Sunday:  so glad to be in Costa Rica after running for our connecting flight   Scott was right there to see we all got in the van to the hotel.   Hotel Aerpuerto is a tropical gem in the city----a great way to be introduced to Costa Rica.  Over dinner we met most of the other particants, but some missed there connection sadly and Jessica had to stay to meet them.


Monday:    All our heavy suitcases loaded on the big blue bus----seemed forever to get finally out of all the traffic in San Jose and breathe a sigh of relief to be climbing up the green hills and to be able to get out and walk in the high grasses at over 10,000 high above treeline.    A delight to see the clubmosses, found blueberries  and blackberries to eat, and even cranberries( like alpine areas of Mt. Washington, NH),  teeny teeny red berries which I want to identify, teeny blue and white flowers which are like what I saw in Croatia in their limestone alpine areas, and then views out to the fog and wooded mountians ---Pacific on one side,  Caribbean on another
Then off to eat at high elevation road stop----with hummingbird feeders and could see 4 species of hummingbirds. At green plantain--like  a starch. Peace lilies grow down the garden slopes to meet the tropical forest and sound of bird songs beckon therein.  I am mentoring a project on birds, and with my 2 mentees: Jonathan and Kim we did a short walk to see or hear the hummingbirds which were resting in the bushes between feeding on the feeders. A little bird with sparrow like body and crest is indeed a sparrow.  Jaiden thought she lost her purse, but found it again on the bus.   The bus ride is so long and most of us tired and in and out of sleep or dealing with  car sickness.  Bought cheesits--salt and fat helped the latter.    Went along a large river and stopped again in a town with sweltering heat and humidity.  The high area was so refreshing.     On the bus again and finally came to San Vito and driving then up hills --mostly pasture land dropping steeply on either side with small farms.  All of this land was primary forest until 1950s when the government got Italiens to settle here and convert the land to farmland.  The land of the research station is also not primary forest and we learn it was once pastureland which was converted to a botanical garden of species from all over the world, and then bought in the 1970 by OTS. And so we arrive at Los Cruces Biological Station and welcomed by Rhode bioliogist  who helps us get all of our luggage out -----and moved to the lovely cabins where we are staying---I'm rooming with Monette from Heritage U who is working with Chad on education project.