Our place here in Nuevo Arenal has 'mucho' vegetation including many banana trees like the one below:



 Across the street from Michael's house is a gate that some locals told us we could climb over and hike about a half a kilometer down to a river that flows into the lake.  The property is owned by 'ICE', which is the local utility company.  As the lake was formed by damming up a river to flood the valley in order to create electricity the hydroelectric way you are technically not supposed to go there.  His neighbors and friends said that really was not an issue.  Over the fence we went for a big 'explore' you see.  We crossed paths with a number of leaf cutter ant colonies that were cool enough to take a video of and share:


Michael pointed out a cool local type of fern plant that folds closed when touched lightly.  Laurie gave it a try:


There are many patches of REALLY big bamboo in the area.  We suppose that it is growing season all year long around here:


Below is Michael clearing the path with his machete.  Could not have made it to the river without that really sharp implement of destruction.


We came across a really big nest of sorts.  Thought maybe a wasp nest, but nothing flying around so we left it alone in a hurry just in case the inhabitants felt disturbed by our presence.


We quickly figured out that the area near the river and lake was at one point a community landfill.  We had to hike over piles of plastic bottles that nature will never reclaim once. The town of Nuevo Arenal was founded when the government built houses here to house the folks displaced by the flooding of the reservoir. I mentioned to Michael that it probably pissed a bunch of folks off as it did when the NYC water supply created reservoirs in the Catskill Mountains in NY, flooding many quaint towns.  He said the folks here do not seem to have the same issue.  The flooding of the valley/towns occurred here about 50 years ago.


Finally made it to the river where Michael cleared a view for us to admire.


Utopia at last!!


Below is a video of the howler monkeys we encountered during the hike.  So cool to see these awesome creatures, as well as hear them when they are not in a zoo.


 



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