Marenco Rainforest Lodge, Part 2

The whole southern part of Costa Rica is dotted with
mysterious stone spheres such as the one shown here. 
They range in size from 6 inches to 6 feet, are known to
have been made within the last several hundred years by
the native peoples, and are highly spherical to within
2 millimeters or so.  No one has any idea what they are for. 
There are several small ones scattered about Marenco. 

(The one shown here is actually at the little airstrip in the
jungle that we landed at, en route to the lodge.)

We had an excursion from the lodge each day.  Day One was a scuba trip to Cano Island, about ten miles offshore.  We made two dives -- our first ocean dives ever -- down to 75' and 55', swimming with 6-foot white tipped reef sharks, 10'-long sting rays, and other marine behemoths.  At left, Alice does her "Ursula-Andress-in-Doctor-No" number next to  our traveling compatriot Dan, just before our first dive.

A second excursion was a hike through the biological reserve itself: a very strenuous, 4-hour hike over what purported to be trail but was utterly invisible to anyone except our guide.  The trail was steep, slippery, and generally hazardous since the rainforest floor is essentially a tangle of roots in slick clay soil.  The walking sticks were strictly necessary.  One of the destinations of the hike was the "Giant Tree" known locally as "Grandfather".

Our reward for these exertions was a cold shower upon
our return and a tropical sunset later.