A collection of art on fruits and veggies

By request, I am showing a nice collection of art featuring fruits and veggies.

Botanical Illustration done in Kyoto Botanical Garden

This is half finished sketch of the beautiful pink flower of Tecomanthe venusta.

2009 trip plan Hanoi, Vietnam

I think I am going to Vietnam via Hong Kong for Spring 2009. My parents went there in 2008 Spring and the photos they took are amazing and I want to go. In the picture is the hotel, so beautiful. And it is not me in the photo!

April 25 Sat 2:55AM YVR to HKG 7:10AM+1 day CX889
April 26 Sun 7:10AM HKG, Shin Mun Hiking and dinner
April 27 Mon HKG Lantau Big Buddha, Po Lin Monastery, dinner
April 28 Tue CX1791 HKG14:55 to HAN 15:55 (Vietnam Air) hotel pick up, Hang Gai shopping for silk, then Little Hanoi for dinner
April 29 Wed Hanoi, Hoan Kiem Lake, 36 Streets Walking, Tamarine Cafe for lunch, Cathedral shopping, Thang Long Water Puppet Theatre, Green Tangerine for dinner
April 30 Thur Perfume Pagoda, Hanoi
May 1 Fri Halong Bay on Valentine Junk
May 2 Sat Halong Bay, Hanoi
May 3 Sun Hanoi Temple of Literature, Vietnam Fine Arts Museum, Craflink (before 12:15 or after 1:15), DongXuan Market, Infostones Bookshop, Ngyuen Freres, Emperor dinner
May 4 Mon Cuc Phuong National Park
May 5 Tue Cuc Phuong National Park
May 6 Wed Cuc Phuong National Park, Hanoi
May 7 Thu Hanoi, Highway 4 cooking class AM, pick up custom made shirts PM
May 8 Fri CX1790 HAN 11:05 AM to HKG 13:55 (Vietnam Air) then HKG 16:35 CX838 to YVR 13:50

Aristolochia gorgona sketch continues

This is the open flower, side view.

Aristolochia gorgona sketch

Costa Rica trip plan

I want to join a group tour to Costa Rica, here is the details, tour is from May 1-10, then I will add a side trip for a few days to go to La Selva Biological Station to paint Aristolochia gorgona and other tropical vines.

May 1 Fri Flying into San Jose
May 2 Sat Small town of Fortuna, night walk of Silencio Trail, to see Spider Monkeys and exotic birds, and see Volcano Arenal at night
May 3 Sun Cano Negro Wildlife Refuge, Rio Frio, to spot howler monkeys, lizards, caimans, sloths, and endemic birds
May 4 Mon Lake Arenal, Santa Elena
May 5 Tue Monteverde Cloud Forest, sky walk along suspension bridges at the canopy level
May 6 Wed Quepos, Manuel Antonio National Park
May 7 Thu guided walk to the Manuel Antonio National Park
May 8 Fri back to San Jose
May 9 Sat San Jose optional activities: Jardin Botanico Lankester
May 10 Sun La Guacima Butterfly Farm
May 11 Mon La Selva Biological Station
May 12 Tue LS
May 13 Wed LS
May 14 Thu LS
May 15 Fri San Jose
May 16 Sat back to Vancouver

Costa Rica tour

I found out there is a Eco Tour organized by my old college going to Costa Rica this May 2009 for 10 days. What an opportunity! I really hope to go and experience the rainforest and also hopefully paint the aristolochia gorgona.

The tour mentioned Arenal Volcano, Monteverde Cloud Forest, Cano Negro Wildlife Refuge, and Manuel Antonio Rain Forest.

I think I will enquire about more information from the tour and hopefully will be able to do a side trip for my painting.

Aristolochia gorgona is at Estacion Biologica la Selva or at Puerto Viejo de Sarapiqui.

I am reading up on both for locations to the above places of interest, I think they are located in more of less day trip distance.

Aristolochia gorgona flowers thru out the year and so it will be a hit or miss but I think with some planning I will be able to find at least a flower in bud or bloom to paint.