Costa Rica 6, Twelfth Day In Monteverde

It's been a not a heck of a lot kind of day today. I was up at the crack of dawn, 4:30, or so, got a lot of work done on a drawing while drinking the local coffee, went up for breakfast, chatted a bit with a French-speaking visitor from Switzerland, did some more artwork, then went down for a nap, after which I walked up to the cloud forest reserve. I get in free now, since I paid the first time, and today basically wore myself out on the steep trails. The steps just keep going up and up and never seem to end, though at times I pause to rest and look out on the trees, and the many vines, ferns and leaves in one of the most incredible profusions of biodiversity that one will ever set their eyes upon. Often there is cloud and mist rolling in, which waters the forest. Quite a few people today, but mostly in pairs, or groups of six or less, so still fairly manageable. Just a couple of minor complaints today. As I was entering the cloud forest reserve there were a bunch of idiots, tourists, standing around smoking. Something I particularly don't want to smell in a place like this. Then, on my way out, in the same place, a fat old idiot smoking a cigar. You can dress them up but you can't take them out. There were still enough quiet stretches in between to really enjoy the glorious tangle of life that is the Monteverde Cloud Forest. And, as a bonus, unlike in the forests in my own Vancouver, there aren't any joggers or cyclists around to ruin it for those of us who want to quietly contemplate the biodiversity, enjoy nature, and just have a quiet, pleasant and chill time without a bunch of manic fitness morons and other narcissistic ablists to ruin it for us. Of course you do have to pay admission, and it is a bit pricy, but it's well worth it, and when you consider that in a country of four and a half million that Costa Rica isn't going to have much of a tax base, it is totally understandable. I heard a lot of birds, but didn't really see any. They are very good at staying hidden. And they do watch us at least as much as we watch them. And with wary eyes. The trails are a bit muddy today from the rain we had over the weekend, but it wasn't too soggy. I feel almost disappointed that I haven't had any really interesting encounters today, but maybe it's good to be having a bit of a rest, as all these ongoing visits with strangers, enjoyable as they might be, can also get exhausting and a bit overwhelming. After around two hours of climbing and hiking, my shirt was fairly soaked with persperation, so I sat on a bench on a particularly quiet stretch of trail where I could rest and dry out a bit. It was nice while it lasted. Soon, I was surrounded by a herd of thirty or more English-speaking consumer-tourists of a certain age, with their local guide who was giving a talk on the local ecosystem. It was rather interesting, but I soon began to feel cramped, and was only too glad to get away from them. I think that one thing that has particularly sensitized me to the local people in places that I visit has been my own experiences of coping with oblivious tourists on my own doorstep There are several hotels in my area of downtown, so I am often tripping over tourists at home in Vancouver. From time to time, I have even had to remind some of them, um, excuse me, but, people live here, you know. So, I really try to show the kind of awareness and courtesy to my hosts abroad, that often don't get displayed by visitors in my own backyard. I did try to stop briefly at the restaurant at the reserve for a cold drink, but the balcony was being dominated by a table of some very noisy American girls. I went inside, but there was a strong smell of charred flesh (I'm vegetarian), and the waiter was taking a long time, so I got up and left. This just in, as I've been typing this blogpost I saw in the window a toucan perching nearby. I went out for a better look and he flew into a tree nearby, where he was joined by three others. Esteban and I had a good view of then. They're quite big, the size of one of our crows, but with a huge beak and lots of colour. Look up keel-billed toucan on Google, and you'll see for yourselves. You would know them as the Fruit Loops bird, with the huge colourful beak. And they croak like frogs. Also just saw a smaller, green toucanet, and some hummingbirds, so really,I get better birdwatching here at the bed and breakfast than in the reserve!