Project Person: Costa Rica, Part Four: In Which Our Hero Falls In Love With A Tree

On Wednesday we drove around to the north side of Lake Arenal and stopped at Ceiba Tree Lodge, just in time to take cover from an afternoon downpour. The hotel is named after a 500-year-old giant which, as JA pointed out, wisely chose the best possible view of the lake for its long life.

Lake Arenal at dawn

Angus at dawn

What's that sound? Did someone hear howler monkeys? In the ceiba?

Morning Bean

See two feet popping out behind the door?

Bine was totally unimpressed with the monkeys. Been there.

She barely looked at them, preferred flipping through German comics. If you watch the howler monkey video above you can hear her say, "Mamma, I'm looking at a book!" Talk about spoiled.

There was something at the hotel, however, that excited her:

Smiles

Moustaches

Resting? Checking out a bug? Only he knew for sure.

View from breakfast

View of breakfast

I've hugged a few trees in my day. Crushed hard on one when I was a kid, was sure when it creaked in the wind it was really trying to talk to me. But this was different. A deeper, more mature connection.

The age and strength of this ceiba is overwhelming and standing underneath it I burst into tears. Nothing to do with being a sensitive-hippie-softy, which, admittedly, I've totally become in my thirties. It's just a beautiful life, and I'm pretty sure you'd weep too.