Chapter 5

Well  this is the finale of our trek through Costa Rica.  After a four hour road trip from Quepos, we arrived Saturday in Alajuela at 4:30.  The seven (yes, seven!) room hotel (the Margarita) is toted as a bed-and-breakfast; it's deliciously quaint, and thoroughly delightful!  What a surprise...we have a terrace view of the Poas Volcano in the distance.  The room is huge and soooo comfy.  Today (Sunday) we are just relaxing and regrouping for our flight tomorrow.  This afternoon we'll venture into town for cocktails and early dinner.  Since our flight leaves at 7:00 a.m. we have to get up super early for the 15 min. ride to the airport.  Arrival in St. Louis should be 3:00 p.m.  Looking back these past three weeks, the time has flown.  Larry and I have shared so many new experiences on this trip.  The memories we are taking with us will last us forever!

Chapter 4

Our time at Manuel Antonio Park and nearby Quepos is at an end.  We've spent a great week in our "treehouse" which I found astonishing!  Larry had to put up with no AC, but at night time we really could sleep without it!  Since our house is almost 100 ft. up in the treetops, the breezes from the nearby ocean cooled us off.  Every morning we enjoyed our cups of coffee on the deck, just watching the birds and animals in our treetops 10 ft. from our chairs.  Lovely and thrilling.  I probably took a bizillion photos!  Most of all the monkeys came three times to our pool area and deck and trees.  They were the light-orange/brown squirrel monkeys and the white-faced capuchin monkeys.  How exciting to hand-feed them!  They weren't afraid of us at all!  From here, the Manuel Antonio park is only 6-8 minutes up the road.  Fascinating!  We hired a certified guide and did over a 2 hour hike thru it.  There we found the howler monkeys at play.  It was difficult to get them on the camera but we did the best we could. Several magnificent beaches line the Pacific adjacent to the Park.  Long, long stretches of surf and sand.  Everyone knows how much I like the sea and sand!  The road is sprinkled with tons of restaurants and entertainment.  One of my favorite enjoyments is shopping in the local markets. Such interesting fruits and veggies!  The pineapple and bananasd are to die for!!!  If only we could take some home! We did cook at the house on occasion.  Their meat selections are "interesting" as well.  Often you would find stomach and tongue both done up in some kind of stew which they call cassados.  Those we didn't venture into.  Their sausage though is far better than ours back home.  Overall, we love the typical Tican food and regularly we ate at their "mom-and pop" places called sodas.  Cheap too!  Tomorrow we head north to Allajuela where we will stay 2 days.  On Monday we fly home.  Eager to get back but not eager to leave wonderful Costa Rica!

Chapter 3

Woke up this morning, feeling fine!!!!  Another leg of our journey completed and we are ready to explore new territory.  Today we leave the beach-side community of Esterillos and now travel south to Manuel Antonio Park area.  We have made arrangements for a home nestled on the hillside overlooking the Pacific.  In the fishing village of Quepos we'll rent a car for a week to trek around the area.  Everyone here says that Manuel Antonia is the "Jewel of Costa Rica".  We shall see.

Chapter 2

We have finished the second leg of our journey.  During our stay here, we managed to see and do wondrous things.  Our hike in the Cloud Forest, the tram ride up into the mountains, surrounding the forest canopy; we experienced the thrill of the famous "Hanging Bridges" which left us suspended above the valley floors and giving us the bird's eye view of the canopy.  And I can't forget the riotous, exciting rafting ride on the Balsa River! Ah, and the fishing day on Arenal Lake at the foot of the Arenal Volcano!  Fishing while seeing toucans fly, hearing the squealing of the howler monkeys, and iguanas lazing in the tree limbs--what more could you ask for!!!!  After five days in the northern region, today we drop down to the south near the surfing town of Jaco.  There we will stay in our first beach house--our little cassita!  Everyone says the south is very different from the north.  We shall see! Pure vida!!!!!

Chapter 1

Chapter 1 covers the first leg of our adventure.  Of course, we arrived safely, but what was most exciting, we had NO layover in Houston.  We hopped right onto the next flight without a hitch!   By the cocktail hour, we were sitting on the outside patio, listening to a terrific sax player, sipping beer then martinis.  A delicious meal followed with our own private piano player,, then bed!  We were dog-tired.  On Day 2 we walked the city sites, including the Mercado Central (LOTS of shops, etc.) the Teatro National, the Jade Museum, etc. etc.  It was a full day, finished with a meal at the Cafe Monda, a local favorite.  On Wednesday, we hit the mountains. ..8000 ft.!  A tour a one of the large coffee plantations, the Dakota Estates was followed by the Poas Volcano.  Wow...the steaming volcano was three football fields wide; the last time it erupted was 2010.  In the afternoon, we traveled to La Paz Waterfalls and Gardens.  What a treat!  The five waterfalls were impressive and the walk was well worth the journey's end.  At one point, Larry didn't think he would make it, but he did!  The full day finished with martinis on the Plaza Cultura, people-watching and enjoying the local entertainment.  After three days here at San Jose, we leave for the Cloud Forest---Monteverde--- and the Arenal Volcano.  That will begin Chapter 2.

The Great Adventure Begins

Our adventure begins!  After months and months of planning, tomorrow at 3:00 pm we will land in San Jose, Costa Rica for a three-week "holiday"!  I'll be blogging our adventure and sharing with family and friends our excursions and "happenings" !  As the locals (Ticos) say:  Pure Vida!

A Brand-new New Year

Welcome 2013 !  

Wow, where did the time go....  To all my family and friends, I wish health and happiness.  May all your lives be bright and merry.  May all your worries disappear.  May Good Luck be a constant companion and Love be a good friend.