Return from Paradise II

January 14, 2011 - from the Junglavista treehouse in Costa Rica

The monkeys are howling from the Ceiba tree between us and the ocean after their morning meal on this beautiful, cool, windy, early morning here in La Pura Jungla. This Dry Season, the leaves falling from the trees has been a couple of weeks later than usual. Also, the nights somehow seem a little cooler than last year.

Jeanne and I have been nicely out of contact with the outside world for a couple of weeks. We have, on this visit, met some new and interesting people. A few days ago we were interviewed over at Playa Junquillal by a film company and crew from Elon University in North Carolina who are working on a local refuse recycling project.

The vivid orange and red sunsets we continue to view from our treehouse living room are most spectacular. One evening, after the sun had slipped below the ocean, the clouds to the west all very unusually turned various shades of green. The trees around us gradually inch upward. The tropical birds are everywhere – we spot a colourful Trogon, with its squared-off tail, as I type.

Electrical power has recently been restored to Michael’s house on the other hill, although that has been completed at the cost of cutting a swath of trees up the mountain just inside the north perimeter of LPJ, along which now runs a new overhead power line. The wooden telephone poles used by Coopeguanacaste, interestingly, came from Canada.

The access roads within LPJ have not yet been graded since end of the Green Season. However, they are not in bad shape.

The road running over the back mountain to Pinilla has been widened substantially just outside the west perimeter of LPJ. It also is in good shape and considerably shortens the time it takes to get the golf course or Tamarindo, and it is very lightly travelled.

Our unique tree home is in excellent condition and is well looked after, thanks to Carlos and his property management crew. We have been booked almost solidly with visitors and house guests out into March, 2011. Guest comments have been positive. Just a few days ago, a new road has been cut through the property just below ours, for easier access. It has nicely opened the magnificent view from our living room of the ocean and valley below a little more .

The new, paved highway with its pedestrian lane in to Paraiso remains a godsend – much safer, no bumps, no potholes, no dust, and much shorter travel time from the airport and from Santa Cruz.

So, much changes and then again, much does not. There are a number of good things here to be thankful for even as Jeanne and I are about to head back to the snowy winter waiting for us in Canada.

www.junglavista.com