Manuel Antonio
Sitting around the fire makes one think about everything, and about nothing. Jorge Luis Borges wrote: “The fire awakes in humans an ancient fear.” I don’t know if it is fear, or if it is reverence for nature. The fire reminds us how fragile we are as a species, how identical to other creatures we are, and how wonderful it is that life flourishes in this planet of water, and mountains, and green fields.
It is the evening of Thursday, and our guests sit around a bonfire. Ban Ban, the owner of Caletas, plays the guitar. Our younger guests enjoy their marshmallows and chocolate, and I think about today, and tomorrow, and the day after tomorrow; I think about this wonderful part of the world, Central America, that has welcomed us with the most amazing sightings and songs; as naturalist Max Vindas said today, “Each forest has its sounds, the birds, the leaves moving with the wind, the sea behind.” And the song of the Pacific coast of Central America vibrates in my mind.
I open my eyes the day after, and it is Manuel Antonio, the smallest National Park in Costa Rica, but a hotspot for wildlife. We find two toed sloths, three toed sloths, four species of monkeys, Coati mundi, agoutis, iguanas, toucans, and a myriad of creatures that sing the song of this forest. There is strong surf, waves arrive and leave the beach; that’s the cycle of life, it is to go, and it is to come back. This is living to the most, experiencing every sound, every color in a bird’s feather, every sparkle of light. This is an exploration with Lindblad Expeditions, a wide opening experience, to learn indeed, but to enjoy life to the fullest.
Sitting around the fire makes one think about everything, and about nothing. Jorge Luis Borges wrote: “The fire awakes in humans an ancient fear.” I don’t know if it is fear, or if it is reverence for nature. The fire reminds us how fragile we are as a species, how identical to other creatures we are, and how wonderful it is that life flourishes in this planet of water, and mountains, and green fields.
It is the evening of Thursday, and our guests sit around a bonfire. Ban Ban, the owner of Caletas, plays the guitar. Our younger guests enjoy their marshmallows and chocolate, and I think about today, and tomorrow, and the day after tomorrow; I think about this wonderful part of the world, Central America, that has welcomed us with the most amazing sightings and songs; as naturalist Max Vindas said today, “Each forest has its sounds, the birds, the leaves moving with the wind, the sea behind.” And the song of the Pacific coast of Central America vibrates in my mind.
I open my eyes the day after, and it is Manuel Antonio, the smallest National Park in Costa Rica, but a hotspot for wildlife. We find two toed sloths, three toed sloths, four species of monkeys, Coati mundi, agoutis, iguanas, toucans, and a myriad of creatures that sing the song of this forest. There is strong surf, waves arrive and leave the beach; that’s the cycle of life, it is to go, and it is to come back. This is living to the most, experiencing every sound, every color in a bird’s feather, every sparkle of light. This is an exploration with Lindblad Expeditions, a wide opening experience, to learn indeed, but to enjoy life to the fullest.
