I believe that there is a subtle magnetism in Nature, which, if we unconsciously yield to it, will direct us aright. ~Henry David Thoreau
Nature is ever changing, so every trip out is an opportunity to see something new and explore something different! Say "San Juan Islands" and images of ferry boats slipping between emerald isles beneath a deep blue sky, one of the best places in the world to see orca (killer) whales will likely form in one's mind. Once here you feel there’s no place more beautiful for recreation, relaxation and rejuvenation. I feel so lucky and amazed to be living in such a wonderful corner of the world!
We started off on a Saturday morning on over an hour drive to Anacortes for the Washington State Ferries.The San Juan Islands exist not only as gems in Washington’s state "Top 5 islands in the continental U.S. and Canada", but also as a state of mind. An island culture borne of geographic seclusion and resilient spirit. The San Juan Islands are emerald gems that contain magical forests, breathtaking and exciting wildlife, long swept rugged beaches, mountain peaks with incredible vistas, towering cedar trees, and quiet bays. The sea within the Islands is known as the Salish Sea which is named after the original first peoples of the region, the coast Salish. They were seafaring people who fished, carved totem poles which told of family histories, whose history is steeped in legends. There was a thick fog as we reached the Friday Harbor in the San Juan Island which eventually disappeared into a beautiful deep blue sky as we reached Orcas Island on an interisland ferry.
That was the first time in my life I was ever Island Hopping and I absolutely loved the experience. The first destination island was the Orcas Island. Lovely Orcas Island is the largest of the San Juans. The horseshoe-shaped island is a magical mix of lush forest, farm valleys, tranquil lakes and stunning mountains, all wrapped around a beautiful fjord. Orcas Island is made up of several hamlets and villages. Eastsound offers casual to fine dining, boutiques, galleries, a performing arts center, a first-run movie theater, and a history museum. We rambled around that area a bit and then bumped into the Community Labyrinth at Emmanuel Episcopal Church which I walked in and out of it. Generally synonymous with maze, the labyrinth is an archetypal design - a universal divine imprint - an ancient symbol that relates to wholeness, combining the imagery of the circle and the spiral into a meandering but purposeful path.The Labyrinth represents a journey to our own center and back again out into the world. Labyrinths have long been used as meditation and prayer tools.
The biological clock struck and we knew we were hungry. We browsed around a couple of places and then settled with a restaurant called 'Allium' which treated us on the bounty of simple, fresh Pacific Northwest flavors and for a sumptuous lunch. The restaurant itself was adorably cozy, set on the second floor of a waterfront former home with great views of waters. I can say the food was very refreshing, fresh and very gourmet. Off then we drove to the Moran State Park looking for camping sites. The ranger at the Park offered us a very private and secluded patch atop a real woodsy area uphill reachable by a short trek.
The panoramic view of islands, water and mountains from atop 2,409-foot Mount Constitution is a must-see...
Beautiful reflections of this verdant area on our drive to Eastsound Village on Orcas Island
We took around twenty minutes to set up the tent on that hot afternoon and then after a pleasant siesta drove to see Cascade Falls, a small but impressive 75-foot-high waterfall in Moran State Park. We then drove to the top of Moran State Park to see panoramic views of the islands and surrounding mountains. Atop the 2,409-foot-high Mt. Constitution, the highest point on the San Juan Islands, there stands a stone observation tower. The tower offers panoramic views of the surrounding islands, the Cascade Mountains and a variety of Canadian and American cities. We then drove all the way out of the Park towards the Eastsound for an early dinner as we wanted to spend some time by the Cascade Lake at night inside the Moran State Park where we had camped. We captured some lovely reflections of a beautiful verdant area on our drive to Eastsound Village on Orcas Island. We then headed towards a fine dining restaurant called 'New Leaf Cafe' which served simple, fresh cuisine highlighting the finest ingredients the island had to offer in an intimate water view dining room. I had Mediterranean mussels with cream, pesto, garlic, and sun dried tomatoes and quite honestly it was one of the finest mussel preparations I have eaten. I was told that the mussels were straight from the Buck Bay on the Orcas Island and they were as fresh as they could be! Local fresh seafood served with whole grains and seasonal veggies. It was a beautiful and relaxing experience on the Island. Breakfast, lunch or dinner, Orcas Island restaurants offer an amazing range of delicious eating experience. Like I said we returned back early to our hide out after spending a little while by the Lake and then called it a night.
