Thursday, May 29, 2014

Thousands of Fireflies; the Best Show Todate



My one night camping stay in Santa Rosa National Park, Costa Rica gave me solitude (no other campers), but not the feeling of isolation. I had many visitors, a young buck, iguanas, numerous birds, and some howler monkeys in the trees, several other noisy critters rustling in the brush. But the best was hours of the greatest firefly show I had the good fortune to witness. The fireflies flitted around at two or three feet (.5 to 1 meter) above ground in the grassy areas; like a blanket of tiny twinkling lights constantly on the move in the near distance. I placed a chair a few feet away from my tent and set there watching with delight; I grab my camera and tried several ways to photograph what I was witnessing but without luck. 

The fireflies started showing up at dusk and carried on well into the night, but it did seem that after about three hours their quantities diminish. As I sat in amazement the fireflies buzzed all around me, like I was being included in their evenings presentation.

There were only two things that would have made this night better, first is that I could have afforded to stay more than one night in the campgrounds ($12 a night when just eight months ago it was $2), second more than ever, I wished my grandchildren could have been there to witness it with  me… and help catch some.

Once again this will be one of those stories I will only be able to tell, over and over again… like a fish story that grows each time it is told.

Note: If anyone knows how to take photos of the fireflies please let me know. I hope I will get another chance before I finish my travels in November 2014.


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