Snapshots

of Costa Rica by Philip Greenspun; created 1995

Left: parrot preening himself at Parrot Jungle in Miami. Canon EOS 35-350L with extension tube, 430 EZ flash held off-camera with extension cord. Fuji Sensia film.

Right: Shawn is the "head parrot" perched on this Brazilian kid visiting Parrot Jungle.

There are two dogs in this picture. Look carefully. Canon 20-35/2.8L at 20mm. Fuji Velvia film.

We missed our plane because of an accident that closed this highway for an hour, but thanks to my fanatical devotion to keeping the Canon 35-350L out at all times, I managed to get this image. Note the train and "Why Drive? Ride MetroRail" sign over the huge traffic jam. Fuji 400 negative film.

In Tortuguero National Park, we saw some strange a wondrous sights, but none as strange and wondrous as the enormous tree on the left. A three-toed sloth was coming down from the top and a tree iguana was going up. 35-350 at 350/5.6 handheld in boat. Fuji 400 negative film.

On the right are two kids in the village of Tortuguero. 35-350 handheld with on-camera fill-flash. Fuji 400 negative film.

The Scarlet Macaws at Corcovado National Park completely changed my ideas about rainforest conservation. We saw dozens of these magnificent birds during our two days in Corcovado. 35-350 at 350. f/5.6 and 1/250th handheld on Fuji 400 negative film.

Parrots are as intelligent as dogs, but we don't share body language with them as we do with dogs. ["They understand our language," Diane Ewing was later to say to me, "but we don't understand theirs."]

One of the most interesting experiences at Monteverde was being so close to so many hummingbirds. Mostly 35-350L at 200 with extension tube, f/11 and on-camera flash. Fuji Velvia.

These two were taken deep in the Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve. One is a moss-covered tree trunk. Canon 35-350L on tripod, f/11 and 2 seconds. Fuji Velvia. The red flower was waving in the wind so I used a 430 EZ flash held off-camera and the 35-350 set at 100. F/11, autoexposure and Fuji Sensia film.

I don't think this picture is going to win any photo contests, but for me it captures perfectly the experience of being in downtown San Jose. Fuji Sensia.

These Wood Storks from Hacienda Barú illustrate how technology brings everything together. Canon 35-350L lens, autofocus, f/5.6, aperture-priority autoexposure, Fuji Sensia film. I took six pictures of these huge birds in flight; all of them were beautifully sharp.

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Michael Valle , November 01, 1997; 10:54 P.M.

Costa Rica is the best place in the world. I would know after my trip this summer(1997). If there is one place where i could spend the rest of my days it would be in Costa Rica. I hope they continue to keep a wonderful country, with great people, and sites.

ray krueger , October 29, 2004; 09:40 P.M.

I first visited Costa Rica on my honeymoon a few years before the trip that Philip describes here, and I've been following the comments added to the Costa Rica section of photo.net since its inception. I've returned to Costa Rica several times and watched it change from an undiscovered jewel into one of the most popular destinations for tropical travel in the world. Sometimes the advent of all-inclusive mega-resorts, the development of previously sleepy villages, and the encroachment of US pop culture on everyday Tico existence saddens me. Then I look at a map of Costa Rica and realize that the tourism colones are helping to conserve thousands of square miles of unique environments, provide thousands of jobs, and that the impact of tourism are very localized. I suppose that locally negative interactions between the residents and extranjeros are inevitable, but maybe it's for the best overall?
Ray Krueger-Koplin
my travels in Costa Rica

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