[EBB Sightings] OT [Fwd: costa rica information]--final trip itinerary

I emailed the lists a few weeks ago, but here is more information to 
tweak your interest.

This is the "final" information about this trip, which is now open to 
people who were not signed up for the classroom class. I don't know if I 
can attach the documents that Hank included, so I'll include the 
itinerary in the body, below his message.


-------------------
I just got back from  Costa Rica and we have ironed the itinerary.  The
fee will remain $1500 + your airfare.  We think that we can include in
this fee at least one night at the Bougainvillea Hotel, but you may have
to pay for one or two nights yourselves.  Hopefully, we will have the
entire expense for this hotel covered.



This trip will be extra special, as Don Humberto Jimenez, my tropical
dendrology professor, has arranged for us to stay with the indigenous
BriBri people for a couple of nights.  In addition, Don Humberto will
accompany us throughout the trip.  He is not a bird man, but we will
learn many tropical tree families--a few each day so it's not
overwhelming.  By the time the trip is over you will be able to
recognize the most common tropical tree families, and of course, there
is a direct relationship bewteen trees and birds.



Joe Zermeno, Eric Folmer and myself set up a poison dart frog experiment
over spring break that is being monitored by Wendy Brenes of Trimibina.
Wendy will also lead us on a frog walk near the Tirmbina swamp where we
will see many species of frogs, including the red-eyed treefrog, and the
eyeshine of caimans.   We will spend much time on the rivers so there
will be ample opportunity to see riparian birds.  We will be birding
daily, but we will also keep our eyes peeled for mammals, reptiles,
tropical flowers and butterflies and anything interesting.  I am
extremely excited about this trip, a it promises to memorable, unique,
and rewarding.



So there are some details to take care of for those of you planning on
joining us.



1. I am attaching the travel insurance forms.  You may already them,
but here it is again, just in case  You MUST demonstrate that you have
travel insurance before you sign up for the class.  I will send more
helpful information from time to time as I see fit.



2. When you sign up for the class, please note too that the course
number has changed and it si  listed as COSTA RICA II.  I have attached
the flyer with the new number as a reminder.  If you have trouble
getting signed up on line, let me know.



3. Although we have variable credit in the class, recent budget cuts may
force the college to cancel future travel courses.  I urge you to enroll
for the maximum 5 credits if you can. If this is not financially
possible ( I know some of you are on a very tight budget) you may enroll
for as little as one credit, but I hope most of you can afford the
maximum.  I think tuition is about $22 per credit so you'd be adding
about $110.00 to your total expenses if you signed up for all five
credits.  Still, I don't want anyone to not go because of this.



4. We should have a pre-trip meeting sometime in late June or early
July.  One day or evening on  a weekend would be fine.  Can you tell me
what times days will be best for you and I will try to pick the best
time and date that works for everyone, or at least most of you.  If your
cannot attend, I can call you to give you more details, but it?s best
that group get together once so everyone can get acquainted and
questions and answers can be shared.



5. Deposit and payment.  I would like a nonrefundable deposit by the end
of the first week of June for $300.00.  I said the end of April last
time, but I realized that I could stretch it some. ATTACHED is a form
that I would appreciate you turn in with your payment.  The
balance should be paid by the first of July.



Thank you for your interest and I look forward to traveling with you.



Hank

hfabian at peralta.edu


Natural History of Costa Rica Itinerary (BIOL-48OL / ENVST-48OR)	July 
18-31, 2009

Itinerary based on discussion with Don Humberto (Class to start on July 
19th):

