Waterfalls, Hummingbirds and Earthquakes


Our first full day here in Heredia was pretty unbelievable. When we first arrived yesterday, we got to experience our first earthquake, which wasn't very noticeable, but we saw the effects when we traved to the waterfall garden today. Our guide, Javier, pointed out that what was green vegetation the day before was replaced by red dirt from the earthquake on the side of the roads. When we arrived at the gardens everything was muy bonita. Some of the plants we saw were "poor man's umbrella," orchids, Queen of the Night and so much more I could not keep up with all the different names.




My favorite, the orchid!


I was so excited when we stepped into the bird section that housed all the toucans. They were so colorful and would dive down at our heads every now and then. Other birds I saw were hummingbirds feeding out of their feeders and buzzing by us. Monkeys were next to greet us and our guide informed us they weren't very friendly. The animal I was anticipating the most wasn't the big cats like the jaguar or pumas or even the boa constrictors or other snakes, but instead, it was the sloth. They were so cute I wanted to pet them but they were snoozing.

Me holding a newly hatched butterfly!


Everyone I have seen here has been so happy and friendly to me that I am pretty excited about meeting my host family tommorrow. Trying to speak the little amount of Spanish I know has proven to be difficult but it is really entertaining. Yesterday in the farmers market, me and another girl were almost playing charades to the coconut venders when we tried to ask them a question. Every Tico around tried to get involved with our "game" to help us out. It even introduced a wonderful photograph experience with an elderly but fiesty old man. The bakery we went to next smelled like heaven. I have never seen doughnuts as huge as the doughnuts in this bakery. They were about double the size of Krispy Kreme or Dunkin Donuts.


Farmer's Market (May 13)


I can't really think of any words to bring justice to what the waterfalls looked like in La Paz. The closest word is breathtaking. I am in love with this land. The vegetation is so green and beautiful that every aspect of the entire hike was picture worthy!


Muy Bonita!


Tommorrow we will be going to the volcano Poas to peer inside it from the top. I can already tell the next few weeks I am here are going to be packed full and long, but the experiences I have already gotten in only one and a half days are worth the early mornings. After all, Costa Rican coffee is world famous. =)