Parador, and home

July 2 through July 5 was next to the beach at Parador Resort and Spa. The climate was very different. While it was cool, almost cold at night in the central mountains, it was hot and humid at sea level. But not uncomfortable, actually not as bad as back home. Parador sits on a small hill above the ocean near the town of Quepas. We rented the “casita”, a three bedroom house in the center of the property. Monkeys, Howler and White-faced Capuchins, used our roof to partially cross over the path guests and staff use to go between the main building, pool and restaurants to the bulk of the rooms. There are trails through the forest that surrounds the hotel but wildlife watching was best done from buildings that allowed looking down on the canopy. Monkeys, sloths, macaws and toucans were easy to see. I walked the road leading to and from the resort and saw numerous other tropical birds but only added 7 to my life list. Most I had seen a few years before in Columbia.

The beach was a 20 minute walk, nice enough but the pool and restaurants and wildlife on the hotel grounds were the highlights. Here are some pictures:

Peggy and I drove, accidentally, into Manuel Antonio National Park. There were lots of people, the beach was long and wide, big waves and undoubtedly an under tow, didn’t look safe for small children. I bet we saw more wildlife at Hotel Parador than we would have seen in the park.

Lastly your peripatetic blogger wrapped in a Poor-man’s Umbrella

It was a great trip but getting home was an ordeal, for both families. Peggy and I missed our flight from Orlando to Charlotte because security found a bottle of water in her carry-on and had to pull her bag aside and carefully inspect it, once they had time of course. I went on ahead and pleaded with American airlines personnel to wait just a couple minutes but “sorry, no can do”. It literally was 3 minutes until she arrived. We finally got to Richmond around 11:30. The Venables were just then getting their much delayed flight home from Houston. Those kids are seasoned travelers. Next trip may be a van trip around Lake Michigan, and/or a short trip to europe, ?Italy. But for now, just relax and regroup, glad to be home.