CRRTravel.com

Seasons Greetings from CRR

noreply@blogger.com (Tom Ranieri) — Mon, 23 Apr 2012 13:47:00 +0000

Another digital greeting card by Smilebox

This Year's Favorite Costa Rica Student Adventure

noreply@blogger.com (Tom Ranieri) — Mon, 15 Aug 2011 14:58:00 +0000

Day 1 ------------ Arrive and drive to La Cusinga (La Cusinga Ecolodge)

Today we will meet you at the airport and take you to one of our favorite spots in all of Costa Rica. The name is La Cusinga and the area the southern Pacific. Here you will find a location that is unmatched by any other place in Costa Rica. This ecolodge sits on a point out over the Pacific that lends itself to the most amazing views you will find. That is why when we stay here with student groups we get the two top suites. They are actually bunks but there are two that fit 15 students each.

La Cusinga is 200 acres of primary rainforest and here we will be surrounded by nature for our stay and it lends itself for a real chance to have some full days of learning. (Meals: Dinner)

Day 2 ------------ Nature Hikes & Intro to Rainforest (La Cusinga Ecolodge)

Learning in the jungle

Today the entire day will be around the grounds of La Cusinga. We will do everything from visiting the different nature trails, the beaches, organic farms, and an evening of bonfire activities. Today is an excellent day to set up an intro of hands on activities and getting kids aware of the rainforest and the tropical region. We have a number of games, scavenger hunts, and activities we will be doing on the nature trails where each student will be spending time observing, noting, and later reflecting on the day in the jungle. (Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, & Dinner)

Day 3 ------------- Zipline, Banana Plantation, & Night Hike (La Cusinga Ecolodge)

We will start the day out with a little bit of adventure as we enjoy one of the best ziplines in Costa Rica. We will make our way into the mountains where we reach an elevation of 1,000ft and breath-taking views of the coastline below. This is full morning of zipping through the rainforest.

After the zipline we will make our way to the nearby banana plantation where we will get the kids running with over 25 hands of bananas. This will give them a feel for what the journey of banana goes through. We will also talk about the topic of local foods, large monocultures, and some of the difficulties of life on the workers of the plantation.

In the afternoon we will be doing a night hike where we will have the chance to learn about the rainforest during it's night hours. (Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, & Dinner)

Day 4 ------------ Enter Cave Hiking & Waterfall Rappel (Sleep Behind Waterfall)

Get ready for an adventure as we make our way to the base of a ridge where we will begin our hike into the cave. This is actually just a cavern that is tucked behind a waterfall but without question one of them most unique and beautiful places you will ever see in in your life. The hike is intense but worth it by all means. We will hike for around 2 hours as we make our way up the ridge and then down into the canyon. On our way to the waterfall we will pass by a permaculture garden where we can learn solutions to large monoculture plantations.

Upon arrival to the cavern we will have lunch and then get geared up for the 120ft waterfall rappel. This is a perfect rappel that literally ends right where you will be sleeping. After the rappel we will take one more small hike to the top of one of the tallest waterfall in all of Costa Rica measuring 600ft where we can watch the sunset over the pacific ocean. (Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, & Dinner)

Day 5 ------------ Leave Cave & Drive to Turrialba (Casa Turire)

You will wake up and the first thing you will see is three waterfalls forming a wall that flow over where we will be sleeping. There is nothing like this that we can compare it to. After breakfast we will then make another hike to some more waterfalls and pools. The kids will have a chance to jump off a 15 ft waterfall into a beautiful pristine pool. After the hike it is back down to the cavern for lunch and then time to hike out. After we hike out of the cave we will make our way to the area of Turrialba by way of the Paramo of Costa Rica which is one of the most unique areas of the tropics. The Paramo is what comes after the cloud-forest in high elevations of the tropics below the snow line.

When we arrive to Turrialba we have a real treat planned for everyone. You will be staying in the Casa Turire hotel. (Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, & Dinner)

Note: This itinerary would also have the option of doing two nights in the homestays if you wanted to add a night or remove the overnight river trip and just do a day river trip.

