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Last Tuesday morning we found out, I had mistakenly noted 8 A.M. for the van pick up to Arenal, which was actually 2 P.M. With six hours to kill, we decided to hike a few kilometers to another cloud forest, the Bosque Nuboso Biological Reserve. In 1972 a Quaker scientist who was studying for his PHD on birds obtained the land from a mining company and formed the reserve.

Just before the entrance is a very nice coffee and souvenir shop with a hummingbird gallery. There were about 10 hummingbird feeders and while drinking our coffee we spotted a Violet Sabrewing, Green Hermit, Green-crowned Brilliant, Green violet-ear and Green Thorntail.

When we entered the reserve, Miwa asked for a guide to the trials that would take around three hours. They recommend a loop of 6.5 kilometers.

After two very thorough guided tours, (Manuel Antonio and Sky Adventures) this one would be on our own. We now were a little more seasoned and walked slowly while listening to the sounds of the forest. About a half hour into our hike, we heard a honking noise and discovered the rare Bellbird. A beautiful brown and white bird that, only lives between southern Mexico and Panama. The numbers are reducing due to the rapid development in Central America.

We crossed a swinging bridge, and then took a trail to a beautiful waterfall. There we met a couple from New Jersey. This was interesting in that every area we traveled on this trip, someone was from New Jersey.

Down another trail, we sighted a black Guan, another threatened near extinction bird. The flora was almost the same as the Sky Adventure cloud forest. We did see many colorful bugs and a walking stick. This reserve is already on our itinerary for the next Monteverde trip.

 Arriving back at the entrance to the reserve we stopped at the cafe for a fruit plate lunch, then hiked our way to the hotel in time for the van to take us to Arenal. This road was so rough that it took about two hours just to go 40 km. They dropped us off at a taxi boat and we crossed Lake Arenal to another van that took us to our hotel.

In Costa Rica, around every bend is a surprise and adventure, keep your eyes open!