There is nothing like being a grandparent. Seeing your children become parents and cradling that precious newborn are some of life’s greatest pleasures.
This is our eighth time around, and it is every bit as special as the first. Our daughter, Karen, has four children ages 7 to almost 15. Son Carl has three, from 3 to 8. And this winter our son Erik and his wife Katie welcomed their first child, Saige Elizabeth. It was such a happy moment for the whole family, as we have long awaited this big event.
Our flight to Seattle couldn’t come soon enough, and I readied myself with knitting needles and yarn to knit a cap for Saige on the way. Anything to pass the time! As soon as Erik brought us home from the airport, Katie greeted us with Saige in her arms and promptly handed her over. It was heavenly, seeing her at last!
I had no expectations for our visit. My whole goal was to help in any way I could and just be part of their new lives. I’d brought meal plans and wanted to free up Erik and Katie to soak up time with Saige. We would be on Saige’s time, so I was prepared for everything to be low key and flexible.
Erik had returned to work, but we all had a nice weekend together, including Saige’s first dinner out at a restaurant. Rich returned home after that, but I was not even close to getting my Grammy fix. So I stayed on for 11 days as planned. Precious time.
I admit I felt a bit rusty and wanted to get the hang of Erik and Katie’s parenting style. Everyone is different, and there are always new approaches to handling a baby. I was pleased when I mastered the art of calming Saige (deep knee bends were the key!) and was glad when I could free Katie up to attend to her MBA studies when needed.
Being the outdoors people they are, Erik and Katie wasted no time introducing Saige to fresh air. Erik had a 50k cross-country ski race, so Katie bundled Saige into the front pack and the three of us cheered Erik on for a full morning!
Katie and I ventured out for walks with Saige every day. Given Seattle’s propensity to rain, they had all the necessary gear and we headed out no matter the weather!
But the best times were snuggling with Saige. I could never get enough of her sweet face, and the tight bundle in her swaddle (something we never had!). Even in the time I was there she began to enjoy time on the floor, looking at the toys hanging overhead. I could never get enough of just sitting with her and watching.
The end of the week brought a real treat. For Erik’s birthday, Katie had made reservations at their favorite Bed and Breakfast in the Methow, a cross-country ski mecca in the Cascade Mountains. The four of us headed off for a weekend of snow and fun. I loved being part of several firsts for Saige, most notably snowshoeing and skiing! There is no doubt this little girl is going to be an outdoor sports enthusiast like her parents. Nestled snuggly in the front pack, she mostly slept through the adventures, while we relished the winter retreat including downtime in the BnB.
All that was over a month ago now, and I eagerly await photos, videos and FaceTime to see Saige grow and reach new milestones. No matter how many times I watch a grandchild grow, it never gets old.
We’ve been to Las Catalinas three times now, and while I have blogged about the experiences we’ve had there, I realize I have never really done justice to the place itself. It is a totally unique town on the Pacific Coast of Costa Rica, and I will be the first to admit that it is not your typical Costa Rican experience. But it does resemble Paradise.
Las Catalinas is the brain child of Charles Brewer, who happens to be a college friend of Rich’s brother Will. Will is one of the original investors in the project, and remains an advisor to Charles and Las Catalinas. He says “Charles spent two years traveling the world in an effort to find a family friendly, walkable New Urbanist town.” Las Catalinas is the result. Charles first explored the land by horseback back around 2000 and founded the town in 2006. A road had to be constructed to reach it, and the town was built from scratch. The vision was a Mediterranean village, with tightly fit buildings of beautiful architecture and tropical colors, laced with pedestrian walkways – no cars. They are parked in a secure lot on the edge of town. Caretakers attend to the brilliant flowering landscaping and common areas. The vision has become a reality!
This is Beach Town, built around the curvature of a pristine sand beach in a protected bay surrounded by hills. When we first visited, it had a sports rental shop, and one restaurant. By now it has blossomed to host at least 6 restaurants, myriad shops, a grocer, an ice cream stand, day spas and a few professional offices. All the restaurants are open-air, and our favorite remains the one on the beach front where we can watch the sunset.
Pura Vida, the sports shop bears special mention. Part of the town’s mission is to promote a healthy outdoor lifestyle, and the shop offers a wide range of rentals from mountain bikes to kayaks, paddleboards, boogie boards and snorkeling equipment. The steep hills surrounding the town host 40 kilometers of mountain bike trails that are also open to walkers, trail runners and hikers. It is my favorite place to be at sunrise, before the heat of the day. I have also availed myself of their kayaks to explore the nearby bays.
The shop is also the hub of social life. Sports enthusiasts come and go, trade stories, compare experiences, share tips. And who knew sports guys made excellent baristas? Their espressos are best enjoyed in the row of rockers or tree-stump tables in the shade of the building. There it’s easy to converse with others while overlooking the beach. Howler Monkeys play overhead, and iguana prowl the area.
The Beach Club lies at the other end of town, a private club with its own restaurant and bar service, and a host of pools to suit all ages and interests. I’m partial to the lap pool where I can get in my strokes under the sun, while others prefer the waterfall pools, adult soaking pools and lounging in the beach chairs.
