October 26 – November 11

Feel free to leave a comment at the bottom of the page.

On this page I’ll post words and pics while in Costa Rica. We’ll be five days each in San Jose, Bijagua and Quepos.

Feel free to send an email with any comments or questions you might have about this journey. poetguy@foothillspublishing.com

November 9, 10 and Summary

A taking it easy day at the apartment before heading into Quepos mid-afternoon. Dawn went out to the beach again. She’s more a beach person than either Carolyn and I.

Where we are staying in the town of Manuel Antonio is just a block away from the bus route. A bus runs between the town of Quepos and Manuel Antonio National Park, a distance of not quite five miles. The apartment is just about midway between the two. The buses run about every half hour and cost 385 colones, or about 75 US cents. Very convenient and inexpensive.

Quepos is a town of about 20,000 people. It’s known as a good base for sport fishing in the Pacific. I bought bus tickets at the terminal for San Jose the following day, Friday. We had a flight out of the airport there at 6:15 AM Saturday.

After getting the tickets we walked around Quepos a bit. In a few block area are loads of stores and small restaurants, along with a Papa John’s Pizzeria.

At la Madre Park was a crocodile warning sign, right there in the center of town. The park also had a sculpture of a mother and child. la Madre, the Mother.

Quepos has a pleasant waterfront walkway that was quite active with people enjoying the late afternoon sunshine, along with a raucous gathering of Great-tailed Grackles.

After sunset we walked over to a seafood restaurant where I tried ceviche for the first time. Ceviche is made by marinating fish (what I had) in a citrus and spice mixture. It is not cooked at all. It was very tasty and I had wished I had tried it earlier on this trip.

On the way back to the bus, we passed a large bright colorfully lighted Quepos sign at the entrance to the waterfront walkway. There was live music at an open aired restaurant and before we got on the bus there was a large group, what appeared to maybe high school students, playing drums, glockenspiels and other people dancing to the music and using some metal cannister-like percussive item while they danced. (See video below)

The short visit to Quepos made me think that if I ever came back to this area I would stay in Quepos rather than the town of Manuel Antonio. A lot more variety and accessibility to the water and parks than Manuel and only a ten minute longer bus ride to the National Park and the beaches down that way.

Howler monkeys again howled our final morning in Manuel Antonio. Took a few pictures at the beach before boarding the bus for San Jose.

Had reserved a room near the airport for the night and the owner of the BnB provided shuttle service to the airport. We needed to leave the apartment at 4:00 AM and that was not a problem.

The BnB was in a very busy, congested area, but we were there just for the rest of the day and booked it because of the proximity to the airport. The day before we made plans to have dinner with Mario, who was the attendant at the San Jose place we first stayed in when arriving in Costa Rica a little over two weeks earlier. Mario also brought along his guitar. We had a pleasant dinner and then went over to our apartment where he played songs for us. Classical, Costa Rican and even some popular rock songs: Led Zepplin’s “Stairway to Heaven” and Eric Clapton’s “Tears in Heaven.” He was a very good guitar player and he even sang a few songs in Spanish. It was a wonderful way to spend our last few hours in Costa Rica.

Short video of Mario playing is below.

Edward, our host of the BnB, had his car ready to go at 4 AM to take us to the airport, about 10 minutes away. A very congenial person who I wish we would have had more time to talk with.

The journey back was trouble free. No delays to the flights and the only inconvenience was the scheduled seven hour layover at the Dallas airport. The seven hours felt like hanging out in a shopping mall all day, which I would never do. A small inconvenience for the good price I booked the round-trip tickets for – $409 per person.

When we landed in Buffalo at 11:30 PM the temperature was in the upper 30s. This was my Daily Spontaneous Poem for Facebook that night:

Daily Spontaneous Poem #3220 (11/11/2023)

early morning

Costa Rican Pacific shore

this evening

Buffalo cold night air

still shake my head

how this can be

Summary

One plans a journey. Spends hours researching, booking, anticipating. Then the journey begins. Then the journey ends. Just like that.

This was my second journey outside of North America. My first was last year, to Great Britain, Portugal, Dublin. My good friend and fellow poet, Craig Czury, has for decades encouraged me to get my passport, travel out of America, experience other places, other cultures. Last year I finally did that. This year I have continued that.

Decided on Costa Rica because I’ve known a number of people who have gone there and have had a wonderful experience. Most of that wonderfulness had to do with the natural world diversity that is there.

