STL DPB On The Road - Cloud Forest

I took a lot of pictures yesterday but someone asked for a monkey, so a monkey he shall get (a capuchin, by the way). And a motmot bird for good measure.

Here in the mountains of central Costa Rica, it's always rather cool and misty.  I had to turn the wipers on while driving, even though the sky overhead was blue. This creates dense, rich forests full of wildlife and exotic flowers. Lots more of these to post but I need more time to edit.

An alert Golan Heights cat

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A cat on high alert!
Among the ancient stones of Yehudiya-Gamla Nature Reserve. 
It's best to enlarge this photo to see the cat's special stance. 

I'm just coming home from a wonderful few days up in the beautiful Golan Heights and down around the Sea of Galilee. 
I'll get my notes and photos together and start sharing the adventures with you tomorrow.
Shabbat shalom!
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(Linking to Camera Critters.)
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Versailles Nightly Photo

Hello from Miami, where we spent the night on our way to Costa Rica. We found out that the Little Havana district is close to the airport so we went to the city's best-known Cuban restaurant. It was big, busy, full of families and very Latin. I was proud of myself for mostly ordering dinner in Spanish. 

The food was more entertaining than memorable but it was fun for all. Where the name came from I don't know, other than there were a lot o fancy mirrors around the room. And why the hostesses were wearing these angel get-ups is beyond me.

And a nod of thanks to our friend Ciel de Quimper and her town.    

A bath with a view in Hogsback

Most people would prefer a bath (with the drought, not something I have done in a very long time*) in the privacy of their own bathroom behind a closed door.  Most people don't mean everybody though.  There are those who would jump at the opportunity to take a bath in what is probably the most famous open-air bath in South Africa.

I've only seen photos of it, but on my last visit to Hogsback I decided to swing by Away with the Fairies and see the bath for myself, hoping that it wasn't occupied and thus off limits.  The barrier rope was down so I slipped down the path and there it was sitting on the edge.  The special part isn't the physical bath but rather what you see when you soak in.  The valley below, ancient forests and the three Hogsback mountains on the other side.

If you want to make use of the bath it is essential to make a booking with Away with the Fairies, with preference obviously given to their guests.  30-minute slots are available from 10am until 8pm.  They light a traditional donkey nice and early to warm up the water and bathers are asked to keep it stoked so that others can also have a hot bath.  The one prerequisite is that you have to use bio-degradable soaps if you're going to actually wash.  Most people just like soaking in the bath while soaking in the view. All pun attended.  Best of all, it is FREE.

*I do shower though, even if it's only under slow running (more like barely dripping) shower.

Can You Think Of A Better Reason?

First place come-on sign at the Mardi Gras parade.