The beach is a natural draw. Families gather to play in the waves, try their luck riding in on boogie boards, and dig in the sand. Teens swim out to the raft in the center of the bay. The adventurous launch kayaks and paddleboards over the surf. With the fresh ocean breezes and a bit of shade, it’s a comfortable place to sit in a beach chair. If it gets too hot, a dip in the ocean is both refreshing and a nice temperature for swimming or just floating in the buoyant water.
While there is no need to leave Las Catalinas, more true Costa Rican flavor can be found just 3 miles away in the town of Portrero, a drive that takes 11 minutes on the narrow, windy road. It is home to local restaurants, small grocery stores, market stalls and a beach hosting fishermen and a marina as well as water lovers. We have also enjoyed excursions to area parks for hiking, a wildlife boat tour, birding and exploring the area.
There’s a reason we keep coming back. If we’re going to escape winter, it might as well be somewhere with an abundance of sun and warmth, accessible to all kinds of outdoor activities, with beautiful birds for Rich to photograph, and an invitation to relax, slow down, read a book in the shade on the beach or enjoy the ocean waves. Life in Paradise.
It’s no secret that I am not a birder. It’s just not in my DNA to scan for birds, listen and learn their calls and understand their habitat. Nor do I have the extreme patience and skill to photograph birds. But I’m married to a birder who thrives on all of that and I admire his work.
We are currently spending two weeks in Costa Rica, a birder’s paradise. This is our fourth time here, so I had no illusions about what would occupy Rich’s time. But I also knew I would have access to my own passions of hiking, playing in the ocean, swimming laps in the sunny pool and writing in the shade at Pura Vida with a view of the ocean over my laptop screen. Just like home, we live somewhat parallel lives and come together at dinner to talk about our days.
This trip we started with three nights at La Carolina Lodge, an eco lodge in the rain forest. It remained nearly unchanged from our last visit two years ago, and we even stayed in the same rustic cabin. Rich knew the drill well, that they put out big bunches of bananas to attract birds, and made a bee line for his spot framed by foliage to photograph birds.
The one difference this trip is that Rich decided to hire a couple of birding guides – something he has never done in all his years of birding. At home, he knows the regional birds, how to find them, when they are active, and can identify them by their calls. He realized that he was at a distinct disadvantage down here, faced with birds he did not know but desperately wanted to see. So he researched guides, and booked two of them for different locations.
The first was in the rain forest, and Rich asked if I’d like to come along. I hemmed and hawed, weighed my options, and tried asking questions. “I don’t know what it will be like,” he said. “I have no idea how the guide will do this, I just know I have a half day with him to see birds.” I was afraid of being out of place, getting bored standing in one spot for ages, not being able to see the birds they were spotting. On the other hand, it would be something different to do, something local and unique to the area, and outdoors. I said yes.
We were to meet Jesse at 6:00am at Heliconias Rainforest Lodge, which was about a half hour drive. Fortunately, sunrise in Costa Rica is 5:45am, so it was already light when we left. Jesse met us promptly and after our introductions I could tell he was already at work. We stood up high, overlooking the forest. He listened intently, constantly scanned the area, and named a number of birds right off the bat. He impressed me immediately, and more importantly Rich as well. Rich pulled up his binoculars following Jesse’s clear instructions on where to look. Better yet, Jesse had a laser pointer which he used to help us spot the birds. He never pointed it at the bird which could harm its eyes, he would aim below it and explain where the bird was in relation to that. Even I was able to follow his directions. When the bird was far away, he’d lend me his binoculars so I could see it better. We saw some larger colorful birds (don’t ask me the names) which I particularly liked. This was already turning out better than I expected.
When we seem to have exhausted that area, Jesse led us up the trail away from the lodge. I’d been there before and enjoyed hiking the trails and hanging bridges in the treetops. But this was an entirely different experience. It wasn’t about the hike, it was what we might see along the way. Jesse continued to listen, scan and identify, and we stopped frequently to look at birds. Sometimes he used a speaker to play bird calls from his phone. In addition, Jesse doled out his knowledge of the area, of the foliage, the habitats, the changes over time, and other animals that inhabit the woods. I found myself fascinated, happy to linger and take it all in. I was glad to be out moving and seeing new things.
In time, it began spitting and misting. Rich and I each popped open our small umbrellas while Jesse forged on. None of us cared, we weren’t about to be deterred by getting a bit wet. It was the rain forest, after all.
As time went on, the rain got harder and the birds scarcer. We did see two large howler monkeys in the trees which I enjoyed. We crossed two of the hanging bridges, and I was sure they had gotten bouncier. When we got back to the lodge, it was raining quite hard. We went inside where you can sit and watch birds come to the feeders to eat bananas. Some birds came and went, but surely not nearly as many as on a nice day.
