Costa Rica day 21 Jan. 29

We survived last night in one piece and after an early breakfast we bought a phone card for local calls (all of Costa Rica) We need this so we can make reservations ahead to prevent what happened last night. (Hotel hell). We also have thought about getting an international card as we'd like to talk to the kids but don't want to call collect and we can't charge it back to the house w/o knowing enough Espanol to be able to converse w/ the operator. Something we'll have to explore. Most of the Ticos don't have phones so there are calling card phones everywhere that do not accept money. All the hotels have international phones but they too are by calling card. I can't recall seeing any phones that accept cash.
After packing up and getting our $5.00 back from Mr. DeVito we struck out with our back packs to get to La Cascada where we booked in around 9 a.m. It's a nice place although w/ no air conditioning we have a ceiling fan and a small rotating one. No pool but it's right next to the river where there are three waterfalls just upstream and where it empties into the ocean just across the street there are some beautiful pools that we have to try out. They are continually flushed by the wave action.
After checking in and while hopefully it was cool enough we asked the lady at reception how to find the waterfalls. Her reply was "just across the bridge and turn right" and then 20 minutes walk. Sure easy for her to say. She forgot she was talking to a couple of dumb gringos. Hell, I'm not exactly Henry the navigator so away we go. Across the bridge there's an encampment of people I figured for gypsies or nomads or something with lots of people, cars, trucks, tents etc. so we passed them and then the road branched off to the right. What would you have done? So away we go. The first hill goes up at about 45 degrees and it's about a 1/4 of a mile to the top. Well that took care of the 20 minutes. (We did manage to see a family of white faced monkeys and got a few good shots of them) Rounding a corner there's another hill. This went on 5 times. My tongue was getting raw from the gravel. The steepest parts were paved which I figure is to eliminate the ever present washboard and in between were dust and gravel. We walked for 45 minutes aiming from spots of shade to the next shady spot. Jo was really becoming spent so I went ahead to scout while she rested. Nada. That was it. We headed back down disappointed but even if we'd found the fabled falls we'd have had to hike down into the canyon and then back up again. Upon arriving at the bottom of the hills near the ocean and just past the gypsies we saw the path right beside the river. They had parked one of their big trucks there and hidden the path. We started up but then thought better of it as we were long out of water by then so we came back to the room, grabbed some water and sat out on the covered patio just down from our room and overlooking the road and surf a few hundred feet away. This patio is quite large and is home to many hammocks. We settled in with my book and Jo with her journal and that took care of the afternoon. Our company was a group of young people from Lethbridge and a California guy who appeared on the run. He indicated he couldn't get into Canada due to a cultivation problem on U.S. govt. soil. He also informed us they were filming a movie at the falls and hence the tent etc. for feeding the crew. Well what do I know? They looked like gypsies to me.
He also told us of a better place to stay near the Arenal volcano. It appears the lava flow has changed over the last few years and there's a small undeveloped town with a better view so we'll have to check that out. He also said this place is a lot cheaper as people are still going to the one recommended in the books.
While sitting on the deck I finished downloading pictures and completed yesterdays blog as well as the book I've been packing around. There's another 1/2 # I don't need to carry. I'm saving all these blogs as drafts as I need to walk into town to obtain internet connection which we plan to do tomorrow morning while having breakfast. It's kind of a drag as to put the pics on facebook I don't have hours to spend adding descriptions which I could do at night if they had wireless. I have figured out that by hilighting the pics I want to ad while off line it speeds up sorting them out.
Tonight there was some kind of furry rodent in the grass next door that I got a good picture of as well as a possum crossing the bridge. Everyone's seen them so I didn't bother to get off my butt and snap him although it would have been neat to watch it play dead. While eating lunch though in the restaurant downstairs a couple of the bluejay magpies came down One landed on the chair back next to me and eventually ate a chip out of Jo's hand. I had ordered a cheeseburg w/ fries and when it came I couldn't find any meat. I figured what the hell and started eating it anyway. They'd toasted ( cremated) the bun and it was like trying to swallow the insole of a shoe. He came out a few minutes later with a plate and the meat patty and apologised for forgetting the meat. Haha Part of the experience. I was just beginning to think it was a veggie burger with lots of lettuce, tomato, and cheese.
We may end up staying here one extra night as the game reserve is closed on Mon. and Tues. and we'd planned to leave Wed. No sense coming this far and missing it. After that it will be possibly by boat to Jaco across the bay by about an hour or on to Port Antonio in two hours. This is our next target as that's where the sloths etc. are. After that we're very close to Panama so we'll see how that goes. That's it for tonight. Jo's already asleep and I'm not far behind.
LINK OF THE DAY http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=28297&l=605a4&id=680056043

Hasta Luego
Al & Jo

Costa Rica day 20 Jan. 28

THE HOTEL FROM HELL

We survived last night in one piece and after an early breakfast we bought a phone card for local calls (all of Costa Rica) We need this so we can make reservations ahead to prevent what happened last night. (Hotel hell). We also have thought about getting an international card as we'd like to talk to the kids but don't want to call collect and we can't charge it back to the house w/o knowing enough Espanol to be able to converse w/ the operator. Something we'll have to explore. Most of the Ticos don't have phones so there are calling card phones everywhere that do not accept money. All the hotels have international phones but they too are by calling card. I can't recall seeing any phones that accept cash.
After packing up and getting our $5.00 back from Mr. DeVito we struck out with our back packs to get to La Cascada where we booked in around 9 a.m. It's a nice place although w/ no air conditioning we have a ceiling fan and a small rotating one. No pool but it's right next to the river where there are three waterfalls just upstream and where it empties into the ocean just across the street there are some beautiful pools that we have to try out. They are continually flushed by the wave action.
After checking in and while hopefully it was cool enough we asked the lady at reception how to find the waterfalls. Her reply was "just across the bridge and turn right" and then 20 minutes walk. Sure easy for her to say. She forgot she was talking to a couple of dumb gringos. Hell, I'm not exactly Henry the navigator so away we go. Across the bridge there's an encampment of people I figured for gypsies or nomads or something with lots of people, cars, trucks, tents etc. so we passed them and then the road branched off to the right. What would you have done? So away we go. The first hill goes up at about 45 degrees and it's about a 1/4 of a mile to the top. Well that took care of the 20 minutes. (We did manage to see a family of white faced monkeys and got a few good shots of them) Rounding a corner there's another hill. This went on 5 times. My tongue was getting raw from the gravel. The steepest parts were paved which I figure is to eliminate the ever present washboard and in between were dust and gravel. We walked for 45 minutes aiming from spots of shade to the next shady spot. Jo was really becoming spent so I went ahead to scout while she rested. Nada. That was it. We headed back down disappointed but even if we'd found the fabled falls we'd have had to hike down into the canyon and then back up again. Upon arriving at the bottom of the hills near the ocean and just past the gypsies we saw the path right beside the river. They had parked one of their big trucks there and hidden the path. We started up but then thought better of it as we were long out of water by then so we came back to the room, grabbed some water and sat out on the covered patio just down from our room and overlooking the road and surf a few hundred feet away. This patio is quite large and is home to many hammocks. We settled in with my book and Jo with her journal and that took care of the afternoon. Our company was a group of young people from Lethbridge and a California guy who appeared on the run. He indicated he couldn't get into Canada due to a cultivation problem on U.S. govt. soil. He also informed us they were filming a movie at the falls and hence the tent etc. for feeding the crew. Well what do I know? They looked like gypsies to me.
He also told us of a better place to stay near the Arenal volcano. It appears the lava flow has changed over the last few years and there's a small undeveloped town with a better view so we'll have to check that out. He also said this place is a lot cheaper as people are still going to the one recommended in the books.
While sitting on the deck I finished downloading pictures and completed yesterdays blog as well as the book I've been packing around. There's another 1/2 # I don't need to carry. I'm saving all these blogs as drafts as I need to walk into town to obtain internet connection which we plan to do tomorrow morning while having breakfast. It's kind of a drag as to put the pics on facebook I don't have hours to spend adding descriptions which I could do at night if they had wireless. I have figured out that by hilighting the pics I want to ad while off line it speeds up sorting them out.
Tonight there was some kind of furry rodent in the grass next door that I got a good picture of as well as a possum crossing the bridge. Everyone's seen them so I didn't bother to get off my butt and snap him although it would have been neat to watch it play dead. While eating lunch though in the restaurant downstairs a couple of the bluejay magpies came down One landed on the chair back next to me and eventually ate a chip out of Jo's hand. I had ordered a cheeseburg w/ fries and when it came I couldn't find any meat. I figured what the hell and started eating it anyway. They'd toasted ( cremated) the bun and it was like trying to swallow the insole of a shoe. He came out a few minutes later with a plate and the meat patty and apologised for forgetting the meat. Haha Part of the experience. I was just beginning to think it was a veggie burger with lots of lettuce, tomato, and cheese.
We may end up staying here one extra night as the game reserve is closed on Mon. and Tues. and we'd planned to leave Wed. No sense coming this far and missing it. After that it will be possibly by boat to Jaco across the bay by about an hour or on to Port Antonio in two hours. This is our next target as that's where the sloths etc. are. After that we're very close to Panama so we'll see how that goes. That's it for tonight. Jo's already asleep and I'm not far behind.
LINK OF THE DAY