Baby whale named "Se Yi Chn"
Next morning we drove to the ferry dock for our interisland ferry to Friday Harbor. Friday Harbor is a town located on San Juan Island and it is the major commercial center of the San Juan Islands archipelago. The Doctor's Office Café 'A Treatment Cafe' is one of the first places that you see when you get off the Ferry. Great veggie sandwiches, coffee, pastries and service! Done with breakfast we looked around to see lots of interesting boats out in the Strait- sailboats, ferries, tugs and power boats in every direction on Friday Harbor. We drove into the American Camp of San Juan Island National Historical Park for a quick glimpse of the San Juan Island before getting onto "Odyssey" for our Orca Whale watching trip at 2:00pm. The experience on San Juan Excursions' "Odyssey" was more than overwhelming on 12th of July 2010. What a perfect day to be out on a boat, exploring the protected inland Salish Sea. The two naturalists on the vessel were erudite and provided a sea of information on marine life. They spoke at length on the Orca (Killer) Whales - history, types, description, life cycle, range and habitat, food habits, behavior, giving us a very holistic whale watching experience. The crew was tracking three pods of whales that afternoon. First sightings of the orca (killer) whales, If you look you can see the dorsal fins of the whales and also "blowing" caused by a cloud vapor produced by whale's exhalation and mixing with sea water. Among the many Orca Whales we saw the "Granny "and also a year old baby whale named "Se Yi Chn" on our trip. And what more the baby whale was breaching on his mother and the sight was pristine, full of emotion and wonderful to watch! We also saw harbor seals and bald eagles.
Getting out of the boat we trotted towards a gourmet handmade icecream and coffee parlor. Licking the creamummy icecreams after that long boat ride left us with a wow feeling. We then drove directly towards the southern tip of San Juan Island known as Cattle Point. It was like driving into the picture and we loved this marvelous drive to the lighthouse. The larger American Camp’s 1,200 acres of prairie and forest also boasts five miles of beach and views of whales, porpoises, seals and sea lions. American Camp’s prairie was an unexpected delight, what with the cloud-sunshine color play on the blue waters and wild summer flowers. Into and beyond - the scenery was awesome. We drove the entire place drinking in this scenery and beauty. We then drove to Pelindaba Lavender Farm and saw diverse range of lavender plants spread in lovely lavender. Delicate, exquisite, therapeutic and just beautiful!!
Then we headed towards Lime Kiln Point State Park - the place on San Juan Island to watch sunsets and hopefully spot some of the 80-plus Orcas who make the waters of Haro Strait their summer home. We spent good amount of time there and got some beautiful shots of the lighthouse against the breathtaking skies at sunset.
And then the worst part at the end of the trip was to bid adieu to all the beauty and serenity. The scenery around was breathtaking and the holiday very rejuvenating - simple pleasures... holding hands, stealing a kiss, beach combing, watching birds, skipping rocks and sharing the joy! All this was coming to an end! It was a fun trip and we had a wonderful time. I must say this was by far one of the most memorable trips in our life time and very dear! Beautiful moments to cherish for a long long time to come.
I love to think of nature as an unlimited broadcasting station, through which God speaks to us every hour, if we will only tune in. ~George Washington Carver
Mention Costa Rica and people think paradise. Friendly, peaceful and progressive, "the Rich Coast" is one of the world's top eco and adventure tourism destinations. Costa Rica is located in the Central American isthmus, between the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea. Although the country is small and it covers only 0.03 % of the surface of the globe, it proudly shelters a 6% of the existing biodiversity in the entire world. 25.58 % of the country is composed of conservation and natural protected territory.
