Monteverde Fig Tree (5-13)

On our last day in Monteverde, we hiked to the nearby waterfall and famous fig tree. Fig trees are ¨stranglers¨ meaning they grow off of another tree, entangle it, grow around it, steal light and nutrients from the host tree, and eventually stangle it to death. The host tree then dies and decomposes. So some very old, very tall fig trees are completely hollow. There is one just like this in Monteverde and we climbed, inside of it, to the top of the forest canopy. It was really frightening. But really fun. It was like a chuck-e-cheese jungle gym thing for big kids. It was hard to take pictures of, but here are my best:

Waterfall:




Climbing to the top of the fig:



The canopy view:

There was a creepy guard monkey, up top. It was weird:

San Luis Waterfall (5-10)

On one of my last few days in Monteverde, I travelled to the San Luis Watefall. It is by far the most beautiful watefall in the Monteverde area and probably one of the most beautiful waterfalls I have seen this whole trip. This was one of the best days I´ve had while in Costa Rica. Maybe not just because of the beauty of the fall, but because of the company I was with, too.

The San Luis Waterfall is over 200 feet tall with multiple ridges (not exactly sure what they are called). I don´t think I captured the entire fall on camera, but you get the idea, right? Trully a beautiful and almost magical place, even though the water was COLD.

The walk down to the falls took about two and a half hours. But the beautiful views on the way there were well worth the journey (I love clouds!):










Then we made it to the forest:

and the fall:





It was pretty amazing. Very beautiful. If you ever go to Monteverde, Costa Rica, I think it´s a hike that is well worth it. Especially if you can get in without paying, like we did.

Off to Peru

Spent my first night in Costa Rica in the Hostel Pangea. Spending my last night in Costa Rica in the Hostel Pangea. It feels so weird knowing I am going to be leaving the place I have just spent the past 4 months. It was by far the greatest experience of my life. I met amazing people. Saw some of the most beautiful places in the world. And learned more than my mind can handle. I will miss those I have met. And I miss my family and friends back home who I have not seen in a long while. But... I must continue the adventure. Continue my endless journey of body and mind. Continue to see the world and all the beauty that it holds.

I will continue my blog, assuming I have Internet access. And still have some photos to put up from the end of my trip here. So stay tuned. Enjoy the beauty that summer brings, where ever you are. Have a beer on the porch. Have a bonfire. Climb a bunch of trees. Look up at the stars and let your dreams soar. Most of all, enjoy the company of those around you. Because if I have learned anything on this journey, it's that the people you're with - friends, lovers, teachers, strangers - these are the people who make the experience worth while. They are who you remember first.

Peace,
Jason

Monteverde Biological Station