February 23,2009

What an amazing trip this has been I am one day from leaving and feels as if I just got here.

The journey here was an adventure all on its own. I left home where the snow still has banks on our driveway and drove to Spokane. Uneventfull saving a stop at the Circuit City store only to see rows and rows of empty shelves. How sad - a sign of these days.

I had a pleasant sleep in the Ramada Inn and left for the airport to discover that I had screwed up my ticket and was going to miss my flight from Ft. Lauderdale to Costa Rica.

At the ticket desk of Southwest Airlines I called American Airlines - as they have no presence at the Spokane Airport. They kindly rearranged my flight to the next evening out of the Miami airport. Now I had 24 hours to fill in Ft. Lauderdale/Miami area. Off to my first adventure of this holiday.

In Las Vegas a lady got on the plane and sat next to me. We got chatting - the plane was delayed on the ground - and she informed me she was a calravoiant and sensed I needed help. So I told her that in fact I needed a modestly priced place to stay in Ft. Lauderdale. And didn't she have built in to her cell phone just such a place. She called the number and volah I had a place to stay on the Ft. Lauderdale Beach to the front across the hwy. and the back of the hotel was on a little marina. The back of the hotel was where there little restaurant was with wonderful food.
So I arrived in Ft. Lauderdale got my luggage said goodbye to my seat partner and set off to find transportation.

In that airport there is something called ride share. This is a cab that takes two clients to the same general for a much reduced fare. $3.00 for me from the airport to the hotel. The lady I shared the cab with told me about the water taxi that leaves from the hotel on a regular basis in the bay area. Also told me that the hotel I was going was a popular restaurant with locals. We went our seperate ways, and I checked into my reasonable, modest hotel room.

After a good nights sleep I was ready to explore the Ft. Lauderdale area, I wandered the beach where the local search and rescue were training and practicing manauvers. Took a ride on the water taxi and saw some sights.

It was time to return to the Ft. Lauderdale Airport and catch the shuttle bus to the Miama Airport a $23.00 cost compared to an over $100. taxi ride. So I got a nice little tour of Miama for a reasonable deal.

In the Miami airport I phoned Costa Rica and let my family know that I was again on my way. At the phone booth I met a gentlemen having a nightmare of a time with his phone card. So I lent him mine and he made his call to Costa Rica. He was heading Jaco for a wedding. Jaco was also my destination. He was on a standby ticket on the same flight as me. Turns out to own a few bars and businesses in Laguana Bay area in California. We chatted as lone travelers do in airports, bus stations, and on trains. I boarded the plane - and he got a seat in 1st class as a standby - makes me think I should start flying standby. While he ate a hot meal I had a few crackers. He did bring his desert back to me. We chatted and he asked how I was getting to Jaco and I stated that my daughter Dina had arranged aride for me. He asked if he could share the ride and the cost, I said I would have to check with the driver as I wasn't sure if he had other passengers. Once through secuity and immigration in San Jose, Costa Rica. I retrieved my luggage walked out the door and there was a driver with a sign saying "Welcome to Costa Rica Marilyn Pearson." a very lovely sight. I spoke with the driver and he had no problem with an extra passenger. By now it was dark and we set off on our uneventful trip from San Jose to Jaco. When we got to Jaco the driver dropped me off at Dina and Larry's apartment where Larry was waiting for me outside. This was a wonderful reception.

After a good night sleep I got up and went next door where my sister Joyce and her husband Dennis were staying. I met their friends Joyce - yes same name, and Al who are travelling for a month with them. After coffee, we headed up the hillside across the road to the for my first of many hikes up the hillside. On our hikes we saw many monkeys, tocans, various bugs, frogs and butterfly of which the blue morpho butterfly is my favorite.

Other days we would walk the black sandy beach either just up and down or take a little side street from the beach to Jaco where we would do banking, go to a Soda (local cafe) that serves beans and rice with fish, shrimp, beef or chicken, helgas - ice cream or stop at the pasteriea.

Our days have included swimming in the outdoor pool at the apartment, walking to the beach 1/2 block from the apartment playing in the ocean - jumping waves, using the buggy board or just being.

Every evening at 5:30 we would be somewhere to have a special vantage view of the sunsets. Sometime we sat on the Beach, sometime at a beach bar, sometime on the rooftop of Dina's appartment building, once Marcel, Deborah, Rachael, Dina, Larry and I went to the Hotel Villa Caletas where we veiwed the sunset from an amphitheatre which is built according to Grecian specitications and is carved in the hillside facing the Pacific Ocean with amazing panoramic coastal views in two directions. A truly spectecular place to go a least once in a life time. Another evening Joyce, Joyce and I hiked up to the first miradora - view point on the hillside above Dina's for a special treat of a Tucan playing in a tree befor sunset. An hour after sunset was the beginning each night of a veiw of a spectacular night sky with stars so bright they appeared to be a part of a Gutren painting.