Hasta Luego
Al & Jo

Costa Rica day 19 Jan. 27

We got up this morning around 4:45 a.m. as Jim was leaving for Hawaii at 5. We said our goodbyes, had a bite and then headed for the beach around 8 a.m. with the hopes of being back before it got too hot.
As we got to the beach right beside the path is the turtle hatchery. I took a look at all the round wire enclosures and sure enough, there were 6 or 7 little guys scrambling all over each other. By the time we came back from our walk the biologists had been there either put them on the beach to make their way to the water or put them somewhere else to be released after dark when they have a better chance of making it.
We walked West on the beach this time to the end wherre the river we'd crossed by taxi empties into the ocean. Beautiful area and I was surprised how big the river is. There were a few Tico's bldg or repairing blinds to keep them out of the sun while they went fishing. Looked like some of them had camped out there.
We got back around 8:30 and it was still too hot so Jo sliced up some of that incredible watermelon and we chilled out on the deck and in the pool for a while. That's about it for the day. It's an early night and we've just finished repacking our backpacks for another leg. Seems like we're leaving a lot behind but most is stuff we haven't used and we'll be heading inland in another week so the thought is "if we haven't got it we don't need it."
We're leaving here at 10:30 tomorrow morning and hoping to reach the peninsula tip by tomorrow night. We'll catch the first bus about a half an hour from here but it won't leave until 12:30 pm and then we'll have to change again before reaching our destination. It will be a long day and we're winging where we'll stay so I may be off line for a few days. We're figuring around 3 nights at Montezuma. It's next to a very large and very remote nature preserve so we'll be doing lots of hiking. My goal is to see a sloth and hopefully a banana boa.
I found a set of scales today and it appears I'm down at least 10# maybe more as I forgot to weigh myself before leaving home. The legs are in pretty good shape now to so all I have to contend with is the heat. Bet you guys at home really needed to hear that eh?
The nights here are perfect. We leave the screen doors which are double wide open and sleep on top of the sheets without the fan going and it's just right. Very dark and a bit of a breeze and the sound of the surf. Bonus! There's no bloody chickens to wake me up and after me remembering to bring ear plugs.
Until the next internet connection Hasta Luego
LINK OF THE DAY
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=26720&l=1733a&id=680056043

Al & Jo

Costa Rica day 20 Jan. 27

It had to happen and today was the day. We closed up the house as Jim won't be back for 10 days and Adrian picked us up at 10:30 right on time. We headed South through Punta Islita to a very small village of Secca. Just past Islita we came to Adrians village of Corozalito population around 150. Here he stopped and we grabbed a coke each and then he showed us the church which is located near his home and is 60 years old.
When we arrived at Secca I couldn't believe the bus would even stop there. The population couldn't have been more than 50 tops. It was a two hour wait but not bad as we were kept company by a rooster and the old man of the village who sat with us for a while. The bus was right on time and it took us to Jicaral (12:30 - 2:30) which was a real treat for 1/4 of a mile as there was some pavement. By this time we're used to the rattles and dust so no biggy. Arriving at Jicaral our 2nd bus was waiting for us and took us to Playa Naranjo arriving there around 3 pm. This last busride was a bone rattling experience and because it's very hilly country it's flat out or low gear. This bus had absolutely no rear brake linings and all the way we could hear the agonizing screech of the drums meeting the silver linings for the millionth time. Give the driver credit though he used those remaining slivers of shoe backings to the best of his ability and didn't spare them. I guess there's no core charge down here.
We had been told that we would have to catch the ferry across the bay to Puntarenas and then another ferry in the morning to cross back over the bay to Paquera as there was no overland carrier. We were waiting at the ferry terminal when a fellow Canuck from the Kootenays told us to take a cab overland and avoid the two ferry crossings and a night in Puntarenas (the Tijuana of C.R.) Well a guy approached us and offered to take us for less than the hotel in Puntarenas so away we went for another hour over the washboard to Paquera. Our driver was Carlos and he had a tendancy to drive on the wrong side of the road to avoid the washboard on the hills. so here we are going up the hills on the wrong side with no idea who's coming over the top towards us. (Reminds me I need to get my will updated) We got there around 3:30 and he dropped us off at the bustop. First mistake of the day. We should have gone to the ferry terminal where the bus route begins which is 4 km farther down the road. This way we would have boarded the bus while it was empty as it turned out we sat on the hard wooden bench at the bustop for 4 hours as the bus was late leaving and then had to stand when we got on. By this time it was around 8:30 pm and we hadn't eaten since around 7 a.m. We weren't sure when the bus would come by and didn't want to leave the bustop in case we missed it. We had others (Ticos) waiting with us for the duration so we figured they must know when the bus comes by. Needless to say I was getting a little antsy by this time but calm Jo kept me under control and we rolled into Montezuma around 9 pm with no reservations. This place is like Haight Ashbury and the place we wanted to stay seemed a way out from where we were dropped off and it was blacker than Toby's ass past the bustop so we began to find a quick place for the night and then grab a bite after we dropped the packs off. The following is the 2nd chapter which I wrote this morning while waiting to find a place to eat. I wanted to keep it fresh in my mind for your reading pleasure.
Montezeuma ....The revenge
It was very dark when we arrived by bus at 9:00 p.m. Not seeing a cab to get to where we'd planned to stay we headed up a small hill past restaurants and internet cafes, bars, and travel agents. The streets were alive with 20 year olds drinking and partying. Dreadlocks to skinheads along with a few Tibetan monks or harry Krishnas thrown in to round it out, many of them practising their street entertainment. It was a natural home for wannabe street minstrels who would never make it. Sort of a graveyard for Granville Island dropouts.
Most of the hotels looked quite expensive on the main street so we'd made our way down to the Hades of Hippies. After such a long day on the road (11 hours with only breakfast 14 hours ago) We found what appeared to be our nights rest. El Capitan cabinas. At last. We approached the manager who was a Danny DeVito type (actually a dead ringer) and he showed us to a room with private shower. It was very small and we were beat so we thought what the hell? I asked him how much and he said $15. I'm thinking great, but after a very pregnant pause he added "each". I'm sure he was trying us on but we let it pass. We moved in and went to sign in and pay him where another $5 deposit was req'd for a key. I kept my laptop and camera (which is always with me) and left the bags in the "room". Danny said to me as we were signing in "you look like someone". I responded "Tom Cruise"?. Nope guess it wasn't him. He then said "Andre Previn " or some long dead singer. I wondered if Andre was ever told he looked like me.
We then started cruising the restaurants to fill our empty bodies. I had told Jo earlier I'd love to have a burger and potatoes. Potatoes aren't big down here and we finally found a place advertising burgers. Yahoo I'm thinking. Well they were out of burgers along with most everything else on the menu so we settled for beef filet. They grill it outside. I mentioned to Jo why a burger was worth more than a filet. The answer came shortly after that. A beautiful lettuce and tomato salad, lots of potatoes, and the "filet". This filet was carved from the hide of the winning bull in the running of the bulls in Spain 10 years ago. It was cheaper than hamburg because it saved the machine they would have had to use to grind it! Imagine grilled jerky. The bottom line is I sat down hungry and got up tired.
We then headed back to the "room" past all the nefarious looking minstrels. We had no sooner turned a corner and two of them fell in behind us. We made it to our place and there was Danny parked in a chair watching us about to be mugged. We made it to the room and was considering having a refreshing shower in our private bathroom until Jo noticed there were no towels and there was soap although it had been used. We passed on that idea. There was a fan in the room that is wired w/ tape into another wire that goes into the only outlet. I can't use the puter as it's a three pronger and this one appears to be a 1 and a half. Our one cell window contains no glass, just a screen and steel mesh with 3' squares.. Behind the door is a sign "checkout is 12 noon be ready!"
It was now about 10:30 and time for bed. I'd already spent 6 hours sitting on a board awaiting busses and this made me feel right at home. The mattress was made up of a piece of foam that had come from the underlay of a wornout hall rug. Under that was some soft wood. Several hours later we were awakened by the screeching of a cat. It sounded like a one sided battle to the death. This was followed up by the motion lite outside going on and at 3 or 4 in the morning it gave me pause to consider which one of the local pirates was coming for us. I kept one eye on the silhouette on the curtain for a long time but nada. We'd escaped another possible rape and pillage. I must have finally dozed off when I was again awakened by the sound of water falling onto a rock or something. Unable to see what it was in the dark (it was like trying to sleep under a waterfall) I again dozed off. This time to be awakened by large nuts falling on the roof from a tree overhead. That pretty much capped my night and we both gave up around 6 with the hopes of getting out of here as soon as the restaurants open and Danny's awake to give us our $5.00 back. I've got some pictures to show my story however it's hard to get a picture inside here as it's too small. I'll do my best.