Abound with the most stunning array of wild, tropical and exotic flora & fauna, beaches, rainforests, volcanoes, national parks, waterfalls make this tiny Latin American country the place to be especially if you are an avid nature lover. The country’s Disneylike cast of creatures – ranging from howler monkeys to toucans – are populous and relatively easy to spot.
Typical Costa Rican Cuisine consists of - Gallo Pinto (combination of black beans and white rice and is spiced with cilantro, onions, garlic, salt), Arroz con Pollo (bite size chicken chunks mixed with rice ), lots of salad, side of squash, Fried plantains and Refrescos Naturales (fruit drink of some kind made from endless variety cantaloupe, strawberry, tamarind, mango, papaya, lemon, blackberry).
Costa Rica possesses a rich and abundant flora. The exquisite "Guaria Morada" a Purple Orchid, the National Flower of Costa Rica is basically common on house patios all over Costa Rica. In fact, Costa Rica has over thirteen hundred species of orchids. Then there are Heliconias and Wild Ginger. A vast range of flower forms, coupled with a mind-boggling array of vibrant colours, are the main reason why Heliconia form the centerpiece of so many tropical landscapes all around the world.
The road to Poás Volcano National Park is very beautiful, as we start ascending the mountain we pass many coffee plantations that are varying colors of green. Just after the coffee plantaions the landscape changes into a cloud forest that is truly amazing. Poás Volcano in the Poás Volcano National Park, an active volcano with some of the most beautiful scenery in Costa Rica. At the bottom of this prehistoric-looking hole, there is a medium sized lagoon, that spews boiling sulphurous gases. Due to cloud cover, humidity and sulphur fumes, the crater of Poas Volcano is visible only 30% of the time. We were definitely lucky!
On our Rain Forest Aerial Tram Tour - we stepped aboard the green open-air gondola that would whisk us through the rain forest treetops. It takes an hour and 20 minutes, during which we glided pleasantly through the treetops.This is an extraordinary opportunity to see a primary forest and its natural splendor at first hand. The open-air gondolas with canvas awnings seat 6 passengers and a naturalist guide. An incredible therapeutic experience. We were enraptured by the serenity of the nature at the top. The moist air created a fresh, vibrant feeling that energized our senses and brought a chorus of shrill chirps from birds hidden in the canopy.
Amongst the many national parks visited in Costa Rica the one that rings the bells is the Tortuguero National Park. While on our way to Tortuguero on the Caribbean coast, we passed two large banana plantations, one owned and operated by Chiquita and the other by Del Monte.We were very excited, geared up and ready to leave to cruise through rivers and canals to the 47,000 acre Tortuguero National Park in a fast motor boat. Tortuguero National Park is a National Park within the Tortuguero Conservation Area. Tortuguero village is surrounded by the humid rainforest of Tortuguero National Park and a palm-fringed coastline, the village is located on a narrow strip of land between the Tortuguero River and the Caribbean Sea. Clusters of “broccoli” trees so named because of their spreading crowns stood tall in the lush, verdant jungles of Tortuguero. Often called, "Costa Rica's Amazon", Tortuguero is a navigable network of lakes and channels that crosses this National Park and allows a great diversity of fauna and flora to be observed. Traveling through the canals is a fascinating experience rich in wildlife that includes Howler Monkeys, Iguanas, Spectacled Caimans, Sloths, Turtles, Bats, Blue-jeans Frogs, Butterflies and colorful birds like Toucans, Collared Aracaris, Snowy Egrets, Cormorants, Anhingas, Woodpeckers, Kingfishers, Black-necked Stilts, Trogons, Ibises et al. Tortuguero is home to more than 300 species of birds. Knowledgeable naturalist guides are available to point out and explain the various species of plant and animal life - truly bringing the forest to life. Chirps and squeaks fill the air of the lush green jungle all around me on this scenic boat ride. Known for its meandering rivers and lovely lagoons, this area demands to keep an eye out for wildlife in jungle exploration.
Then visited a Pineapple Planation where we sampled Costa Rica’s famous sweet organic pineapples and pineapple tarts after an informative talk on the Pineapples.