As Costa Rica is my children's home they and their spouses all work full time. So I appreciate all the special efforts they made to make my stay special. Dina took time one morning to show Joyce and I a trail, on the hillside that we climbed, that was guranteed to have monkeys, morpho butterflies, and poisen dart frogs. All of which we saw often after that.

Marcel would call up in the middle of his work day to join him at a Soda for lunch.

Larry answered with great patience my endless questions.

On the Saturday morning of Feb. 14 Dina drove, Joyce, Dennis and myself to a the national park Manuel Antonio, on this her 1st married Valentines Day. Now I had been dreaming of this moment from the time I left Costa Rica the last time because this is where every member of my family has seen a sloth. Now it was my time. Dina graciously let us poke around Parrita go to the bakery a habit I have taken up here. We got to Antonio a very busy tourist destination, parked, found the entrance which had changed since the last time Dina had been there and started down a dusty forest road through the desert. Near the end a sign indicated a path only 800 meters long. I felt that was a short distance. The was straight up to an outlook overlooking the Bay. We saw no animals, maybe a lizard but I don't think so. Now Dennis had been promised a flat walk, at that moment I became dead last among favorite relatives. His comment was kind considering what I had put him through. We then headed to the beach area where saw monkeys, a coati trying to steal peoples food but alas no sloth. We spent a pleasent time on the white sanded beach. Then headed back to Antonio and the El Avin restaurant. This is an old plane converted into a restaurant. Actually the restaurant surronds the plane and overlooks a beautiful vista of the ocean. From here we headed back to Jaco, however, in Parrita there was a parade happening as a festival was happening, so we took a detour through the back streets and home. I went to Marcel's and hung out with Rachael as all the couples had plans for the night.

A few day's later Joy, Den, Joy and Al were off with the rented car in the area of Parrita and they saw a sloth with a baby. Hmmmmmmmmmmm!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Dina arranged a very special Coffee Tour to Santa Elena Coffee Plantation owned by Contessa Luz Martina Stewert. LuzMa as she prefers to be called met us in San Jose for a private tour. She does not give, allow public tours and personally gave us a tour of her Planation. LuzMa was born in Columbia where her family owns other Coffee Plantations. She took management of this plantation 20 years ago. As a single South American women in her 20's this was very exceptional and brave to be the owner and manager of a coffee plantation in a foreign country. LuzMa has 7 brothers and sisters and many cousins, nieces and nephews who are all owners of their various plantations. Only 7 years ago she married Jim Stewart the original owner of Seattles Best Coffee. They met as she is seller and he is a buyer of coffee. Her coffee is sold to Starbucks (who now own Seattles Best Coffee), private lables in Europe and Japan. She has a private roast that she sells only to her friends, we were privileged to be able to purchase her private brand Two Amigoes Coffee at the end of the tour. We saw Panama Indian pickers, picking, sorting, and being paid for their daily labors. We saw the pickers cabins and where and how they lived. LuzMa took us through the processing plant that she also owns and is on the farm that is 840 Hectors. How the coffee comes from the fields to where it is finally dried and put into sacks to be loaded into containors. Her coffee is only sold by the containor - 250,000 kilo's per containor. Our tour was about 8 hours long including lunch, drives to various locations on the farm to see different things, and a cupping of the coffee with is similar to wine tasting - there is even a spatoon to spit coffee out if you didn't like it. If you are interested in more details of this tour go to my Facebook photos - Plantation Tour.
On my first weekend I went to Marcel and Deborah's place and enjoyed hanging out with Rachael, going to Playa Herradura (playa is beach) with Marcel, visiting the land he is starting to build their next home on and general having a good old chin wag.

On the second weekend Marcel and headed off north to Tamarindo another beach area. We went through a very dry area and even the beaches in this part of Costa Rica are much drier. The attraction here is big surf and white beaches. We stopped at a wonderful Soda along the way and had great sea food. We first drove to Playa Grande but decided to stay at Playa Tamarindo as we could be nearer the beach. The wind never stopped blowing even though it is warm it does make it less pleasent in my opinion then Jaco. Marcel had business here on Monday morning so we decided to make a weekend of it. Although Deborah and Rachael had planned to join us they had a change of plans. We get here Saturday afternoon, checked into the Pueblo Dpramd Hotel. A lovely little place with a pool across the street from the Pacific Ocean and 200 meters from Tamarindo Estwary.

On sunday I crossed the little Estwary for 500 Colonies - $1. and wandered on the deserted beach where the Leatherback turtles nest while Marcel went surfing, the waves are much bigger here and I decided not to play in them. They can be seen mainly only at night between 9pm and 2am, usually in the month of December. I learnt this at the Park Branch office - not much more then a cement pad with a lien to on it. The little boat that took me across the Estwary stops running a 5 and I made it back for the last run. The thought of swimming across a crocodile waterway did not apeal to me, although many of the surfers did go accross paddling on there surf boards. Apparently there is enough fish that the crocks are not interested in any thing else. I still am not convinced.

