Tuesday July 19th

     Today Davis and I got up early, had coffee on the patio, and went for a walk around the hotel grounds.  Walking along the path no more than 50 yards from the room was a troop of squirrel monkey numbering at least 50.  They were inquisitive and playful, many with new born young hanging from their bellies.  The sloth from yesterday afternoon was had moved no more than 10 feet and was actively moving through the almond tree eating leaves.

Squirrel Monkey

     After breakfast, we were placed on a tour bus and taken down the hill to the entrance to the national park.  Manuel Antonio National Park is a protected reserve just a few kilometers from Quepos.  Unlike Corcovado where we felt like we had the park to ourselves (and just about did have the park to ourselves), Manuel Antonio was filled with people.  Hundreds and hundreds were poised at the gate with 30 or so guides all carrying spotting scopes herding us around like cattle.  Entrance to the park is "regulated" by the National Park service to control the number of people entering the park.  I'm convinced they do turn people away once they reach a couple hundred thousand.

Crowds at the Park

    I was truly expecting that with the hoards of people moving down the gravel path, we would see nothing but people - was I wrong!!  Within the first couple of hundred meters, we saw 2 or 3 sloth, iguanas, deer, a few types of spiders, an incredible colored hummingbird, bats, spider monkeys, howler monkeys, and a juvenile giant grasshopper.  The animals had become so used to people being present, they didn't even notice the crowds.

White Tailed Deer

Deer Eating

White Faced Capuchin 

Juvenile Black Iguana

Green Iguana

Hooded Basilisk

Green Iguana

Skink

Three Toed Sloth Viewed Through Spotting Scope

Sloth

Howler Monkey

Humming Bird

Two Toed Sloth

Juvenile Iguana

     The walk was only about 1/2 a mile and ended at the beach.  There were a host of criminals waiting around picnic benches to steal anything they could get their paws on.  This included a pesky raccoon who tried to dig through Davis' bag searching for contraband candy, a monkey mafia that patrolled the area on the ground and in the adjacent trees, and some coati just along the edges of the trails.  Feeding the animals is strictly prohibited, but stealing seemed to be there modis operandi.

Gang Leader

Capuchin Attacks Davis

    We did not realize there would be a great beach on which to swim, so we didn't bring suits.  Nonetheless, after a chorus of "please, please, please" we relented and allowed the boys to go swimming in their shorts.  Tara and I decided the inevitable chafing was not worth it and we played lifeguards and photographers/videographers.  The body surfing that ensued created a guffaw of laughter that was worth the whining we knew would occur during our walk back in wet pants.

Body Surfing

"Brothers in Arms"

    A quick taxi back to the hotel for a shower and a change of clothes and they were ready to go.  Of course, they had to write in their journal before we could go anywhere.  Journaling sounds like a great educational tool that mommies come up with to emphasize skills learned in school.  The actual purpose of the exercise is to have our children sit still for more than 8 seconds so mommy and daddy can get a few moments of solitude.
     We went down the hill to a little restaurant named Terrazas for a snack.  Great view of the ocean and surfers way down below hitting some monster waves.  The restaurant had pretty bad sushi, but the Arroz con Camarones (Rice and Shrimp) were pretty good.
     While eating, a troop of squirrel monkeys avoided the house dogs and one used his American Ninja Warrior skills to get to the bar and steal a banana.  The house staff took the banana and put it on the ledge next to our table giving us a view of the monkey from 1-2 feet away.  It is obvious that the monkeys in this area are in a symbiotic relationship with the humans.  The humans provide a safe environment with plenty of food, and the monkeys provide a source of income for the local humans.
     Back at the room, a vicious game of Skip-Bo commenced.  Lawton, who was delirious from exhaustion couldn't sit still.  He could not control his laughter each time the word "Skip-Bo" was mouthed.  The rest of us would immediately laugh at his laughter and thus the game was interrupted so many times I'm surprised we finished.
    For dinner we went to a restaurant called "El Avion."  The building was constructed around a plane rescued after being abandoned at the airport.  The plane has historical significance as it was the plane used by Col. Oliver North to send arms to fight the Sandinistas.  The fuselage was converted into a bar and tables were under the wings.  You could even climb into the cockpit.  Cool history, mediocre food.

El Avion

     Animals spotted today - sloths, squirrel monkeys, howler monkeys, green and black iguanas, devil's spider, raccoon, coati, white tail deer, humming birds, hooded basilisk, jungle crabs, skink, and agouti.