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The Finer Moments in Life: Time in Tortuguero

Destination: Tortuguero

I am fortunate to be able to visit Tortuguero several times a year. Most people only get to visit here once in a lifetime. Tortuguero is one of the most beautiful places in Costa Rica, of that I am certain.

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Laguna Lodge, one of my favorite places to stay, is located on the Caribbean Sea side of the Tortuguero River. The laid-back atmosphere and friendly faces always make me feel welcome. The restaurant/bar situated along the River is one of my favorite spots in Tortuguero.

Many mornings are spent sipping coffee and enjoying the cool morning breeze that blows gently off the river, as I sit in a rocking chair listening to gurgling Oropendolas and watching birds migrate from one side of the river to the other. I hear the howler monkeys most mornings too, sometimes further off in the distance than other times. Mornings like these make for some of the finer moments in life.

Laguna's clean and manicured grounds provide plenty of shelter and food for birds. Seedeaters and flycatchers happily bounce from tree to tree in search of food and nest building materials. The distinctive "click, click" of the white collared manakin blends with the quiet chirp of the passing hummingbird. I have seen at least three different species of hummers this morning alone.

The pool area at Laguna is more than inviting. They recently re-designed the pool bar, where they offer a variety of fresh fruit drinks and cocktails, sits under a large thatched roof, open-sided building. Decorative tile work adorns many of the surfaces, each new project more detailed than the last. The new bar is a great example of the ornate tile-work found throughout Laguna Lodge.

The butterfly garden is adjacent to the pool. Bird watching from the cool waters of the pool, while sipping on a fresh mango daiquiri, allows the day to slip by. From the pool, I can see the feeders set out for the butterflies -- stumps of wood with rotting fruit. Numerous birds and butterflies visit this area and provide hours of entertainment. Toucans and aracaris pass overhead, while the Oropendolas continue to gurgle in the treetops.

The quiet afternoon passes peacefully- another of life's finer moments.

The Finer Moments in Life: Time in Tortuguero in Pictures

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