Unfortuneately someone attempted to break into Marcel's vehicle but the alarm went off and the person ran off. This gave me an opportunity to see the Costa Rican police in action. Several arrived by motor bike to survey the situation, then we followed them down the street to Police Headquarter's to fill out a report. The headquarters was a small brick building, the office consisted of a table and a few chairs with a couple of pens and some plain legal size paper, a stapler, a staple remover, and carbon paper. After much discussion as to who should write the report - everyone was very busy they told us, I could not quite determine what the busyness was though. Finally one fine officer took several sheets of paper with carbon paper inbetween and stapled this all together. Marcel instructed them that the report needed a date, two of the officers names, the location of the station, and the incident location and details. This was all written out in long hand on plain paper - no letter head - nothing - plain paper. (Having worked for the RCMP where everything was filled x4 and typed on a computor this all was very fasinating) The report was about 3/4 of a page long, signed by two of the officers, Marcel and myself apparently I was a witness for all that happened including the signing of the officers name. Then all pages were stamped with an official seal and two copies were given to Marcel and we headed off for a delicious supper.

Now in contrast while we drove down on the 1st day a police officer stopped us and gave Marcel a ticket that was produced on a small machine the size of large calculator with everything printed by this small battery operated, hand held computer. Costa Rica has many contrasts like this.

Another wonderful day Joyce -sister and my brother-in-law set off on an adventure in a rented car. Our 1st stop was Orotina where we purchased fruit and fresh cashews - to die for. Of course cashews just happen to be one my favorite things to eat. Then on through some rural little towns - the signs are about 18" X 24 " often hidden by trees and shrubs, through out the day Joy and I found the signs but sometimes not until we were upon them, Dennis was a good sport about going around the block or allowing us to ask the locals for directions - to Puntatenas a port town, where cruise ships stop - on this day their were no cruise ships, just the local ferry that we watched board while we had a little break. At this time it is Mardi Gras and stages were set up with wonderful gold masks ready for the evening entertainment. There were dozens of kiosks with mostly junk in the to sell and a fair with rides. In Costa Rica on any given weekend you can find a festival which is part of the charm of this country I have fallen in love with.

From Puntarenas we headed north to Canas. We had decided to stop their for lunch. We were out of town within seconds of getting in. So again Dennis went around the block and we discovered a little local market - really just stalls. - with a Soda in it 3 tables and few chairs. We ordered cocina tipica (rice and beans) with pollo (chicken) which was served with tortillas andsalad and drinks. This cost the same as 3 drinks had in Puntarenas about a total of $5. for three people and we left very full. Extreemly different prices then one experiences in the tourist areas. We had been driving in Costa Rica's driest and dustiest province, Guanacaste.

We now turned and headed to the Volcan Tenorio Area. We (the royal we) drove towards Arenal Lake. Through two beautiful small villages where everything was lush and green. The winds 100's of hydro wind mills for a moment one would think you are in the foothills of southern Alberta. Suddenly over the top of a rise you come to Lake Arenal and in the distance you can see the Volcano. On this particular day the volcano was covered in fog but breath taking all the same. According to the map we were in for some bad roads, but this was not the case mainly paved except where there was creek then it was just a one way narrow strip of potholed dirt for a few feet. In the odd location the road had been cleared of a mud slide or fallen tree, or part of the road had broken away. The tropical forest was lush and green looking full of life. As we drove along we came upon a coati - a member of the raccoon family - we stopped to take a picture and 2 more came out of the woods. Around the corner a few more on the side of the road. Then another corner and traffic is stopped in both directions as dozen of coati are running amongst the vehicles in every direction. Joyce and I jump out of the car to take picture and they start to run towards us. I dash back to the car and get in stating, "These are wild animals." Joyce is still laughing about this one. Dennis just wanted the doors closed so that they wouldn't join us on our outing.

Several miles later at the other end of Lake Arenal we stopped and had a much closer look of the volcano. In this area there are many hot springs and short hikes, as time was of a premium we by passed these. Dennis was probably still remembering our hike at Manuel Antonio. This will be definitely be a place I return to.

On to La Fortuna then along a narrow road that was a ridge road with steep valley's on either side to San Ramon. Again very lush, an agriculture area. Once in San Ramon, a surprizingly large city, a decision was made to continue back to Jaco. As it was now dark a local was consulted about the best way to go back. The instruction was to go to Puntarenas, along the coast to home. This was good advice, however, there was road construction about 1/2 of the way with 3 very long delays. I would like to thank Dennis for his patience and good nature driving such a long distance in a foriegn country. I was a very fun day.

Back home after an uneventful flight and boring blizard drive. I am back to working and winter.

Pictures can be found on Facebook. Marilyn Pearson, oneat@telus.net