Tercera Semana en Costa Rica!

Tuesday - Hard to believe today started our 3rd week of living in Costa Rica. We were off to Quepos for the El Santuario Canopy Adventure Tour. In total, the canopy tour has over 3.6 kilometers of total zip line length on 11 lines, 14 tree platforms, 3 nature walks, 6 hanging bridges, a rappel secured by a top and bottom belay. With the longest zip-line reaching almost 4,300 ft! Flying through the jungle 300 feet above the canopy you can enjoy spectacular ocean views. Hanging bridges and air stairs get you high into some of the most beautiful trees in the World.  Our guides were fun and entertaining....they also provided snacks along the tour.  Lunch was served after we completed the tour....lots of fun and a great workout!

Wednesday - We got up, had breakfast, and finished packing everything except the stuff in the fridge.  We called Coconut Grove to see when we could get in our beach house....Diane said about noon.  So we waited!  The move went smoothly and soon we were unpacked, checked out the beach, napped in the hammocks, and took a dip in the pool.  A quick trip to the store in Dominical for a few items, then back home in time for an awesome sunset.  Taco salad, guacamole and chips was on the menu tonight. Tomorrow we are off to San Isidro de General for a fresh supply of fruit and veggies!

Thursday - A trip to San Isidro de General for fruits and veggies...lunch overlooking the valley and a yummy pizza.  A nap under the palapa and a swim in the pool before sunset and supper.  Pan seared  Spanish Mackerel,  Fresh sauteed green beans, and a garden salad....it was delicious!

Friday - Off again to our favorite beach,Playa Hermosa.  The water was warm and we found a spot to spread our stuff out.  I walked the beach, we watched the surfer, and enjoyed a dip in the ocean. Dinner tonight was at PorQue.....a beautiful sunset and wonderful food at this quaint little restaurant. After dinner we went to Roca Verde for some music and a chance to get in a dance or two.

Saturday -Up early and off to the Uvita market...I was on a mission to get my sweet homemade blackberry wine.  Next we drove up the mountain to the Uvita waterfalls,  paid our dollar to park and hiked to the falls.  Some young folks were already there and we watched them climb and dive from the falls.  I took a dip in the spring fed pool and Dale took pictures.  A stop at the grocery, lunch at our place, then pool and hammock time before another amazing sunset!

Sunday- It was road trip time, map in hand and GPS in the car off we headed South to Palmar Norte, before turning on the Pan American highway and on to Buenos Aires.  At first we drove beside a rather large river, then we turned and saw miles and miles of pineapples and sugar cane. From Buenos Aires it was on to San Isidro de General and back to Dominical...with a stop for lunch.

Monday -  The morning began with a long, leisurely, beach walk, breakfast on the porch, lots of pool time.........basically a lazy day!  The day ended with a breathtaking sunset!

Segunda Semana en Costa Rica!

Tuesday- Up before the sun came up to start our second week in Costa Rica, we grabbed breakfast and headed out to catch Isidoro for a early morning fishing trip.  We parked near the beach, and soon we saw his boat coming into shore to get us.  Isidoro, was a local young man that had been fishing these waters all of his life....his boat was spotless and he had nice equipment.  He rigged the lines and put them out into the blue-green waters of the Pacific we went trolling along with four lines out.  Soon Dale and I both had a fish on......the fish ran with the lure and the battle was on, two nice size Spanish Mackerel were on board.  Isidoro gutted and cleaned them with such precision and speed, making sure to keep his boat clean at a all times.  The lines back out, Dale soon hooked another.  Trolling along the coast of Costa Rica, Isidoro pointed out the different land marks and beaches.  Next it was my time to reeling in the fourth fish of the day and soon I landed the final Mackerel.  At 9:30 am we were back on shore, with a big bag of filets and headed back up to the villa......a nice fishing trip!  I decided to fix a couple of the filets for lunch and they were delicious.  Thanks Isidoro for a great fishing trip!

Wednesday - Got to spend another wonderful day in Costa Rica....Pura Vida.  Ate a leisurely breakfast and headed to the beach at Playa Hermosa.  Found a shady spot and spread our stuff out to relax and enjoy the beautiful 4 mile beach.  The water was warm and the surf wasn't very rough.....so we went for a dip in the Pacific.  Lunch was back at the villa followed by a dip in the pool.

Thursday - We headed out to San Isidro de General which is about 33K from Dominical up in the mountains for a huge farmer's market held every week.  With two sets of directions and our GPS off we went up the narrow, curvy, one lane bridge mountain road with lots of truck traffic.  We found the market and all I can say is WOW!  I have never seen so much stuff!  We bought a watermelon, cantaloupe, strawberries, plums, avocados, mangoes, pineapple, lettuce, beans, bananas, tomatoes, and a big pineapple. They had fruits and veggies that I wasn't sure what they were!  After the market we found two grocery stores for some items we needed.  The trip back was longer because we got behind some big trucks.....but we made it safe and sound! We stopped for a local lunch (Casados) at a little restaurant with a fabulous view..the food was very good and the coconut flan we split was yummo!  Dale was beat when we got back....the drive, most at about 35 mph was a killer!

