Costa Rica OR:

by Dennis Beckley


Arrived via AA very early this morning. First trip to Central America and looking out the window of the 757 at 5:30 can see dawn breaking over Costa Rica. Beautiful moutains and valleys to the east covered in white clouds and clear to the west with striking green-covered peaks and the blue Gulf of NIcoya.

Telescope arrives intact and panic subsides. Steve Gottlieb's plane is late and later learned that it was diverted to Guatamala City because an elderly lady suffered a heart attack! She surives and Steve finally arrives.

Clouds set in and we start to wonder if we'll spend the whole time birding instead of stargazing. Weather satellites keep giving conflicting information. Looks bad.

We sit by the pool with some new friends from Florida having a beer in the late afternoon when I look up and see Saturn overhead. The clouds are parting!

Having dinner with the group from Sky & Telescope and having a good time when the lights go out. I rush down to the pool area and the night sky is brilliant. Orion is directly overhead at the zenith! The hills to the south block my view of the stars I so want to see. I know Carina and Crux are out there waiting for me like two beautiful ladies of the night.

Have to fight the irresistible urge to hire a taxi to take me to somewhere where I can see way down to the south. The lights go out again and I decide to wait until tomorrow and prepare for the 3 hour bus ride out to the La Ensenada hotel on the coast. I hope I can get some sleep. I can scarely contain my excitement. The winds are warm and the odors are like flowers here in Costa Rica.

More to follow if they have an internet connection. This is so cool!


Posted on sf-bay-tac Jan 29, 2006 19:55:52 PT
Converted by report.pm 1.2 Mar 05, 2006 20:51:36 PT