HAPPY HOLIDAYS 2023-2024 - MyShadowProductions #154

Happy Holidays everyone !!

First, I normally don’t do New Year resolutions but I am going to think about this one. I recently started volunteering at the Aurora Area Interfaith Food Pantry (that is a mouthful :) and on my second day I was “told” (by another volunteer) that I was “mansplaining”. I apologized without really understanding what that meant. I googled it later and if I was just a little bit “guilty” of that then I need to work on it.

Back to the Holidays!!

After Thanksgiving I started to take random photos of things that suggested or represented Christmas and the New Year. Unfortunately there wasn’t any local snow to “enhance” the season.

I combined those photos with the photos I received from MyShadow Followers that I requested in previous Posts. 

The result is my Movie/video Christmas Card for 2023/2024.

CLICK HERE for Christmas Cheer (that rhymes:)

Here is a rough map of where MyShadowProductions Followers live (still waiting for a follower outside the United States:). Hopefully I didn’t miss anyone.

I haven’t done HAIKU in a while, one last try for this year :)

How are you? they said

“Better than I think I am”

Gratitude helps that

Most of all, to all of you and your families!!

Best Wishes with Peace and Joy throughout the New Year !!

Last days in Cahuita, Costa Rica - MyShadowProductions #153

Hola everyone !!

Made it back to Aurora on Monday night, December 11. Got a driver from Cahuita for the 40 minute drive to the small Limón Airport, then flew in an 18? seat plane to San Jose Airport, then United to Houston, through immigration and then to Chicago and an Uber back to my apartment.

The last few days in Cahuita were pretty calm and I basically retraced some walks at the National Park, Playa Negra and Playa Grande. 

I will always be amazed by the ocean/sea and the waves! One huge positive was that there was almost zero plastic bottles (I saw 2 in 2 weeks) or human generated trash on the beaches :)

I did a few “Just the Waves” videos to share, but they just do not do it Justice.

Just the Waves #1

Just the Waves #2

Just the Waves #3

The next movie/video is a collection of “Street Art” and just cool things that caught my eye. Click here to see it.

The rain was mostly in the first week and the second week there was more sun and it felt hotter although the temperatures at night were always 73 to 75 and during the day 82 to 86.

Saw a few more animals:

Saw another cool butterfly and some weird mushrooms/fungi:

I am grateful whenever I get to visit and experience a new place. 

The Blue Morpho Butterfly welcomed me each time I walked through the National Park :)

Made it through all the jungle trails, beaches and cabin without window screens with only 3 mosquito bites :)

Thank you for letting me share my photos and thoughts!!

Pura Vida !!

Manzanillo, Costa Rica and a few bad days - MyShadowProductions #152

Buenas Dias !!

Day 7 was Friday December 01, 2023 and I took a day trip to the “end of the road”, in this case Manzanillo.

It is pretty convenient by bus, 10 minutes walk from my cabin to the bus station and then a 1 hour drive. The buses aren’t luxurious, no ac, but with windows open it is comfortable.

The water there seemed to have a special turquoise color that day, maybe just for me or more likely the lighting of the sun and fresh air from the previous rains.

My plan was to hike the Trails at Jairo Mora Sandoval Gandoca - Manzanillo Mixed Wildlife Refuge. The setup was similar to Cahuita National Park, sign in, make a donation and off you go.

I walked/hiked for 3 hours and it felt like double that. Maybe the ups and downs, slippery conditions in a lot of spots and/or maybe my body was starting to react a bit to the previous days.

CLICK HERE for a movie/video created from my photos.

Did you notice this little guy in the movie/video?

Day 8 was Saturday and I woke up with the flu that kept me close to the cabin all day Saturday and Day 9, Sunday. The owner of the cabin, Johssie, and her son, Bentlin, were very helpful going to get me some Pepto Bismol, Electrolyte drinks and medicine and crackers (kind of an old white man thing??) They also gave me some cinnamon and lemon mint leaves to make tea.

                         Don’t worry, I added water :)

Day 10 was Monday and I felt good enough to leave the cabin and walk around Cahuita a little and drop off laundry to pick up later in the day. 

Day 11 was Tuesday and I took the bus again and went to Punta Uva, a little past Puerto Viejo, and mainly just wandered from beach to beach. Actually went swimming at the tip of Punta Uva Point.

View my short movie/video of Punta Uva HERE.

That night though the flu was back, no it wasn’t the pizza :) Pretty rough from about 5 to 10 pm but slept fine after that and on Wednesday morning felt great.

That’s it for this Post, need to work on ideas for the remaining days :)

Adios for now :)

Puerto Viejo de Talamanca & Beaches North of Cahuita - MyShadowProductions #151

Buenos Dias !!

This blog will cover days 5&6 in Costa Rica.

Day 5 - Wednesday- November 29

This day I went to Puerto Viejo de Talamanca, about 25 minutes South down the coast. This “more popular” beach down was definitely more hectic, hippie like, more traffic, etc.

I did find some interesting spots and some unexpected trails along the coast from the town to Landscape Cocles.

As I was taking some photos at the Landscape Cocles, cliff and small island, a point that endures constant assault from the waves, I was standing on some rocks and a wave came up bigger than others and filled my boots.

I walked away to a safer spot and removed my shoes to dump out the water and sand. I looked down and there was a trail of Leaf Cutter Ants, I remembered them from Honduras and later I googled about them and apparently their amazing species has been around for millions of years. I can’t even begin to fathom all of that.

View a short Video Here.

Puerto Viejo has a black sand beach, Playa Negra, a few shipwrecks and some rugged coasts and other beaches with their own variety of jungle trees and their relationship with the Caribbean.

CLICK HERE for my movie/video created from my day in Puerto Viejo de Talamanca.

Day 6 - Thursday - November 30

When you walk out of your cabin to start a walk/hike to beaches and coastline and local things you have never seen before and you hear Howler Monkeys, what do you do?

1. Ignore them and hurry on?

2. Take a Quick Look but move on so you don’t “look like a tourist” (which is what I am :)?

3. Take a look, see several monkeys with smaller monkeys, take the time to make a video?

I am glad to say I chose number 3 - Click Here for my Howler Monkeys video, this was just across the street from my cabin :)

As I mentioned above, I walked out of my cabin and turned left, north, to see what that part of Cahuita had to offer.

I was pleasantly surprised, although at times the trails were hard to find, it was cool to see more variety in the waves, the coastal volcanic rocks (I think?), tidal pools and one beautiful view after another.

I will not try it, but I think you can walk/hike the beach all 25 miles to Limón.

ClicK HerE for my movie/video created from my photos, longer than expected but you can take a few extra minutes, right?

On the way back I saw a Mama and Baby Sloth, no sense taking a video there, haha.

Have a great day !!