The House Up in the Trees

What exactly is it about our house high in the trees in Central America that, once we are there, that changes the way in which we view the world? This is a question that is seemingly without an easy answer. Perhaps a hint may lie in its Spanish name, Junglavista, which in English means jungle view.

How we happened upon this special place is another story for another time, but jumping ahead I’d like to share some useful background on this somewhat unique dwelling: the treehouse is located in Costa Rica in an eco-forest and is located high on the side of a mountain overlooking the warm, blue, Pacific Ocean just a few kilometres to the west.

This incredible house which sits on four pillars is constructed of steel, teak, and glass. It consists of three levels with a kitchen, dining area, two bedrooms (one a large master), two bathrooms, and a comfortably rattan-furnished living room which is wide open to the surrounding forest.

The second floor has wildlife viewing platforms on each corner. The uppermost (third) level is a meditation deck open on all four sides. A wide teak staircase leads up from the ground through the centre of the dwelling. We have owned this amazing house for six years now and during that time have shared it with a good number of friends and guests - some visiting when we have not been there.

After hearing from, and talking with, most of our visitors and looking back at our own treasured time at the treehouse, I really now think that the positive impact this magical experience has had on us all has something  to do with the trees. These indigenous trees, over sixty five thousand of them, were planted some twenty-five years ago when this land was mostly a barren, compacted, eroding cow pasture. The forest had been cut to clear land for cattle. Then the recent planting project restored these two hundred and fifty acres of what had once been a tropical dry-forest, almost back to its original natural condition.

The photo above of three Howler monkeys was taken from the masterbedroom by Jeanne.

A few of these trees, especially the very large ones - for example the Ceiba, were spared the axe and they now conspicuously tower above the newly rising forest. Some species of this tree can grow to 70 m (230 ft) tall or more, with their straight, largely branchless trunk that culminates in a huge, spreading canopy. Many of these trees flower in the appropriate seasons in vibrant colors of orange, yellow, white, red and purple. The diversified bird, animal, and insect life hosted by these trees is abundant and incredible.

When the trade winds arrive in January and February, especially the stronger Papagayo winds, the trees really sway back in forth. To watch and listen to them swirl around is quite riveting and exciting. These winds are unusual, to say the least.

So, as you move about the house (some areas have no walls), you get this feeling of being an integral part of the surrounding forest. The experience can be mesmerizing, rejuvenating, spiritual, de-stressing, and cleansing. Besides the spectacular nearby beaches, the friendly and helpful local people, and quaint little restaurants of this rural setting, it’s the trees that are what really grabs us. And that’s one very large reason, of many, as to why we absolutely love it there. http://www.junglavista.com/

Return From Paradise

This was our first experience of being here at the treehouse in Guanacaste Costa Rica for the transition from Dry Season to Green Season. As we prepare to leave to return to Toronto in a couple of days, everything is becoming much greener as the leaves are coming out everywhere around us. Some good heavy rains and a few brief days of humidity that we have not experienced here before. We took many photos.

Jeanne and I saw our first Anteater near the treehouse one dark, rainy evening while returning up the mountain from dinner. And of course we saw the Squirrel Cuckoos, the Motmots, the Trogons, the Magpie-Jays, the Rufous- naped Wrens, the Toucanets, the Puff bird, the Nightjars, the Parakeets, the Roadside Hawk, the Tinamou, the Flycatchers, the Gnatcatchers, the Kiskadees, the Hummingbirds, the Hoffmann Woodpeckers, the Thick-Knees, the Vultures, the Doves, the Pelicans, the Frigate Birds, and the Egrets. Every couple of days the always fascinating Howler Monkeys came to the trees by the treehouse to say hello.

This time of year the beaches are almost totally deserted; there is virtually no road traffic, and few tourists in evidence. After Semana Santa (Easter week) everything here slows down dramatically.

We had a good overnight trip and stay at the small and quaint Rinconcita Lodge which is in the Rincon de la Vieja National Park – just a couple of hours from here. We go to the Rincon the back way where the road is cut through the dazzling white tuff (a soft deposit comprised of lava, ash, and mud) countryside of Liberia and hike near the Santa Maria ranger station (photo taken heading towards storm at base of a volcano in the Rincon de la Vieja National Park).

We met some new people, had a great fish dinner at Villa Deevena in Playa Negra – Patrick and Tasia (from France) www.villadeevena.com We also dined at Café Playa Negra (Carlos), the Iguanazul, Guacamaya Lodge and La Iguana (Mary’s Place). We enjoyed one evening having cocktails at The Marriott in Hacienda Pinilla. Hacienda Pinilla, and their golf course is now only an easy twenty minutes away directly over the back mountain northeast from La Pura Jungla.

Saw a couple of new (at least to us) birds - Puff Birds, Toucanets, and a Green-backed Heron (by our pond). Also we saw two little male Norops Lizards (conspicuous feature is their colourful dewlap on their throat that the males display, and retract, as a territorial display)

The new improved and paved highway in to the nearby village of Paraiso is a godsend along with its night-time reflective red cat’s eyes and a thoughtful, safe bicycle\pedestrian\ oxcart lane. This now makes the drive to Santa Cruz a comfortable twenty five minutes and an hour to the Liberia Airport. A new air conditioned well-stocked grocery store and deli recently opened over at Tierra Pacifica.

Interestingly, one of our Canadian house guests aptly once said in their comments: “If you do not enjoy it at the treehouse and in Costa Rica, then the problem is with you!” We love it here.

www.junglavista.com