Al Cotton

Costa Rica day 18 Jan. 26

This was taken at 5:42 a.m. as the sun came up.
Today was another great day. We watched the sun come up from the open doors of our bedroom along with the sounds of the birds stirring getting ready for another day. We also heard some unidentified sounds (not birdlike) coming from the nearby jungle. I videod it just to get the sounds. After breakfast our taxi showed up at 9:30 to take us to Punta Islita. (there are no busses in this neck of the woods or in a lot of the other places off the beaten path) Taxis are very inexpensive and this one was a beaut. Diesel with a snorkel for crossing the rivers. We only had to cross one. Twenty minutes later we arrived in the heart of town. Jim says the population is about 200 if that. There's one resort with a golf course and the rest is museum, general store, and a church,school, and souvenir/craft shop.
This small village is very pretty as it's like an art colony. Marta the lady running the museum showed us all around. It was more of an art and craft show than a museum. When we were ready to leave a walk about she came with us and left one of the artist working there to mind the store! She showed us the beautiful church that had sat semi completed for a very long time because the town didn't have the money for materials to finish it. The money was donated anonymously and the villagers finished the job. She told us the original plan was for one steeple but that was changed to two because all small churches have two. Across from there was a clinic but the doctor left because he said it wasn't handicapped accessible. Now the villagers have to take a taxi (which they can't afford) to a nearby village. The school next door has 22 students ranging in age from 7 to 12. There is a morning class and an afternoon class. They get their meals in a separate lunchroom which without govt. support would only be rice and black beans every day. They now get something else thrown in to round it out. The first round of classes eat when they're finished for the day and then the afternoon class eats right after them prior to classes.
The village is amazingly clean and very picturesque. The houses are painted bright colors with pieces of tile and mirrors decorating them. Next to the church is the sacred forest. The trees were planted years ago by the existing indians and they're now decorated to commemorate them. A tree in the soccer field is painted white and adorned with many symbols. A star denotes good health (salute), the moon is love, and the spiral is you will return. I hope it's true. Really I can't express how friendly these people are and how they are content with what little they have. Most everything in this village is courtesy of a donation from somewhere and they have made the most of it. The govt. gave the museum some computers for the villagers but they're not operable as they can't hook up to the internet. The streets in the center of town are covered with paving stones (like interlocking bricks) which were also donated. This keeps the dust down the everything clean. the general store even has 4 recycling bins for various things.
It makes you wish you could give these beautiful people something to better their lives although they're very content and grateful for what they have.
Arriving back here at noon we jumped into the pool and cooled off. I was leaning on the infinity edge for quite a while just enjoying watching the surf off in the distance when I saw a black object running across a field towards the jungle near the water. It was closely followed by another one. They were a pair of jaguars! Jim had seen a mother a 2 cubs a year ago in the same spot. What an incredible piece of luck. You could tell by the way they ran and their coal black color that they were cats. He said they live down in the direction they were running which is in the nature reserve. The reserve is between Jim's house and on the right hand side of his property so no one will ever build there.
Jim spent the afternoon planting a lot of papaya trees with is Cat digger. He had some business friends over this afternoon and has gone out for supper so Jo and I had leftover yellowfin tuna for supper. Better than steak! Jim had made a dip out of guacamole, tomatoes, garlic, and some tobasco. I've got to get that recipe.
The sun went down exactly 12 hours after we saw it come up. Right away an owl came down and skimmed the pool. It's been here every night and landed for a time the other night on the deck.
It's now 8:20 p.m. and we're going in the pool to see the Southern Cross and the inverted Big Dipper up above us. The stars are amazing as there are no lights here.
Truly an amazing place that is leaving us in awe.
We'll be leaving here early Monday morning and heading further south to a remote nature reserve where it's highly likely I can get some pictures of sloths. What next I wonder?
Hasta Luego and thanks for all of you who are following us.
LINK OF THE DAY
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=26605&l=6efce&id=680056043

Costa Rica day 17 Jan. 25

We awoke with the sun coming up over the left end of the beach as the house faces due South. After a quick breakfast (I was feeling a little better) Jim took off with some watermelon and his board to hit the surf. We followed along around 8 a.m and took the 15 minute walk to the beach where the turtle hatchery is. We walked to the East end of the 6 km. beach (about 3 km from where we entered) and by the time we got to the end the tide had gone a way out. We're only 10 degrees above the equator but the beaches are so flat that it goes out a long way. Jim was out in the waves along with about 10 other guys (all of whom were 40 years younger) but he was able to hold his own and most of them later came back to the house for some watermelon and coffee.
There was a large cage near the hatchery on the beach marked off on the sand by string were 2' square grids where eggs were buried. We also saw many black and white sticks in the sand along the beach which denoted where other nests were. This beach is the nesting grounds for Ridley, Green, and Leatherback turtles. When we arrived back at the hatchery I was pretty much out of water so we filled up from their hose and the hosts there were very friendly and informative.
Jim arrived back here before we did. We should have come back sooner and it was really starting to heat up. When we arrived Louis the caretaker came over with some fresh backed corn tortillas and some meat and salsa. The corn tortillas here are only made from corn flour and water. There's enough calcium in the water to bind it all together so no oil is req'd. We loaded up and Jim informed us we were eating BOA CONSTRICTOR tortillas!!!! Now that's really neat. It was quite tasty and somewhat chewey. He said they catch them in the nearby river up to 14' long and then filet them.

Jim worked via his computer and phone all afternoon while Jo and I sat on the deck or lay in the hammocks reading. Jim recommended a book by a famous Spanish author called Alchemy. I read it in two hours and it's an excellent story! The basic theme is to chase your dream and follow your heart. Very inspiring and I'll see if I can get a copy of it when we get home.
Jim got out surfing again in the afternoon and had some great waves for an hour when the wind changed. I managed to get a picture of him walking back up the dirt road a quarter of a mile away carrying his big board. Now thats an exercise program. He brought a local surfer boy back from the beach with him for supper. Eduardo was a great additon to our super supper of leftover chicken from last night and the best fish I've ever tasted. Jim cooked it on the bbq and it was yellowfin cooked Hawaii style that Jim caught off his 26' fishing boat that he keeps in Corrilla (our last place of residence). We watched it grow darker until Jim had to get back to the telephone but a huge beatle landed on me which I managed to get a picture of. We haven't identified it yet but it was a monster. Wish I'd kept it to bring home.
We later asked Jim where he recommended we go while down here. Several people including him have nixed Nicaragua due to the crooked cops but have had Panama as a place to see. So change in plans. We'll continue south from here, cross over by ferry to Puntarenas and then head south to Panama and see the canal. Hopefully catch a boat that passes through just for the experience. Then it will be back to our original plan to go to Limon on the Caribbean side for a few days and then to Arenal the volcano, cloud forest, jungle reserve. We'll probably spend some time there to enjoy the sights and the hot springs. Feb. has been recommended as the best time to view the volcano as the clouds lift and lately it's been active so you can see the lava at night flowing down the sides. We saw a postcard of the site and wow it's something I'd sure like to see
Jim has a friend in Golfito that he thinks he can hook us up with for a free night or two so hopefully that will shake out.
Jim is leaving here at 5 a.m. tomorrow so we'll lock up before leaving for Nicoya to catch a bus further south.
LINK OF THE DAY
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=26560&l=d31ab&id=680056043

