When we go on a trip, a walk, a little getaway, we always have a reason. It can be knowing a new place, revisiting a loved place, resting, exercising, looking for a species of birds or plants. But have you ever traveled to a place just to observe?
When was the last time you took the time to simply let your gaze get lost in a multi-colored landscape or transported through the clouds?
Just to be clear: the act of observing does not have to be passive or inspired by passive actions. It can actually be quite daring.
For example, how about watching a tarantula feed on a small bird? Or stopping while walking along a path filled with fireflies, in the twilight, just to watch for a while?
Many places we visit in Costa Rica constantly seek to tempt us to observe. To stand and watch. And on many occasions, we do not fall into temptation.
By surrendering to the experience of observing, you can relax so deeply that you will lose all sense of time, pausing before the majesty of the sunrise or the color of the vegetation or a beautiful view of the entire Central Valley. When you relax, you will separate yourself from everyday life, the bustle of the city, or the daily routines of an office.
Another benefit of experiencing observation is that at different times of the year, you will notice different types of insects—or the same insect with different colorations during different months of the year. The birth of snakes or coyotes. The varying intensities of the sunset.
Good company will always enhance the viewing experience—your partner, your dear friend, a family member. Add a hot drink or a fine glass of wine and time will seem to freeze as you watch.
The simple act of observing.
Maybe you practice it a lot. Perhaps, like a rural tourism entrepreneur, you know how important it is to take the time to observe, to recharge the emotional batteries of our lives, of our bodies. Because although you have to recharge the physical batteries—say, with delicious food in a restaurant—emotional batteries cannot be ignored. A “nature bath” is the best recharge.
Jorge Fallas is the manager of the Alto Palomo Hotel, suspended in the foothills of the Poás Volcano, connected with the culture of the town of Sarchí and the majesty of the Toro Amarillo Waterfalls and Tesoro Escondido. His hotel was designed for observation and rest. He says: “There is nothing that fills me up more than hearing a wowwwwww” from someone who, sitting on the terrace of her room or on some other vantage point, has finally given herself up to the power of the observer.
Stories published under the Directory 506 byline are a joint effort between the editorial team of El Colectivo 506 and the entrepreneurs and organizations that participate in our national directory of rural tourism. This report was created thanks to the input of don Jorge Fallas: we invite you to learn more about Hotel Alto Palomo on the hotel’s website. For more information about Directory 506, send a WhatsApp message to 8506-1506 or write to us at [email protected].
