Osa Peninsula, Corcovado National Park
We spent the past three days in Panama where we had a great time. We went through the infamous Panama Canal. We stopped halfway through the canal to walk on Barro Colorado Island, home of the Smithsonian Research Station where we saw monkeys and sloths, coatis, motmots, and anis under a beautiful pouring tropical rain. We saw the rich upwelling waters of the Panama Bay and the numerous sea birds that these waters support. We snorkeled on one of the best reefs on the Pacific with sharks, parrot fish, and damsel fish. So we indeed had an awesome time in Panama!
But today the morning found us in a different country, Costa Rica. And the only thing that I can say is that it just keeps getting better! We started the day at Corcovado National Park—one of the most remote wilderness areas protected in this country. Right after breakfast we sorted into groups for a variety of walks through the forest. Some of the options took us through a beautiful forest where we had a chance of seeing Spider monkeys, trogons, Red-capped manakins, Black-cheeked ant tanagers, and army ants. We ended our walks in a tropical paradise like setting, with a waterfall cascading into a beautiful swimming hole, where we went for a refreshing dip.
Back on board the ship we were on our way to a beach barbeque lunch when the Captain spotted a group of false killer whales (see picture) that we then followed for quite some time while they were busy feeding! After that exciting event and our delicious lunch ashore, we had the time to lie on the beach, take a nap, go for a swim, take a look at scarlet macaws on the beach or go horseback riding.
Back on board the ship at cocktails, we could not stop talking about all the different sighting we had in our day and after dinner we had a yo-yo class with salsa music in the background, and bulldog fishing bats on the stern. After a wonderful first day in Costa Rica, we were ready for a good night’s sleep.
We spent the past three days in Panama where we had a great time. We went through the infamous Panama Canal. We stopped halfway through the canal to walk on Barro Colorado Island, home of the Smithsonian Research Station where we saw monkeys and sloths, coatis, motmots, and anis under a beautiful pouring tropical rain. We saw the rich upwelling waters of the Panama Bay and the numerous sea birds that these waters support. We snorkeled on one of the best reefs on the Pacific with sharks, parrot fish, and damsel fish. So we indeed had an awesome time in Panama!
But today the morning found us in a different country, Costa Rica. And the only thing that I can say is that it just keeps getting better! We started the day at Corcovado National Park—one of the most remote wilderness areas protected in this country. Right after breakfast we sorted into groups for a variety of walks through the forest. Some of the options took us through a beautiful forest where we had a chance of seeing Spider monkeys, trogons, Red-capped manakins, Black-cheeked ant tanagers, and army ants. We ended our walks in a tropical paradise like setting, with a waterfall cascading into a beautiful swimming hole, where we went for a refreshing dip.
Back on board the ship we were on our way to a beach barbeque lunch when the Captain spotted a group of false killer whales (see picture) that we then followed for quite some time while they were busy feeding! After that exciting event and our delicious lunch ashore, we had the time to lie on the beach, take a nap, go for a swim, take a look at scarlet macaws on the beach or go horseback riding.
Back on board the ship at cocktails, we could not stop talking about all the different sighting we had in our day and after dinner we had a yo-yo class with salsa music in the background, and bulldog fishing bats on the stern. After a wonderful first day in Costa Rica, we were ready for a good night’s sleep.
