parrmt

Been a delay in this report, sorry!
Our last full day (Fri) at Manuel Antonio was beautiful, not a cloud in the sky, quite hard to believe b/c Thursday was a day of torrential down pours. Alma blew in and out with a real impact. We had a great day, we headed out via bus of course to MA. Lot of people out enjoying the first good day since Monday. We rented beach chairs and umbrellas. 10.00 USD for 1 umbrella and 2 chairs. G-kids played in the water, loving it. Enjoyed the park, the sloths were quite active, saw quite a few. Also the monkeys were really playful, running around. Our G-son enjoyed it a lot.
Also had a nice lunch at Marlin. Good food both times we ate there. Shopped along the strip, lot of vendors out. After a glorious day, we went back to the house and enjoyed the pool for our last day. Had some howlers around for awhile . All of the critters are active today due to the sun and warmth.
We decided for our last night we would splurge and celebrate our anniv. and also how lucky we were to be able to come here. We went to Le Papillion at La Mariposa hotel. The views are incredible and we finally had a sunset, it was spectacular, and there were very few people at the restaurant, it made for a nice evening.
As we were going into the house after dinner our oldest daughter says ”Hey there is a sloth sleeping,” and sure enough one was all curled up over our heads. It was gone the next Morning, we checked a soon as we got up.
Up early, packing up and back to Sansa for the flight back to SJO. Youngest daughter and her hubby and the 2 G-kids headed back to Orquideas Inn for their last night, before flying home tomorrow. We (me, hubby, oldest daughter and son-in-law ) head to the Osa peninsula. It‘s our second trip there and we felt it was a little too remote for a 5 year old and 16 month old. Sorry to see them go, but this leg of the trip is a little more involved.
Our flight from SJO to Puerto Jimenez was delayed a couple of hours due to all of the backup air traffic (canceled flights earlier) due to tropical Storm Alma. Met by Frank ,AKA Pato in the BdC Range Rover, he was waiting for who knows how long? But off we go. Just the 4 of us to BdC. We saw a lot of roadside hawks on the way, for such a striking bird they have a dull name. It is a beautiful ride in.
Arrived at the Lodge, new staff this year. Cindy was waiting with the welcome drinks. We also finally got to meet Kim and Phil. (they were not at BdC our last trip) Got to hold and coo over baby Sam, a real cutie! Quick orientation since we have been before. We all headed off to Casa Blanca, we stayed there last time as well. We also got the food pkg again. The house looked great, new deck furniture as well as new living room furniture. But other than to hit the banos, sleep or dress, we were never in the house. We were either hiking or out on the deck. We had not been in the house 10 minutes when Toucans arrived and serenaded us. It was just the first of many Toucans stopping by during the week, just off of the deck and singing away. It was great!
When we went up for dinner (as has been posted before… they have enlarged the pool /bar area), there are snacks available now before dinner at the new bar area. Very nice, it was in use every night while we were there.
Maureen is still the chef, we were so happy to see here again, as well as Heilyn. She truly acted like she remembered us, if she did she has quite the memory. I love that little gal. Gerly is pregnant and will not be back until December or January. The new Cindys (there are two,) were of course wonderful, as is all the staff there).
We saw Philip at PJ,…as we were arriving, he was leaving, he told us he was off to Nicaragua for the week. So we did not get in a night hike this trip.
There is also a new naturalist/guide Carlos, he was great and we really enjoyed his expertise and love for the area. He is another great addition to the staff.
The meals were wonderful as usual. Maureen was not there the full week, when she was off Roger took over.
The week we were there,( I believe as last time that we were the only guests there a full week) the lodge had the usual honeymooners as well as a few older guests. There was a very nice family that stayed I think 3 nights at Casa Miramar. They seemed to love it. The youngest was 5 years old. Cute family!
Our first night I hear my son-in-law call for hubby. “Hey can you come here for a minute?” I am thinking, it’s late, we’re in bed…must be a critter!” So off we go via the deck (only way to enter the other bedroom is off of the deck, nice and private). Well it’s a grande, grande Scorpion. It had crawled down the wall and was in the wooden slats of the window. The 2 guys used walking sticks to get it out and then stepped on it. It was about 6 “ long. Just added to the adventure!

Howlers were at it about 4:30AM every day, you got to love ‘em! Our first full day it was overcast and it did rain a little. I forget who posted to take coffee mugs so you can get coffee early at the lodge and take it back to the deck before breakfast. Great tip and we enjoyed our coffee every AM watching the wildlife before heading up to breakfast.
Since it was a little misty and rainy I went by myself up to the farm just to see what birds or monkeys were out. There were not any birds out but there was a troop of Howlers’ up in the canopy. I enjoyed just listening and watching the branches sway as they moved about. As I am walking back to the house from the farm, a large critter walks out of the jungle near the start of the Pacific Trail. It’s right in front of me, I stop and I am in awe! Big, black and beautiful. Sleek. I realize immediately that it is not a Puma or Jaguar, maybe a Jagarundi??Tayra? It never looks my way, just walks very slowly across the road and into the jungle. I fly back to the house all excited, we have our CR birding book but no animal book. I’m telling the family all about it, I am soooo excited. We go up to the lodge and I look through the book and it is a Tayra! A large weasel-like critter. Beautiful ! I add it to the animal sighting book that is at the front desk!
Again we are serenaded by Toucans as well as a visit from a poison dart frog off of the deck. And an agouti foraging out front.

