lookout inn

Big City Jane in the Monkey Jungle

Translation of an article in the Neue Zürcher Zeitung
by Stephanie Giovanni
August 7, 2008

At the Lookout Inn in Costa Rica’s Corcovado National Park, the guest lives in intimate contact with nature

Nestled between jungle and the ocean, at the edge of Corcovado National Park in Costa Rica, lies the Lookout Inn where man and monkey meet.

Lookout Inn LodgePot holes and boulders litter the road to Carate on the Osa Peninsula. Hidden bends, barely negotiable transverse slopes and numerous stream crossings complicate the 45 kilometer drive from Puerto Jiménez. Therefore, when my taxi driver abruptly stopped after one and a half hours and about two-thirds of the distance, I suspected the worst - an engine problem, a mud slide, the sudden end of the dirt road! “Look, a boa”, Federico cries and allays my fears. Her head is turned toward the sun and her three to four meter long, sinuous body blocks our way. Only after having been photographed and upon my return to the car, does she deign to slide across the road and disappear in the undergrowth. A half an hour later, the boa constrictor is forgotten, replaced by the excitement of arrival at the Lookout Inn.

Mixed Feelings

“Hey, kid”, I am greeted by a lean gentleman in a torn t-shirt and a white headband, knotted in the back. Kid? “So, you’re going to stay in the ‘Monkey House’ for a week?” His eyes sparkle. “Exactly”, I reply forcefully, to hide both my dismay and my nervousness. The website describes the Lookout Inn as “…for the extremely adventurous who want to experience the jungle at close range.” Idyllically located away from the other accommodations, the Monkey House is perched on the Inn’s mountain side. Sufficient cause for a big-city Jane on her own, who never met a monkey outside of a zoo, to feel a little apprehensive. “You’ll love it!”, enthuses the gent as if reading my mind. He then sticks out his hand, introduces himself as Terry Conroy, the owner, grins and grabs my arm. “But first, I have to show you something else!”

Terry drags me down some wooden stairs in the direction of the pool, gardens and the ocean. Plants with flame-colored flowers line the steps. Screeching macaws circle above our heads. Halfway down, the staircase forks and we take a left. Terry starts to proudly explain his latest project, the so-called Spa. “Just look at the view - practically an open-air yoga platform over the Pacific! Oh, and the bed, it’s suspended on ropes - a swinging bed! Isn’t that fantastic, kid?” Behind the bed, the only continuous wall faces the hillside. The rest of the wooden structure resembles a covered terrace with views of the beach, covered with palm trees. Shower, toilet and wash basin are located on an adjacent patio. Instead of walls, hibiscus, fig and banana trees defend from prying eyes.

Even the entrance is unusual. Although each of the nine accommodations is unique and offers fabulous vistas from unglazed window frames, the Spa dispenses with a doorway altogether. Only a chain restricts the unwanted visitor from entering the shady forecourt with its small cool pool.

For the time being, this wellness oasis is Terry’s most recent coup. His kitchen isn’t large enough to provide for more than approximately twenty people, he says, and he wants to protect the privacy of the guests on the eleven acres of grounds. Strict building codes and regulations also limit random construction in the protected rain forest on the peninsula. Therefore, at least for now, this region is safe from mass tourism as seen in Northern Costa Rica.

Map of the Osa PeninsulaAfter Terry’s tour, finally entering the Monkey House for the first time, I am out of breath: a wooden staircase of at least forty steps leads to my eyrie, a catwalk much loved by the white-faced capuchin monkeys. The structure is diagonal to the hillside and overlooks the main lodge and the other cabins. I remain standing in the doorway and it seems as if I had stepped on a stage. Everything is open and the wall with the entry is like a backdrop. Only the wooden handrails interrupt the view of the Pacific and the rain forest. A desk, a sofa and two easy chairs of indigenous wood allow the luxury of relaxation and observation. After a few days of studying their habits, I know that the monkeys prefer to feast on the abundant berries and bananas in the mornings and evenings, whereas the coati can be found at any time poking through the foliage with their white snouts.