Day 6 ------------ Enter Pacuare River (River Tent-Camp)

After a delicious breakfast in your Casa Turire hotel you will make your way back to the jungle. This time your adventure will be by raft. The Pacuare River is listed as one of the top 5 on the planet. We will be starting our adventure in the entrance known as La Cruz and raft down for around two hours stopping for a river lunch along the way. After we finish our lunch we will make our way to the camp site. This is not roughing it by any means and all of your camping gear is set up and meals prepared for you. There are bathrooms and showers at the camp-site. (Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, & Dinner)

Day 7 ------------ Leave Pacuare & Drive to Airport Hotel (Airport Hotel)

Waking up in the jungle with the sound of the river and surrounded by primary rainforest is a morning you will never forget. We will get some breakfast and geared back up for the most intense two hours of rafting you will have on the river. Today we will take on the Pacuare Canyon which is filled with some of the best rapids in all of Costa Rica.

After we make our way out of the Pacuare canyon we will take out of the river and make the short drive to the area of San Jose putting us close to the airport for a day 8 departure. (Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, & Dinner)

Day 8 ------------ Fly Home!

Transfer to the airport and Fly Home! You can extend this itinerary more days and include the area of Sarapiqui which is lowland rainforest and the area of Arenal Volcano making it an 11 day trip.

Most Important Romance on Earth

noreply@blogger.com (Tom Ranieri) — Thu, 12 May 2011 14:10:00 +0000

Time to Play Kids

noreply@blogger.com (Tom Ranieri) — Sun, 08 May 2011 14:09:00 +0000

Growing up and loved basketball and found myself playing almost everyday out in the school yard until I realized I was not going to grow up much taller than 5 ft 7 inches I better look elsewhere for a way to make a living. It is much the same today that kids during their school hours of "recess" have the option to go outside and play on the basketball court, volleyball, or an industrial looking slide and swing. This all caught my attention working in the outdoors now for the last 10 years and being surrounded by kids and nature trying to get kids to make humans part of the landscape of the natural world and not just something we are here to exploit.

The idea of playing outside during school hours was made clearer to me in something called the "loose-parts theory". This theory is to say that playing in a more natural setting like a forest or a field with trees, rivers, or ponds has many more loose-parts than just a basketball court. These loose-parts allow the imagination to soar and begin games invented in the childrens mind.

It was while I was reading the book "Last Child in the Woods" that I learned about a Swedish study that found children on asphalt playgrounds had play that was much more interrupted; they played in short segments. But when in a more natural playgrounds, children invented whole sagas that they carried from day to day to day -- making and collecting meaning. (Source: Richard Louv)

Basically to put it short for kids playing outside in natural settings can have endless positive affects on our society that are just beging to be discovered. Unfortunately one of the reasons kids have to be on artificial playgrounds is because of the ear of law-suits and schools afraid of getting sued for having a kid really enjoy and get the benefits of being outside.

Costa Rica Teen Summer Camps

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La Sabana

noreply@blogger.com (Tom Ranieri) — Fri, 06 May 2011 16:02:00 +0000

La Sabana City Park in San Jose will be an experiment in clean air. This month workers will plant 5,000 new indigenous trees in the park. Many of the existing trees are exotic and they will be removed from the park. They are diseased or otherwise damaged. Sabana Park is called the green lung of the capital city. The new growth will help Sabana Park continue to do its job.

THE PACUARE RIVER

noreply@blogger.com (Tom Ranieri) — Mon, 02 May 2011 15:00:00 +0000

The Pacuare River, or the Rio Pacuare, flows for 180 km before it empties into the Caribbean. National Geographic selected the Pacuare as one of the top five rivers in the world for recreational white water rafting. The rainforests and canyons that border the river make for breathtaking scenery. The land is so pristine that you feel this is the way it must have been when Columbus arrived. Indigenous people live along the river. Jaguars, black panthers, racoons, capuchin monkeys and sloths call the shores of the Pacuare River home.

