The World Through Our Lens
Bob and I wasted no time when in Costa Rica. For the morning of our second day, we had booked a guided bird tour at Mistico Arenal Hanging Bridges Park. At 5:30 a.m., a bus picked us up at Hotel Kokoro, and as it navigated the steep, sinuous road to the pavilion, the sun was just beginning to wedge its way between the deep shadows of the mountains and the dark night sky. Read more
As Bob and I motored our way through Cinque Terre, we marveled at the vast mountainsides transformed into arable terraces filled with vineyards. It was hard to comprehend how grapes harvested at the bottom of the slopes could be transported up to the top until we came upon a grower operating a monorail train for just that purpose. Read more
Costa Rica was a destination on our bucket list for a good many years. We were there to see birds! Our flight landed in San Jose after sunset, so when we departed for Kokoro Lodge in La Fortuna the following morning, We were eager to see what species would be our first sighting of the trip.
One of my favourite animals seen when visiting South Africa was the tall, elegant South African Giraffe. Also known as the Cape Giraffe, Bob and I came across these gentle giants on several occasions as we toured Kruger National Park, and it was always a pleasure to sit and observe them. Read more
On our circuitous route around South Africa, Bob and I found ourselves, at one point, on the coast following the Garden Route south to Cape Town and onward to the Cape of Good Hope. One of the stops we made while in that area was at Boulders Beach where a colony of African Penguins is found. It was great fun watching them waddle to and fro across the sand. Read more
When Bob and I decided to go birding at Long Point on the shores of Lake Erie in Ontario, it was our first planned trip for that purpose. We spent a couple of days birding popular areas near Port Rowan and Long Point Provincial Park but also had pre-booked a Zodiac boat ride from Long Point Tours out to the Tip of Long Point. Read more
After Bob and I left the Leaning Tower of Pisa, we continued west towards the coast of the Ligurian Sea. Our goal was the region known as Cinque Terre, a narrow coastal strip that comprises 5 villages sandwiched between the sea and the mountains. It is fondly referred to as the Italian Riviera.
When Bob and I visited Monteverde, we hiked in the Monteverde Cloud Forest Preserve multiple times. One day, we found ourselves alone on a trail in the jungle. I was ahead of Bob when I heard him exclaim in a loud whisper “there they are!” I stopped in my tracks for Bob could only mean the Resplendent Quetzals. The pair was perched less than 20 feet to the side of the trail. Read more
Our drive north from Lower Sabie Rest Camp brought us to Nkumbe Lookout in Kruger National Park.
The most-desired species of bird for Bob and me to see when visiting Costa Rica was the Resplendent Quetzal. In an effort to fulfill our dream, Bob pre-booked an early-morning guided hike in the Monteverde Cloud Forest Biological Preserve. Just before noon, our guide heard the Quetzals vocalizing, but it was actually Bob that picked them out high in the cloud forest canopy. Read more
