As it turned out, we made quite a number of short videos. I guess the lure of tech gadgets is irresistible and always in front of your fingertips: just push a button and here is your memento recording for posterity.
I was going through archives of our past trips and found some videos about Arenal Hanging Bridges in Costa Rica. This is an amazing eco project: there are 16 bridges (10 regular static and 6 hanging (suspended) bridges) along with foot paths on 250 acres of rain forest preserve facing Arenal Volcano. The abundance of trees and vegetation is absolutely overwhelming and makes you feel tiny in comparison. Bridges, made out of aluminum and steel, elegantly weave into surrounding trees. Interestingly, these so obviously man-made objects seamlessly blend into nature.
Small, but agile waterfall is easily accessible.
The bridges overlook the upper reaches of the forest with fantastic views of the Arenal Volcano in the background on a sunny day. Foot paths connect the bridges and run through primary rainforest that brims with wildlife singing, chirping, swooshing around. We spotted a couple smaller residents hard at work.
Last, but not least, we were lucky to find a more rarely seen blue-jeans frog. Obviously, it was not in the mood of modeling and did not allow to get closer, so if you want to watch it closer in the video you need to change video settings quality to HD.
Arenal Hanging Bridges is an impressive example of a successful blend of nature and man-made structures. It’s worth visiting them to appreciate efforts Costa Rica makes to create eco-friendly tourist destinations. To get there, you can choose a tour with transportation from a hotel around the Arenal Volcano area or you can drive directly to the site. You can choose between a guided hike or to explore the bridges on your own.