I would agree. The experience of nature here is sublime: Toucans; Macaws; Banana trees; Sloths; Howler, White-faced, Squirrel Monkeys; everything exotic to a northerner.

Yet, beyond natural world experience, the people experience was wonderful, too. In the two plus weeks here there was not a single negative experience with another person. The closest to that was mildly aggressive rogue cab drivers who got in your face a little bit. Easy to ignore.

In all of the pre-trip planning, everything I read had us prepared for rain and mosquitoes. This was the latter part of the rainy season in Costa Rica. I bought a rain poncho before leaving. I never used it. I bought insect repellent before leaving. Never used it. There were a few times when it rained, with one half hour period of a torrential downpour, but otherwise it was fair weather. Sunshine, heat, humidity. It is not the kind of weather I would want to experience every day. Yet, it was ok to experience it for the short while here.

Before leaving, when I mentioned I was going to Costa Rica, a lot of people said it was a place they want to go to, a place on their bucket list. Other people, who had been there, raved about their experience.

After having been there, I would echo the words of those who have gone there before, and would encourage those who have it on their bucket list to go.

To sum the experience up, Mario asked me on the last day of the trip, over dinner, if I could say one word to sum up the Costa Rica experience. I told him I needed two words.

Beautiful. Friendly.

November 7 and 8

Want to start with a correction for one of my pictures. The

monkey picture on November 6 I labeled as a White-faced monkey. My son, Chapin, texted me that it is actually a Central American Squirrel Monkey and this is one of the few places that it can be found! Thank you Chapin.

Did see White-faced Monkeys yesterday though. So, we have seen three of the four monkeys that reside in Costa Rica.

My sister Dawn arrived on the evening of the sixth.

Went swimming in the Pacific each of the last two days. Dawn and I both went in, though it wasn’t really swimming. On the 7^th we swam at Playa Espadilla, which is directly on the Pacific. There are warnings about rip tides and the waves were fairly stout. It was more a wade and submerse rather than an actual swim. It was good to get into the water, which was pleasantly warm and refreshing.

My sister knows Spanish, so that is helpful in the incidental relating with people here.

The following day we went swimming at Playa Manuel Antonio, which was more of a little bay of the Pacific, so not as strong wave action and actually a little more “swimmable.”

That swim was in Manuel Antonio National Park after a guided walking tour with Clarence, our guide. We spent about 2½ hours with him and were able to observe so much more than if we had been walking just on our own. He also imparted a fair of information about the animals and plants which added to the experience.

Even though we started relatively early in the park, it was very busy. There were many guided groups on the trails. We had a private tour, just the three of us and Clarence. Some of the other tour groups had maybe a dozen or so people in them.

The different tour guides were very cooperative and friendly toward each other. They would share information about what they were viewing so that another group could also experience it. Refreshing to see such camaraderie amongst the guides.

After the swim we worked our way back home as the heat and humidity of the rain forest is quite draining after hours outside.

On the bus ride back from the park Dawn had a conversation with a Spanish woman who was traveling alone. They had spoken briefly at the bus stop and then the woman sat next to dawn on the bus though it was mostly empty. Dawn enjoyed the conversation and relayed some of the conversation to us as we walked home. The woman said how traveling is in her body, in her soul. Also, that borders were made by man and when you fly over the land there are no borders to be seen. Sounds like I would have enjoyed conversing with her too.

November 6

What a difference being here in Manuel Antonio compared to Bijagua! The latter is a small rural village and where we are now is a small resort village! The town is only a few kilometers from the National Park and nearby beaches. There are resort lodgings and some fancier restaurants here.

Wanted to walk to the Pacific shore early in the morning. Google maps showed a half hour walk to Playa Tulemar. The road it showed to turn on turned out to be a private road entrance to Tulemar Resort. Even before 7:00 AM, when we were out walking, there was an attendant at the entrance gate. We were not allowed to walk there. It is only open to guests of the resort. I checked online and the prices to stay there range from $340 to $1300 per night, depending on the type of lodging you prefer! Definitely not poet prices!

