La Paz Waterfall Gardens

On Tuesday morning, Sept. 15, we were met by Jose, who was also a driver for Go Easy, to take us up into the mountains to the La Paz Waterfall Gardens.

It was Independence Day* for Costa Rica so it took longer getting out of the city and roads were closed to accommodate the many marching bands throughout the city.

*Like the rest of Central America, Costa Rica never fought for independence from Spain. On September 15, 1821, after the final Spanish defeat in the Mexican War of Independence (1810-21), the authorities in Guatemala declared the independence of all of Central America. (Wikipedia)

It took us an hour and a half to arrive at our destination because of all the parades. Once out of the city though we moved along at a steady clip (unless stuck behind a truck filled with coffee bushes). 

Along the way we saw some beautiful, pastoral countryside and tiny towns.

The La Paz Nature Waterfall Gardens is a large place that includes a swanky hotel, nature park and wildlife perserve located near the Poas Volcano northwest of San Jose. Upon entering the preserve you have several stairs down to the aviary. We were greeted by Green Parrots, Scarlet Macaws and Toucans.

Aviary

One of the employees hired to put birds on you stuck this poor Toucan on my arm. He clearly didn't want to do it, turned his back to me and pooped! Ha ha!! This seems to be a common occurrence as they quickly guided me to the sink and towels not far away.  

Marcia kept her distance!

Jose and Marcia watching the albino squirrel.

                                 Silver-Throated Tanager & Red Legged Honey Dipper

Top to bottom:

Silver-Throated Tanager, Grey-Blue Tanager, Bay-Headed Tanager and ???

Butterfly House

The butterfly house was the most amazing one I've every visited. Hundreds of butterflies everywhere and butterflies emerging from their chrysalis literally before your eyes.

Malachite Butterfly

Blue Morpho on my head!

Morphos & Catonephele numilia esite (Stoplight Catone)

Blue Morphos and a Blue Wave

Postman butterfly (Heliconias melpomene)

Myscelia Cyaniris (Blue wave)

           I'm trying to take a picture!

 Jose & Marcia waiting for butterflies to emerge from Chrysalises.

Walked out of the butterfly exhibit into the hummingbird exhibit.

                              Purple-throated Mountain Gem (female) & Green Violetear

I tried several times to get a picture of the Violet Sabrewing but he was so fast nearly every picture was blurred. He was the most brilliant iridescent shade of indigo and had a curved beak you can see in the first photo. 

Purple-throated Mountain Gem

Lunch!

(to be continued)