Wilson Botanical Gardens, Costa Rica
All photos copyright 2007 by Bill Baio. All rights reserved.
We decided to take a short vacation to Costa Rica in February 2007. I had driven from Panama to Costa Rica in June of 2004. So I had a pretty good idea what was needed to satisfactorily cross the border. Most of the paperwork is on the Panamanian side when taking a vehicle registered in Panama across the border. It would have happened more quickly than the 3 hours it took if the computers had been up at Aduana ( Customs). The Costa Rican side took about forty five minutes and included the purchase of car insurance from the Costa Rican government WHICH IS A MUST to keep from having one's car impounded. I must say that in the almost 3 years since I have driven Costa Rican roads there has been some noticeable improvement. Since we shot almost half a day crossing the border, we decided to stay in San Vito which is up in the Talamanca mountains and not too far from the border. The following morning we went Wilson Botanical Gardens which is a traveler's bargain at about $3.00 per person entry. The gardens are a must see if you are down in the southwestern end of Costa Rica or if you live in the southwestern area of Chiriqui Province, Panama.
This is the dedication plaque for gardens. There are accommodations to stay over night, food services, and a reasonably priced gift shop on the grounds.
Tree limbs reach towards the sky and are adorned with bromeliads and mosses.
Violet poses in the vegetation along one of the trails. There are several marked trails which vary from easy to somewhat more arduous. All the views are excellent.
A waxed ginger bract displays it's beauty.
People are not the only visitors to the gardens. There are interesting creatures passing through the grounds.
Plenty to see for birders as well. This Mot Mot hammed it up in his perch and didn't seem to mind striking impressive poses.
A little rise amongst some trees makes a beautiful display for some Neoregilia Fireball bromeliads. Their red color makes a great contrast against the shaded greens.
This beautiful flower grows on a vine that hung down from a rock wall near the dining area.