Sunday Morning

noreply@blogger.com (Tom Ranieri) — Sun, 01 May 2011 12:41:00 +0000

My first Sunday in Costa Rica was quite a surprise. The little village church is on the corner of two narrow streets. People walk to Church from all directions. There are no traffic jams because cars are few. A small parking lot takes care of all the cars. The church is full with young and old, men and women. Neighborhood dogs wander in and lie down in the center aisle. No one gives them a second look. Children walk around greeting members of their extended family. It is a much more casual community affair than in most North American churches.

The Rainy Season

noreply@blogger.com (Tom Ranieri) — Sat, 30 Apr 2011 23:27:00 +0000

Why is Costa Rica so green? It rains a lot. Rain makes things green and beautiful. If it was always sunny, you would have a desert. Usually the rain is gentle and warm. So there is really no need to cancel outdoor activities. You will get wet white water rafting and rappelling down waterfalls so it does not matter if it rains. The rain forests are thick and lush. They are an explosion of green. All plants look like they are on steroids. You can watch the rain fall on your flowers and almost see them growing. Well at least the next day they look bigger. Don't "dis" the rain. Water is life for all of us, plants and humans.

Boda Real

noreply@blogger.com (Tom Ranieri) — Fri, 29 Apr 2011 20:10:00 +0000

If you were in a little mountain village in Costa Rica too far to walk to the nearest store, you might miss lunch, but you would not miss the royal wedding. All you have to do is turn on CNN Espanol and the ubiquitous images of William and Kate would appear in full wedding regalia. The people of Costa Rica do not seem as invested in the wedding as North Americans, but nonetheless it is still an event here.

THE NATIONAL BIRD

noreply@blogger.com (Tom Ranieri) — Fri, 29 Apr 2011 15:12:00 +0000

Of all the neautiful birds that live in or fly through Costa Rica, guess what the National bird of Costa Rica is? It is the Clay-colored Robin or as it is called now the Clay-colored Thrush. You can find the Clay-colored Thrush anywhere from southern Texas to Colombia, South America. In many respects the Clay-colored Thrush appears very much like the American Robin. However, it does not have the trademark red breast of the American Robin. Although the Clay-colored Thrush lacks some of the startling color of other Costa Rican birds, the people of Costa Rica have chosen it as their National bird because of its strong, melodious song.

Guess Who 's Coming to Costa Rica?

noreply@blogger.com (Tom Ranieri) — Mon, 25 Apr 2011 15:00:00 +0000

Wal-Mart announced that it will open twenty-four new stores in Costa Rica. That translate into 839 new jobs this year for Ticos. Wal-Mart plans to invest $160.5 million in Costa Rica. That seems to be a vote of confidence in Costa Rica's economy. Costa Rica boasts one of the most stable economies in Cebtral America.

The Dam

noreply@blogger.com (Tom Ranieri) — Sun, 24 Apr 2011 00:53:00 +0000

Costa Rica takes another step to decrease dependence on oil, with clean resources. On April 7, the final phase of construction began on a hydroelectric dam in Limon, on the Caribbean slope. The dam is scheduled to open in 2016. It will provide energy for over a half a million homes. Two companies, from Brazil and China, are bidding to operate the dam.

Semana Santa

noreply@blogger.com (Tom Ranieri) — Sat, 16 Apr 2011 13:52:00 +0000

Semana Santa or Holy Week (the week before Easter) takes on various forms in Costa Rica. For some it is a time of prayer and reflection. For others it is a time to head for the beaches. With many bussinesses closed for Holy Week people usually pack up their families and go on vacation. No alcohol is sold from Wednesday night to midnight Saturday. Bars are sealed. All Government offices are closed. So are the emergency rooms at the private hospitals. The post office, along with some banks and malls are closed from Thursday to Monday. Holy Week takes on a different tone in Costa Rica.

Hogar Siembra Rappel

noreply@blogger.com (Tom Ranieri) — Thu, 07 Apr 2011 16:10:00 +0000

How do we measure Global Warming?

noreply@blogger.com (Tom Ranieri) — Thu, 24 Mar 2011 17:59:00 +0000

The question of how do we measure global warming is actually quite simple. Located in Hawaii is a measuring station as it is in the middle of the Pacific allowing for the best location of air passing from the continents.

