Feb. 05, 2015
Rinconita Lodge, adjacent to the Rincon Natural Area

Misty covered volcanoes

We started the day sore from our long walk through the National Park yesterday, so we took it slow. After breakfast we took a slow walk around the neighborhood. It was pleasant with sunny blue skies. There was a rainy mist blowing off the clouds as they seemed to get stuck on the tops of the volcanoes.

We went back to the room to get ready to go off to the Rio Negra hot springs. Since it was going to be wet and perhaps crowded at the hot springs I decided to just take my camera, and not the telephoto lens. That proved to be a big mistake. As soon as we parked along the road we spotted two good sized iguanas in what a appeared to be a love ritual. Even though we were only 10 feet or so from them my camera just didn’t have the reach to get a good picture. Nonetheless I tried. Kim on the other hand with her built in zoom was sure to get a few great shots before the iguanas fled down the hill.

Love ritual of the iguanas

Swinging bridge to cross the river

Kim relaxing in the hot springs

Rio Negra hot springs is built right as long the river. Two swinging bridges take you across the river where there are five or six separate pools with water about 40 deg Celsius. There was even a mud painting station where you could coat your body with the “healing” properties of Rio Negro mud. The guard assured us that it would take 25 years off our aging bodies. And I must admit that Kim did appear to have a certain youthful glow as we sat in the restaurant later that evening.

Kim waiting for the mud to dry

After a few hours we were a delightfully spent so we headed home. On the road, about half way to our hotel we spotted a troupe of capuchin monkeys playing in the trees on the side of the road. There were about 5 of them and the seemed to take their time about leaving. Once again all I could shoot was a pastoral landscape with tiny black and white spots of monkeys in the background. Still it was a thrill watching them scurry about.

Oh for a telephoto lens

Back in our room we quickly downloaded our photos to our iPads and did a show and tell. It was another very good day.