Today is our last full day in Costa Rica. We had some free time in the morning for one last stroll through the beautiful gardens of flowering native plants at the Savegre Ecolodge and Nature Reserve.
Besides quetzals there were many other species of birds we spotted at Savegre. After catching a fleeting glimpse of a long-tailed silky flycatcher yesterday, this morning I found a pair feeding on berries in a tree near the main lodge, close enough to take good photos. The crest of this pretty yellow and blue bird reminds me of a cardinal.
It was time to say goodbye to Savegre and head back over the mountains for our last ecosystem- the tallest and most violent volcano in Costa Rica- Irazu.
We passed many people walking up the mountains for an annual Costa Rican pilgrimage to the Basilica de los Angeles where a carved representation of the Virgin Mary "La Negrita" is kept to pay respects to and ask for and celebrate the miracles of their patron saint. Over a million faithful Catholics are expected to make this grueling walk, called the Romeria, which can take several days. Jimmy plans to do the walk with his sister after we end our trip.
As we approached the city of Cartega, we could see the massive Irazu Volcano looming in the distance. Within the Irazu Volcano National Park, Irazu is the highest active volcano in Costa Rica, at just over 11,000 feet at the summit. It's eruptions have been very violent and explosive, emitting a lot of ash. The last eruption was in 1994 and is due to erupt again. Let's hope it holds off until we leave!
It was a long winding trip up the volcano, passing through several microclimates. The volcanic eruptions have made the soil very fertile on the mountain and excellent for growing onions, potatoes, cabbages as well as raising dairy cattle.
Once we got to the top, above the tree line, we knew why Holbrook and Jimmy said to wear warm clothes. It was about 50 degrees but felt even colder with the wind chill. The wind was so fierce. Despite the chill and the wind, it was a beautiful clear sky day with amazing views.
As we approached the city of Cartega, we could see the massive Irazu Volcano looming in the distance. Within the Irazu Volcano National Park, Irazu is the highest active volcano in Costa Rica, at just over 11,000 feet at the summit. It's eruptions have been very violent and explosive, emitting a lot of ash. The last eruption was in 1994 and is due to erupt again. Let's hope it holds off until we leave!
It was a long winding trip up the volcano, passing through several microclimates. The volcanic eruptions have made the soil very fertile on the mountain and excellent for growing onions, potatoes, cabbages as well as raising dairy cattle.
Once we got to the top, above the tree line, we knew why Holbrook and Jimmy said to wear warm clothes. It was about 50 degrees but felt even colder with the wind chill. The wind was so fierce. Despite the chill and the wind, it was a beautiful clear sky day with amazing views.
The combination of wind and volcanic activity created a desolate moonscape appearance. This vast area of grey soil and rock stretches for quite a distance within the rim of the crater. It was like walking on a vast beach.
Jimmy pointed out the minerals in the rock and how light it felt. We noticed the poor man's umbrellas which only grow at high elevations but seemed a bit stunted here.
We braced against the wind and followed the walkway up to a stunning view of the main crater and the beautiful azure lake.
A gust of wind suddenly caught the visor of Page's hat and lifted it into the air where it then plunged into the crater. I wonder how many hats are sitting in the bottom of that lake!
There was an old stone tower "restaurado por LL Bean" (translation: restored by LL Bean). LL Bean is one of our favorite stores for outdoor clothing and gear in Page's home state of Maine. We climbed the tower and were treated to a magnificent 360 degree view. We could also see another one of the Irazu craters in the distance.
We made our way back to the bus for the trip down the mountain. Hey, has anyone seen Jimmy? Where is he hiding?
We stopped midway on the mountain for lunch at a popular restaurant. From our table view we could see a steady stream of pick up trucks going down the mountain with several men (sometimes 10 or more) sitting a top a load of potatoes. Someone remarked, "There are more men on the back of that truck than there are potatoes!"
By mid afternoon we arrived in San Jose to spend our last night in a beautiful hotel filled with artwork. I particularly liked this huge wall hanging- a hand hooked rug depicting images from Costa Rica.
Tonight we had our final farewell dinner which I will describe in the next blog entry.
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