Playa Flamingo

I had a question this week from some guests who are returning to stay in our condo after staying with us last year.  They asked a question about other surfing spots in the area, as they want to explore the area.

I have done more exploring of the towns and beaches north of Tamairndo, such as Playa Flamingo, which is pictured here.  They are more developed than the surf spots south of Tamarindo, which are farther from the Liberia airport and take longer to reach.  There are not as many visitor facilities and amenities in the smaller surf spots to the south.

I prefer Tamarindo, of course, as it is both the leading beach resort town in the area and has excellent beaches for swimming and surfing.

Today is Sunday so we have new photos posted on our Viva la Voyage travel photo site.  This week we are showing photos of the Dalmatian Coast of Croatia.

Suf's up on Langosta Beach

This is a view of a wave gathering strength before it cascades onto Langosta Beach.  For reasons I do not quite understand, surfers like waves where they can see the spray blow up before the wave breaks, as is visible upon close review of this photo.

We have photos of Budapest, Hungary, posted this week on our Viva la Voyage travel photo site.

Crocodile lurking in the water

This crocodile lurking in the Tempisque River shows why Palo Verde National Park is  a good place to go for wildlife viewing, as long as one keeps your arms and feet inside the boat.

Today is Sunday, so we have new photos posted  on our Viva la Voyage travel photo site.  This week we are showing photos of Budapest, Hungary.

Houses with names

The large gate at the front of this secluded beachfront home declares that the name of this house is Casa Pochote.  Pochote is a type of tree.

People in Tamarindo name their houses usually when the houses are vacation rentals.  I presume that the names help to market the houses by giving them an identity.  It also makes them easier to find because Tamarindo does not have any street addresses.

Today is Sunday, so we have new photos posted  on our Viva la Voyage travel photo site.  This week we are showing photos of the marine life in the Sea of Cortez, Mexico.

I apologize that I have been so busy lately that I am not posting daily in recent weeks.  I will continue to post when I have time, but not necessarily every day.

Large iguana in the middle of Tamarido

This large iguana was lounging on a wall in the middle of Tamarindo.  I am sure he would startle people if they were not attentive to such sights.

In the past some people used to eat iguanas, but not any longer.  Supposedly it tasted like chicken.

Some friends of ours from Phoenix recently spent two weeks in our condo, and this is one of the photos that they took.

Today is Sunday, so we have new photos posted  on our Viva la Voyage travel photo site.  This week we are again showing photos from Bhutan, focusing on the people.

Theme Day: Movement; A Monkey Flying through the Trees

A monkey flying through the trees is my Costa Rican interpretation of the  theme "Movement" for today's worldwide Daily Photo theme.

This howler monkey was part of a group that just a block from our Langosta Beach condo.  He jumped from the trees on one side fo the road to the other.

This we have posted photos of some of the mountain temples of Bhutan on our Viva la Voyage travel photo site.

To see how other Daily Photo bloggers have interpreted the theme of "Movement," please use this link.

San Francisco Point Isla Capitan and Cabo Velas

This is a photo on a cloudy day of San Francisco Point in the foreground, which is the dividing line between Langosta Beach and Tamarindo Bay, and the small Capitan Island, and across Tamarindo Bay is Cabo Velas.

I took this photo from high up in the Crystall Sands condo.

This we have posted photos of some of the mountain temples of Bhutan on our Viva la Voyage travel photo site.

Tamarindo taxi stand

Tamarindo is a small resort town.  Because most people in town are tourists, it does have taxis, although the average taxi ride is probably about two or three minutes long.

There are always taxis at an improvised taxi stand in the center of town.  I have never taken a taxi in Tamarindo, as we usually walk everywhere in town, and we have a car for longer strips out to the supermarket, which is the one place in town that is not within walking distance.

Today is Sunday, so we have new photos posted on our Viva la Voyage travel photo site.  This week we are showing photos of Bhutan, featuring some of its temples.

Former Costa Rican President Laura Chinchilla

Former Costa Rican President Laura Chinchilla and former Mexican President Vicente Fox visited Arizona on Tuesday to promote trade  and investment in their countries.

They met with members of the Board of Directors of the Arizona Chamber of Commerce and Industry.  I am a Board member and took this photo during the meeting.

I was thrilled to have the opportunity to meet Presidents Chinchilla and Fox and they both spoke eloquently and forcefully about the progress and opportunities of their countries.

With this connection between Arizona and Costa Rica, my wife and I are for the first time using the same photo for my Costa Rica Daily Photo website and her Scottsdale Daily Photo website.

This week we have photos of Antigua, Guatemala, posted on our Viva la Voyage travel photo site.

Leaf Cutter Ant

Red leaves on a trail usually mean that there are leaf cutter ants carrying dinner to their den.  The ants do not actually eat the leaves.  They feed the  leaves to a fungus and eat the fungus.