When we headed back out, even Jesse had an umbrella. I grabbed my rain jacket from the car and was glad to have it, even with my umbrella. Jesse took us on two more trails in the area, with decreasing returns. But we were not discouraged. We’d covered 4.6 miles and spent over 4 hours with Jesse and both agreed he was a great guide. It’s not his fault the rain washed away so many birds. Even without seeing more birds, we’d both learned a lot and had a fun morning. Rich took very few photos, but didn’t seem to care. He’d still seen the birds and loved the experience. As you can see, most of my iPhone shots were of the experience, not the birds.
We moved on from the rainforest to Las Catalinas, a beautiful beach town on the Pacific coast. Here the climate is dramatically different from the rain forest. It is very dry, with blistering sunshine all day long, nice breezes off the ocean, and easily in the mid-90s every day. Early mornings and evenings are the most comfortable, when the air feels soft on my skin. We have everything at our fingertips. An exquisitely designed pedestrian-only town with restaurants, shops and a Beach Club with multiple pools, a pristine beach, and rental equipment for outdoor sports. It is surrounded by hills, home to 40 kilometers of mountain biking trails, also great for hiking. And of course, good birding nearby.
We met our second bird guide at Hacienda el Roble. It is actually an adventure center offering ziplining, ATV tours and horseback riding – the antithesis of birding. But this large tract of land has stayed in one family for generations, and they want to preserve its natural state and allow others to enjoy the birds and nature there. Hence they welcome birders early in the morning, and had recommended our guide Chris.
Chris came equipped with a huge tripod with a spotting scope, and the requisite camera with an enormous long lens. He introduced us to the lodge owner, a lovely, welcoming woman. As we were about to get in our car to begin, Rich mentioned that he’d seen that a Scarlet Macaw had been sighted in the area. Jumping back out of the car, Chris beckoned us to follow. Pointing up into a tree by the lodge with an expansive thick green canopy, there in perfect view was just that bird! He was huge, and so colorful – now there was a bird I could revel over! We were lucky that he’d chosen a perch so easily seen, and the golden morning light made his colors even more brilliant. What a start to the day!
Returning to the car, Chris directed Rich down a bumpy dirt road. We didn’t get very far before Chris began rattling off birds, and we jumped out of the car for him to locate them for us. After several stops, we came to a small creek surrounded by trees and spent quite a bit of time there. It was a natural draw for birds, and like Jesse, Chris could find them by sight or sound. I could see many of the birds he pointed out, and if they were too far away he let me look through his scope. Suddenly they were right up close in brilliant detail! I could see colors that were impossible with my eyes, as well as watch the bird move.
Chris also had a remote speaker that could play bird calls. He knew that a Ferruginous Pygmy Owl was in the area and used his speaker to draw it in. As all the other birds knew of the owl, they suddenly became active as soon as they heard the fake call. Sure enough, the owl arrived and perched in a tree. He was brown and small, nestled in the crook of a large branch. I couldn’t see him at all, but in Chris’ scope he was easily within view. We got lucky, and the owl flew to a branch and perched right out in the open. Even I could see it, and I was fascinated by how his whole body vibrated when he made his tittering call. I didn’t try to get a picture with my iPhone, but Rich got this great shot.
The conditions were far more favorable for photography this time with the sunlight and some cooperative birds. But even so, I think Rich did as much looking through his binoculars and learning.
From that spot, a pickup truck took us to more areas of the property. Chris and Rich perched on benches in the bed of the truck, while I was told “ladies ride up front!” This time we headed to wetlands, repeating the same stop and look routine, then walked the farm trails to additional spots to find different birds. I recognized some of the birds like herons and egrets, and continued to be amazed at others through Chris’ scope.
The truck met us again and took us to the dry forest area. It was amazing the variety of habitats on this tract of land. There we walked on rough paths through the trees and brush, pocked by cow hooves from the nearby farm herds, stopping frequently to identify, view and photograph birds. We were glad for the limited shade, as the day had heated up quickly.
I particularly liked this brilliant Browed MoMo, with its beautiful turquoise color and the fun tail with a puff ball at the end. I’m sure birders would have a much more technical description!
Suddenly Chris stopped and said, “That is a million dollar bird.” He explained that many people will pay big bucks for a guide to find that bird for them, and here we had stumbled upon not one but a pair! It’s called a White-Necked Puff Bird. The pair moved to a branch adjacent to a large termite nest (which looks like a big brown hairy ball up in a tree) and repeatedly flew to the nest to punch it with their beaks and return. It was clear they were going nowhere, available to us to view and photograph for the duration. Even Chris got out his camera to capture this rare bird. While I am typically less interested in the little birds, I could appreciate the special nature of this moment. It was definitely a high note for our tour.
I was surprised that a short walk from there took us back to our car, and we returned to the lodge where a Costa Rican breakfast awaited us out on the veranda. It was fun to talk to Chris on a more personal level and learn more about how he got into birding and guiding. And once again we felt that the experience was entirely worth it.
I may not know any more about birds than I did before these tours, but I would have to admit that going out with a bird guide can be fun even for a non-birder!
Note: If you would like a more detailed birder’s perspective of one of these guide experiences complete with photographs, check out Rich’s blog post Hacienda el Roble Birding.
Superior Footprints 