Costa Rica > Manuel Antonio: one big zoo

It’s Martijn’s birthday today. I congratulate him during breakfast. Today we take the bus to Manuel Antonio. Along the way, yesterday’s robbery is discussed at length. Manuel Antonio is a coastal nature reserve. The Manuel Antonio National Park was spared during the massive deforestation of the tropical forest in the previous century. The park is home to a variety of animals. Many of them can be found near the beautiful bays, where tourists also visit. Due to the large number of visitors, the animals have become accustomed to people and try to cunningly get food from them. There are still tourists who feed the animals to get better photos. Large signs instructing visitors not to do this are often ignored. Right at the entrance, we encounter a raccoon inspecting a trash can. A little further on, a sloth hangs in a tree. Soon it becomes clear this is no rarity; on the beach, one is perched four meters high.

Costa Rica - Two raccoons beg for food from tourists

The raccoons roam the beach. One sticks its snout into the backpack of sunbathing tourists. Before they can get up from their towel, it has already opened the bag and runs off with a sandwich, much to the amusement of the beachgoers. On the beach there is also a large black iguana. Warily, it observes anyone trying to photograph it up close, but sees no reason to leave its comfortable spot on a tree trunk. Meanwhile, we walk into the forest on the Cathedral Trail. This path runs over the small peninsula and involves quite a few steps up and down. The trail is quite muddy, so it’s important to watch where you step, especially on the descent. Just as we reach the top, it starts raining lightly. With ponchos on, we begin the descent. Fortunately, the shower doesn’t last long.

Costa Rica - A threetoed sloth climbs back into the tree

Back on the beach, I take a dip in the ocean. The waves are strong, making the current powerful, so I don’t venture too far. In the afternoon, we take a walk on the other side of the park. The sloth from the beach has climbed down, allowing me to photograph it at eye level. Up close, the animal looks quite strange. Another black iguana also poses for a photo on the rocks. Between the trees, we walk to another small beach. To our left, an opossum scurries away. An opossum resembles a large rat. On the beach, I’m amazed at how quickly the tide comes in. Almost every new wave reaches further up, and in just a few minutes, the beach shortens by several meters. We return the same way, walking toward the exit. Just as we reach it, it starts raining heavily. We quickly take shelter on a terrace and have a bite to eat. It’s now half past three. Half an hour later, Freddy picks us up with the bus and drives us back to the hotel. By late afternoon, everyone is at the pool, followed by a birthday beer for Martijn. In the evening, the whole group has dinner in Manuel Antonio. It’s the last night that everyone is together, as some travelers have extended their stay in Manuel Antonio. Willem has arranged a Costa Rican tradition for Martijn’s birthday. Blindfolded, he must break a decorated cardboard balloon filled with candy. Martijn lands some good hits. The “other” birthday celebrant then takes over, and shortly after, I’m blindfolded and swinging at the balloon. After several strong blows, it bursts, and the candy falls to the ground. At eleven o’clock, we plan to have a birthday beer in the resort bar, but when we arrive, both the bar and restaurant have been closed for hours. There’s no movement at all, so we decide to postpone it until tomorrow evening.