First of all you should know that CO2 is the greenhouse gas that we are most worried about in global warming but it actually only takes up around .039% of of which is such a small number it makes measuring quite difficult. Chemist and other sciences use something called "parts per million" to measure such small amounts. Just to give you and idea, environmentalist and most scientist agree that 350ppm (part per million) of CO2 in the atmosphere is the safe amount to have. The fact that we have passed 350ppm is that reason for so many extinctions and the climate change we are seeing.

If you were to put one drop of water in a 50 litre gas tank (size of a compact car) that would be equivalent to 1ppm (part per million). Or you could also say that 30 seconds out of an entire year is 1 ppm (part per million). This is very important that average people understand this because if it sounds just like scientist talk then it will feel like something you can do nothing about. As you can see it is actually pretty easy to understand the measuring system.

So this leaves us at the ability the non-scientist population to be able to see the CO2 ppm everyday with the chart I posting above. Remember 350ppm is the recommended safe mark for humans. Take a look at where we are now and you might think that it is safe to be there because you everyday life is going on as is but it is time to realize that we are losing somewhere between 20,000 and 50,000 species a year as compared to 4 species a year before 1800. Nothing to panic about just a way for you to see that it's now time to change the way we live.

Costa Rica & Global Warming

noreply@blogger.com (Tom Ranieri) — Thu, 24 Mar 2011 12:28:00 +0000

With the important topic of global warming now what better place to talk about it than the natural paradise of Costa Rica. It turns out Al Gore will be visiting and giving some talks of which I will not be attending as ticket prices cost what I make in a month. So I thought I would just give a few facts through our blog.

If you have ever picked up one of those books are watched one of those movies and then put down the book or turned off the movie because you thought it was so depressing than it is time to face the facts and really look at what is happening. We often talk about the tropics as Costa Rica is in what we call the heart of the tropics. Well the tropic region of the planet has expanded two degrees. I was bummed to here this as it opens up the competition for tropical vacations world-wide (I'm trying to keep a sense of humor so people finish reading this). The Artic as we all know picked up speed as of 2008 and decided to drop 25% of it's surface leaving less of it's mirror affect and allowing the ocean water to heat up which can then cool the frozen tundra and release stored methane.

In my opinion the most interesting is when we start to talk about species. up until 1900 there were an average of 4 extinctions of species per year which is considered natures average. Becoming exctinct is something nature considers part of life and if it is due to natural causes it does not have to be look at as such a negative thing. Since 1900 there are on average between 17,000 & 50,000 species extinctions a year depending on who's numbers you decide to follow. This is not so natural as it is caused by human activity. Just so you know 99.9999% of the species that have ever lived on Earth are now extinct. That is not a sad thing it is beautiful and it is why we have evolved into the beautiful human species that is now responsible for literally saving our planet (technically nobody is saving the planet, if we decide to make ourselves extinct the planet will probably survive on micro-organisms and insects that we have made super organisms through all the pesticides and anti-biotics we have pumped into the natural world making them evolved into immune little terminator bugs).

There is always talk about global warming affecting our grand-kids and blablablabla well it turns out we are the grandkids even our parents might have been the grandkids. Where we are at now is not a matter of everyone using a different light bulb. Yes, all of the little things add up and help but you have to take into account that our popluation held steady at 1 billion humans for the majority of mankind (200,000 years). When 1800 arrived we decided we were going to grow. There are now 6 billion. We are now at double the amount of people as when JFK was elected. Before 1800 we were living on what some call "Ancient Sunlight". What this means is that sunlight was trapped by plants, they died, and then became part of the soil. Over a time of 400 million years they formed into what is now oil. When we started pumping out the oil we were able to produce more food, which produces more people, which produces the need for more energy, ect. (you get the picture?).

