PUERTO QUEPOS, Costa Rica

Happy people see God’s blessings everywhere, even in sad little boats in the estuary of Damas Island, near Puerto Quepos, Costa Rica. On our travels there today, we saw Capuchin monkeys (the blur in the tree above) and MANY birds (want the list again??), a boa constrictor, an anteater, and mangrove trees of four varieties (red, white, black and pineapple – go figure). Like yesterday, our photos consist of 90% tree and 10% brown or white blur. Of the eleven people on our little boat, three had no photo device (probably sharing with spouses), four had iPhone cameras, two had fancy cameras, and two had cameras with large lenses, one the size of a bazooka, the other a little less aggressive. We had many photo stops for photo ops!!

On the long drive to the swamp, we passed acres of African oil palms. These replaced Costa Rica’s bananas after the bananas were devastated by a blight. It seems the bananas have recovered (and take 6 months to mature), and the oil palms have prospered too (and take two weeks to mature). The economy needs lots of harvesters and seems to have them.

Costa Rica takes Covid seriously. During our excursison, we had to wash/sanitize our hands 8 times and have our temps taken once. Twice we walked on a long (and lovely) pier that has been oddly fitted with bathroom sinks. An attendant squirted us with hand soap and sent us to a basin to wash it off. Upon return to the Whisper, we went immediately to the Panorama Lounge for another PCR test, this one required by Ecuador. We are looking forward to eating and drinking the evening (as long as you are putting something in your mouth, masks are not required!!)

We look out to the Pacific and it is – pacific; there is no sign of any tsunami here. Bill continues to recover; he was able to get in and out of the ship’s tender and the excursion boat and doesn’t wince as much as he did. So praise God! We think of you and hope those of you in the northland have plenty of hats and mittens.

Hope and Bill