Happy hour at the Lookout Inn begins just before sunset. The guests meet at the bar in the main lodge and exchange stories of their latest adventures. The more of Katja’s (Terry’s wife) excellent margaritas are consumed, the wilder the stories get. An ER physician from Toronto and his lawyer and dentist friends, who like to fortify themselves with a joint before embarking on their extensive hikes, reported an attack by howler monkeys. “They pelted us with figs and branches”, he said. “And all we were doing was watching them jump from bough to bough.” With the first night at the Monkey House on my mind, I turned towards Terry somewhat skeptically: “Has a guest ever been attacked at the Lookout Inn? Do snakes and scorpions invade the huts at night?” Terry sipped his drink. “The most dangerous thing is me when I’ve had a shot of vodka too many.” A mischievous grin. “Don’t worry, kid. Trust me, the biggest danger here is falling coconuts.”

Digging for water instead of gold

And Terry should know. Now in his mid-fifties, Terry, originally from New York State, has lived in Carate since 1996. At that time, he and his then girlfriend began constructing their dream house, while they lived, without running water, in a hut in the garden, which now houses some of the employees. It was a gold miner from California, who had helped with the planning, that came up with the idea of a hotel, not Terry himself. So, instead of digging for gold, Terry dug for water, and instead of a noisy generator, he installed a solar power system which, among other things, enables guests to use the wi-fi operated internet - the only access to the outside world.

Article and Photos by Dorothy MacKinnon
Special to The Tico Times
March 26/2004

CARATE— Macaws. macaws, macaws! The raucous birds are such a constant fixture at Lookout Inn in the Osa Peninsula in the Southern Zone, that gregarious owner Terry Conroy confidently tells guests "If you don't see a scarlet macaw while you're here. your lodging is free."

The inn is perched on a hill that climbs up from the beach at Carate. with three stories of viewing decks. There's plenty of room for nature photographers to set up a tripod and capture the scarlet, yellow and blue lapas streaking past in pairs. performing aerial ballets and congregating in the almond trees bordering the beach, where Terry says he once counted more than 120 scarlet macaws.

Boisterous birds aside. there are plenty of other reasons to visit this comfortable beachfront hotel at the end of the road that leads from Puerto Jimenez to the Carate airstrip. An hour or so on foot along the beach brings you to the La Leona entrance to Corcovado National Park. If trudging doesn't appeal to you. you can also charter an air taxi to fly into Sirena Station from Carate.

Closer to the inn, there's endless beach to comb, wild waves to bodysurf and a calm lagoon to canoe. The National Save the Sea Turtle Foundation also has a thriving hatchery project on the beach.

If you are an habitué of the stair climber at the gym. you have come to the right place. Terry is an indefatigable builder of stairs. Sixty-four wooden stairs lead up to the inn from the beach, through a kaleidoscopic garden bursting with bougainvillea, gingers, crotons, hibiscus and volcano flowers.

At the bottom of the stairs is a cool, blue. very deep plunge pool filled with refreshing water channeled down from the mountain. Comfortable lounging chairs await on the deck. and there's a thatched-roof hammock house nearby. On the climb up the tree-shaded stairs, you pass a frog pond. home in season to the red-eyed tree frog that is the inn's logo and mascot. Just 14 steps short of the inn. you pass a side path to a secluded fresh-water soaking tub, where you can cool off in privacy amid flowers, chirping honeycreepers and the soothing sound of water trickling on down to the frog pond.

Onward and upward, you reach the first level of the inn. where there is a huge sunny terrace with a view that makes the climb worthwhile: the green Osa coastline undulating its way north to Punta Salsipuedes, and blue Pacific as far as the eye can see.

Large green umbrellas shade wooden tables where the breakfast buffet is served. The inn's three luxurious rooms are tucked at the back of the terrace behind a green screen of tropical plants.

A sign at the bottom of the next set of stairs advises "This is a barefoot inn." so shoes are doffed before you climb the 12 steps to the covered deck of polished wood where you'll find the bar, open kitchen, hammocks and comfortable chairs. Very popular with local expatriates and Corcovado guides. the bar really hops some nights, with ad hoc guitar sessions and storytelling. Katya Bellanero, Terry's gracious wife, mixes a mean Margarita.

Continuing the climb, you ascend a 12-step spiral staircase to the top deck. where lunch is usually served. The breeze never fails to cool, nor the panoramic view to impress here, especially at sunset.

If you are a really avid stair climber, the fun is only beginning. Terry has just finished building his `'Stairway to Heaven." 217 steps that lead up to a ridge trail that passes through primary forest to a waterfall. The 2-km loop trail hooks up with Shady Lane. a scenic dirt road that is an early-morning birder's paradise.

