Friday, May 20, 2011
Thursday, May 19, 2011
Costa Rica - Day 5
The zip line tour the day before was a hit with everyone. The group returned full of energy and stories of the view of the rainforest from high above. Darcy had been scared. She cried. By the end of the zip line she was grinning ear to ear and an expert. Everyone made sure to tell me her story of bravery. She wasn't the only one apprehensive. The Spanish teacher had her own moment. They all got to see the volcano in its glory without the clouds.
That night we were left alone to do what we wanted. Most of the group went left into town. Our small group of 5 adults and 5 kids turned right into the volcano area. We ate dinner at a place recommended by our hotel bartender. We were told to eat the beef, which I did. It was a fine meal, but the beef was a tad too done and it wasn't anything I couldn't get back home in the States.
The cab ride back to our hotel was quite entertaining as two of the men in our group insist on acting out their words in place of using Spanish. Madison and Darcy have found this quite amusing in their father, but I was in the cab with one of the other fathers and seriously thought I would pee my pants when he got annoyed at the cab driver who stared at him as if he were from outer space. It had been the same cab driver who brought him to the restaurant two hours prior and so he felt the cab driver couldn't be that stupid.
"Dude. You brought me here like two hours ago. You seriously have to remember that. How many other fares of Americans have you brought to this restaurant tonight? Remember where you picked me up? To bring me here? Well, take me back there." All of this while gesturing with his hands and arms and upper body. It took one of the kids in the cab to speak Spanish to get us back to the hotel, the name of which we had forgotten. We pretty much told the kids to tell him to follow that other cab, the one with the rest of our group inside it.
We ended the night on our porch of the bungalow imbibing on the country's drink of choice:
Our tour guide told us: "Put it in coca cola, it tastes like rum. Put it in fruit juice, it tastes like vodka. Put it in glass with lime, it tastes like tequila. Drink it and drink it, it tastes good and makes people happy."
We felt it was important to get some of the culture and so we purchased a bottle in town and tasted it in coca cola and then did shots mixed with fresh limes. It tasted, both ways, like what I expect a glass of gasoline to taste like out of the lawn mower. The after taste reminded me of tequila. My stomach and head the next day reminded me not to have any more.
The next morning came sooner then we wanted. I skipped the breakfast buffet as the stomach was churning from the culture of the night before. The parrots of the hotel were up and with us at breakfast to say good-bye, as were the bartenders and hotel employees.
The ride on the bus was long and very wild. The roads in Costa Rica aren't paved and are probably a lane and a half wide so as you come around the corner on the side of a cliff you are hoping no one is coming around in the opposite direction. Many of our group was popping Dramamine like lifesavers, but I just chose to close my eyes and look out the window occasionally. We weren't going far just around the lake, but the trip took 4 hours due to the road conditions.
At one point as we barreled down the road, our driver, Wilmer, who spoke not a lick of English, slowed the bus, stopped, put the bus into reverse, backed us up and stopped. Our tour guide, Alonzo, got on the microphone and told us that a howler monkey was outside sitting on top of an electrical pole. We all got off the bus and snapped picture after picture of what we thought we would have seen in the rainforest the previous day.
Turned out the monkey was lame and not at all impressed with all of the humans snapping his photo. We piled into the bus and Wilmer continued down the road. Our next scheduled adventure was a sky walk tour over the rainforest on swinging bridges, and Alonzo was determined to keep us on track.
Lunch was at a roadside place where we ate chicken and beans and rice while the rain came down. There was a little tourist shop attached to the restaurant, but it was full of things we sell here in Florida at the beach shops and so we all bypassed it and got back on to the bus.
By the time we got to the rainforest the sky was dark and so we all put on our rain gear and split into four groups with four different tour guides. We headed off in different directions and different bridges. The weather was muggy despite walking deep into the forest, but there were no mosquitoes as we were too high up.
The first bridge wasn't so high and there was netting along the sides so I was able to cross it. I had investigated this before arriving via the website and so I felt comfortable with the netting. I did not look down and yelled at anyone who wanted to jump up and down on the bridge as we crossed it. I had Darcy and Heather on my side as well and so everyone was quite kind....for awhile.