So you might be asking yourself what now? There is a new science now called Geo-engineering which means they are engineers of the planet. They say they can develop 1500 cruise ships that take salt out of the ocean and make white clouds that reflect sun, they say they can put 31,000km of mirrors up to reflect sunlight, they say they can paint every buidling on the planet white to reflect sunlight, they say they can basically fertilize ocean algae to grow more to absorb more CO2. I hate to tell them but if we keep trying to master nature we will lose. Nature does what it does for a reason. These tactics are temporary patches in a larger problem that is not in the sun, oceans, methane tundras, CO2, artics, extinctions. Those are all symptoms of the main problem. The disease is in our mind. It is our culture it is our greed. We all have it. From the Exxon company that is worth more than all car companies on the planet combined to the rural child that wants a new cell phone to look cool at school our planet is infected with it.

If this green movement becomes a way to get rich or a way to look cooler than the Jone's than we have learned nothing. On a brighter note the human mind has created many things and has improved on them. If we destroy nature as we still do we are losing $30 trillion dollars of "FREE" utilities to our planet each year which is more than all of the nations combined. The only cure for what we are going through is yes a some modern technology because we have arrived to that point where we need a little bailout help but also contact with nature. Our children must be able to go out into the natural world and respect it. We must raise people with the idea of nature being just as important as anything else. The fact that kids can watch hours of TV everyday and identify hundreds of corporate logos and not identify more than 2 different tree species from their hometown is complete detatchment from nature.

Advice from the River

noreply@blogger.com (Tom Ranieri) — Sat, 05 Mar 2011 12:05:00 +0000

Advise from a River
Dear friend,
Go with the flow
Be thoughtful of those downstream
Slow down and meander
Follow the path of least resistance
for rapid success

Immerse yourself in nature,
Trickling streams,
roaring waterfalls,
Sparkling of light dancing on water
Delight in life's adventures around every bend
Let difficulties stream away

Live simply and gracefully in Your own True Nature
Moving, flowing, allowing,
serene and on course
It takes time to carve the beauty of the canyon
Go around the obstacles
Stay current

The beauty is in the Journey!

Poisonous Snakes Costa Rica

noreply@blogger.com (Tom Ranieri) — Fri, 04 Feb 2011 11:58:00 +0000

What a fun topic for some and what a not so fun topic for others. If you like snakes or not there is surely some interesting things to learn about them when visiting the tropics. They are actually very fascinating animals and with the number of species of snakes in Costa Rica which is around 135. Fortunately for the visiting hiker most of these are harmless.

Types of Poisonous Snakes in Costa Rica

Eyelash Pit-Viper

There are a few that can be deadly. There are 17 poisonous vipers (many non venomous snakes try to look like vipers but the real way to tell is the four holes on the nose where non venomous only have two) and 4 poisonous coral snakes (there are 11 false non-venomous corals; The 4 venomous have rings all the way around and the 11 false corals only have rings 3/4 of the way around. The rings do not connect on their bellies). You have to understand though that ALL SPECIES do not want to bite you. There is also one species of sea-snake that is poisonous that there is no anti-venom for but it's last recorded bite was in 1960. There are stories out there about how some species will come out and get you but it is not true. If you are hiking, just watch where you step, easy when you grab a tree limb, and just relax.

There are two types of poisonous venoms in Costa Rica and one comes from the vipers which is called hemotoxin which affects the blood and muscles. The other comes from the corals which is called neurotoxin which affects the brain.

Here in Costa Rica there are around 600 snake bites every year and only 3 - 6 of those bites end up being fatal. That is a low number of snake bites if you think of all the agriculture workers along with all the eco-tourist that travel through Costa Rica every year. One of the reasons for such a low fatality rate of these bites is thanks to the the Law #13 in 1926 which is the "Law of Protection of Ophidism" and the works of Clodomiro Picado who was a Costa Rican scientist from 1887-1944 which is a accredited of being one of the first to discover snake anti-venoms. There is now anti-venom for snakes in every hospital in Costa Rica.