Costa Rica day 15 Jan. 24

Not much to tell you about today. I woke up around 5 a.m. with diarreah and vomiting and then slept for the next 24 hours pretty much full time. We did leave the Congo Real where we were staying (open sewers and all)and our cab driver Adolpho picked us up at 11 and brought us to Jim's house about a half an hour away. I fell asleep again right away, slept all day, went to bed at 8 and slept all night. Feel great today and am probably down about 15-20 lbs since arriving here.
Jim our host lives in Hawaii but gets out here about 10 days every month to go surfing. He says the surf here has one of the best "breaks" in the world. It's also home to one of the largest turtle hatcheries in the world The beach is the nesting grounds for Wrigley, Leatherback and Green turtles. Jim says you really have to be careful when surfing that you don't hit one! He also mentioned that the population of these endangered turtles had quadrupled in the 10 years he's been here. Every 10 years there's a weather phenomenon here and all the turtles panic and hit the beach at the same time. Jim said you could walk from one end of the beach to the other without ever stepping on the sand!
He owns quite a bit of acreage here and it's right next to game reserve so no one will be building in this area. Also we've noticed that this is the only house we've seen that doesn't have barred windows or the smell of smoke (The Ticos burn all there refuse like leaves, etc.) Jim has seen a jaguar and two cubs in the area just below the house and the toucans are all over place and eat the flowers. He's spent a lot of time planting trees, flowers, saving seeds and growing his own peppers etc. The watermelon here is out of this world! This house has everything!! Be sure and check out the facebook for pics of this place. Our guest bathroom is the size of my living room/diningroom. I was just telling Jo it's nice to see someone as successful as Jim stop and smell the roses. Most people like him only strive to work harder. He's a gracious host and very nature oriented. He also told us about the locals who have been in this area since day 1. The young boy in the caretakers house next door is able to catch snook in the river with his bare hands! These people have lived off the land all their lives and fish is a main part of their diet. They also used to eat the turtle eggs which is now prohibited Jim said if you'd ever eaten a cake using turtle eggs as opposed to chicken eggs there is an unbelievable difference.
The ceilings in the house are covered in what appears to be bamboo but it's actually cane (not sure if I've spelled it right) It's hollow and has an insulation factor. Outside Jim's bedroom window he has a flagpole that he can see from bed to tell him if it's worth getting up at 5 a.m to hit the surf. I'm typing this on Friday morning as yesterday was a writeoff for me. Fortunately it was a 24 hour bug and I'm feeling great having just had the first meal in about 40 hours. Now it's time to get out and head down the road (about 15 minutes) to see the beach, hatchery, and Jim surfing.
LINK OF THE DAY
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=26541&l=d7ca4&id=680056043

Posting a little later today as I've been really floored with something! Been sleeping steady for the whole day. Tomorrows will be late as it will take me a day to make it up
Wow 15 days later and a pile of pictures and experiences under our belt. The best thing about this extended trip is that we're in no hurry to get anywhere! This morning after breakfast across the street at Onda Latina (where they had no eggs so we had a fruit dish) we caught the bus to a nearby town called Samara. It's only about a 15 minute ride but goes right past the beach. Looking out at the creek and mangroves as we crossed over the bridge I spotted a large crocodile.
We arrived in Samara and went straight to the bank. It's a cute little village and the bank was a dream after the one in Coco Beach. Same security guards, one in and one out. I was asked to open my fanny pack which I carry my camera in to show them I wasn't about to clean the place out. With what they're money's worth I'd need a semi to haul the bills away. I showed my passport and gave the girl my master card and told her what I needed and voila I got the money w/ no problem. I had to sign for it in three places and tell her the name of the place we're staying at but that was it. We were able to buy a bottle of tequila for $14 which probably tastes like dieseline but the good stuff was $70 U.S. That's a helluva difference between the good and the bad!
We caught the next bus back along with a lady from Nicaragua who had been of some help in the bank and had been on the bus coming into town. After stashing the C.R. money which was around $500,000 colones we went over for lunch. Have you ever walked around with that much money? I felt like a millionaire! Figured it was better to keep it in a hidden pocket in my fanny pack than to leave it in the room as this place doesn't appear to be high on security and even I could pick the lock. I feel a lot safer here though than in San Jose or Playa Coco.
When we arrived at the beach we walked down to where the bridge was and I'd seen the croc. Sure enough there it was. I was about to say "what a beauty she is" like the Aussi guy when I noticed it didn't have a head! I guess someone had decapitated it figuring to stuff the head or sell the skull. You have to remember this is third world and the people make their money any way they can. One thing I have noticed down here is that there are no beggars, or guys beating on you to buy something! This is great when you can lay on the beach unmolested.
We spent about 3 hours playing in the surf and then started back down the beach when we came across a couple from Edmonton with a chocolate lab. This dog was 14 months old and huge! They were throwing a large stick out into the surf and "Hank" was retrieving it. Seeing him barging through the large breakers was something to behold! When he got to shore due to the undertow he paddled as hard as he could until the next breaker gave him a boost to shore. He did this continuously. It's a wonder he didn't have a heart attack. The owners said that Air Canada wanted $2400 to bring him down one way! They said the hell with that and drove their motor home to L.A. and flew from there. The cost for the dog? $100! It's beyond me how A/C stays in business.
Supper was again at the Onda Latino where we had a half a chicken each, cervasas, salad, avocado, fried plantain, and the everpresent beans and rice. Jo had a vanilla cream pie but she'll walk that off in a heartbeat carrying two backpacks while I take pictures.
Our taxi driver is picking us up at 11 a.m. tomorrow morning to take us to Jim and Patty's house where we'll stay for a couple of days. They have wireless internet so I can stay on line. After that it's farther south to ????
I was on Castanet tonight and saw the temp in Kelowna. Sorry folks. If anyone reads this tomorrow would you please let me know if Katherine and Dave have had the baby yet? Thanks
Hasta Luego
LINK OF THE DAY
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=26474&l=cc943&id=680056043

Costa Rica day 14 Jan. 22

Here's a friendly kinkajou licking Jo's hand. He later tried to either lick my head or eat my brain. What a cute gentle creature!
Well we got up for breakfast at 7 a.m. and sorted out our bags in order to lighten the loads in the backpacks. We ate our "free breakfast" which was very good but it was Continental which was coffee and fruit. We then asked for eggs and found out when we checked out that that was extra. No biggy but didn't know. We then packed our three bags down the road for a few hundred feet and checked into the Waldorf of Carillo for $15 a night. A queen size bed and a single, ceiling fan, and private bathroom. Not bad for a place to hang our hats and keep our bags. It's right across the street from the Onda Latino where we've been eating and having cervasa's in the afternoon. They also have free internet so I spent the afternoon updating things. After we checked into this place we headed for the beach and spent several hours basking and walking. Left there about noon and went to the soda for beer and Jo had a great fruit salad. Don't know how they carved the apple like they did but it was a work of art.
After about a 1/2 hour siesta we went to the zoo where a lady took us on a tour of her backyard, rehab, zoo and bromeliads. It was great and we were able to get into the cage with the kinkajou.. What a great little creature. It was very tame and liked to lick the salt off of us. She also let the anteater out and he proceeded to find termites and ants. It also is quite tame. A very informative lady and her English was also pretty good.
After the zoo we headed back to Onda Latino for supper. Both of us had bifstak which I'd had last night. We're eating a way too healthy for me. Salad, guacamole, beef steak, fried plantain, beans and rice. I'll have the body of a Greek God by the time I get home instead of the body of a god damn greek!
Small world..... as we were walking down the road to the beach this morning a lady in a 4x4 pulled up and rolled down the passenger window. She looked at Jo and said "you look like Marion" (Jo's sister from Hawaii). She'd met Marion while she was visiting Jim and Patty down here and Patty had told her via email that we were in the neighborhood.
We chatted for a while and hopefully we'll meet her again.
Well that's about it for today. Full moon tonight. If all goes well we'll see two more.
LINK OF THE DAY
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=26370&l=7f649&id=680056043