If climbing stairs is not your idea of a good time. you can drive your car up the steep, concrete driveway straight to the inn and never climb more than the stairs between the three decks. Along with the view, there's plenty to enjoy at the inn with-out getting your heart rate up.

Terry. originally from Santa Fe. has a quirky sense of style — and humor. There's a decorative surprise in every corner of the inn. The winding, wood rail of the spiral staircase ends in a carved serpent's head. A driftwood log in the lounge is populated with sculpted frogs: ceramic iguanas burst out of vases; a shaggy Indonesian mask greets you in the rest room: the inn's deck railing is an artistic latticework of twigs.

The three rooms in the inn are bright. white and spacious, with large arching windows and handsome. carved-wood doors. Colorful murals feature fish. monkeys and birds. Beds have tree-trunk frames. and the large, tiled bathrooms have hanging plants and plenty of solar-heated hot water (Carate is off the electrical grid).

Hidden in the garden are two very private cabins. with screened windows, good cross-ventilation and solar-powered fans. Reading lamps over the beds are welcome, and hanging lanterns with candles create a romantic mood for non-readers. Bathrooms have pebbled floors and smooth stones to sit on under hot- water showers. A rare and wonderful amenity is a two-sided hanging closet that allows you to completely unpack and keep your clothes wrinkle-free. Large verandahs come with hammocks and comfortable cane chairs.

Food at the inn is plentiful and imaginative. with fresh fish, fruit and vegetables. sometimes spiced with Asian flavorings. When the excellent cook is off for the day — his cheesy drop scones are not to be missed —Terry takes over, cooking up. say. mahi­mahi fillets sautéed in a spicy coating. accompanied by broccoli in sesame oil with almonds and a salad of interesting mixed greens harvested from a neighbor's garden. Katya contributes the sweet endings: home-made cheesecakes, cookies and cakes.

From top to bottom, all 305 steps of the way, Lookout Inn Lodge is a stairway to both earthly and heavenly delights.

Lookout Inn (tel/fax 735-5431, www.lookout-inn.com) is in the Osa Peninsula. on the beach at Carate. 300 meters east of the landing strip. High-season double-occupancy rates. including all meals and taxes. are: $99 per person in the inn. $109 per person in the garden cabins. For information on the turtle project. visit www.savetheseaturtle.org

GETTING THERE

By Plane: SANSA (221-9414) and NatureAir (220-3054) fly regularly to Puerto Jimenez. Air taxis from there will take you to the Carate airstrip.

By Car: Turn south off Inter-American Highway at Chacarita. drive about 40 km to Rincon on paved but bumpy road, then south along gravel road roughly 35 km to Puerto Jimenez. From there, drive 1/12 hours towards Carate. About nine hours.

Article by Kim Schneider
Booth News Service
From this MLive Article
Sunday February 24, 2008

CARATE, Costa Rica -- National Geographic Magazine has called the Osa Peninsula the most biologically intense place on earth.

Jaguars still roam this remote peninsula just a few degrees north of the equator, as do 375 kinds of lizards, 400 species of birds, endangered monkeys, tapirs, sloths and 6,000 types of insects.

But our first thought while flying over this rain forest of plenty is that we've somehow fallen into an episode of that old '80s television show "Fantasy Island."

Our destination bed and breakfast has no phone, and we aren't sure how anyone will know that we've arrived. But as our pilot points to a spot of brown in the midst of a towering jungle cliff, he revs his engine.

We picture a diminutive assistant yelling the Spanish equivalent of "the plane! The plane!"

And sure enough, our doors open to find a four-wheel drive vehicle pulling up to pick us up at the airport -- well, the tiny landing strip wedged between an ocean lined with black volcanic sand and a tropical jungle lined with coconut trees.

Showy macaws soar near the tree line, squawking loudly and settling one bet.

The owners of the Lookout Inn, it turns out, weren't risking much when they offered a "scarlet macaw sighting or your room free" guarantee. What we wouldn't see much of, turns out, is people.

We'd ventured to Costa Rica, my husband, Karl, and I, with our 17-year-old son and 15-year-old daughter on what we figured might be our last major family vacation. We scored four frequent flier seats out of Detroit, then set out to plan a jungle immersion trip so adventurous and memorable the term "family vacation" still could be cool.

Before landing on this remote airstrip, we already had floated down one of the world's Top 5 rafting rivers, ricocheting through rapids whose names aptly translate to "cemetery" and "pingpong" in the dialect of the local Cabacar Indians.