Did take a bus ride the few kilometers to Manuel Antonio National Park area. We have reservations for the park on Wednesday, but the shore is right there before the park entrance and I really wanted to get to the Pacific. There’s a long beach there, just outside of the park, Espadilla Beach. There were a number of people out along the sand and also in the water, on surfboards, learning how to surf. Vendors lined the road, along the ten minute walk to the park and just outside the entrance. A busy market area before entering into, what I suppose is, the tranquility of the park itself. We’ll find out in a couple of days.

There were signs warning about swimming because of rip tides. Also warning signs about crocodiles. The near end of the beach area was wooded and rocky. Pacific waves crashed over rocky prominences, reminding me of Acadia.

While out and about we saw some White-faced Monkeys. Watched an Agouti foraging about in a field, one of the exotic mammals here in Costa Rica. Toucans, Scarlet Macaws, American White Pelican, a couple of White Ibises and some new flowers were also seen while out.

Now, late afternoon, a steady rain has been falling for a half hour or so. Even though it is the rainy season, this rain is welcomed, as parts of Costa Rica have seen almost a 50% deficit in rainfall this year and the dry season begins next month.

Just as I wrote the above words, some sun started shining from the west as the rain continued to fall. A rainbow, with a faint bit of a second one, was visible off of the back veranda.

November 5

A day of bus travel.

Caught a bus from Bijagua to San Jose at 5:45 this morning. As we left the house in the just getting light dawn, we heard a few howler monkeys calling out. Nice to get one last experience of that here. The bus ride was about four hours, reversing the way we rode five days ago. From there, a short cab ride to another bus terminal for about a three hour ride to Quepos. Then from there, about a 20 minute ride to the town on Manuel Antonio where the apartment is that we will be staying in for the next five nights. My sister Dawn will be coming in from Buffalo tomorrow to join us for a few days.

As the owner was showing us around the apartment, from the back veranda we saw a couple of Scarlet Macaws fly by!

Here in Manuel Antonio we are just a short distance from the National Park of the same name. We bough tickets to go to the park on Wednesday. Tickets need to be purchased online and entrance is time delineated. We have 8:00 AM time. The park closes by 4 PM, meaning everyone has to leave the park by that time. Certainly different than visiting national parks in the US or Canada.

We are by the Pacific here. If weather ok, I hope to take a half hour walk to Playa Tulemar first thing in the morning tomorrow. Maybe even go in to the water. As often as I have been by the Pacific Ocean I have never entered the water. It’s about time.

November 4

Rain, heavy at times, for a couple or so hours after sunrise. When it stopped, we took a walk “around the block”. About a mile or so on the other side of Route 6, the main road through town. This walk took us into the country, somewhat. Wood and houses with more land attached. At one point there was a for sale sign. If I interpreted it correctly, it was a little over an acre of land for the equivalent of about $160,000!

We saw a lot of new flowers on the hike, too. Pictures and names below.

While writing this a loud noise startled us. A sudden heavy downpour with no warning. It was is if a trap door opened on the bottom of the clouds and let loose the contents! It wasn’t raining just beforehand. Now, ten minutes later and it is pouring just as heavy and a crack of thunder just boomed. All of those dry days we have experienced here during this rainy season are being made up for right now. I’m glad we were not out on a walk!

Here is a list of the birds we have identified while here in Costa Rica:

A few last pics before leaving Bijagua early tomorrow morning.

November 3

Heavy rain during the night and for the first few hours of the day. But then the rain passed on and the rest of the day stayed dry.

No major excursion today. After the rain fell I took a walk to a nearby fruit stand to replenish our breakfast larder. Bananas, mango, mandarins and a pineapple. It has been so wonderful to be able to eat such fresh fruit every day.

Just a few days here and a familiarity with the place has developed easily. Bijagua is a small town with one main street. On that street are all of the businesses: fruit stands, two supermarkets, pharmacy, hardware, restaurants, bank, clothing and other little stores. Even though a national park is just kilometers away, Bijagua feels like just a regular village in Costa Rica, not mainly focused on tourism. Even though there are a lot of food establishments for such a small town, most of them seem to cater to local clientele and are very reasonably priced. Of course, this is the off-season, but I have a feeling it’s not much different when tourist season begins in December.

When walking through town, I would say that about 80% of the people who pass by either say hola or buenos dias in greeting. Back home in Bath, NY I’d say 95% of the passers-by never even look up at you, let alone greet you. Both here and in the city of San Jose, there has never been a feeling of concern about strangers.