The ants know what type of leaves the fungus prefers.  The red leaves may be an attractive color for humans, but I assume that the fungus cares only about taste, and not about the presentation of the meal.  After all, the fungus is not only color blind, it does not have any eyes.

This week we are showing photos of Antigua, Guatemala on our Viva la Voyage travel photo site.

Red Leaf on a trail

Red leaves on a trail in Costa Rica usually mean one thing, especially when the leaf appears to be in isolation and not among a a group of leaves.

Tomorrow I will show a photo from closer down to the ground to reveal why I photographed this leaf.

This week we are showing photos of Antigua, Guatemala on our Viva la Voyage travel photo site.

Sails against the sunset

The daily afternoon catamaran sailing excursions return to Tamarindo at sunset.  The people on the boat enjoy viewing the sunset from the water.  They provide an appealing scene for the people on Tamarindo beach to enjoy the sunset with a sailboat to accent the horizon.

I apologize that I have not been able to post every day recently. I will need to post when I can.  I have been very busy at work in Arizona and I also have been having some issues with the computer on which my photos are stored.

Today is Sunday, so we have new photos posted on our Viva la Voyage travel photo site.  This week we are showing photos of Antigua, Guatemala.

Driftwood framing the horizon

This driftwood tree provided a foreground point of reference for a photo of the horizon at Playa Langosta.

Today is Sunday, so we have new photos posted on our Viva la Voyage travel photo site.  This week we are showing photos of the Perito Moreno Glacier in the Patagonia region of Argentina.

Aerial View of the Countryside

This is a view of the countryside in the coastal plains of Northwest Costa Rica near the international airport in Liberia.  September and October are the rainy season.  In December through April the vegetation in this area will be dryer.

This week we we are showing photos of the festival in Punahka, Bhutan, in the Himalayas on our Viva la Voyage travel photo site. 

A last glimpse of a sunset

I usually show glorious sunsets with color that fills the sky.  After the sun sets, there is still a sliver of color.

This is a long exposure from the balcony of our Langosta condo.  The dead tree in the foreground is reflecting lights from the windows of the condos in our building.  There is even the hint of a wave that is reflecting a little light.

Today is Sunday, so we have new photos posted on our Viva la Voyage travel photo site.  This week we are showing photos of the festival in Punahka, Bhutan.  We travelled all the way to the Himalayas to see it, as well as other sights in Bhutan.

Wide Tamarindo Beach, and a comment about the weather

September and October is the rainy season in northwest Costa Rica.  I like the beach even when the weather is overcast.

Costa Rica needs the rain.  There has been a lack of rain this year.  Rain is critical in Costa Rica for the many family farms and agricultural enterprises.

Rain is also critical for electricity.  Costa Rica generates nearly all of its electricity from hydro power.  Reliance on this clean, renewable energy source is part of Costa Rica's plan to become the world's first carbon-neutral nation.

This week we have photos of daily life in Ethiopia posted on our Viva la Voyage travel photo site.

A puppy on Tamarindo Beach

A puppy makes friends on the beach.

This week we have photos of daily life in Ethiopia posted on our Viva la Voyage travel photo site.

Theme Day: Rust and Ruin -- Ocean Safari Woody

Today's worldwide Daily Photo Theme is "Rust and Ruin."  I am bending the rules.  This is not a photo from Tamarindo, but I could not think of a good rusting location in our small town and I have some photos of rusting vehicles from which I decided to choose.

This a former "Ocean Safari" touring vehicle.  It is a "Woody," with open sides.  It would be good in a warm climate such as Costa Rica.  In addition to the unusual vehicle, it is odd that the wood exterior is in much better shape than the metal frame.  Someone in the past cared for the wood, as ordinarily it would be the first element to deteriorate.

I took this photo at the Driven Winery in the Shenandoah Valley of Amador County, California, in the Sierra Foothills east of Sacramento.  The owner of the winery must be a lover of old vehicles because they had a lot of old, rusting vehicles, with a lot of farm equipment, on a hilltop at the winery, with beautiful views of the rolling hills and vineyards.

This week we have photos of daily life in Ethiopia posted on our Viva la Voyage travel photo site.

To see how other City Daily Photo bloggers have interpreted the Rust and Ruin theme,please use this link.

Flowering Roadside Rest Stop

A roadside rest stop on the way from San Jose to Monteverde has a garden with flowers planted in the shape of a toucan on the hill.

Maybe they got this idea from the gardens at Disney World.

I apologize that I have not been able to post photos every day of late.  I have been in a very busy period with work, etc., so I will do what I can when I can on a going forward basis and beg your indulgence for shortcomings from daily posting.

