Before coming to Costa Rica, I really didn't have too much idea of this country. From reading lonelyplanet it seems like we are going to see a lot of birds and monkeys, and that just doesn't excite me very much. But after spending a few days here, what a wonderful country it is! Here in Monteverde, the continental divide and the altitude creates a special microclimate to allow the formation of cloud forest. What it's different from rain forest is that the cloud covers the foliage and the moisture often makes it to the leaves which drips to the forest floor, keeping it very, very moist. It was great walking in the forest (upper right), spotting wildlife like this beautiful bird called Quetzal (lower right), which is Guatemala's national bird. We also opted for a more adventurous activity - ziplining over the canopy (upper left)! It's such a thrill ride. the tour took us to a private reserve where 11 cables are set up, some are short and some are long. The longest one is 770m and it goes from one hill to another WAY above the canopy (lower left). The wind blows so strong that i had to focus full time on maintaining a neutral position to minimize the friction between the pulley and the cable. Otherwise? the friction slows you down and it's possible you won't make it to the other end!! Not the most leisurable way to appreciate the forest, but definitely the most fun one! :) I love it! This place is truely a classroom for wildlife! Other than the forest, there are conservatories for butterflies (wow), bats (ok), insects (oh), and snakes(no thanks!). The fertile land in this area also produces great coffee and great cheese. Monteverde really got its unfair share of gifts from the nature. :)
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