Costa Rica day 13 Jan. 21

Another beautiful day. We went for breakfast at 7 a.m. and then returned to the cabina to collect the packs. By the time we got back to Oscars he was all ready to roll. He brought his daughter Yisebeth along and off we went to Nasara, Samara and finally to Carillo. We hadn't gone more than a couple of miles when we came to a river. I asked Oscar
"are you going across that?" Reminded Jo and I of the Kia commercial. It's a good thing it was a diesel. Unfortunately the windows were so dirty I couldn't get a good shot of our wake! Altogether we crossed about 4 rivers. On one of them we started into the water and then stopped as another 4x4 crossed right behind us only went in a different path. It looked like we were heading to a bottomless pit so Oscar wheeled it over to follow the wake of the last guy.
People were out watering the road to keep the dust down and when another oncoming vehicle passed us it was up w/ the windows. There was no back window in our 4x4 so the packs got pretty dirty. When we came to Nasara, Oscar took us on the scenic route around town and past the airport. It was a pretty little place although all the roads were still dirt. We also passed a couple of log mills. We also to know what the trees were that we'd been seeing that were planted in rows. We had thought they were some kind of fruit tree but they grow straight with few branches and are use for constructing houses as the wood is very hard and very straight. They use these like we'd use 4x4 or joists.
It was beautiful country and Oscar was very obliging when it came to taking pictures. When we finally arrived at Carillo Jo had an address for a nice place to stay but they were booked solid w/ fishermen. This is the best time of year for sport fishing. Fortunately for us Oscar was there as he took us back to our current place the Guanamar where the president Oscar Arius stays when he's in town. This is like the Ritz so we'll only be here for the one night. We've gone from $16/night to $135 (but we get breakfast) A very beautiful place. We've since lined up a place down the street for $25 a night so after breakfast we'll go and check it out. I think we'll stay in town here until Thursday and then on to Camaranol for a few days. Took another few hundred pics today and a bunch as the sun went down. We sat on one of the decks and had a couple of cervaza's while that happened. Hope you like the pictures. The place down the street where we had lunch and supper has internet so we're good to go for a while. Our supper consisted of a large plate of pasta for Jo and I had bistak which is beefsteak to gringos. It was rice, beans, avocado, salad, tomatoes, and a good steak Total cost $13. Beer there is $1.75 a bottle.
After lunch and updating the blog & facebook we went to the beach. It's extremely beautiful and I had a ball in the surf. Water temp has to be at least 95. Met a couple from Calif. who bought a 3 bedroom place here. They offered us a ride up North but been there, done that. That's it for tonight. Tomorrow is a blog,facebook beach day
LINKS OF THE DAY
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=26305&l=b1666&id=680056043
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=26307&l=5567b&id=680056043

Costa Rica day 13 Jan. 21

Finally found access to the internet. The previous blogs need to be touched up but I did them at night as a draft and have just copied and pasted to the blogs. The dates are in order but may appear as wrong dates. Have to run & download the pics to facebook. Internet is for custormers only so before I drink too many beer I'll try and get this done plus check my emails

We woke up this morning when the chicken bus left for the only run of the day at 5 a.m. Going back to sleep we woke up to the 7 a.m. chicken outside. We walked down to Oscars soda where we had a breakfast of scrambled eggs, rice, black beans and a round fried thing that resembled a pancake but could be opened up and filled with the other ingredients.
Coming back to the unit we prepared for our day on the beach. Camera, bathing suits and a liter of water. This turned out to be not nearly enough and I got so dehydrated I was spitting dust. We got to the beach and I got a shot of all the turtle egg shells that litter the beach. We headed North away from the sun so I could get better pictures and came across two sets of turtle tracks where they had come up during the night. Lots of vultures today and several flocks of pelicans. We made it as far as we could go on the beach and got some great shots of the waves crashing onto the rocks. Not many shells on this beach but Jo found a few sand dollars. The beach is black sand and pretty easy to walk on. The surf is a killer and not designed for swimming. I went in a little way just to cool off but you really had to watch the undertow.
Jo figures we waked about 7 miles today. She's a walker and I'm not so I'll take her word for it.
On our way back at 5 to 11 I heard Jo say "there's one"! Wow and it was a green turtle heading inland. Boy that got the blood pumping! It was about 150' from the water which was at low tide. I ran up to a large piece of driftwood as it continued for another 25-50' and then when it began starting to dig I got up behind it. I didn't want to disrupt it and I don't think it was aware of me. It began digging mainly with it's front flippers but the actual hole was done by the big rear flippers which also contain a toenail. It stopped using the front ones after just a few minutes. The sand kicked up by the rear ones flew right over it's head with some landing on it's head. She also dug up some what appeared to be fertile eggs along with the sand. We've been told that they allow some of the people to recover eggs for eating at the peak of the egg laying in Nov. as there are so many eggs being laid that the first ones from the previous turtles are destroyed by the turtles following them. Having seen the picture Oscar showed us last night it's easy to believe
When it reached the maximum depth it could achieve the hole was completely covered by the shell. It kind of backed into it towards where I was standing. This made it impossible to get a shot of the eggs but you could tell she was depositing them as she'd raise her head and almost as if she was inhaling and then exhale. This was repeated for about 10 minutes. The hole also took about 10 minutes. When she was done she began filling and tamping down the sand into the hole. As the hole filled up she rocked back and forth applying her weight to the sand to further compact it. When it was pretty much completely filled she began moving in a clockwise motion still spreading sand and completely camaflouging the nest. Once she'd finished that she was in a position to continue on to the water.
She was pretty exhausted at this point. For the first 20' she really moved but then began stopping for a breather ever 10' or so. Even when the waves were almost three feet away she paused once again to have a final rest. Watching her disappear into the surf was a sight neither of us will ever forget. It made us wonder how many years it's been since her mother did the same thing and 45 days later out of all the other eggs, she had survived to repeat the process.
It's hard to believe our good fortune over the last 12 days to have seen some of the things we have.
I couldn't wait to get back here to download the pics and videos to see what we'd captured. I was completely dehydrated by that time as the single bottle of water didn't come close to providing what I needed let alone the both of us.
Everything here is closed today as it's Sunday. We're hoping Oscar opens up his soda again so we can eat supper but if not no problem. Eating down here isn't a priority for some reason and even after not eating all day we're still good to go. We're now sitting outside the unit. Jo is working on her journal and I'm editing pictures and typing. I've found a thing on my camera that I thought was a burst which saves the last picture but this one saves all the pictures as long as you hold the button down. It's really great as it's almost like a video but I can correct the horizontal on the seascape pictures (and I've got the ocean running off the map on every picture) It also enabled me to catch more of the action in photos as the turtle dug the nest rather than using all video.
While sitting out here Jo again spotted a 3' bluish iguana in the shrubs. This was followed up by a beautiful green one . I got some great shots as the big one feasted on the leaves of the shrubs and they will be downloaded later tonight. Right now it's time to head back to Oscars to see if he's open. Just as we left the beach from taking sunset pictures Oscar and his family drove up and asked us if we'd like supper. He said come back in 10 minutes which we did with enthusiasm as we thought we'd go to bed w/o any. Everything here is closed on Sunday and if we'd arrived today instead of yesterday we'd have slept standing up.
Oscar made us a cheeseburg and a taco with a huge salad of cole slaw. We washed that down with tamarindo juice. We asked him about the large fruit hanging off the leafless tree out back. It's called a hickora tree and the fruit is inedible except in Nicaragua. He showed us a strainer/collindor that was made from the nut. It looked like a regular wooden bowl only thinner and had countless holes punched into it.
We brought up the subject of hitching a ride to Nasara so we wouldn't have to go all the way back to Santa Cruz. He said "I'm also a taxi driver" He then gave us his prices to Nasara and onward to Sanara. It's cheaper than a regular cab and will save us a whole day so it's a go. We'll go there for breakfast and then strike out to Nasara and possibly Sanara. We think both places have internet so I'm hoping I can copy these drafts and paste them right into the blog.
Yesterday (I'm typing this on the morning of the 21st) I took well over 500 pics which brought the total count up around 1500 so before turning in I burned a dvd of 1044 pics incl. vids.
One more thing to note the roads are very dusty so people living along them keep their windows closed during the day. In the evening we've seen people out watering down the road so they can leave their windows open during the night.
Another great day. This trip is full of surprises and all of them are great!
LINK OF THE DAY
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=26226&l=6935c&id=680056043
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=26227&l=0fe6d&id=680056043
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=26228&l=b982a&id=680056043
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=26230&l=860e5&id=680056043