Today marks the halfway point of the trip. One more full day here then Sunday is a travel day. Another bus ride back to San Jose and then one more bus from there to Quepos, on the Pacific coast and adjacent to Manuel Antonio National Park, for a five day stay. My sister Dawn will be joining us there for the final four days. City, mountain rain forest then ocean beach and rain forest. Five days in each place allows a little sense of getting a feel for the area. A nice varied itinerary without always being on the move.

November 2

More monkey howls in the pre-dawn morning.

Also saw more monkeys on the morning walk through the neighborhood.

While looking at some birds a man came over from his house to talk with us. Again, the barrier of language, but, I had just downloaded the Google Translate app and we were able to communicate with the help of technology! Dagoberto mentioned that his son was coming in this morning and that he speaks English, so he invited us to come back a little later in the morning. We did, and had a wonderful visit with them. The son, Mauricio, and his family were heading out to Banff National Park in Canada the next morning. They served us some fresh pineapple juice, we watched monkeys in a nearby tree and sat outside getting to know each other. Mauricio translated for us and his father. Before leaving, Dagoberto gave us his address, email and phone number and said to call if we have any problems at all.  

In the evening we went on a guided night walk at Tapir Valley Nature Reserve, a few miles from town. Anthony, the guide, was a delight. We were the only ones on the walk so we started a little early, before dark, which was nice because we were able to see a few more things than if we left at just about dark. Pictures below show a bit of what we experienced.

I don’t particularly like paying for things like this. But being that most everything in nature here is foreign to me, this is a good way to learn. Especially the night tour brought experiences that we would never have had on our own.

There were a number of highlights, but there were two in particular that stood out. One was seeing a Fer-de-lance snake. It is a pit viper and the deadliest snake in Costa Rica and the region. While we observed it the snake didn’t feel threatened and just lay still. Anthony took my phone to get the picture of it. He didn’t want us to get too near the snake. The other was observing a small Tapir Valley Tree Frog. This was a previously unknown species, first discovered here in the last few of years.

I’ve always wondered how many species of plants and animals there might be in the world that have never been “discovered” by humans? So, a good day filled with nature and people, as we have just about reached the halfway point of the trip.

November 1

Was woken up this morning by the call of Howler Monkeys close by. Was still dark, so didn’t go out to try to see them.

Took an early morning walk through the neighborhood, a rural neighborhood with plenty of space and greenery amongst the houses. Saw our first toucan, a Yellow-throated. Also anumber of other new birds including a Scarlet-rumped Tanager and a Barred Antshrike. Ah, there is so much new to discover here.

Had a fruit breakfast while sitting outside at the house. Mandarins, fresh pineapple the we cut up and rambutan. Delicious. (Click on thumbnails for larger pic)

Bought some more fresh fruit today. Bananas, star fruit, mango and more rambutan. The first three I bought from one of the fruit stands in town. There are a few of them here, which surprised me, for Bijagua being a small town. But, it is also in a tourist area, and there are many more people around in the “season” which starts in December, as opposed to now, which is the rainy season, or “off-season”.

The rambutan I bought from an older gentleman who was set up on the side of a road with a table and a big pile of the fruit. I bought a bag of them, maybe a gallon by volume, for 1,000 colones, or a little less than $2.  

Thunder rumbled over the mountains this afternoon but we only received a little bit of rain for about 15 minutes or so. Even though the rainy season, we’ve not had very much rain on this trip so far. One thing is pretty constant weather-wise though, the temperatures. Low 70s for low temp and low 80s for the high every day.

And I have been told there was snow in the air back home the other day.

October 31

An almost five-hour bus ride from San Jose to Bijagua. We were maybe the only non-locals on the bus. A comfortable ride, with one stopover at a location with restrooms and various food stalls. No bathroom on the bus.

I am glad we didn’t consider renting a car here. It’s not quite a free for all type of driving, but seems close to that. Yesterday’s cab ride and today’s bus ride had me wondering about how many accidents occur here. We only saw evidence of one, early today while on the bus. I guess everyone must be used to the style of driving here.

We were quite tired after arriving in Bijagua at the little house we are staying in for the next five days. But, our host, Diego, was anxious to show us some of the wildlife here, so we walked about with him viewing different birds and a family group of monkeys. He is quite knowledgeable about them. He doesn’t speak English and we don’t speak Spanish, but he used a translation app on his phone and it worked pretty well for him to describe what we were seeing.