We reach Arenal Volcano Springs Resort and we find lots of Hummingbirds -tiny, lively colored birds as they amaze you with their spectacularly acrobatic aerial maneuvers. Like the Hummingbird sipping nectar from every flower, I fly joyfully through my days, seeing beauty in everything. The hummingbird - “A flash of harmless lightning, A mist of rainbow dyes, The burnished sunbeams brightening from flower to flower it flies”. The Arenal Volcano was always shrouded in clouds. After a day cruise on the Río Frio through canyons of green towards the everglade like Lago Caño Negro to watch wildlife, in the evening we bask in the Baldi Hot Springs surrounded by tropical gardens and with cascading waterfalls. Complete with over 30 hot and cold pools of different temperatures it is the most expansive hot spring facilities in the Arenal Volcano area. Visiting the Baldi Hot Springs provides a nice combination of relaxation and festive energy. The Arenal Hanging Bridges - one of the greatest eco touristic projects of Costa Rica, with the exuberant primary rain forest where you find a great biological diversity with an incomparable scenic splendor. Costa Rica's forests have bridges strung across the valley from where you can walk above the canopy of trees and get a panoramic aerial view of the forest below.We hike on six suspension bridges, through lush tropical rainforest canopy. There are beautiful nature trails interspersed with the bridges where we looked for some tropical birds.
In Manuel Antonio National Park a walk through a tropical forest reveals a lush green garden of mosses, ferns, flowers, and epiphytes growing thickly on every tree. Along one of the long trails we reach an observation tower on the very top with this incredible view of the Pacific Ocean. The Manuel Antonio National Park also has some of the best beaches in the entire country. It was too hot and scorching sun above us scalded the juice out of us. In the evening watched a magnificient sunset over the Gulf of Nicoya at the Doubletree Resort by Hilton, Puntarenas. The hotel's pier at twilight looked awesome.
We visited a key artisan town in Costa Rica, Sarchi - best known for the vibrant and pretty oxcarts 'carretas' that are handcrafted and sold all over the country. Saw the large painted oxcart a favorite for tourists who visit Sarchi. A National Symbol of Labor in Costa Rica, the oxcart plays a key role in the country’s history, as they were used to transport coffee beans to nearby and faraway markets. Indulged in souvenir shopping - of handmade artifacts including oxcarts, elaborately painted bowls and trays, natural wood carvings, wind chimes, paintings, hand crafted tables, mask carvings.We then visited the quaint town of Grecia noted for its unique church, Iglesia de la Nuestra Señora de las Mercedes, that is made entirely of pre-fabricated steel plates painted red. This church is as beautiful from the inside as it is impressive from the outside. The stained glass windows were exquisite.
Our Pacuare River White Water Rafting Adventure -The Pacuare River is a spectacular treasure among Costa Rica's rivers. It is a popular location for white water rafting and has been recognized as one of the top five most beautiful raftable rivers of the world by the National Geographic. It is 18 mile, class IV section that has an excellent mixture of invigorating rapids and calm, scenic stretches. The opulently lush rainforests that surround the river are breathtaking and are home to exotic species of plants and incredible variety of wildlife such as jaguars, monkeys & number of birds like parrots, toucans, cormorants and egrets. You'll experience the intimate nature of the rainforest via the river. which makes this trip exquisite for the senses. We pass through the densely vegetated rainforest gorges, view cascading waterfalls, relax in serene pools and experience pounding rapids. Exciting adrenaline-packed afternoon running the Pacuare’s biggest Class III-IV whitewater rapids - a tropical adventure packed with rich experiences that last long after we’ve returned home.
Our Canopy Tour Adventure - With spectacular views of both Braulio Carrillo National Park and the Central Valley, Monte Zurqui offers the opportunity of sliding through the trees and get up close with nature. Montezurqui has beautiful landscapes, lush vegetation, zip lines, platforms, rappel, superman style zip lines, suspension bridges, walking trails and other exhilarating games.Rambled the local shopping market to sample the color and culture that downtown San Jose, Costa Rica had to offer. The waves are prime, the beauty is overwhelming and the sluggish pace seductive. A peaceful oasis in a tumultuous region. No doubt Costa Rica is the greenest and happiest country on planet earth. “Costa Rica has something for everyone and everything for someone.” Their motto Pura Vida or ‘pure life’ is the easiest way to sum up all that a Costa Rica vacation has to offer.