Al Cotton

We had a quick breakfast and Stu called us a cab which was going to take a half an hour (9a.m.) Jo went next door to see if we could get someone faster only to find that this cab was the only one servicing Playa Grande. He got there pretty quick and Jo, Soleiha and I headed out the road to Huaca where he dropped us off at the bus stop. The first bus along said Santa Cruz and we thought we were supposed to catch a different one to Berlin but taking a chance we got on and had a great ride to Santa Cruz which took about an hour and a half. Santa Cruz was just beginning a celebration of some kind and the bus terminal is right next to the fresh air market. We took turns wandering through the market taking pictures and seeing all the people in town doing their weekly shopping.
After waiting for a couple of hours the bus showed up at 12:30. I took the big bags to where the side of the bus would take the bags into the lower compartment while Jo kept our place in line. She was around 10th in line and there was a pile of people waiting. When the bus pulled in both of the doors opened front and back and the security guy told me to take the bags on board. Well you talk about a mad scramble! We didn't even get a seat. There were 100# bags of rice, plastic cases of bottled pop, big white bags of groceries the same size as the 100# of rice. Stuff piled everywhere! Jo was given a seat and I stayed over the wheel well on one side where they'd taken out two rows of seats to make room for baggage. The upper windows slid open so I was able to get a breeze. The bus was an old 4 or 5 speed and no one paid. Turns out you pay when you get off. If you can't get to the front of the bus you leave by the back and walk to the front door to pay him. He's a patient driver and waits until you've got all your bags off when your supposed to give him a wave in the rear view mirror so he can close the door.
Some sat on the floor most were standing elbow to elbow. The roads began pretty good for the first hour and then they started to deteriorate. For those of you from Kelowna I would compare it to driving an old bus up Bear Creek Rd. The last 45 minutes would be like getting off Bear Lake Rd onto something rougher and with rocks. The dust was about the same as one of our logging roads but the breeze was more important than getting dirty.
We drove through 3 creeks which are sometimes impassable in the rainy season. I don't know what they do in that case. Jo got a seat near a young boy, Jonathon. He was explaining to Jo what the words were for what she was seeing. Nice little guy. With people getting off I got a seat for the last half hour. Strangely enough both Jo and I loved it! It's all part of the adventure. A guy about mid 20's from Maryland was sitting near us on the bus and he walked us from the bus stop to a bar with "cabina's" but they were booked. We'd tried to book yesterday but couldn't get through. Within minutes though they'd found us this place next door owned by "Melvin". Brian, the guy on the bus then told us how to find the beach, where to eat, and where to find him if we needed any help. I was wondering what he was doing hiding out down here. He said he had two more years to go.
We then walked a few hundred feet down the road for supper and a beer but this soda (the term for bar/grill, restaurant etc.) didn't sell beer. Oscar the owner fixed us up with a great supper of fried plantain (bananas) rice and black beans, a veggie salad and pork. We'd asked for beef but he couldn't find any. Jo also had a large glass of cold papaya juice and I had two pints of tamarinda juice. These are the seeds that fall off the huge tamarind trees and it was excellent. Oscar showed us some pictures taken of the green turtles in Nov. and there had to be 4 or 5 hundred just in the picture and it was taken at 9 a.m. He said they take about 45 days to hatch.
After supper we walked to the beach and right where the path enters the beach are several empty tortuga nests with shells all over the place. Tomorrow I'll get some pictures of them. We're going to try and hit the beach early with the hopes to see some of the turtles or the young getting back to the water.
It looks like we'll be here for at least two nights as on Sundays (tomorrow) the only bus is at 5 a.m. Our trip here took from 12:30 to 4 pm. On Monday there's one at 5, 7,9 and a couple more after those. If we can catch a ride with someone to Nasara which is only 7 km away we can catch a bus to Punta Islita our next stop. If not we'll have to spend another 4 hours going back to Santa Cruz to catch a bus. Our packs are far to heavy to carry 7 km. We are carrying two back packs and a large 3rd bag. The 3rd bag is empty so we've got one of the backpacks in it. Thanks to a remote acquaintance of Jo's we're going to leave the large 3rd bag with everything we won't need for a while at their house. They're in Hawaii but we've been give the name of a driver who will drive us across a creek to their house. We'll leave most of our clothes their as well as our snorkeling gear.
All we need down here is thongs (for the feet I mean) two shirts, and a couple of pairs of shorts or swim trunks so our loads hopefully will be about 1/3 as heavy as they currently are. 20-25 # for each bagis what we're shooting for including our books, computer, camera's etc.
Don't know when we'll be able to update the blog as there's no internet in Ostianol. I'm writing this and saving it as a draft so I don't forget anything.
A couple of notes... Allow a day to travel no matter the distance. Our banyo has a sign saying to put all toilet paper in the garbage can not in the toilet. Todays expenses for the two of us are $20-25 each incl. the lodging and meals. We're eating two meals a day. Breakfast around 7 am and supper around 6 and this is all we seem to require. The banyo at the Santa Cruz bus stop is a couple of outhouses behind the station. Jo went to check them out. One was 150c and the deluxe was 200c. She thinks the cheaper one didn't have a door that closed. The 2nd one that everyone was using had the "overflow" coming out under the walls. ( Jo waited)

Costa Rica day 10 Jan. 18

No internet since after breakfast so I'll fill you in. We walked back to the PGI (Playa Grande Inn) from Kikes where the internet was, which was about a 15-20 minute walk. Jo sat in the pool and I got right in. It was fresh water and a perfect cooler temp. While in the pool Soleiha pulled up round 12:30 p.m She had come to join us for the nightly turtle tour. Unfortunately we couldn't contact her at Del Sol to tell her the tours were filled for the whole w/end. We figured she'd love the place anyway. Then the 3 of us headed to the beach which was about a 3-4 minute walk. We headed back towards the big rock and found some "treasures" in the tidal pools. We also saw 2 trails through the sand where a couple of females had come in during the night to deposit their eggs. I think they patrol the beach in the early mornings to count the trails and thus know how many deposited during the night. After about 1 1/2 -2 hours we began heading back. We found bits of white coral on the beach and Jo and Soleiha found two brittle stars in the tidal pools. I found a small octopus and just as I went to get a picture a wave came in and that's the last we saw of it.
When we got up near the turtle hatchery we came across one of the biologists and some volunteers digging a hole in the beach. They were burying egg fragments from the hatchery and filling it with the sand the eggs had hatched out in. This sand was considered contaminated. I asked (Sara was her name from Indiana) when they would have more babies and she said right away!!!! Wow we were pumped!!! The three of us followed her and the helpers back to the hatchery. We weren't allowed in but could stand at the fence as observers . One of the things we noticed was a pup tent in the compound. From 4 pm on there is someone standing guard all night to keep predators such as coons out Sara showed us which nest they would excavate and said this one was special as she'd personally buried these eggs last Nov. The gestation period taking approx. 63-65 days
The eggs they recover to take to the hatchery are one's that have been deposited below the high water line. This particular nest contained 57 eggs. Most 45 of them had emerged from 3' down 2 days prior. Sara began digging out the next while the helpers screened the sand and got water to pour into the nest to try and stop it from caving in as she dug. She'd gone down about a foot when she came across two babies making their way to the surface. That was an unbelievable experience for us. She put them into a bucket with sand in it and covered it with a towel. The hole caved in several times which then had to be dug out again. All the shell casings were set aside to be counted. Several were undersized and not hatched. One of the large ones that was still intact came up and it began chipping it's way out of the shell as we watched. Sara said tis one was a "special needs" baby as it probably wouldn't have made it had it not been for the extra help. Altogether she got 8 turtles before it caved in again ans Sara gave up. By this time the hole was 3' deep and she felt that nothing more was to be gained by continuing. The total that survived the incubation and made it out alive was 53 out of 57 eggs. She was so proud as these where her little godchildren. She told us that the average survival is 50% and to get over 90% was unheard of. Congratulations Sara!!!!!
These nests all contain a thermometer so they can determine how many females there are as the sex is determined by the temp. They are only concerned with females as they are the future for the leatherbacks 20 years down the road.
Unfortunately we couldn't witness them returning to the water as it's done at dusk for the safety of the young and cameras are prohibited due to some people using flash cameras. ( I could have done it w/o a flash w/ this Sony). A special permit is req'd to have a camera on the beach.
Soleiha was really beat from our walk and extremely excited over what we had witnessed so missing the tour late that night wasn't a hardship. We returned, changed and went to Rip Jacks down the street for supper. We had planned to watch the sunset as there had been a few clouds during the day but on the way to the beach we could see the fiery fall about half way down. I ran ahead but got there too late. (Remember I've been on my butt since bringing the boat home so I'm still learning to walk again let alone running!) We met a couple from Lake Country near Kelowna who highly recommended Rip Jacks. It really was a fantastic meal. From upstairs on the deck we were overlooking the ocean (we should have gone there first and seen the sunset at the same time). The ladies had chicken and it was the most tender chicken I've ever eaten. It seemed to melt in your mouth. I had white marlin baked in banana leaves over rice with shrimp. We also tried a drink made from the sugar cane and mixed with Fresca. Not a bad drink but I think I'd like to try it straight to see what it really tastes like.
After supper we went back to our place, had a beer and called it a night. We were in bed (make that two beds) by 9:30 Our room had a double and a single so Soleiha used the single as there was no extra charge for the 3 person.v
LINK OF THE DAY
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=26222&l=83c22&id=680056043

