CheTica to Cahuita - MyShadowProductions #150

HOLA!!

How is everyone doing?

Monday, day 3, it was time to leave CheTica and head east through Braulio Carrillo National Park to the outskirts of Limón and then South to Cahuita (Kah-wee-tuh) on the Caribbean Coast. As usual for me, I went back and forth in my mind about how to make the +/- 4 hour trip. Flying not an option for this, but Bus, Taxi/Driver and Shuttle Van were the options. In the end I worked out a plan with the Driver who took me to Bonsai Mundo.

We left CheTica around 8 am and I was at Cahuita Lodge around 11:30 am.

            He has a grandiose idea of what his Taxi looks like :)

The ride was interesting through the National Park but hard to photograph from the vehicle. After the Park they are widening the Carretera (highway) to 4 lanes to Limón and it got pretty confusing at times which lanes to drive in. Confusing not only for me, the passenger seat “driver” but for the experienced driver :)

              Using broken chunks of asphalt for delineators :)

After Limón the road South was 2 lanes and followed the coast with many, many, many banana tree fields (can you say Del Monte or Chiquita?)

Cahuita is about 20 minutes from Puerto Viejo de Talamanca, the more “popular” town for surfers, backpackers and partiers. Other towns include Punta Cocles, Punta Uva and Manzanillo.

My plan is for my room here in Cahuita to serve as a base and explore the other towns randomly with local buses/drivers, then walking/wandering around :)

I took some photos and walked around a little, late Monday afternoon and here is a movie/video to VIEW.

By the way, I knew it was a mistake to mention the weather in my previous Post, it looks like rain will be a part of the adventure for at least a week? It is supposed to be the end of their rainy season but it’s not over until it’s over :)

Tuesday I ignored the forecast and walked 10 minutes to the Cahuita National Park entrance for the 7 am opening time. Everything I read online said it opens at 8 am but I walked by the entrance on Monday and one of the workers said it opens at 7 am so I ended up being the first and only one to enter around 7:10 am. Too much information I know, but it happened :)

The admission is free with donations accepted. I acted like a big spender and handed over 10,000 colones ($20 US). At that time I thought it might be too much but just halfway through my hike I realized it was way less than the experience was worth!

This was the forecast:

Talamanca is a Cantón (like a county?)

Thankfully it wasn’t as dire as it looked, changing every 10 minutes or so from sprinkles to bright light to rain and at times it felt like I was “swimming while walking”, but it all added to the adventure and probably was more enjoyable than a partly sunny day which might be quite hot?

In case you are interested I made a movie/video from my many photos and if you would, PleaseTake a Look. I tried to cut some photos out of the video but just couldn’t do it :)

I did not pay extra for the raccoons, they were so polite, they acted like they didn’t know I was there :)

Trying to take photos of a flying butterfly is not easy :) You might have noticed in the video? When it landed it closed the wings and hid the color :) I believe it is called a Blue Morpho, a symbol of joy, purity, love, beauty, or a change in luck (that can go both ways, haha).

I considered it as a personal guide through the Park. I don’t know if one butterfly followed me or if I passed several, but it/they crossed my view many times :)

The adventure will continue as I get settled in and find a supermercado (super market) and a lavanderia (laundry) and a restaurant or two and some fresh fruit.

Pura Vida !!

CheTica Mountain Lodge, Bonsai Mundo & Bosque Caricias - MyShadowProductions #149

Buenos dias Amigos !!

Thank you very much for all of the nice comments on the previous Posts, I really enjoy sharing my photos and experiences.

Sunday was Day 2 of this trip and I really did not have a set plan but it turned out pretty cool.

After some confusion with my “Spanish” while asking some questions of one of the workers at CheTica, I ended up talking to Ruben, owner, on the lodge’s landline phone in my room (don’t remember the last time I used one of those phones).

Anyway, I decided to let him call a taxi for me to explore the area. I had saved several places on Google Maps so I sorted through them and decided on Bonsai Mundo and Bosque Caricias, both within 20 minutes of CheTica. Also, I would have the chance to drive through San Isidro, make a quick stop for some snacks and find the ever elusive ATM (cartejo automatico). Ended up being a great 3 hour tour.

Click Here for a movie/video created from my photos at Bonsai Mundo (world). I have always been amazed by Bonsais and this place is just stunning!!

Next was Centro Recreativo Bosque Caricias for some jungle/cloud forest hiking.

CLICK HERE for the movie/video, so many shades of GREEN, not many overlooks but I didn’t hike all of the paths.

The last movie/video in this Post is a photo summary of my day and a half at CheTica Mountain Lodge. VIEW IT here.

Well, time to finish packing, eat breakfast and head out for a travel day to the next stop, most likely I will be there in the afternoon.

The weather has been great, some clouds, some sprinkles, some sun and temperatures 65 to 80. The wind can get pretty loud and swirling, especially at night while it whips around the trees and the lodge.

Have a Great Day !!

I went South, ORD to SJO - MyShadowProductions #148

Hola Amigos,

I went Five hours south (7:40 am - 12:45 pm) by a United 737 to Costa Rica, the Juan Santamaria International Airport (SJO) near San José, the Capitol of Costa Rica.