Costa Rica Summer Vacation

noreply@blogger.com (Tom Ranieri) — Thu, 27 Jan 2011 14:54:00 +0000

For those of you that have visited Costa Rica from mid-December through mid February might have noticed that the kids here are on their summer vacation. This is a time that works out well for the local family because it coincides with the start of the dry season so most families can go and enjoy the many beaches of Costa Rica.

What you may not know is that good beach weather is not the main reason for this summer break. The real original reason for this break is to plan free time for families during the coffee harvest time here in Costa Rica.

The kids here in Costa Rica do not pick as much coffee as maybe their parents did because now you see many Nicaraguans picking in the fields and a lot more Costa Ricans at the beach.

Costa Rican the beach on your Summer Vacation?
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- Posted using BlogPress from my Jungle-iPad

Location:La Fortuna Costa Rica

What is up with Arenal?

noreply@blogger.com (Tom Ranieri) — Wed, 26 Jan 2011 18:03:00 +0000

I am sitting here looking at the famous Arenal volcano which has been erupting since 1968 and has turned the town of La Fortuna into quite the tourist destinaton here in Costa Rica. The main attraction has been the active volcano of Arenal. The only thing is that this volcano which has put on many of night time shows of lava for millions of tourist from all over the world has not done anything in the last couple of months.

Tourism in the area has gone on as is lucky to the fact that the area is developed with beautiful hotels and many other activities t do in the area. Also it is well worth visiting the area just to see the scenery of this perfectly cone shaped volcano.

The question is what is happening with the volcano? Is it going to stay inactive for the next million years or is it just taking a rest until New Years of 2018 to celebrate it's 50th anniversary of activity?

The answer to this is that we do not know and that is the beauty of it. Not to scare people but everyone wants to run to a scientist for answers during these times but if they knew everything we wouldn't need anymore scientist we could just type everything into wiki-volcanos and look things up. This is a perfect example of the many wonders of our planet. I'm sure some sort of study will come out soon giving their best guess of wha is happening and what might happen but until then I'm just enjoying the chatter of people wondering.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Location:Costa Rica Arenal

Nature is Amazing

noreply@blogger.com (Tom Ranieri) — Fri, 21 Jan 2011 13:28:00 +0000

Ant going to town on butterfly larva

Living and working in the tropics is a real treat. It never seems to amaze me of learning new things that just put you in a position to think "Good Gosh, Nature is amazing...". When doing a tour one of the first things as a nature tour guide in the tropics is to let people know that that tropics is a war-zone of different animals and species of plants all fighting for energy from the sun and other sources of energy in and around the rainforest.

Butterflies, Ants, & Plants

A butterfly lays it's eggs on plants and then when the larva hatches from the eggs it starts to feed off the plant that it's egg was sitting on. It is sort of like giving birth to a baby in an all you can eat buffet and the baby just staying at the buffet eating and eating. They say that pretty much is what butterfly larva is "Eating Machines".

Ants in many parts of the rainforest have a symbiotic relationship with plants. What does the word symbiotic mean? Symbiotic is a close relationship between two species of benefit or dependence. In the rainforest the relationship between the ant and plant in many cases is symbiotic. The ant feeds on the plant at extra-floral nectaries which are basically sugar that the plant is producing for the ant. It is in the best interest of the ant to protect the plant because the plant is the food source for the ant. In return the ant protects the plant from predators. This is where the plant and butterfly larva come to meet each other.

If a butterfly lays its eggs on a plant that has this symbiotic relationship with an ant species than you can expect the ants to destroy the eggs before the larva has the chance to hatch and start eating the plant would could cause the plant to die. There are many plants in the rainforest with symbiotic relationships with ants. So what can the butterfly do so it does not have it's eggs eaten by ants?

Well the butterfly has had to adapt to laying it's eggs on the tips of leaves where the ants do not visit. When the eggs are place here they are less likey to be discovered and disposed of by the ants. The butterfly also in recent studies has developed a smell that it releases from it's abdomen that tricks the ants into thinking it is really ant larva. Nature just keeps going and keeps adapting to whatever it might be.

Now that is some interesting stuff how nature just continues to adapt to it's surroundings.

Interesing in seeing and learning about Nature in the Tropics?