Today is Sunday, so we have new photos posted on our Viva la Voyage travel photo site.  This week we are showing photos of the people, culture and countryside of Ethiopia.

A perfect sunset on a perfect beach

At low tide the gentle slope of Tamarindo beach is so gradual that a reflection shot is possible in the ocean at sunset.

I took this photo in the souther end of the bay, which is sheltered by an island and reef, so the waves are gentle here.  San Francisco Point is on the left.

Today is Sunday, so we have new posted on our Viva la Voyage travel photo site.  This week we are showing photos from our cruise along the east coast of Baja California, with some samples of the marine life in the Sea of Cortez.

A large, red compound flower

I don't know of people use the term compound flower, similar to the compound eye of an insect.  To me, this flower resembles an insect's compound eye, as it is made up of lots of small flowers that combine to form a large flower.

This week we are showing some more photos from my wife's recent trip to Guatemala, featuring the market town of ChiChi and Guatemala City on our Viva la Voyage travel photo site.

Playa Langosta

Playa Langosta seems to go on endlessly to the south of the Langosta
estuary.  This is a view back to the north, towards our condo and the main part of Playa Langosta, that I took during one of our walks south along the beach.

The only way to reach this part of the beach is by walking south from the main part of Playa Langosta where our condo is or by having access through the security gate of the 5,000 acre master planned resort community of Hacienda Pinilla.  All beaches in Costa Rica are public, but the public cannot drive to this beach unless they are owners or guests of a home, condo or resort that is part of Hacienda Pinilla.

This week we are showing some more photos from my wife's recent trip to Guatemala, featuring the market town of ChiChi and Guatemala City on our Viva la Voyage travel photo site.

Tree with walking roots

This tree in Tamarindo has what are referred to as walking roots.  The trunk does not reach the ground, but splinters in lots of different directions, and spreads it base.

This provides shelter and habitat for animals.  I will leave it to my imagination to contemplate what creatures might find a home in that thicket.

This week we are showing some more photos from my wife's recent trip to Guatemala, featuring the market town of ChiChi and Guatemala City on our Viva la Voyage travel photo site.

A quiet spot in the gardens of the Cala Luna Resort

The grounds of the Cala Luna Resort in the Playa Langosta area of Tamarindo have lots of charming, quiet places, such as this garden scene.

This week we are showing some more photos from my wife's recent trip to Guatemala, featuring the market town of ChiChi and Guatemala City on our Viva la Voyage travel photo site.

The Transition from sandy beach to tide pools

Langosta beach is sandy along the shore at high tide, and then under the water are the remains of a volcanic flow or lava, now shaped like rivers of rocks.

This week we are showing some more photos from my wife's recent trip to Guatemala, featuring the market town of ChiChi and Guatemala City on our Viva la Voyage travel photo site.  

Ready for Zip Lines

This photo shows my wife ready for a zip lining outing.  Zip lining has been popular in Costa Rica for years.  I have recently been noticing more zip lining places in other locations, including the USA.  I assume that the presence of zip lines in he USA reflects that the safety of zip lining has reached a point that insurance companies are now comfortable writing insurance policies for zip line operations.

This week we are showing some more photos from Julie's recent trip to Guatemala, featuring the market town of ChiChi and Guatemala City on our Viva la Voyage travel photo site.  

Waterfall near Rincon de la Vieja

The slopes of Rincon de la Vieja volcano just northeast of Liberia provide the elevation gain, slopes, and rain at higher elevations to cause lots of streams and waterfalls.

Today is Sunday, so we have new posted on our Viva la Voyage travel photo site.  This week we are showing some more photos from Julie's recent trip to Guatemala, featuring the market town of ChiChi and Guatemala City.

Roseatte spoonbills in the high branches of a tree

Trips down Costa Rican rivers reveal lots of birds who take advantage of the riparian habitats.  Rosaette spoonbills are easy to spot, even when perched near the top of a distant tree, because of the round shape of their bills and their pink coloration.

This week we have photos of Punahka, Bhutan, posted on our Viva la Voyage travel photo site.

Lily pads

I doubt that Claude Monet ever made it to Costa Rica, but if he had been able to visit, he would have found lots of water lilies to paint.

This week we have photos of Punahka, Bhutan, posted on our Viva la Voyage travel photo site.

Parrots at an animal rescue center

Corobichi River raft trips often include a stop and short walk to the Las Pumas Animal Rescue Center.  Founded by a Swiss woman in 1982, the center cares for injured and orphaned animals, such as these parrots

The government of Costa Rica is attempting to outlaw private zoos and to discourage people from keeping wild animals as pets, with the exception of animal rescue and rehabilitation facilities.

This week we have photos of Punahka, Bhutan, posted on our Viva la Voyage travel photo site.