Stage 7: Sugarcane and Bird Watching

Today we are walking the seventh stage of the Camino and after the dominant banana plantations along the way, these are replaced by sugarcane fields (Caña). By now I feel like I'm in Cuba. We are increasingly passing almost leafless tall trees with orange flowers that shine from a distance. These are probably coral trees. The air shimmers with heat and silently above us glide Crested Caracaras. We take a break in the small town of Pejibaye and eat something cheap to recharge, because afterwards we continue up the wooded mountains to our accommodation at almost 1000 m. Apparently we look so exhausted that a jeep stops next to us and asks if we want a lift, but we can still walk the last stretch, especially as it is starting to look more and more like a real jungle - with trees full of bromeliads and ferns. A sign reveals that we are already in the Refugio de Vida Silvestre nature reserve. Our accommodation El Copal is a mecca for birdwatchers, as there are over 500 different birds to observe here. It is already late afternoon when we arrive there and mist is already drifting over the mountains. Actually, we wanted to take a little tour with a local guide here, but by the time we have showered, it will be almost dark. But as a small compensation, we are shown a spot where numerous different hummingbirds and other colorful little birds frolic. In the evening, we chat with two Americans who stand out with their professional equipment. They have been in Costa Rica for three months and are making a documentary about the local birdlife - especially hummingbirds - so they are definitely in the right place here. For the night, we ask for an additional blanket, as it becomes noticeably cold. We fall asleep exhausted, accompanied by fireflies and a concert of birds.