We did all of the hiking trails on the property but one (Zapotero, it’s a short one, not sure why we did not get to it, we will have to go back so we can get it in also!)
We were out hiking and we cut through the garden to cross the bridge (gotta love that Suspension bridge!) and just off the bridge practically next to us is a lone Spider monkey, It really did not care that we were nose to nose so to speak . We were enthralled! It was eating and enjoying the day. Got some great pictures!
The same day we are enjoying libations on the deck and hubby says “I think there is a big monkey in the tree “We look up, again just off of the deck ,way ,way up high and we can’t tell exactly ….what is that big thing up there ? Binocs and camera zooming in. It’s a huge “so ugly it’s beautiful” King Vulture. Again great pictures! The kids got me a tripod that folds up for traveling, it was great to use on the deck for the birds and monkeys. It was a gift that I would never have thought of buying for myself, but was so nice to have it. So many things you see are up high in the canopy. Hard to hold a camera still to get good zoom shots. We found out that the King Vultures are new sightings at BdC. It was in our tree for two days roosting. We added that to the sighting book as well.
More to come later

shillmac

parrmt, you've got me rockin' and rollin' here! What a great Bosque del Cabo report! Anxious to read more. How exciting about the tayra--we had one run across the road in front of us over by La Paz--years ago. Only a year or two after did we figure out just what it was.

And the king vultures, hope to see one! I'd love to get that guy on the ole life list!

So glad to hear a Fodor regular "set the record straight" on Casa Blanca. Balances a recent negative post which didn't quite stand to reason. . .

I hope to get up there next month and look it over as well (unless it is rented, of course!).

That scorpion! 6 inches? Jiminy Christmas, what a monster. I can't even imagine. Hope to NOT see one of those!

By the way, happy anniversary. How cool to celebrate it with a gorgeous sunset and nice dinner. Those are the moments, arent' they?

Hope to see you next June!

janenicole

Love reading about BdC! Thanks for filling us in about staff changes there. I wondered why I hadn't heard anything about Gerly.

Glad to hear Maureen is still there. I thought the food was exceptionally good when Maureen was the chef, and still great on her days off, but she adds so many interesting flavors to her dishes. Mmmmm, just thinking about the food at Bosque makes my mouth water.

I remember reading your trip report from two years ago, and looking at your pictures (can still visualize the photo of your Keen's!), and getting so excited for our first trip. You do such a great job of describing BdC, and capturing the excitement of wildlife sightings. Looking forward to the rest!

tully

Love reading your report! A tayra! Wow, that would be awesome - have only seen one at the Refuge, never in the wild. Yes, so glad to read a report on Casa Blanca from someone who knew what to expect. The scorpion though - eek! Didn't you have one last year somewhere else or am I dreaming that up? I see you were so excited to meet Ben you changed his name to Sam hee! Agree about Maureen, love her cooking.....she's sometimes like mom when she comes out by the line: "what is this?" "it's xxxx, put it on your plate, eat it, it's good for you" Looking forward to the rest.

parrmt

Jill, it was a great trip. Thanks for the anniv wishes. I do hope to make it next year. If so it will be me and "Mr Toni". I doubt he would let me come w/out him. He loves it ! Yes, the Tayra was something to see! I had my camera but was so shell shocked to see something that big, I did not move, hardly breathed!
C.Blanca was fine for us, do check it out!

Janenicole, we did not have Maureen the entire time, she had some time off, we enjoyed Roger's cooking as well , he had a some great desserts.But no one compares to Maureen.
Yes, everyone loves my Keen picture, this year I did just all of the shoes ....no feet !

Tully, I told Heilyn and Francisco hello for you. They both lit up, aren't they are the best! I do get my names mixed up... I think I did call Ben "Sam" in front of Kim too! hahaha
Plus I kept calling Franciso "Fernando". You know rich corinthian leather and all of that!
Oh well, I am old and the memory has gone! The family would say "look here comes Fernaaandooo." Oh well!

shillmac

There's something to be said for being old and the memory being gone, in some cases! LOL

You're far from old, Toni--your enthusiam sounds teen-giddy--I'm suspecting you're a fun grandma!

EDH_Traveler

Wow, a Tayra. Very cool! I didn't see a picture of it. Is is possible you didn't have the camera with you?

Anyway, thanks for another great report.

parrmt

EDH, I did have my camera,but the Tayra was so close I was afraid to even breathe. I knew that if I moved it would be gone in a heartbeat. It was a beauty!