Friday - Back to Playa Hermosa this morning for another beach day....the surf was much rougher today and we didn't venture to far out into the water.  I walked the beach again and Dale worked on his Sudoku puzzle.  Fresh cold coconut water sold by a local Tico woman was a treat!  We came back to the villa and I fried some of the fish we had caught...had to use polenta as I couldn't find cornmeal anywhere! Turned out great! A dip in the pool and nap followed!  Later that evening we drove down to Boca Verde a bar/restaurant for a little music and Texas Two Step.  They had a woman fiddler playing and she was very good....she had even played with the Jimmy Buffet band at one time.

Saturday - Hike at low tide out to the island in front of our villa! See that little island in the picture.....well when the tide is low you can hike out to it....or so we were told! After watching the tide charts we set off this morning, me with my trusty new walking stick, my anniversary present from Dale! We had to walk in water, with some small waves, the rocks were slippery most of the way, and their wasn't a flat spot anywhere! We made it...checked it out, interesting view looking back on the coastline and then it was time to head back to shore before the tide came back in and we would have to swim! My brainy ideas aren't always so great!!!

Sunday -  A lazy start....sitting on the porch drinking coffee enjoying the view followed by a wonderful fruit plate and juice for breakfast.  We relaxed, checked the internet, and Dale squeezed in a nap before lunch.  I fixed a nice big salad, pan seared fresh fish filet with browned garlic butter and black beans...Dale also had a ear of corn.  After lunch we sat on the porch and took it easy all afternoon.  Two para gliders came by and then landed on the beach out in front. About 5 we walked over to Dave and Debra's place, enjoyed wine and snacks as we watched a beautiful Costa Rican sunset.  Then we all went to Rio Lindo to listen to some local guys play......they were pretty darn good and a guy visiting from Chicago got up and sang with them....he was really good!  Back home again....another day in the books in Costa Rica!

Monday - We enjoyed a plate of delicious fruit with our coffee and juice before heading to Playa Hermosa for some beach time.  The water was still warm, and lots of folks were at the beach today.  Dale and I went out into the ocean and looking back at the expansive beach....made a major decision..... Playa Hermosa is the most beautiful beach we have ever been to!  We stayed until a little after noon, then drove into Uvita for a few items we needed at the grocery.  Dale was hungry for some fried chicken.....so we picked some up and took it back to the villa for lunch.  We spent the rest of the afternoon washing some clothes and beginning to pack for our move on Wednesday.  Our two weeks at Canto del Mar #30 is almost up, but looking forward to the next two weeks at Coconut Grove.

Primera Semana en Costa Rica!

Tuesday - Off to San Jose, Costa Rica for a month long stay...we landed and were picked up promptly by the hotel shuttle driver.  Checked in, we contacted the rental car company to make sure all was in order for us to pick up our car in the morning and had an early supper at Rosti Pollo before turning in for the night.

Wednesday -We were up and at the car rental agency at 8 am...only to find that they had a real junker for us with no gas....Dale told him what he thought of the vehicle (#@*^)  and that we would not be taking it.  Sooooo, they soon had another car for us with a full tank of gas!  Our first stop was at a WalMart for groceries....we were shocked to find a gate guard, the parking lot empty and the store immaculate with no customers..it was really strange! With our directions in hand and a Costa Rica map loaded on our GPS off we went across the country to the Pacific coast, taking the Autopista for part of it which is a toll road.  All went great, no problems and after a lunch stop we drove into Dominical and located our rental property.  We had one giant problem, the gate guard couldn't find the key to our villa #30.  We drove up the mountain to see if had been left unlocked, but no such luck!  Back down the mountain we went and after several phone calls, lots of paper shuffling, suddenly the keys appeared....thank goodness! We unloaded the car, unpacked, grabbed a sandwich, showered and CRASHED!

Thursday - We were lucky to discover a sloth hanging out in the trees on the road above our house, such unusual creatures. Toucans also had a nest across the road and we watched them come and go, only stopping long enough to feed their offspring.  Off to the local fish market, were we purchased about 2 Kilos of Mahi Mahi for 12,000 colones and enjoyed some of it that evening......yummo!

Friday - A quick trip down the road to Uvita for some groceries items and a stop to get Dale some fried chicken. Later we went over to Dave and Deb's house to fill water bags for the race, think we did at least a 1,000 of them.  We met some other folks visiting CR from all over. The day ended with a dip in our plunge pool and dinner on the patio.