The flight was not full and I was able to slide over to a window seat looking west and enjoy the daytime flight. Saw portions of the Mississippi River, New Orleans Delta, tip of the Yucatán Peninsula (Cancun area), north coast of Honduras (with the coast stretching to Hospital Loma de Luz, where I volunteered in November 2021).

I am staying the first 2 nights at Mountain Lodge CheTica in the foothills about 30 minutes from San José Centro.

                            Santorini Room

Time zone here is Central Standard Time, so this time of year it matches Central Time in the United States and since they don’t celebrate daylight savings time they match United States Mountain Time for the other half of the year.

This is the weather forecast for the area I am in now:

I have been up since 3 am (4 am Uber to Airport), so I am going to make this short and finish with a few photos from a walk before sunset.

More to come when I get in the PURA VIDA groove!

West Side of Morton Arboretum & Upcoming Trip - MyShadowProductions #147

Hey everybody!!

The weather has been very nice and I took advantage of it about a week and an half ago and went back to Morton Arboretum to walk/hike some of the Trails on the West Side.

Still plenty of color and interesting views. There are several of these tree stumps carved into “chairs”. 

Against my better judgment I took one of those rare “phone on 10 second timer selfies”, again, I ask no judging :)

Yep, I set the timer, placed the phone against a branch, scurried to the stump chair without falling, sat down awkwardly and the photo was successful on the first try :)

Fair warning, it is in the movie/video of my photos, watch if you dare.

Now, about the upcoming trip mentioned in the title of this Post. Not sure how it will turn out, maybe not many interesting sights or opportunities for photos but won’t know until I try, time will tell :) :)

I don’t want to say where because if I end up in a different place it might be confusing :) 

Like Bob Seger says in the song “Roll Me Away” (click here to listen) (complete with a shadow at the video’s start :)

“I could go East, I could go West (or North or South :)

It was all up to me to decide”

One thing for sure though, I will not be on a motorcycle, but isn’t that a cool song and video?

A big clue that will definitely narrow down my destination (if you are guessing) is that I will fly there direct from Chicago O’Hare Airport :)

I will leave the Saturday after Thanksgiving and will be gone a little over two weeks.

Click here for a video of the Finale to the Aurora Christmas Parade Fireworks, notice the crescent moon, low in the southern sky :)

The video doesn’t show it, but there were over 7,000 people present (according to the event DJ) for the parade, tree lighting and fireworks. Next year I will know where to stand in order to get the reflection of the fireworks on the Fox River, obviously I guessed wrong this time :) I did get the tree’s reflection :)

Have a Great Thanksgiving and I will let you know where I end up !!

Phillips Park, Mastodon Lake, Sunken Gardens and Misc. in Aurora, IL - MyShadowProductions #146

Hello friends !!

First things first….:)

At the end of my Post #138 (Click Here if you want to see what you missed :) I asked for followers to PLEASE send me (Kim-favero@hotmail.com) a few photos of something in their life like a view from a window, plants, street view, local wildlife, art, something you find interesting. My plan is to combine all photos received in a shuffled and anonymous way in one of my “famous” movie/videos :) Thank you to the 3 Followers that responded earlier and feel free to add photos this time also. Looking forward to a robust response from all, thank you. I understand if you choose not to participate, no problem.

Back to business…….

A few days ago I walked to a local park in Aurora, IL named Phillips Park which also includes Mastodon Lake. They actually uncovered remains of Mastodons there when excavating the lake. I didn’t make it to the Visitor Center to see the fossils, sorry, there are photos online via Google though. Also, I am not a big fan of zoos so I skipped that, but it is Free and seems pretty nice for those who may be interested.

Oh, Phillips Park does include what looks to be a nice golf course. Looking forward to trying that out in the Spring or Summer of 2024 :)

To see a movie/video created from my photos, CLICK HERE. (music choice a little different than “normal” :)

This was an interesting Sunrise out my window on November 2, 2023. I counted over a dozen jet trails :)

In fairness to the Skies, I found a decent spot to view Sunset in Aurora, the Benton St Bridge between Stolp Ave and Water St:

Ready for a little science project/question ??

Click on the photo below and read the plaque and see if it makes sense, I am not sure that I understand it correctly;

and then ClicK HerE to watch a short video of the Isaac^ (^=squared) Swimming Stones in Aurora, IL.

What do you think??

I went back a couple of days later to get a longer video but the Swimming Stones are shut down for the winter.

On my walk to Phillips Park I passed a place called Wurst Kitchen Sausage Co. (a play on words? did “humor” exist in 1895 when the store opened? :)

Pretty interesting to Read Their Story and especially to click on their “Our Sausages”/Products link. It would take weeks/months/years to try them all :)

I did not go into the store yet, on my list of “places to go” but I did buy a bratwurst sandwich from their little walk up booth along Union St, very good!! I failed as a “Foodie”, did not get a photo.

I did get a photo at Don Walker’s Sandwich Center (about 4 blocks from my apartment) of their Chicago Style Hot Dog (very good taste and price), have also tried their “Gourmet Sandwich/The Best Italian Beef in Town” and it is very good!!

Please, no judging, once in a while won’t hurt, right?? :)

Read their story HERE. Does this fall under the “Lucky Dog” label I have used in the past?

One (or two) last rambling thought(s) for this post and then I will let you get on with your day :)

Saw this hawk while walking along the Fox River Trail:

One last “Teaser Photo” for my next Post:

Hope November is being Kind to You !! :)