We started off on a Saturday morning on over an hour drive to Anacortes for the Washington State Ferries.The San Juan Islands exist not only as gems in Washington’s state "Top 5 islands in the continental U.S. and Canada", but also as a state of mind. An island culture borne of geographic seclusion and resilient spirit. The San Juan Islands are emerald gems that contain magical forests, breathtaking and exciting wildlife, long swept rugged beaches, mountain peaks with incredible vistas, towering cedar trees, and quiet bays. The sea within the Islands is known as the Salish Sea which is named after the original first peoples of the region, the coast Salish. They were seafaring people who fished, carved totem poles which told of family histories, whose history is steeped in legends. There was a thick fog as we reached the Friday Harbor in the San Juan Island which eventually disappeared into a beautiful deep blue sky as we reached Orcas Island on an interisland ferry.
That was the first time in my life I was ever Island Hopping and I absolutely loved the experience. The first destination island was the Orcas Island. Lovely Orcas Island is the largest of the San Juans. The horseshoe-shaped island is a magical mix of lush forest, farm valleys, tranquil lakes and stunning mountains, all wrapped around a beautiful fjord. Orcas Island is made up of several hamlets and villages. Eastsound offers casual to fine dining, boutiques, galleries, a performing arts center, a first-run movie theater, and a history museum. We rambled around that area a bit and then bumped into the Community Labyrinth at Emmanuel Episcopal Church which I walked in and out of it. Generally synonymous with maze, the labyrinth is an archetypal design - a universal divine imprint - an ancient symbol that relates to wholeness, combining the imagery of the circle and the spiral into a meandering but purposeful path.The Labyrinth represents a journey to our own center and back again out into the world. Labyrinths have long been used as meditation and prayer tools.
The biological clock struck and we knew we were hungry. We browsed around a couple of places and then settled with a restaurant called 'Allium' which treated us on the bounty of simple, fresh Pacific Northwest flavors and for a sumptuous lunch. The restaurant itself was adorably cozy, set on the second floor of a waterfront former home with great views of waters. I can say the food was very refreshing, fresh and very gourmet. Off then we drove to the Moran State Park looking for camping sites. The ranger at the Park offered us a very private and secluded patch atop a real woodsy area uphill reachable by a short trek. 
We took around twenty minutes to set up the tent on that hot afternoon and then after a pleasant siesta drove to see Cascade Falls, a small but impressive 75-foot-high waterfall in Moran State Park. We then drove to the top of Moran State Park to see panoramic views of the islands and surrounding mountains. Atop the 2,409-foot-high Mt. Constitution, the highest point on the San Juan Islands, there stands a stone observation tower. The tower offers panoramic views of the surrounding islands, the Cascade Mountains and a variety of Canadian and American cities. We then drove all the way out of the Park towards the Eastsound for an early dinner as we wanted to spend some time by the Cascade Lake at night inside the Moran State Park where we had camped. We captured some lovely reflections of a beautiful verdant area on our drive to Eastsound Village on Orcas Island. We then headed towards a fine dining restaurant called 'New Leaf Cafe' which served simple, fresh cuisine highlighting the finest ingredients the island had to offer in an intimate water view dining room. I had Mediterranean mussels with cream, pesto, garlic, and sun dried tomatoes and quite honestly it was one of the finest mussel preparations I have eaten. I was told that the mussels were straight from the Buck Bay on the Orcas Island and they were as fresh as they could be! Local fresh seafood served with whole grains and seasonal veggies. It was a beautiful and relaxing experience on the Island. Breakfast, lunch or dinner, Orcas Island restaurants offer an amazing range of delicious eating experience. Like I said we returned back early to our hide out after spending a little while by the Lake and then called it a night. 
