Monteverde with Mom

My mom came out for a week spent bird-watching and relaxing. First at my house in the foothills outside San Jose, where we saw oropendulas, blue-crowned mot mots, a toucan, and at least a dozen other species of birds in just two days! Then to the cloud forest of Monteverde, where we had several quetzal sightings! We had an amazing time hiking on our own in the Santa Elena Reserve (where we didn't see too much because we don't exactly have trained eyes, but did enjoy hanging out with the mostly domesticated peccary), going for a night hike in the Eternal Children's Forest (we saw sleeping birds- who's ever seen a bird sleeping??- tarantulas, frogs, and lots of interesting bugs), and then going on an excellent guided hike through the Monteverde Reserve where we spotted quetzals and many other beautiful birds, howler monkeys, a tarantula, a snake, and others. Overall it was a great trip. We were lucky to have a beautiful house to ourselves in Monteverde in which David, Mom, and I cooked delicious dinners, played hearts, sipped on wine, and observed the local birds and bugs. Unfortunately the end of the trip was quite rushed as David and I were taking off for Nicaragua the same day my mom was leaving for the US. We all made it to our destinations safely, and are now all very busy. The week relaxing and hiking around El Rodeo and Monteverde was an excellent vacation for us all.