Rio Frio

Today we visited Rio Frio for another boat ride. Rio Frio starts in Costa Rica and goes to the sea in Nicaragua.

The Monday Morning Stimulus

Barchart, Coffee Prices Finish Higher as Brazil Rain Chances Diminish. Come on Brazil, get it together.

On the Way to Aranel

Today we travelled to the Aranel Volcano, north and east of San Jose.

A young lady who graced our elevator in San Jose.

A metal church in Grecia.

Sarchi, homeland of souvenirs. 

A Great Kisskadee.

Palm Sunday

 With Charly Jordan:

Lovely things, palm trees, but surprisingly dangerous. At Bakersfield Now, Tree trimmer dies after being trapped under palm fronds in east Bakersfield. 

A tree trimmer died after being trapped under palm fronds in east Bakersfield late Thursday evening. The Kern County Fire Department said on Thursday afternoon at 4:37 p.m., Kern County firefighters responded to the 800 block of Plaza Street for a report of a victim trapped in a palm tree.

When firefighters arrived, crews found a tree trimmer pinned under palm fronds about 30 feet up in a tall palm tree.  KCFD said the victim had been unresponsive for about 30 minutes before firefighters got there.

Officials said the truck's 100-foot ladder fell just short of reaching the tree. KCFD said the only viable option was to send a rescuer up into the tree. Due to the technical nature of palm tree rescues, the Kern County Fire Department’s Urban Search and Rescue Team (USAR-47) was requested.

KCFD said palm trees often develop what is known as a “skirt” of dried fronds, which grows larger over time. The fronds are sharp and their weight can become hazardous. The entire skirt can loosen and fall down the trunk, posing a significant risk to anyone in or near the tree.