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Anteaters

noreply@blogger.com (Tom Ranieri) — Mon, 17 Jan 2011 13:14:00 +0000

Todays topic is the anteater. We have all heard of one but have you ever seen one? Do you know anything about them?

An anteater does enjoy eating ants but also spends a lot of it's time eating termites. They are found around the world in the tropics. There are four different types of anteaters (echidnas, pangolins, aardvark, and aardwolf). All of these anteaters are practically toothless probably because what they eat is so small. The anteaters have long sticky tongues which allow them to get the ants. The anteater has the largest tongue in relation to it's body size of any mammal on Earth. It's tongue can reach up to 2 ft long. It uses it's claws to dig into the ant hill and then sticks its tongue into the hill up to 150 times per minute. This fast rate of sticking it's tongue in and out makes it difficult for the ants to bite the tongue. Then with no teeth the anteater takes the ants that have stuck to the tongue and crushes them on the roof of his mouth and then swallows them.

Costa Rica has three different types of anteaters. The first is the Giant Anteater (Myrmecophaga tridactyla) which weighs up to 45lbs and is a terrestrial forest dweller. The second is Tamanduas (Tamandua mexicana) which are medium sized and scansorial (which means it is capable of climbing). The third and smallest species is the silky anteater (cyclopes didactylus) is always arboreal (in the trees) and is rarely seen.

There you have it those are the three different species of anteaters in Costa Rica. Now it is time to go out and see them in the wild. Join us on a Costa Rica adventure!

Costa Rica Pictures

noreply@blogger.com (Tom Ranieri) — Mon, 20 Dec 2010 16:10:00 +0000

Costa Rica Family Vacation

The high season has finally begun and it did not take long to get an excellent picture. Costa Rica is a paradise for nature lovers, adventure seekers, and with all this photographers find it quite the playground also. I myself am no profesional photographer but I did happen to catch a family of four on one of our Costa Rica vacations and a new found friend. This is a tree frog and he is not poisonous but he is great at getting in a picture.

If you happen to see one of these in the wild you will surely want to get a picture but just try and make sure you do not use a flash. They come out at night so getting a picture of one means you probably found one awake during the day which is quite lucky!

If your interested in a Costa Rica family vacation let us plan your trip we involve some of the best adventures and nature experts with years of experience.

Costa Rican Resource

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Nature Riddle...

noreply@blogger.com (Tom Ranieri) — Thu, 09 Dec 2010 11:55:00 +0000

Today I have a riddle for the blog entry take a look and if you can answer there will be a prize:

The hint I will give is that the answer to these is an animal in Costa Rica?

What has 4 legs, runs fast, and roars?

It also has 4 wheels, run fast, and roars?

Costa Rica Family Adventures

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Toll Free: 1-855-CRR-TOUR

What is Speciation?

noreply@blogger.com (Tom Ranieri) — Tue, 30 Nov 2010 12:36:00 +0000

Costa Rican Tanager's experienced Speciation

People want to visit the tropics on vacations and take an eco-adventure to Costa Rica because of the great bio-diversity there is here in Costa Rica. This makes for a the perfect place for an educational Costa Rica family vacation. One reason for so many different species in the tropics is that Speciation has been alive and well in the last couple of million years.

Speciation is basically the splitting of one species to form two species. One way and most common way in the tropics has been to geographic formations. The rising of the Andes has been the cause of 3 different Tapir species. The Baird's which we find here in Costa Rica, the Mountain which we find in the mountain of the Andes, and the Brazilian Tapir which is on the other side of the Andes. Before the Andes were formed it was all one species and as the Andes rose they started to adapt to their climate zone and breed only among those in that area.

Speciation in Costa Rica

Here in Costa Rica we see speciation with the rising of the mountains and volcanos with many different bird species that today look the same but are actually different species because they are located on opposite sides of the mountain ranges here in Costa Rica.

Note: Speciation is different than a sub-species. A sub-species would be to similar to dogs in being different breeds of dogs but the same species or to humans being different races but still the same species.

Interested in a Costa Rica Adventure?

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