We made like monkeys at the base of an active volcano -- soaring across the tree canopy on one of the zip line tours the country is so famous for. And we quickly got into the mind-set of the friendly Ticos, the affectionate nickname for Costa Rican natives. Our motto became "Pura Vida!" or something akin to "Life is great!"

This leg of the journey was included for the wildlife riches and also to fulfill my daughter's request that a little luxury oceanside R&R (preferably in a hammock, with a virgin pina colada in hand) be included in our trip.

Owner Terry Conroy greets us with a hearty handshake and knowing grin. He has been helping to fulfill such fantasies since 1996, when he opened the small inn he runs with wife, Katya, and her 8-year-old son, Luis.

Home away from home

Our home for the next four days would be their complex of 11 acres, built into a jungle cliff and accessed by more than 300 steps that go from beach to main lodge.

Guests sleep in one of three solar-powered inn rooms, guest cabins with their own hammocks, or the open-air tiki huts that we chose for the adventure and the view.

The huts are open to the jungle and roaring ocean below, outfitted with only a netted bed and a table and a few hooks upon which to hang your belongings.

Mosquitoes were conspicuously absent. But the view from the similarly open-air shower might be the butterflies or hummingbirds regularly flitting past or a scarlet macaw couple squawking loudly in an almond tree.

The food served here is gourmet, grown in the jungle or at a local organic farm and prepared by an accomplished chef in an open air kitchen with an unforgettable sunset view. But even the luxury R&R would come with an "it's a jungle out there" twist.

One afternoon, we were memorably summoned from the swimming pool by a breathless staff member who urged us to grab our camera and follow.

A boa constrictor was swallowing a chicken. We watched until just the yellow feet were sticking out, and then weren't.

Another adventure

A dip in a jungle lagoon under one of the many waterfalls in Costa Rica

The next day, we'd find ourselves panning for gold with a gold miner who spoke little English and was carrying a machete. Turns out, we had no need to worry about Chino, whose kindnesses began before we ever reached the gold-rich sections of the river and learned to "pan." En route, he would pick various fruit or a coconut, slice it with the machete, then wait expectantly for our reaction.

Our trip's finale would be the exhausting but exhilarating 10-mile or so hike (in humid, tropical heat) into Corcovado National Park. We followed the fresh prints of a mountain lion, en route spotting dozens of white-faced, squirrel and spider monkeys -- most toting tiny babies on their backs -- along with anteaters, the raccoon-like coati and another boa constrictor, this one napping in a tree.

During the 1 1/2-hour return trip by land taxi, our taxi driver spotted a sloth in a tree, cuddling its baby. We stopped and watched the sloth and its almost imperceptible movements. Another mile down the road, we spied a toucan. And more monkeys. And then a family of coatis, including a dozen babies, crossed the road.

As my son leaned out the window to catch the action, a wide grin spread across his face as he uttered words we never thought he would say: "What are we going to do on our next vacation?"

Contact Kim Schneider at kschneider@boothmichigan.com.

We’ve stayed at Casa Tortuga in Carate for 3 weeks on a home-exchange swap. The house was great and just next to the Look-out inn. Carate is at the far end of the Osa Peninsula by some called the wild West of Costa Rica ( see Tico-Times from 8/14 ).You need to look up to Look-out, the sign says and yes indeed this special hotel is nestled high up against the mountain facing the Pacific. So some climbing needed to get there- but if you are by car ( good chance ) you can drive all the way up. Once you get up there off go your shoes and a final walk up the staircase brings you to a wonderful place.

Sure you will be welcomed by Polly, the tame scarlet macaw. Views are incredible and depending on the weather dramatic some times.Terry, the owner was on vacation when we arrived but we were immediately and very warmly welcomed by Osa Polar.

Everybody at Look-out has a nick-name and the polar bear is Jeff. Jeff natively from Florida, is the manager ad interim while Terrific/Terrible Terry is away. He’s also a super bar-tender – a great cook ( not as good as Jockson but close ) – a wicked story-teller – an experienced bar-gamer and riddle-teller. Jeff is in the Osa for a few months less than a year and he has done a lot of very interesting things in his life.