The views were amazing from the bridges and we climbed higher and higher into the clouds. I got brave enough to peer down and over some of the bridges, but I had to stop to do it. The tour guide ended up with me and he found it quite amusing to make fun of my fear, but he was also kind and did not let the kids make the bridge swing too much.
As we rounded our last bridge the rain came down hard. I did not care as I had no plans to scurry or run across the longest and highest bridge of them all. I was first in line with both hands holding on to the sides and so we were somewhat wet by the time we got back to the bus. We were the second group to emerge from the forest and so the next two groups were soaked through their clothes by the time they climbed aboard. Alonzo would not let them sit down and so they stood next to us dripping on us as the bus took us to our new hotel.
It wasn't far down the road and by the time we pulled into the tiny town the rain was gone. The hotel was in the middle of houses and the children ran out of their houses to stare at the large bus and the Americans. They sat on their porches or stood in their yards to talk about us and gawk as we unloaded and hiked to our rooms.
We ended up in an upstairs room in a line with our cohorts. We all had balconies that butted up against each other and so we spent a lot of time climbing from one balcony to another as we opened bottles of wine and snacked on peanuts. Eventually the others discovered us and we invited them over to the dark side for some needed relief of being off the bus.
"Dude. You brought me here like two hours ago. You seriously have to remember that. How many other fares of Americans have you brought to this restaurant tonight? Remember where you picked me up? To bring me here? Well, take me back there." All of this while gesturing with his hands and arms and upper body. It took one of the kids in the cab to speak Spanish to get us back to the hotel, the name of which we had forgotten. We pretty much told the kids to tell him to follow that other cab, the one with the rest of our group inside it.
We ended the night on our porch of the bungalow imbibing on the country's drink of choice:
We felt it was important to get some of the culture and so we purchased a bottle in town and tasted it in coca cola and then did shots mixed with fresh limes. It tasted, both ways, like what I expect a glass of gasoline to taste like out of the lawn mower. The after taste reminded me of tequila. My stomach and head the next day reminded me not to have any more.
At one point as we barreled down the road, our driver, Wilmer, who spoke not a lick of English, slowed the bus, stopped, put the bus into reverse, backed us up and stopped. Our tour guide, Alonzo, got on the microphone and told us that a howler monkey was outside sitting on top of an electrical pole. We all got off the bus and snapped picture after picture of what we thought we would have seen in the rainforest the previous day.
By the time we got to the rainforest the sky was dark and so we all put on our rain gear and split into four groups with four different tour guides. We headed off in different directions and different bridges. The weather was muggy despite walking deep into the forest, but there were no mosquitoes as we were too high up.
It wasn't far down the road and by the time we pulled into the tiny town the rain was gone. The hotel was in the middle of houses and the children ran out of their houses to stare at the large bus and the Americans. They sat on their porches or stood in their yards to talk about us and gawk as we unloaded and hiked to our rooms.
We ended up in an upstairs room in a line with our cohorts. We all had balconies that butted up against each other and so we spent a lot of time climbing from one balcony to another as we opened bottles of wine and snacked on peanuts. Eventually the others discovered us and we invited them over to the dark side for some needed relief of being off the bus.
View from our balcony
The proprietor of the hotel took our dirty laundry and wet clothes and told us it would all be done by morning. The kids took off and went exploring in the town while we relaxed. Dinner would once again be on our own, but for now we just needed to enjoy each other on solid ground.
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
Pictures of Costa Rica - Days 1-4
Day 1 - San Jose
First thing I saw while leaving the airport.
Hotel Colaye - our room
On the streets of San Jose
Coca Cola festival across the street
Sitting area upstairs in the hotel
View from the bus
Different view as we leave the city and get into the countryside
Our first bus stop in a small town
Heading into the rainforest
Deep into the rainforest
Coming out
Day 2 - San Jose
View of the hotel from the sitting area
View the other side from the sitting area
Day 3 - On the road to Arenal
All so lush and green
A beautiful courtyard in the town
Day 4 - Arenal
and heading even deeper...