Bijagua is a small rural town in the mountains of northern Costa Rica. The landscape is agricultural land and forests and there is a nearby National Park, Tenorio Volcano, that we will visit in the next day or two.

I ZOOMed my Tuesday night program from the house here. A little thunder rumbled in the distance just beforehand and then it started to rain. I had been told internet service could be spotty during inclement weather, but it worked fine for the program.

Quite a change from the last five days in San Jose. Much of our experience here will be with the natural world, which we have already experienced a bit of in the few hours here. A lot more ahead in the next few days.

 October 30

A final day in San Jose.

This morning a grey cloud was overhanging the day. We needed to get a bus Tuesday morning to Bijagua but everything I checked online was contradictory and confusing and I had no sense of being certain of getting a bus to our destination.

About 7:30, Mario came over to the apartment with his ukelele and played and sang for us for awhile. A few Spanish songs and a bit of classical music. He sounded really good and we had some wonderful conversation, too. If we have the time when we return for a day to San Jose before flying back home, he would like to take us out to a nearby volcano or some other places he’d like to share with us.

Like Mario said yesterday, when playing music (or listening to, in my case) the problems just vanish away, at least temporarily.

One last traditional breakfast at Soda Columbiana. I was disappointed that Edwin wasn’t there this morning, as he was going to fix a special breakfast for me. But, the Gallo Pinto was delicious and fulfilling once again.

I decided to make a trip to the bus station to find out first-hand what is going on with the schedule. It turns out it was very simple. There are a few buses going from San Jose to Bijagua every day, though the bus lines website didn’t list any. It’s a four-hour bus ride, $12 per person. We bought tickets for the 6 AM bus. The grey cloud dispersed!

Nearby, at the legislative building, are three stone spheres, or bolas de Piedra. There is also one outside of the National Museum. These stone balls, some a few feet in diameter, were made by the Disquis, a pre-Columbian indigenous culture that vanished after the Spanish conquest. There is not much known for sure about the spheres in terms of why and what use. They were found in southern Costa Rica and the balls here were moved for display purposes. Many, many of them were created and also many lost over time, destroyed as land was developed for agriculture etc.

The stone spheres are a national symbol of Costa Rica and I find them fascinating to contemplate.

So, off tomorrow, leaving the city behind for small town, (Bijagua population is about 5,000) rain forest experience over the next five days.

October 29

Another day of no rain. This has been remarkable in that we have had a wonderful stretch of a few days of dry weather at the height of the rainy season!

Before leaving the apartment building we talked a bit more with Mario, the overnight attendant here. He is a musician, playing guitar, piano, violin, ukelele and bass. He spoke about how when he plays music the world’s problems, his personal problems just vanish away. He has learned to speak English and is teaching his mom to do so, too. Before we went out for a walk I gave him a copy of my memoir book, “Becoming Who I Needed to Be.” He was very touched by that gesture.

Back to the local breakfast place, Soda Columbiana. Two filling and delicious breakfasts for the equivalent of $12 US. Edwin, the person we’ve talked with and ordered from there is very friendly and helpful in teaching us a bit about what the food is called in Costa Rica and Columbia. He felt we were waiting too long for our breakfast to get done (we didn’t feel that) so he brought us each a complimentary empanada while we waited. I told him that tomorrow is our last chance for breakfast there and asked if he’d fix up something special for me, of his own choosing. He agreed.

Walked about a mile to the Spirogyra Butterfly Garden and then visited the adjacent Simon Bolivar Zoo and Botanical Gardens. A number of the photos below are from those two places.

I bought a bit of fresh fruit to have with dinner. Fruit is one of the wonderfully available foods here in this tropical country. I brought back papaya, mandarins, rambutan and bananas. They were all wonderful and at just the right ripeness. Even the bananas were tastier than any of the ones we get back home. I could easily get used to this fresh fruit availability. (Click on thumbnails for larger versions)

October 28

Walked over for breakfast at a place listed on Google, but it wasn’t open yet, even though the time on Google said otherwise. There was another restaurant around the corner so we went there instead. Nuestra Tierra. A good breakfast and pleasant waitress, but it was more than double the price of yesterday’s breakfast. More of a touristy centered place rather than for locals. I think we’ll go back to Soda Columbiana tomorrow.

