Moonrise

Moon and Fire

Bundled Up!

Dancing Fire

After a rather adventurous trip I made it back to Port Aransas in time to gather with friends at the monthly Moonfire (in celebration of the full moon). The evening started with a breeze, so it was a bit chilly out on the beach. In perverse fashion, the temperatures climbed as the night wore on, it was 51 at 6pm but by 9 it was 54. And no, our fire wasn’t THAT big!

Side note: I’m going to avoid flying in and out of San Antonio from now on! I don’t have any problem with the actual airport but apparently my car has issues being left alone. Last time I had to replace the battery, this time I had to buy new tires. Good times!

One of the many side benefits of visiting my friend Lisa is taking advantage of Portland’s quirky, cool music scene. This time we snagged tickets to Purple Reign by the Portland Cello Project. For this production the band was joined onstage by the proficient percussionist, Tyrone Hendrix and the stellar singer, Saeeda Wright – both former members of Prince’s band.

They wasted no time getting us into the groove with a rousing rendition of “Let’s Go Crazy.” You don’t have to like Prince’s music to appreciate the lyrics, “You better live now, before the grim reaper come knocking on your door”.

Later, Saeeda Wright brought the house down with the original, “Share You”, reminding us that we all have unique gifts that we shouldn’t hesitate to share with the world.

Then most of the performers left the stage and the core, touring members of the group played music inspired by Prince.

The full band came back with a medley of “Little Red Corvette” and “Raspberry Beret” before segueing into “You Sexy MF” (which they artfully changed to You Sexy Cello Lover). “Purple Rain” wrapped up the show and “I Would Die 4 You” was the encore. As always, I remain in awe of musicians who push their skills and instruments beyond the norm.

Even though Lisa’s ability to boogie was limited we had a groovy time!

For me, a trip to Oregon would not be complete without a jaunt out to the coast. I’ve been visiting the Pacific Northwest for over 20 years and have even been fortunate enough to live here for a time. Though it was chilly, there was still a happy amount of sunshine peeking through the clouds.

Walking the beach was more meaningful this trip since just a week prior I had dipped my toes in the same ocean, albeit some 4,000 miles south. Beach = barefoot in my book, though I’ll admit the 51°F felt a bit cold (hence, the red toes). Obviously, the water was a lot warmer down in Costa Rica!

The Pacific Ocean never fails to mesmerize…

One of 1250+ species of Butterfly in Costa Rica

Strangler Fig

Coffee Relative

Twisted Liana

Red Passionflower

Costa Rican Orange-kneed Tarantula

Canopy at Dusk

Side-striped Palm Pitviper, Juvenile

Sleeping Two-toed Sloth

For my first full day in the cloud forest I followed a meandering road up to a massive Strangler Fig (Ficus aurea). These towering, Gaudí-esque trees are crucial components of a healthy cloud forest. They not only provide food and habitat for a wealth of animals but they can support thousands of epiphyte plants and mosses on their broad branches. While much of the area here had been heavily logged and is now a secondary forest, Strangler Figs were often spared since their unique growth pattern meant their wood held little commercial value.

After a quick bite for dinner I was whisked off for a nighttime tour of the nearby Kinkajou Preserve. As we munched delicious guavas off the tree, our guide enthusiastically pointed out various creatures along the way. Though sadly, the park’s namesake was not one of them. The Costa Rican Orange-kneed Tarantula (Megaphobema mesomelas) and the Side-striped Palm Pitviper (Bothriechis lateralis) were favorites among the young people in our group while I was partial to the sleeping Hoffmann’s Two-toed Sloth (Choloepus hoffmanni).

It was a great introduction to the cloud forest and its denizens, I just wish my photography skills had been up to the challenge!

Wildlife Crossing Sign

Road into Santa Elena

Pura Vida Coralie, Chalkboard Art in My Hostel

Sloth Art

View from My Hostel

Tico House in the Hills

Road to ?

Butterfly Garden Sign

Tree House Sign

Orange House This Way

Nicoyo Gulf Sign

What a difference from my recent beach stay! Santa Elena is located at about 4500′ elevation, up in the cloud forest. It is a good 20 degrees cooler up here so I finally get a chance to wear pants!

I have a private room in a cute hostel near the center of this little town. The mountainsides around here are dotted with parcels of privately owned, protected land. Many of these reserves offer guided tours (which, thankfully, include transportation to and from my hostel).

In addition to having a rustic road system through most of the countryside, Costa Rica has yet to utilize any method of addressing. This lack of organization makes locations difficult to find, especially for visitors. Some Ticos tackle this problem by posting hand-painted directional signs showing their houses. I’m not sure how functional they are but they’re fun to look at!