Not only have we gotten used to these things, we have grown very fond of them, and will miss them terribly while we are gone!
But we don't have to get too far ahead of ourselves just yet, we are staying in Central America for at least a couple more months and I am sure will have many more encounters with the jungle. Next time you hear from us will be from a beach in Nicaragua looking at a volcano! Hope everyone at home is doing well, I heard it was snowing in Whitehorse today (hehehe).
Love you all!
Chelsea
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