Costa Rica day 8 Playa Grande

We got an early start after breakfast at del Sol. The cab picked us up at 7:30 and dropped us off 5 minutes later at the bus station in Coco Beach. We found out our bus wouldn't get here until around 9:45. It was a pretty decent bus and took us to Filadephia an hour away. We then waited for 2 hours to catch the bus to Playa Grande. We had a very small room there for $65 a night. After checking in with Carlos we headed to the beach to sign up for the turtle tour for the following night (Fri.) when our friend Soleiha was going to join us. The informed us they were booked solid for the whole w/end and try as we might we couldn't reach her to tell her. We did sign up for that nights tour as there was only 4 spots left. They cap the number at 60 and charge $20 each. We were told to show up at 6 pm. They took our passport numbers and names when we first signed up and then when we came back at 6 they gave us small wooden fobs with our numbers 57 and 58 on them. This turned out to be significant as they then took us into an auditorium where we were given a slide show and video on the leatherbacks. The numbers are pretty depressing for their future. We then went outside to wait while the biologists were watching the beach in the dark looking for turtles. At 5 to 8 via walkie talkie we were informed they'd found one. Great! They then take the numbers 1-30 and take their money as they're now assured of seeing a turtle. Off they go while we wait on the concrete I'm asking why we didn't get to go in our group and I'm told they're looking for another turtle. The first group got back at 9 pm having seen the turtle digging, laying her eggs and covering them up. We would have stayed till the cows came home but fortunately our call came at 10:30. A lot of people had left so others who had come later got to fill their spots.
The latest turtle was quite a ways off so we went by van & then walked through a breach in the trees leading to the beach. There are several rules from here on in. No cameras. If your caught taking a picture they take away your camera to be claimed in the morning. Remain quiet, no cell phones, videos, anything that might disrupt the turtle. The guides use red flashlights and you must stay behind them. Any cars in town are supposed to use parking lights only as the light will cause the turtle to abort the trip ashore. It's the lights of the houses on shore that have destroyed much of the nesting sites.
Approaching the leatherback several hundred feet down the beach we are divided into two groups of 15. We're in group 1 and watch her digging while group two stand off. The biologist aids in packing the hole and scooping the sand away from it because if it caves in on itself the turtle will abort the dig. They pack all around the edge of the hole while she digs with her rear flippers which are about a foot across. First she buried her right rear foot and twisted it around to loosen up the sand. She then flips the loose sand out with first her right flipper and then her left until her flipper won't reach any further down which is about 3' deep. Next she begins letting the eggs out. A few at a time. During this time the biologist is laying on her stomach with a red light headband on and a counter. She's also put into the bottom of the nest a temp guage so they can monitor the temp of the nest over the next 65 days. The temp is critical in determining the sex of the turtle. The eggs are slightly smaller than a tennis ball, soft shelled and completely round. When she was nearly depleted the eggs became much smaller until they were about the size of a ping pong ball. This turtle layed 91 eggs. The norm is around 55. These covered the rest of the good eggs. When she was finished she began refilling the nest with sand and tamping it down using all her weight. This turtle was over 5 feet long at the shell which isn't really a shell but leather. She weighed between 700 and 800 lbs! It was an awe inspiring site and well worth the 4 hour wait, the sore butt, and the $20.
While we waited to go, there was a tent set up at the park headquarters and several elderly lady volunteers built a fire and had rice, & food available to eat along with coffee and cold drinks. The price was quite reasonable and we shared a dish prior to leaving.
This was another great day and so far everything is better than we could have asked for. The food is good. The water is great, the people are the friendliest you could ever meet and go out of their way to help you. Language hasn't been a problem as there's always someone who can assist you. Our nights have cost about $60/night and have been pretty good. The price per night will continue to fall after we leave here as we'll be off the beaten path and are expecting to be paying about $15-$20 a night for the two of us.The beds are comfortable, there's toilet paper (although we've brought our own), and our stomaches have remained on an even keel. We are truly happy campers and looking forward to the next 10 weeks. If the money holds out I'm sure we'll make it.

Costa Rica day 9

We left Villa del Sol at 7:30 by cab and went to the bus stop where we caught a chickenbus to Filadefia (that's the correct spelling down here). From therre we went to Huacas where we caught a cab to Playa Grande. This beach is unbelievable and I would guess probably 10 miles long and 300' wide. We found an assortment of shells (one of which there's a picture of on facebook & is currently in the sink waiting to meet his maker). This certainly isn't a swimming beach but the place is full of hippy surfer types from all over. Gotta run as we've got a long walk from here to our place
This is our beach at Playa Grande about 500' from where we're staying. A famous beach for the nesting Loggerhead turtles which we viewed last night. Time right now doesn't permit to make this lengthy so stay tuned.
The two chicken bus trip yesterday was great and we were here by noon for under $4 for the two of us.
LINK OF THE DAY
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=26001&l=9399c&id=680056043

Costa Rica day 8 (early)

Jo stayed up late last night and began planning the next leg as we leave tomorrow. Unfortunately Jo's sister Marion and her husband Don can't make it down here this month due to committments so we're going to head South to a place called Playa Conchal which is on this coast. It's not far but that's ok as we've got lots of time. I think because we're not going to Arenal volcano as soon as planned we're going to follow the coast for a while and maybe work our way over to Limon just to see it. It's on the Caribbean side and pretty remote with few amenities. It's also a lot wetter over there but we have our rain gear and it's only water right?
Not sure how often I can keep the blog going for the next few days as it will be up to the "free wireless" but I'll catch up as soon as I can.
Closing log at 7 a.m. stardate Jan. 16
NO PICS TODAY I'M TOO TIRED. Leaving in the morning on the chickenbus for Playas Grande south of here. (Turtle country) Hopefully we'll have internet access down there
Update for yesterday at 5:37 a.m. Yesterday we along with Soleiha (I'd been spelling it wrong) walked down to the beach and into town. Stopped at the souvenir place & then went to the banco. Man that was a real experience. Lots of people out front and a guard w/ a shotgun. Another guard opened the iron door to let someone in so we thought maybe they only allow 1 in at a time but that wasn't the case. Going inside we took a number like in a grocery store. My number was 93 and they were working on 50! Fortunately they had air (although the thing was dripping water all over the floor). They had 3 tellers, two of whom were doing commercial deposits etc. 45 minutes later it was our turn. Converted $200 into colones and we were out of there in 30 seconds. To complete the transaction we had to show our copies of our passport and sign for the money. No idea why all the other transactions took so long in front of us. Also when we entered the guard at the door told both Jo and I to remove our hats and she had to open her purse & show him the contents. turns out I could have put my hat back on but only if the brim was facing backwards so the security cameras could see our faces. Like who's going to tangle with a shotgun in a small room?
We then walked back to the souvenir store and Jo bought some real nice thongs to replace the flipflops and a pair of reversible shorts for under $10. It was then time to hit the little bar across the Golden Gate bridge which crosses over the famous Rio Septic.
Out in the bay was a gorgeous Windjammer Sailboat that carries 200 people up and down the coast for 7 days. They were picking passengers up in a zodiak who'd gone into town. The zodiaks were offloading into the stern of the ship.
When we got back we found that sister Lynn and Godmother Anne had been waiting for us for 4 hours. Manuel had let them into our unit after he got here so they had a/c and something to eat. We spent the afternoon with them as we won't see them again down here. They leave today for Ont. and that's why we chose this spot so we could hook up w/ them. They're staying at the brand new, all inclusive Hilton and were delivered here in a brand new BMW. Now that's class!
Last night I put a dvd together for Serge the owner of Villa del Sol and then got packed up. Now it's time to finish the packing and get ready to catch the cab at 7:30 to take us to the chicken bus. I'll post yesterdays pics on face book later.
LINK OF THE DAY
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=25933&l=94057&id=680056043

