Costa Rica, Day 4 (March 25, Wednesday)

These "Living Fences" are typical here. They are made of the bark of a tree called Naked Indian because as a defense mechanism the tree sloughs off bark and thus keeps itself free of many fungi and insects that would try and live on or in it. Farmers use machetes and hack off limbs and stick them in the ground and the limbs grow into living trees that hold barb wire and grow. Beautifully planned gardens outside a souvenir shop and toilet stop. Notice the toucan flower arrangement in the middle. There was monkey faces and other things in plants and flowers. Not more than 60 yards from the crocodiles on the shores of a river is this herd of beef cattle lounging under some shade. Tartelas Bridge where the crocodiles lay under basking in the sun. This morning we ate the beans and rice breakfast once more and loaded a charter bus down to the Pacific Coast where we would be staying the rest of our time here in CR. We would be traveling four hours in these winding hills up and down to the coast on the Pacific Side. We are going to Herradurra, Los Suenos Marriott in the dry rain forest region. In a few weeks the rains will start again and this "dry" rain forest will turn green once again. The terrain was quite different from the region around the volcano. There was yellow and brown patches of ground and some places looked similar to Utah. About two hours into the trip we stopped for some toiets, souvenoirs, and to see beautiful gardens. After three hours, we stopped at Tarcaloes bridge. There were crocodilles and caimens under the bridge and Steve, head of Marketing, bought a bag of raw chicken and three pieces to the crocs. It was interesting to note that the crocs did not get the chikcne that fell into the water. It sat there. Instead, the chicken that binged them on the head or that was throw onto the muddy shore was sometimes fought over but gobbled up. The chicken in the water laid there until we left, undisturbed. Can crocs smell under water? CR Squirrel eatting nuts from a Sea Almond tree (also liked by Scarlet Macaws...Planted by the hotel to bring the birds there to feed). Scarlet Macaws mate for life and are currently endangered in CR. A "natural" brown beach off the Marriott Los Suenos Hotel. As we walked along the beach, we found pick clam shells.