People of Big River Abroad-04

This morning started out early like all other mornings, breakfast was great. We meet in our research groups gathered our equipment and went out into the field for the day to collect data for our research topic. I chose hydrology with an emphasis on GIS mapping. I felt this would be a good introduction for myself since I have a GIS course next semester. Our hike to the river was easy because it was all down hill. We set up various equipment to monitor water velocity, water depth.  We also set up two kestrels that records wind speed and temperature.  We spent a lot of time down at the water which was nice, I saw a few fish, some water beetles and a water spider. The experience was good I almost felt like a real scientist. The hike back was a lot of work, the tails are muddy in sections from all the rain fall but the neatest part is when the giant tree roots are exposed on the trail and look like natural steps. I am still amazed every day when I step out of my housing unit and look around

Woke up bright and early, had a great breakfast. We went on a grounds tour, learned the history of this location. It was established by the Wilson's they brought in native and foreign plants to form a botanical gardens. It is a rich lush and well manicured landscape. There is a succulent garden section which brought forth question of how is this possible in this wet and humid environment? Well gravel soil was mixed into the existing soil and the location is on the south facing slope. Which helps with the sun light and drainage. There were massive bamboo trees. Just everything is absolutely stunning. We experienced some down pores of rain today which was not a problem because the external temperatures are in the 70's. I love it here it is remote and secluded. The kitchen sets out fruit for the birds here, they are bright and exotic.

Up at 4:45 am ready for breakfast at our hotel. I thought it was 5:45 am, breakfast served at 6:00 am and we were to depart at 7:00 am. Come to find out I was way to early for breakfast and that we were going to depart at 8:00 am. It was all worth while, I was the first one at breakfast along with my classmate Kim Stewart who I woke up this morning. We ate our fill then went back to bed for little shut eye. We all boarded a big charter bus what was going to bring us to our research center at Las Cruces Biological Station and Wilson Botanical Garden in Coto Brus. It was an eight hour drive. Our first stop along the way was at a bridge crossing a large river. There were crocodiles on the river bank, a local came by and through a dead rat down to them. I crocodile hesitated to eat the rat at first then it did. We then headed back to the bus and drove along the coast. We stopped along the ocean side and looked at some trees and spotted a pair of colorful macaws we also stopped a tucan but

Started my travel to Costa Rica at Yakima Airport, meet my peers at the airport. Our trip started off with a airplane delay due to oil leak. We boarded our charter plane to Seattle Airport at 9:15 pm we made it to SeaTac just in time to board our next flight to Miami Florida at 10:00pm "no time to spare". The flights were long and exhausting. It was difficult to rest, I was in the middle seat with two strangers and I started to feel claustrophobic and struggled with sitting my seat for five hours straight. In Miami airport we finally had an opportunity to get a bit to eat.  Then it was time to board the next plane to our destination "Costa Rica" we finally touched down at our final stop and it was a great relief! Once we got to our hotel I quickly took a much needed hot shower. We took a quick trip to the market place near San Jose, Costa Rica. I wanted to have a quick glimpse of local people and foods, we walked up and down the market place. It is a very congested