Rainbow from Cielo Lodge, Golfito, Costa Rica, August 2021

John and Paul and I just returned from a lovely, restful vacation at Cielo Lodge in Golfito, Costa Rica. We had planned to be there for ten days but American Airlanes stranded us for two days in Dallas, Texas, on our way out (and then refused to communicate online or by phone, or reimburse for hotels or rides) so we had a shorter vacation. We got to see a remarkable number of Costa Rican plants and animals (here is my partial list), as well as visiting the indigenous artisans village of Boruca. John even got to explore what is left of two old trains from the Ferrocarril del Sur line in Golfito. The food at Cielo Lodge by Chef Cesar Chinchilla was excellent and we were very well cared for by owners Nicole and Keith Goldstein. Daniel Fonck, the staff naturalist, and manager and gardener Catalina Torres answered endless questions patiently.

This trip was to belatedly celebrate our 20th wedding anniversary, postponed in 2020 because of the pandemic. Even though Costa Rica is at the top level of Covid-19 danger (CDC Level 4 – Very High), we felt safe. The eco-lodge is isolated and when we were in public, most people wore masks indoors and washed hands before entering any building. Before going to the airport to return to the USA, we took BinaxNow Covid-19 home tests to be sure none of us had caught the disease during our travels.

On the way home, we were able to see something of San Jose, Costa Rica’s capital, escorted by local guide Guiselle Sibaja. Of special interest was the Mercado Municipal De Artesanias, where we found the shop of Edgar Deo Alvarez of Guanacaste – Chorotega who makes traditional indigenous pit-fired pre-columbian-style ceramics and stone carvings.

Click for Video: Spotted grey dolphins, Golfito, Costa Rica, August 2021

Paul, Daniel, Nicole, John at Cielo Lodge, Golfito, Costa Rica, August 2021

Cielo Lodge suite 1, Golfito, Costa Rica, August 2021

Red eyed frogs, Cielo Lodge, Golfito, Costa Rica, August 2021

Casados Dinner by Chef Cesar Chinchilla, Cielo Lodge, Golfito, Costa Rica, August 2021

Anoli lizard eating a beetle, Cielo Lodge, Golfito, Costa Rica, August 2021

Squirrel Monkey, Cielo Lodge, Golfito, Costa Rica, August 2021

Green tree opossum by John Plocher, Cielo Lodge, Golfito, Costa Rica, August 2021

Paul D Goodman and Daniel Fonck, Golfito, Costa Rica, August 2021

Spotted Grey Dolphins leaping, Golfito, Costa Rica, August 2021

Boruca village entry sign, Costa Rica, August 2021

Katy Dickinson, Puerto Jiménez, Costa Rica, August 2021

Ferrocarril del Sur railway Baldwin engine 81, Golfito, Costa Rica, August 2021

Edgar Deo Alvarez of Guanacaste – Chorotega, San Jose, Costa Rica, August 2021

Click for Video: Red eyed green frog, Cielo Lodge, Golfito, Costa Rica, August 2021

Click for Video: Coati – eating at Cielo Lodge, Golfito, Costa Rica, August 2021

Click for Video: Blunt headed tree snake, Cielo Lodge, Golfito, Costa Rica, August 2021

If you want to receive Katysblog posts by email, please sign up using the Sign Me Up! button (upper right on Katysblog home). Images Copyright 2021 by Katy Dickinson, John Plocher, Paul D Goodman, and Daniel Fonck.

August 12, 2021 · 4:12 pm

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