Costa Rica day 7

Well this was a real busy day. We got up this morning at 6 a.m. as our driver was supposed to be here at 7:30. He got here early so we had a real short breakfast (toast and a fruit bowl). KEE-AH!...we're off in the Kia van with Javier and headed over to pick up Lynn. She was waiting for us in the reception area at the Hilton and the four of us (Soleilla from our place was with us) left for Liberia. We stopped there at a mall and I managed to pick up some Cohiba Cuban small cigars. The girls hit the banyo and away we went. Drove to Canas and then on to Bevedero where we were to leave on the boat cruise. Bevedero is a cute little out of the way place with a small population on the Las Tenorito River. This river smokes along pretty well. It's a muddy color and definitely not for swimming!
First thing we were asked what we wanted for lunch (which was part of the $85 package) The girls opted for the chicken and I went for the beef. We were then introduced to Amadelo our captain. This guy was very likeable and about 40. Javier joined us and was obviously a good friend of his. While we were at the departure point a group of youalls came in in an arrogant fashion and we thought, "Oh here we go". Turns out to our good fortune they were at the wrong place. We got on our boat which would have held about 40 and it was "our boat." No one else. Well the youalls passed us going like a bat out of hell and we waved like we'd miss them. We hadn't gone more than 5 minutes and the skipper stopped the big Yamaha and pointed out a croc on the bank. It was a small one about 8' long; shortly after that an iguana laden w/ eggs sitting on the bank. He was so attentive to us! He'd spot something and back up, jockey around so we could see, get our pictures and if we couldn't see what he was pointing at he'd use a mirror to point them out with a sunbeam! Our van driver also was a great spotter. We saw all we could ask for. Some of the crocs were around 15' long.
Birds galore and the cruise was at a very slow pace. Javier told us later we got an extra 55 minutes of cruise time. We tipped him pretty well when we got back and I gave him my business card explaining that I was also a "capitan". Well you'd think we were brothers after that. He also works out of Arenal on a large lake there so hopefully we'll see him again.
By this time it was around 1 pm and we were getting hungry. We loaded into the Kia van (nice with individual a/c) and headed for Canas. Got to the restaurant in the hotel, and it was 1st class! The "lunch" began with homemade tortillas and a bowl of some kind of additive like warm salsa. Very good. We also were given a large pitcher of water and another pitcher of some kind of juice that tasted slightly like pineapple juice to me but it wasn't.
Then came the food! Girls loved the chicken and the salsa that came with it. Javier joined us and we had beef. What a steak! Coleslaw, carrots and some other veggie, rice, and black beans. Man it makes my mouth water to think of it. Right behind our table were the desserts. The girls had coffee and then Jo bought a slab of some kind of million calorie chocolate cake which we all tasted. Worth every bit of weight gain!
Then it was time to move on and we headed off to Liberia. Lynn and Soleilla went into the mall again and got a bottle of the salsa we'd tried along with a big bottle of vanilla. Jo and I stayed behind and saved our money.
We dropped Lynn off at the Hilton and got back here about 3:30. Then it was time to hit the beach and go monkey hunting with Soleilla. When we got to the right place the girls went swimming and I hung out looking up into the trees we'd seen them in yesterday. There was a guy cleaning up the yard where we'd stopped yesterday and he invited me in to show me the monkeys. He signalled me to walk around so I did and found the monkeys were in different trees today but still the same troop. He invited the ladies in when they came looking for me. I think his family lived in a house on the grounds and he was a caretaker for the unoccupied houses next door. We watched for a while and I got all my pictures and then we headed back to the beach access path that we'd found the other day. Half way to the road Jo spotted some more monkeys and we watched them for a while. That's about it for the day. We were beat when we got back and it's taken me hours to download 120 pictures and write this blog.
I've still got about 50 videos that I haven't downloaded and some of them are pretty good. When I downloaded the last 60 pics to the facebook I lost them along with all the descriptive info so I'll add that later. Enjoy and leave your comments.
Now we have a quandry. If we drop off our 3rd bag in San Jose at a secure location we'll have to backtrack about 8 hours on the chicken bus. We're thinking of heading South to Puntarenas as far as we can go and then heading up the East coast of the peninsula, catching the ferry to the mainland and heading South along the West coast some more to around the Panamanian border. We'll see what happens. The reason we're changing our immediate plans to see Arenal is that Javier said the best time to see the volcano both at night and during the day is in March or April when it's clearer with no clouds blocking the view. At night you can see the red hot lava flowing down the sides.
So guess we'll devote tomorrow to making plans for the upcoming week. Lynn and Anne are thinking of joining us in town tomorrow night for an early supper (the last night here for all of us).
It's 10 pm and the temp is 29 and the humidity (which is higher than it has been) is 58. The only sound is the surf and the lawn sprinklers. Time for bed.
LINKS FOR THE DAY
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=25832&l=d77fc&id=680056043
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=25830&l=19594&id=680056043

Costa Rica day 6

Wow another great day! Jo set the alarm clock for 5:30. I think we both woke up before that but by 5:45 we were through the gate and down the road heading to monkey country. We were there by daybreak and Jo saw several at the end of the road but too far to catch up to. We then heard one howling behind us in the trees but couldn't see him. I spotted something moving but it turned out to be a big gray squirrel. Much bigger than the ones up North and with a tail any redneck would be proud to have hanging off his aerial just below the confederate flag.
Giving up we returned to the digs and then headed in for breakfast. Met a lady from Calgary, Soleila. I think I know enough parlez vous to know her real name is Sonny. We got yacking and it seems everyone here speaks French but us. No matter, due to the archaic schoolboard of Canada I still know when I'm being talked about by a frenchman. Just kidding these are pretty nice people and right from France not Quebecois
After breakfast Jo and I headed down the beach to the village. We had copies made of our passports showing the entry stamp which we will keep with us while we lock up our passports for safekeeping. We then visited a couple of flophouses to see what it would cost to stay there the night prior to boarding the chicken bus at 8 a.m. the price ranged from $40 to $30, the $30 one being the better of the two.
We came back home without making a reservation to see what it would cost to get a cab to the bus station and still be there by 8 a.m. That's the way to go for sure. We'll be picked up at 7:30 for the 8 a.m bus. Sounds good to me. That way we can reach Escazu San Rafael and drop the bag off on Thurs., get a room and head to Arenal the next morning.
We spent the afternoon sitting in the shade by the pool. Jo sewing an inside pocket into my bathing suit for the hidden stash and me reading and having a cold one.
We headed out for the beach around 4 pm figuring we'd catch the 5 legged furry buggers before they went to bed. We got down there around 4:15, hung around wondering whether to go in for a swim or keep the binocs trained on the trees. Jo was the first to see movement and sure enough there was a monkey! Upon closer examination there was a whole damn family. At least two mothers with little babies hanging onto their chests, a couple of studs and a few jnrs. Altogether about 8-9. I gotta say that blew me away. I got a couple of good shots that need to be blown up and cropped to see the little guy but what a rush! First time I've ever seen a real monkey in the wild. Jo had a hard time getting me to leave. The french connection showed up while all this was going on and while I was videoing and recording their howls the *&%$#@@ thought they'd practise their @##$$%%^^&& monkey calls. Paul I hope you know how to separate frog calls from ape calls.
When we got back I was still on cloud 9. We walked to the grocery store and got a bottle of that Nicaraguan rum, some coke, Pilsen beer, bananas (what the hell are we buying bananas for)? and a can of beans. That's been our night so far. Jo's working on her log and I've been downloading pics and typing. I've got some great vids but they'll have to wait for a while.
Tomorrow we're going to see some wildlife (bloody well better for the cost of the tour) so stay tuned. Hope you enjoy the pics and we enjoy the comments.
LINK OF THE DAY
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=25757&l=aab8c&id=680056043
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=25763&l=489a5&id=680056043

INFO FOR THE WEARY TRAVELER

Some of the things we've found since our arrival:
We flew Amerian Airlines from Miami and Jo said she used the head en route and it was filthy! It's only a 2 1/2 hour flight so use the Miami airport.
Don't change your US/Can. money at the C.R. airport! They encouraged us to change more than we'd planned to get a better rate. For $500 we got a rate of 459 colones per 1.00 which made us look like millionaires. Our B&B was offering just over 500 colones for any amount so we got ripped off. If you need some colones just get $20 worth at the San Jose airport.
Use the chicken busses! They're as good as our greyhounds. No banyo on them so go first. The next level of busses I suspect has all the options. Our price for a 4 hour ride was under $10 for both of us. Our 1/2 hour cab ride to here was $25. Car's are very pricey to rent. Anywhere from $450 to $900 a week incl. insurance (and you sure as hell need that.) Even w/ insurance they want your credit card deposit for $1,000.
The water. It's perfectly ok here but we'll watch it when we go inland. We started using it in ice cubes for rum & coke but have had no regularity problems. If you have any doubts wait until you've got lodging for a period of time so you can stay close to a bathroom.
Laundry go light and don't bring a pile of socks or underwear. You can wash them out at night and they'll be dry by morning. Hint tie them to the overhead fan and watch your head. So far I think one pair of socks on the way down would have been sufficient. After that it's sandals.
A few things I thought of today while my mind was at work.
The hardest thing I've done down here so far is to have a shower and hold a drink of rum and coke at the same time without getting any water in it.
The 2nd most brilliant thing I've thought of is "the less hair you have the faster it dries." Now take those gems to the bank.
Bring zip lock bags. We've lightened our load and discarded socks, underwear, long sleeves, and so far no toilet paper problem after two weeks. 2 of everything is plenty.
Bugs (so far) have not been a factor (except for Jo who has sweet blood).
A good camera like I have will replace the need for a video camera and bring at least one extra camera battery and a 4 gig memory card. I'm loving this camera and it's attached at the hip (as is Jo)