The hotel itself has some very special Tico-style rooms of which the monkey-room is the wildest. As it is really all-most part of the jungle itself the smells – sounds and views are of the most enchanting ,on condition you like the jungle – but who would ever come to that place anyway if he is not a Junglo-phile. There is a very nice pool that we did not use as we were not staying in the hotel but our daughter Lara (9) was immediately invited by Itzell, the daughter of the cook to get a swim there. No need to go anywhere else to see all kinds of frogs at night as there is a very well kept frog-pool as well.The gardens are just beautiful and very well kept by Erwin and the gardener who was so friendly to show us a not so easy to see animal every now and then , like an ant-eater in a tree or an iguana. Crossing the dirt-road ( one car per hour ) brings you to the ocean with special facilities for the guests ( bar at certain times – big camp -fire – huge barbecue and other specials like the special guarded shower ( by Polly the macaw ).

Back to the bar where Jeff serves the best Margheritas I’ve ever had with the locally found lemons – the beers are served very cold as they should and free fruit-juice and coffee made by Jockson.The atmosphere at the bar was always top due to the nice people we met there – mostly a mixture between tourists who seem to come back there time after time and expats who like to have a drink and a story every now and than ( greetings Patrick – an determined biologist owning a huge piece of well kept forest there).

At 6/30 PM dinner is served one story higher that can be reached following the meticulously curved wooden spiral staircase.Views even more spectacular and the food was the best we ever had in Central America. Specialities are soups from fresh crab to mahi-mahi soup not to forget the special bean-soup. Mains are one choice only but always made with the best ingredients and a good diversity every other evening. The cook is also preparing great vegetables with butter-sauce and excellent salads. The price for this feast is 20 $ round.From this upper-deck restaurant there is another staircase leading up a lot higher – called Stairway to Heaven after a famous Led Zeppelin song. We tried that the next day or so and walked up 60 or more steps to a trail starting there and taking us to some very nice waterfalls. On the trail we saw several animals we thought we could only see in the Corcovado National Park ( more soon ).

Needless to say we spend lots of good times in the Look-out…but the best had yet to come.We were given excellent advise about trips to the National Park and got to know Erick Gomez who would become our guide.Erick is an independent guide but he was advised to us by the Look-out people. He was one of the reasons we always saw so many animals.We saw several tapirs, really special and big snakes, anteaters, sloths, BIG Iguana’s, lots of frogs and Jesus Christ lizzards,all the sorts of monkeys Costa Rica homes, and then the lesser gods – but also very nice , the Koattis,muttis,peckarries etc..not to forget the morphos and other beautiful butterflies by the hundreds ( not the morphos but still a lot ).Now for the best…Early August Terry came back from vacation. He’s the cream on the cake – a very direct guy – says all what he thinks, has a very free mind I suppose – a nature person but so very professional in all what he does- and you can tell he has made this place how it is – a strong brand and more.Very funny also so add this one to Jeff and you got bingo at the happy hour and beyond.

One day he came to our house – tortuga house remember and told me and my wife to drop everything and bring my camera. I had only my underware so to speak – forgot my glasses- no repellent on and off we went. About 1 km further Terry drove us to a place which was actually the end of the “stairway to heaven trail” and there it was – a magnificent aprox 1 year old mountain-lion ( probably male – not sure ) lying on a branch of a nearby tree. We were standing at 3/4 meter distance and the big cat staring at us but calm and steady. Not like me, this was a dream coming true – I was really shaking on my knees and afraid to blew it up. Photo-wise I mean, I got an OK camera with a pretty good lens but since I forgot my glasses and my monopod I could hardly see what I was doing. Luckily enough there was Terry who took the first shots.After a while I calmed down a bit and Rita had done a great job running after my glasses and the rest so I could take some nice pics. I was eaten alive by mosquitos and ants – but who cares in front of such a wonderful creature – who can ever think of shooting this during more than half an hour?

Thanks Terry, Jeff, Erick, Jockson and the others

Article by Gretchen Cook
Photos by Ted Leather
From this Washington Post Article
Sunday, July 29, 2007

WHAT: Lookout Inn Lodge, a small eco-friendly rain-forest resort.

WHERE: Puntarenas, Costa Rica, on the Osa Peninsula, about 90 miles southwest of San Jose.

WHY GO: To find a thrill or just chill in a spot where monkeys are invited to breakfast.

"Why is the ocean so loud?"

That's about the only complaint Terry Conroy says he has ever heard in the years he's been running the eight-room Lookout Inn Lodge. The tough customer (a New Yorker) was staying in one of the inn's tiki huts, the tented tree houses exposed to eye-level views of the abundant wildlife and sparkling Pacific below.