The Arenal volcano from our hotel covered in clouds
Thursday, May 12, 2011
Tread carefully is what I'm saying
Away post # I don't know I've lost count
As I've said before I love Twitter thanks to my brother Rusty who at one time tweeted a thousand times a day. I follow many of the Pittsburgh Steelers and feel like we are old buddies. One of the men I followed was Rashard Mendenhall who recently tweeted about Osama bin laden after his reported death. What he tweeted was something along the lines of how can people be so overjoyed over the death of a human. Okay, not so bad. I sort of understood what he was getting at. I had stated that in an earlier post. No big deal.
Unfortunately, his next few tweets mentioned how he wasn't sure that bin laden was all that bad and that he didn't believe that two planes could have brought down the world trade center. I read and read and re-read those tweets, horrified by what I was reading. Yes, people are entitled to their opinions. Yes, people have the right to voice them or tweet them or email them. My horror at what I was reading was along the same lines as the horror I felt regarding the comments that Natalie Maines, of the Dixie Chicks, made overseas about then President George W. Bush. My horror didn't have to do with what was said, although I disagree, but with how and when it was voiced.
So I stopped buying Dixie Chicks CD's and I "unfollowed" Rashard Mendenhall. Easy thing to do.
I know the Chicks had a lot of bad press and backlash over what was said. I read that Mendenhall lost a contract out of his comments. Just goes back to what our lives have become with the Internet and fast growing news networking. Be careful what you say, or in this case, write. But people also have to be careful with how they respond to what others have said or written. It could turn out to be a vicious cycle. You don't like what Mendenhall had to say? Then just "unfollow" him on twitter. Or don't cheer for him on the football field. And seriously? The more we talk about it the more these types of people are in the news.
I'm just saying...
As I've said before I love Twitter thanks to my brother Rusty who at one time tweeted a thousand times a day. I follow many of the Pittsburgh Steelers and feel like we are old buddies. One of the men I followed was Rashard Mendenhall who recently tweeted about Osama bin laden after his reported death. What he tweeted was something along the lines of how can people be so overjoyed over the death of a human. Okay, not so bad. I sort of understood what he was getting at. I had stated that in an earlier post. No big deal.
Unfortunately, his next few tweets mentioned how he wasn't sure that bin laden was all that bad and that he didn't believe that two planes could have brought down the world trade center. I read and read and re-read those tweets, horrified by what I was reading. Yes, people are entitled to their opinions. Yes, people have the right to voice them or tweet them or email them. My horror at what I was reading was along the same lines as the horror I felt regarding the comments that Natalie Maines, of the Dixie Chicks, made overseas about then President George W. Bush. My horror didn't have to do with what was said, although I disagree, but with how and when it was voiced.
So I stopped buying Dixie Chicks CD's and I "unfollowed" Rashard Mendenhall. Easy thing to do.
I know the Chicks had a lot of bad press and backlash over what was said. I read that Mendenhall lost a contract out of his comments. Just goes back to what our lives have become with the Internet and fast growing news networking. Be careful what you say, or in this case, write. But people also have to be careful with how they respond to what others have said or written. It could turn out to be a vicious cycle. You don't like what Mendenhall had to say? Then just "unfollow" him on twitter. Or don't cheer for him on the football field. And seriously? The more we talk about it the more these types of people are in the news.
I'm just saying...
Wednesday, May 11, 2011
Day 4 - Costa Rica
The hotel is quite spectacular in foliage and beauty. The area of Arenal is mainly tourists and therefore more Americanized then I would like. We lucked out and got in the group that was assigned small bungalows built back from the main building into the forest. Our bungalow is the last one in the row and quite secluded. It is made of wood with a high ceiling and quite spacious considering some of the other accommodations. There is air conditioning thank goodness that I thought wouldn't do much when I first saw it and turned it in, but I was pleasantly surprised and quite chilled while I slept. The bathroom is large with a deep purple toilet and huge walk in shower big enough for the entire family. We have a large front porch with table and chairs and two rocking seats. Unfortunately, being deeper into the woods means more mosquitoes and so we didn't enjoy the porch last night. The floor is all tile and clean. The beds, however, are cheap with a small mattress and thin sheets with holes. The spread is quite worn and not much comfort in the air conditioned room at night. Not complaining though after seeing where others are spending the two nights.