?	July 18 ? Arrival to San Jos? airport. Stay at Bougainvillea Hotel, 
Santo Domingo (http://www.hb.co.cr/).
?	July 19 ? Morning botanical walk, INBio, evening frog walk. Stay at 
Bougainvillea Hotel.
?	July 20 ? Travel to Sarapiqu? area. Visit La Selva Biological Station 
(OTS), arrival at La Tirimbina Rainforest Center, evening forest walk. 
Stay at La Tirimbina.
?	July 21 ? Travel via Sarapiqu? river boat tour to Tortuguero National 
Park. Tour of Tortuguero channels. Evening walk to see nesting sea turtles.
?	July 22 ? Travel to Ca?o Blanco via boat tour, then bus to Cahuita 
National Park. Afternoon at Cahuita beach. Stay at Cahuita.
?	July 23 ? Travel to the BriBri indigenous community by bus and canoe. 
Stay in BriBri community.
?	July 24 ? Day with the BriBri community. Tours and talks with BriBri 
(e.g., harvesting cacao pods and preparing chocolate, working with bow 
and arrow, making artisan articles, mythological talks about BriBri 
culture).
?	July 25 ? Travel to EARTH University (Universidad EARTH) (Gu?cimo, 
Costa Rica) for talk of sustainabale agricultural practices, tour of 
banana plantation operation and harvesting. Travel to La Tirimbina. Stay 
at La Tirimbina.
?	July 26-28 ? Three days at La Tirimbina. Tours of rain forest: 
Identification of trees and plants, amphibians and reptiles, mammals, 
and insects.  Evening bat identification and talk. Evening rain forest 
walks.
?	July 29-30 ? Travel to Arenal Volcano region. Tour of Butterfly 
Conservatory (El Castillo, Costa Rica) including amphibian tour and 
conservation talk. Tour of active Arenal Volcano. Stay in El Castillo. 
On our way we can take a bath at Tabac?n hot springs or any other of the 
tours they offer around La Fortuna. Sleeping at El Castillo.
?	July 31 ? Travel to Santo Domingo. Visit Poas Volcano. Stay at 
Bougainvillea Hotel.
?	August 1 ? Travel to USA.

Note: Extra day at La Tirimbina.  We could do Pierella Butterfly Garden 
(Puerto Viejo, Sarapiqu? area) or another visit to La Selva, or 
something else?



Itinerary based on one additional day added (Class to start on July 18th):

?	July 17 ? Suggested arrival to San Jos? airport. Suggested stay at 
Bougainvillea Hotel, Santo Domingo (http://www.hb.co.cr/).
?	July 18 ? Morning botanical walk, INBio, evening frog walk. Stay at 
Bougainvillea Hotel.
?	July 19 ? Travel to Sarapiqu? area. Visit La Selva Biological Station 
(OTS), arrival at La Tirimbina Rainforest Center, evening forest walk. 
Stay at La Tirimbina.
?	July 20 ? Travel via Sarapiqu? river boat tour to Tortuguero National 
Park. Tour of Tortuguero channels. Evening walk to see nesting sea 
turtles. Stay in Tortuguero.
?	July 21 ? Travel to Ca?o Blanco via boat tour, then bus to Cahuita 
National Park. Afternoon at Cahuita beach. Stay at Cahuita.
?	July 22 ? Travel to the BriBri indigenous community by bus and canoe. 
Stay in BriBri community.
?	July 23 ? Day with the BriBri community. Tours and talks with BriBri 
(e.g., harvesting cacao pods and preparing chocolate, working with bow 
and arrow, making artisan articles, mythological talks about BriBri 
culture). Stay in BriBri community.
?	July 24 ? Travel to EARTH University (Universidad EARTH) (Gu?cimo, 
Costa Rica) for talk of sustainabale agricultural practices, tour of 
banana plantation operation and harvesting. Travel to La Tirimbina. Stay 
at La Tirimbina.
?	July 25-27 ? Three days at La Tirimbina. Tours of rain forest: 
Identification of trees and plants, amphibians and reptiles, mammals, 
and insects.  Evening bat identification and talk. Evening rain forest 
walks.
?	July 28-30 ? Travel to Arenal Volcano region. Tour of Butterfly 
Conservatory (El Castillo, Costa Rica) including amphibian tour and 
conservation talk. Tour of active Arenal Volcano. Stay in El Castillo. 
On our way we can take a bath at Tabac?n hot springs or any other of the 
tours they offer around La Fortuna. Sleeping at El Castillo.
?	July 31 ? Travel to Santo Domingo. Visit Poas Volcano. Stay at 
Bougainvillea Hotel.
?	August 1 ? Travel to USA.

Note: Extra day (El Castillo) added to itinerary in this version.  We 
could do Ca?o Negro river tour, or something else?