The pounding surf does come in loud and clear, but giant waves are a main attraction for most visitors. "People do their homework, so they know what to expect," Conroy says. Or rather what not to expect -- TVs, telephones, air conditioning or private bathrooms. But with hardwood floors, tasteful furnishings and fresh flowers, the "tents" are hardly roughing it, and private cabins are available for the less adventurous.

What savvy travelers do expect is the perfect jump-off point to Corcovado National Park, which National Geographic describes as "the most biologically intense place on Earth."

The peninsula is the last undeveloped frontier in a country increasingly overrun with condominiums, hotel chains and fast-food joints. Preservation efforts have made the area home to many endangered species -- and the country's largest population of the threatened scarlet macaw, a bright red bird. A sign offers a free night at the inn if you don't see one during your stay (a deal Conroy's never had to make good on), and bananas are set out for the monkeys' breakfasts to ensure their regular appearances, too. The area is also crawling with crocodiles, jaguars, tapirs and those red-eyed, green tree frogs that are practically a national symbol.

It wasn't as mosquito-infested as I'd expected, but the insects are just as plentiful and impressive as the rest of the critters. The beds are sufficiently netted, but while the outdoor bathrooms are a fun idea -- and the toilet view is spectacular -- expect to get swarmed when you flick on the lights at night and to find some little bodies stuck in your toothbrush in the morning. As squeamish as I am, I couldn't help but marvel at how big and bizarre some of the insects were. The giant moths, in particular, are stunning.

The Lookout offers bargain rates, but its location is the most desirable real estate on the peninsula. The inn's 11 acres include manicured gardens, a small but lovely pool, a cascading hot tub and a 227-step "Stairway to Heaven" that leads to triple waterfalls.

Conroy, a young-looking 54, provides yoga mats and exercise space on the top deck of the inn, which is designed to blend in with the scenery. Indeed, the dense jungle so completely camouflages the few tent camps and homes around the nearby tiny village of Carate that it's easy to imagine yourself on a deserted isle. A development moratorium along the coast aims to keep it that way.

All that remoteness, however, comes at a price: The closest airport is 25 miles away in Puerto Jimenez. Then it's either a costly charter flight to Carate's tiny airstrip or an hour-and-a-half ride on what's been dubbed the "punishing road." It was even tougher when Conroy and his partner, Wendy Dearth, decided to move there in 1996. The couple stayed in a tiny trailer while they built the house, living without running water, electricity or any communication with the outside world. "It was like 'Gilligan's Island' for some time," Conroy says.

The inn's solar-power system keeps the lights on during power outages; there are also 110-volt outlets, a satellite phone and a burglar alarm in every room. Costa Rica has been spared the kind of violent tourist attacks that plague its neighbors, but reports suggest such crimes are on the rise. Conroy says most crime is just petty theft from cars, but knife-wielding robbers did break into the room of a couple staying in a nearby lodge a month before our stay. (Thankfully, it was only after my return that I read a heart-stopping account of the attack in a travel blog.)

Meals are family-style -- or private, if guests prefer. Not to be missed is the chat with Conroy and his sous-chefs at the kitchen-side bar while they whip up dinners -- which are surprisingly fresh, given the ingredients' long journey. Conroy manages the limitations by making delicious meals of one night's leftovers for the next day's breakfast or lunch, always served with breads baked on-site, locally made cheese (which Conroy spices or smokes), fresh fruit and salads.

November is the wettest month, and a downpour kept me indoors on one of our few precious days there. Conroy tried to console me with reminders that heavy rains nurture the forest's charms and that I could entertain myself with yoga or a hot tub soak. I wasn't sold, but at least the deluge drowned out that infernal crashing of the waves.

-- Gretchen Cook

This morning was a fabulous Scarlet Macaw day, and Lookout Inn may be one the best places on earth to photograph these colorful, intelligent birds. Lookout Inn sits high in the canopy so flight shots can be taken into the green jungle background. The birds above were in mating flight, and we were lucky to catch the amazing ‘flight dance’ as if it were suspended in air, which it wasn’t. In fact, the roll occurred without the slightest hesitation in flight. After this pirouette the macaws settled into a tree for a another courtship display, and what can we say, the shot was taken from our ‘bathroom’ in the swing-in-spa. And all of this after a swim in the warm waters of the ocean and before breakfast, which was delicious. It seems to just keep getting better!

More at [url=http://]Rex and Ginna Photographyhttp://rexandginnaphotography.com/index.php/2010/01/lookout-inn-lodge-costa-rica/[/url]