Quepos, Costa Rica

 Today was a busy travel/hiking day…moving from Jacó further south to Quepos.  I apologize in advance for the long post here   

Driving along the coastal road we passed acres and acres of palm trees. We looked them up - since no coconuts were visible. They are African palms and the fruit is a large bundle of nuts that is ground up and used to make palm oil.  They were planted in abundance in the 1950’s when a banana blight took out all the banana trees.  Apparently they have devastated a huge amount of rainforest to plant these tree so not a great environmental thing.

We had plenty of time to spare as we couldn’t check in to our next house until 3pm so we took a side tour at Rainmaker Nature Preserve.  The road up the mountain was a mix of nice pavement and rutted dirt road.  

Lots of local folks out along the way  

Paid our entrance fees and started the 2.2 mile walk along well maintained

paths. 

Lots of pretty waterfalls although none were terribly large  

Interesting formations of the millions of vines  

This park has about 20 hanging bridges.  I’m not really a fan, haha!

Beautiful views though!!

Duane enjoyed joking with me about the unsteady footing.

Pretty flowers along the way 

More waterfalls.

Cool trees. 

Sounds of the rainforest!! Loud!

There were loads of butterflies but very difficult to capture a photo they were so quick   

Finished with the park, we got a message from our next lodging that it was clean and ready. Back down the mountain over a few sketchy bridges. 

On the highway we saw the farm workers with their extremely long saw-poles leaving the palm tree fields. 

We got settled in our nice house for the evening, then went on a walkabout to make sure we knew how to catch the bus in the morning (to go south to Manual Antonio NP tomorrow). That accomplished, we walked back to the house.  Busy downtown with bars on all doors. 

This is the street for our rental house. Bars on all doors and even the car is inside a locked gate. I don’t feel unsafe be we won’t be going out at night!