Monteverde - How many ways to describe violent wind are there?

March 1st.
It was tough sleeping last night with the aggressive wind which felt like it would take off the roof and we hear loud bangs all night long with freight train winds. We both laid awake thinking of the ways to describe how fierce it was. Not breezy or buffeting. But rather - punching and slamming.

As the road was closed until 9:30, we waited till then and then went exploring. We have hired a guide for tomorrow and wanted to see how much time it would take us to get to the Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve. What a bumpy ride to town and then, an even bumpier ride up to the Cloud Forest. We were dressed in shorts and summer wear. But, as we got closer, the cloud forest showed us what it meant; it was rainy and muddy....and cold. Nevertheless, we parked a bit away and climbed up to the entrance area. We immediately saw a white fronted parrot sitting on an electrical line. Beautiful!

We sat and looked at the hummingbirds by the coffee shop as recommended by grandson, Otis, who visited here two summers ago. We saw SO many hummingbirds and of such a variety of sizes. Plus, at the feeders we saw bananaquits which like using the feeders, too.

 After we were sufficiently chilled, we went back into the town of Santa Elena where it was not raining and was warm and sunny, just 6 kilometers away! We shopped for groceries, came home and read, read, read. We are living a non-connected life.

I am reading The Age of Acquiesence which just came out. It is excellent and I highly recommend it. It traces themes in American economic, political and social life from the time of Jefferson and Hamilton through the present. It is meant for people with a background in history, but is not exclusively for historians. It talks about labor and work and our attitudes toward both, as well as the trends Americans have followed with regard the rich and how, in our present time, workers have accepted (acquiesced) in the face of increasing income disparity. Mark is reading Richard Ford's The Lay of the Land.

We are really ready for the wind to stop!