Afterwards we walked to the Parque Nacionale. Before that though, we observed a few birds in the Plaza de la Democracia, next to the National Museum. At the Nacionale we also spent time watching birds. Was able to identify a few of them, with a little help from Chapin, who I called on the phone. Hoffmann’s Woodpecker, Tropical Kingbird, Clay-colored Thrush, Great-tailed Grackle, Rufous-collard Sparrow. Didn’t see, but heard often the call of the Great Kiskadee.

We walked around looking at the vendors that filled the park. It seems like it’s a big Halloween or Day of the Dead festival. The usual arts, crafts, food vendors that you’d see at any kind of festival like this. Didn’t buy anything, other than a granizados, a fruity, creamy Costa Rican shaved ice concoction that was very tasty and not overly sweet.

Later, Carolyn went to the Jade Museum and I took another walk to the Central Market. The pedestrian street was more crowded than yesterday even. The usual hawkers were there too. One woman was selling goldfish in a plastic bag like you can win at the fairs. Another guy was wheeling around a fifty-five gallon drum with coconuts inside. When someone wanted to buy one he lopped off the top with a swift swipe using a machete-like instrument and then gave them the coconut and a straw. Another person was dressed as a clown and sold balloons he shaped into animals. There were also a lot of vendors selling Halloween and Day of the Dead masks.

At Plaza de la Cultura I sat down for a bit and wrote in my journal. Every once in awhile I would notice someone gazing over at me. Probably not very many people sit out there writing in a notebook.

Here’s a poem I wrote there:

so far from Wheeler Hill
here on Avenida Central
San Jose, Costa Rica
so many people
so much movement
so much constant sound
so much I am drawn to
silent observer
of this mass of humanity
this pulsing rhythm of life
so unlike anything
I can ever experience
on remote, quiet, peaceful
Wheeler Hill

October 27

Sun rises a little after 5 AM and sets a little after 5 PM. First morning and it is already raining. This is the rainy season here, but sometimes it’s dry in the morning then will rain afternoon and night. Not this morning. But, ready to head out for a local breakfast and buying of a few supplies. The Costa Rican adventure begins.

Arrived in San Jose late night after a looong day of travel. Left Buffalo at 6:45 AM and arrived in San Jose the equivalent of a little after midnight our time. Had to change planes in Dallas after having sat on the scheduled plane for over an hour while they looked at some maintenance problem. After transferring to another plane we eventually took off, a little over four hours late. But we made it to our apartment after a 25 minute taxi ride in the dark, rainy night.

A few hours morning outing in the neighborhood. A light drizzle fell for most of the morning, but a warm drizzle. We walked up to Parque Nacionale a few blocks away. A large park with trees, flowers, walkways and a lot of early morning activity; workers starting to set up various tent structures throughout the park. It looks like some public event may be taking place there this weekend. Traditional Costa Rican and Columbian breakfasts at Soda Columbiana a block away from the apartment. Both tasty and filling with rice, beans and eggs being a staple of each. Bought fresh fruit, pastry and empinadas for later-in-the-day food. Already have seen a number of exotic tree flowers. In the three hours out, the quietness of the first part of the walk transformed to a lot of vehicle and pedestrian traffic. Small shops were opening for business and the bustle of city life animated the drizzly day. A good morning outing, though still a bit tired from the long travel day yesterday. (Click on small pics for a larger one)

Bought food at a couple of small shops to eat later in the day back at the apartment; empinadas, fresh fruit, a slice of some kind of cheesecake. Plenty of sodas (small restaurants) and bakeries in the neighborhood.

The apartment is comfortable and quiet, even though it is located on a busy, mostly commercial street. We are on the edge of the governmental district, with various official buildings and parks nearby. A nice blend of market and officialdom.

In the afternoon the streets were very busy with people. A few blocks away the street we are on becomes a pedestrian street for quite a number of blocks. It is the market street with locals and tourists congregating on its pavements.

One of the almost constant sounds, beyond just the din of city busyness, is the voice of hawkers and small business people shouting out their sales pitch mantras. Watches, fresh fruit, flip flops, small trinkets and so much more offered to passers-by. None of the hawkers were aggressive at all, thankfully.

I went out again just before sunset to cover a little more nearby ground. It seemed a shame to not be outside because, after the early morning light rain, it didn’t rain at all for the rest of the day, an unusual treat here during the rainy season. Was able to get a nice view of the nearby mountains off to the southwest of the city. Another benefit of not being a rainy day.