We had to be up by 7:00 this morning for breakfast. The kids were to be ready to board the bus by 8:00 to head to the local school to spend the morning and early afternoon with the kids. Parents were on their own and some ventured to do the horseback riding to the waterfalls. Our group of five decided to go into town as the rain last night had produced a dreary day full of clouds that naturally covered the volcano again. We took a cab into town where we saw the school and toured the very tourist town. We finished just as the sky darkened and went into a cafe for some local dishes and drink right before the rain came pouring down. We had beer, pepsi (the first we have seen here as Coke has the monopoly) guacamole, and avocado ceviche that we all agreed was to die for.
As we finished and needed to head back the rain stopped. We got back to the hotel and joined up with the others. We played with the hotels two parrots that roam free in the outdoor dining area and wandered around. The bus returned with the kids, and I had enough time to kiss Darcy before everyone but two of us got back on the bus and went off to zip line over the rainforest. The quiet was instant and I went back to the room for a siesta, which I discovered Costa Ricans do not engage in. I watched the end of Inkheart while lying on my newly made up bed, and when it was over I peered out my window and saw....THE VOLCANO in all it's glory. It was marvelous. I have been sitting poolside since then with a wonderful view of the volcano while blogging. As I started this entry, the clouds have moved back in and the volcano is invisible again. I hope Tom and the girls got to see it wherever they may be.
The rain is about to hit again so I shall head to the bar to search for the other zip line
reject. The group should be back soon. We have dinner on our own tonight and another four hour bus ride to our next destination tomorrow. I'm hoping for a volcano eruption tonight, but it has been five months since the last one so I'm told not to hold my breath. As I blog, around me is the volcano in front, wandering cows to my right, pineapple plants behind me, and all sorts of colorful flowering plants to my left. This hotel is in the middle of beauty for sure.
Adios!
We had to be up by 7:00 this morning for breakfast. The kids were to be ready to board the bus by 8:00 to head to the local school to spend the morning and early afternoon with the kids. Parents were on their own and some ventured to do the horseback riding to the waterfalls. Our group of five decided to go into town as the rain last night had produced a dreary day full of clouds that naturally covered the volcano again. We took a cab into town where we saw the school and toured the very tourist town. We finished just as the sky darkened and went into a cafe for some local dishes and drink right before the rain came pouring down. We had beer, pepsi (the first we have seen here as Coke has the monopoly) guacamole, and avocado ceviche that we all agreed was to die for.
As we finished and needed to head back the rain stopped. We got back to the hotel and joined up with the others. We played with the hotels two parrots that roam free in the outdoor dining area and wandered around. The bus returned with the kids, and I had enough time to kiss Darcy before everyone but two of us got back on the bus and went off to zip line over the rainforest. The quiet was instant and I went back to the room for a siesta, which I discovered Costa Ricans do not engage in. I watched the end of Inkheart while lying on my newly made up bed, and when it was over I peered out my window and saw....THE VOLCANO in all it's glory. It was marvelous. I have been sitting poolside since then with a wonderful view of the volcano while blogging. As I started this entry, the clouds have moved back in and the volcano is invisible again. I hope Tom and the girls got to see it wherever they may be.
The rain is about to hit again so I shall head to the bar to search for the other zip line
reject. The group should be back soon. We have dinner on our own tonight and another four hour bus ride to our next destination tomorrow. I'm hoping for a volcano eruption tonight, but it has been five months since the last one so I'm told not to hold my breath. As I blog, around me is the volcano in front, wandering cows to my right, pineapple plants behind me, and all sorts of colorful flowering plants to my left. This hotel is in the middle of beauty for sure.
Adios!
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