Colin: This had nothing to
do with my basket—let me just get that out of the way.
Phil: I’ve seen Colin’s
basket—and gelatinous is one way to describe it.
Barbara: Okay, boys, let me
finish: the “mass” was none other than a delightfully warm squishy hot water
bottle encased in a soft felt blanket which warmed the bed and to which my feet
stayed glued the entire night (not because it was cold in the room, but because
it was sooooo cozy). The rooms at El Silencio are perfect. There are 16
separate cottages, outfitted with the most comfortable white-sheeted beds and huuuuuge
bathrooms and outdoor hot tubs. You feel as if you are alone in the rain forest
(but in a safe, sophisticated, no-want-of-a-luxury way.) Jo, in reference to
your concern about heat, the rain forest could be your place. It is relatively
cool here in the north. Probably low 70sF, low 20sC—and yes, it does rain. But
it is more like a mist, and you don’t feel cool if you are hiking the woods for
hours as we did this morning (or ensconced in front of the main room fire,
wrapped in blankets.)
Deb: Today’s spectacle came
in the form of a three-hour hike in the rain/cloud forest with our
eco-concierge Andrey. It was in a word, spectacular! Off we went covered in
layers of warmth and plastic, walking sticks in hand, to wind our way into this
magical forest. We encountered three, count em’ three, gorgeous waterfalls. I
am proud to say that my DNA is forever ensconced in this magical place in the
form of my magical urine, which I generously deposited not once, but three
times during our sojourn. I am sure in the very near future you will hear tell
of miraculous growth in the rainforests due to an undetected and unexplained
presence there.
Phil: After viewing the
trout pond, one particularly feisty one ended up on my lunch plate. Delicious.
I want to say something about the “Hot Lips” flower we saw on the trail. What
can I say??? What ... can … I … say…???
Colin: This has been … wet.
But my shoes were dry. Deb bent my room key. I had to go up and down the stairs
(between the room and the main lodge). The waterfalls were spectacular. The
food was exquisite. The people are lovely. Good senses of humour, very
informative, they seem to know everything about everything. If we could just
ditch the two broads, we’d have a great time. (I also marked my territory with an
eco-friendly Sharpie.)
Barbara: I will say this: I
didn’t want to pack heavy, dirty boots for trail walking, but I guess I had no
idea there would be so much rain in the rainforest (…idjit…). So I packed
rubber-soled Mary-Janes—and you know what? They were fine, given that the
trails, while wild, were groomed and not really muddy. Couldn’t believe that my
feet stayed warm and dry the whole time.
Deb: Although we did not
see any scurrying animals, we did see and hear plenty of colourful birds
including the yellow-thigh finch, common bush tanager, green hermit
hummingbird, grey-breasted wren, and the clay-coloured robin, which is the
national bird of Costa Rica, seen everywhere in the country from rainforests to
cities. And where you might ask are my bino's? On the back windowsill at home!
grrrr arggghhh!
Barbara:
I’m intrigued with the water system they have here. Water in Costa Rica is
generally safe and clean, but El Silencio has an ingenious eco-friendly
approach to water, piping it in from a nearby spring, filtering it for sediment,
and purifying with ultra violet light. No chlorine!!! You can safely drink ALL
the water here—and they use the same purified water in the hot tubs. No
chlorine!!! And then all the used water is cleaned and recycled. I bow to their
eco-savvy ways here. El Silencio is owned by a Costa Rican family who I have it
on good authority is a wonderful family, very committed to environmental responsibility
and supporting the local communities. They grow their own organic vegetables
for 40% of their needs and buy the other 60% from the local farmers. Their
staff of 25 comes from a nearby town of 200. No guilty pleasure here!
Deb:
Now we’re going to hit the hot tubs and sit down for another meal—after all, it’s
been a couple of hours since we’ve eaten. Pura vida!
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| Hot Lips flower |
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| La Promesa Waterfall |
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| We were offered the wonderful chance to plant a Dama tree (or Lady tree) on the property. |
