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Lynda S. | profile | all galleries >> Panama Canal April 2012 >> Costa Rica April 29, 2012 tree view | thumbnails | slideshow

Costa Rica April 29, 2012

We docked at Puntarenas, which was a little bit of a nice surprise, as we were supposed to be docked at the port of Puerto Caldera, where there isn't much to see right around the docks. Today, Bryan and Linda, and Jim and I had a shore excursion booked through the ship - the Tropical Train Ride & Mangrove Boat Tour. I was a bit surprised at how dry the vegetation was, I had always thought of Costa Rica as a lush, tropical, rainforest. Once we got on the mangrove swamp boat tour though, it was as I pictured it - macaws, crocodiles, monkeys & jungle-type vegetation. The train ride was good too, at one point Howler monkeys were above us throwing stuff into the train - too funny!
The shoreline at Puntarenas
The shoreline at Puntarenas		 Our ship alongside of the dock
Our ship alongside of the dock		 A cappuccino white faced monkey high up in the trees alongside the road
A cappuccino white faced monkey high up in the trees alongside the road		 On no - don't go away little guy!
On no - don't go away little guy!
The countryside of Costa Rica
The countryside of Costa Rica		 Cashew fruit
Cashew fruit		 More of the countryside
More of the countryside		 We saw lots of horses on the ranch/farms along the way
We saw lots of horses on the ranch/farms along the way
The shoreline
The shoreline		 One could never say the beaches here were crowded
One could never say the beaches here were crowded		 Colourful batiks on the grounds where the Mangrove Swamp Tour was launched from
Colourful batiks on the grounds where the Mangrove Swamp Tour was launched from 		Bryan & Lynda aboard the mawamba boat as we set out through the jungle....
Bryan & Lynda aboard the mawamba boat as we set out through the jungle....
The Tarcoles River
The Tarcoles River		 Our guide Eddy
Our guide Eddy		 These are two macaws - but I couldn't quite get a good shot
These are two macaws - but I couldn't quite get a good shot		 This is what the macaws should have looked like! (this is a picture of a postcard)
This is what the macaws should have looked like! (this is a picture of a postcard)
Just when you thought it was safe to swim in the water...
Just when you thought it was safe to swim in the water...		 This croc sure was a show off - he swam around our boat a few times
This croc sure was a show off - he swam around our boat a few times		 Can you find the critter hiding from Linda's camera?
Can you find the critter hiding from Linda's camera?		 Mangrove Black Hawk
Mangrove Black Hawk
Male iguana on the Tarcoles River
Male iguana on the Tarcoles River		 Female iguana on the Tarcoles River
Female iguana on the Tarcoles River		 Just passing through! I'm not sure I would want to fall in this river though.
Just passing through! I'm not sure I would want to fall in this river though. 		Great egrit
Great egrit
Mangrove swamp trees
Mangrove swamp trees		 Our guide spotted a howler monkey in the trees
Our guide spotted a howler monkey in the trees		 This was more like what I had pictured Costa Rcia was like!
This was more like what I had pictured Costa Rcia was like!		 Mawamba boat
Mawamba boat
Very lush & tropical
Very lush & tropical		 Bryan at the gift shop/entertainment area on the grounds
Bryan at the gift shop/entertainment area on the grounds		 Glen & Diane enjoying a cool refreshing Imperial beer
Glen & Diane enjoying a cool refreshing Imperial beer		 The busses for the tour were very comfortable
The busses for the tour were very comfortable
Jim, just before the 'all-aboard the bus' sign was given!
Jim, just before the 'all-aboard the bus' sign was given!		 Red ginger flowers
Red ginger flowers		 The grounds for the Tarcoles River Mangrove Swamp Tour
The grounds for the Tarcoles River Mangrove Swamp Tour 		Jim and Lynda on the bus
Jim and Lynda on the bus
The countryside was very sparse and dry
The countryside was very sparse and dry		 The historic Pacific Railroad train
The historic Pacific Railroad train		 Bryan in front of the train
Bryan in front of the train		 Inside the historic train
Inside the historic train
Towns along the way
Towns along the way		 Countryside scenes
Countryside scenes		 Countryside domestic 'wildlife'
Countryside domestic 'wildlife'		 A local church graveyard
A local church graveyard
Riding the rails
Riding the rails		 Everyone along the way waved at us!
Everyone along the way waved at us!		 Everyone was so friendly
Everyone was so friendly		 At one point the train went through a 'cavern'
At one point the train went through a 'cavern'
Halfway thru the train stopped as howler monkeys were throwing things at us!
Halfway thru the train stopped as howler monkeys were throwing things at us!		 Whooo, Lynda's camera picks up way too much detail on this howler monkey!
Whooo, Lynda's camera picks up way too much detail on this howler monkey!		 Passing over a river on a train
Passing over a river on a train		 These fields will bge full of melons soon
These fields will bge full of melons soon
Locals swimming in the river
Locals swimming in the river		 An anteater, but he won't turn around
An anteater, but he won't turn around		 The engine of the historic Pacific Railroad train
The engine of the historic Pacific Railroad train		 Almost back in Puntarenas
Almost back in Puntarenas
A restaurant, just before Puntarena, looks like a nice place to eat
A restaurant, just before Puntarena, looks like a nice place to eat		 Hanglider
Hanglider		 I guess everyone hangs out at the local police station here!
I guess everyone hangs out at the local police station here!		 The beach by the dock - it may not be too safe to swin here though, there is a riptide
The beach by the dock - it may not be too safe to swin here though, there is a riptide
There was a very colourful market alongside the beach
There was a very colourful market alongside the beach		 Our ship amidst the palm trees
Our ship amidst the palm trees		 This cute little train is the shuttle down the pier
This cute little train is the shuttle down the pier		 The Pinnacle Grill on board the Zuiderdam
The Pinnacle Grill on board the Zuiderdam
Bev, Linda and Bryan at the Pinnacle Grill
Bev, Linda and Bryan at the Pinnacle Grill		 Linda, Jim and Gord at the Pinnacle Grill
Linda, Jim and Gord at the Pinnacle Grill		 Filet mignon - a nice presentation
Filet mignon - a nice presentation 		That's some huge rib-eye steak Lynda has!
That's some huge rib-eye steak Lynda has!
Preparing Linda's baked Alaska
Preparing Linda's baked Alaska		 Baked Alaska - the masterpiece!
Baked Alaska - the masterpiece!		 The ship was celebrating the Dutch holiday - Queen's day today
The ship was celebrating the Dutch holiday - Queen's day today

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