Saturday- Off to Uvita early for the farmer's market where I purchased....strawberries, cauliflower, lettuce, avocados, and brussel sprouts from the vendors. Later a hike up to the Posi Azul waterfalls near our place...some tricky steep stairs lead down to a beautiful spot and a small falls with a deep pool.  Dale decided to take photos while I went for a swim in the chilly spring fed pool water. Later several locals joined us, we enjoyed watching the kids swing on the ropes and do flips into the water.

Sunday- We were up at 5 am to help with a 2K/5K/10K race on the beach.  Dale helped put up the start and finish line banner, cut up fruit and hand out water to the runners.  I took photos and helped cut up fruit.....mostly watermelon.  It was great to see the kids, and all runners received a medal.
After the race we went to La Fogata for a pizza, then a stop at the store, and finally up to see Donna and Daryl at SFTS where we stayed two years ago.  Back at our place I was sitting on the patio, when I heard something moving in the trees....two Howler monkeys were busy eating and completely ignored us.

Monday - Made a trip to Dominical to the bank ATM to get colones, no luck the machine was out of money....come back later!  Then we stopped at Playa Hermosa, a breathtaking beach that seems to be endless.  Playa Hermosa, Costa Rica truly lives up to its name. Playa Hermosa Costa Rica is an incredibly scenic tropical beach, bordered by a spectacular forested cliff on the north, and Marino Ballena National Park to the south. Playa Hermosa, Costa Rica is also backed by a palm-lined beach and rainforest covered mountains. And this means you get 360° of beauty. Playa Hermosa Costa Rica is about half the size of the beach at Playa Dominical Costa Rica, with crystal clear water and very good wave form. ("Playa Hermosa" means beautiful beach in Spanish).Lunch today was spaghetti, salad, and garlic bread on the patio.  Another trip to Dominical and this time success.....colones!  We grabbed a chocolate ice cream, stopped a 7 Eleven like store in Dominical that was on steroids, and made it back to our place. Naps, a dip in the pool, followed by a hike up the jungle trail were we spotted two Howler monkeys playing up in the trees.

Color Me Crazy 5K!

Karen and I entered the Color Me Courageous 5K to benefit the VEHS Soccer Teams and the Challenged Athletes this morning.  It was a very nippy, crisp morning..... 29* and we kept warm thanks to several layers of clothing. My daughter, Lanell who helped organize the event joined our crazy group! We wore hot pink grass skirts, coconut bras, and leis......Karen came up with the perfect team name.....the Coco Nuts! The race was held on a 5K (3.1069 miles) course in Riverside Park, where we were bombarded with powdered paint along the race course....thanks to the high school soccer players. One time I think I got the whole box dumped on my head! By the end of the race our clothes, hats, and faces were splashed in a rainbow of colors. We ended the morning with a cup of hot chocolate and the satisfaction that we had completed the course!

Beach Ladies!

Walking down the beach in Port A today, I came upon these charming two ladies walking the beach, collecting seashells in their colorful Moo-Moo's with matching plastic sandals. They were having a ball and treasured each new find. I grabbed some pictures and then walked on down the beach to the jetties. Coming back I saw them, sitting in beach chairs in front of a nice Burnt Orange Mitsubishi Eclipse convertible. I couldn't resist stopping to talk with them and discovered they had escaped the frigid temps of Minneapolis...they were loving every minute of our Texas weather showed me they had their swimsuits on ready to take a dip in the Gulf. They were charming, full of life, and enjoying the beach. I told them I loved their car and it was perfect for cruising the beach on a beautiful day!
I thought to myself as I walked away....this will be Karen and I in 20 years.....I hope!

Beach Fix in Wintertime!

Karen and I headed to the beach today....enough of the cold, gray, dreary skies...we needed a beach fix! We shopped in Rockport, had a seafood lunch at J.D.'s Seafood, shopped in Port A, walked the beach as the waves pounded the sand, and ended the day with a yummy Gelato! We stopped a (strange) stranger on the beach and asked if he would take some pictures...the bike belonged to him! He kept giving us directions on how to pose. Some of the photos were so funny, we laughed until it hurt!!! Some turned out pretty good!

Happy Holidays in Aruba 2013

An early morning drive to Houston for our flight to Miami, then on to Aruba was easy and we arrived in plenty of time for our 6 am flight.  We landed and picked up our rental car and headed out to Malmok to Sunshine Beach Studios.  Our Ocean View Studio #2 was ready and a sign welcomed us on the door.  Dinner that night was at Smokey Joes for some finger licking ribs.  We turned in early, tired after a day of travel.  We did meet a big group of Texans next door that were leaving the next morning and they gave us a bunch of groceries that they had leftover...nice!
The next morning we enjoyed coffee on the front porch before going to the new grocery store for supplies.  The rest of the day we enjoyed the pool and hot tub, talked with other guest, and caught up with the owners of the resort,  J P and Eve.

Getting up around 7 am every morning  and I took a long walk down the road in front along the beach....it was always so calm and peaceful.  A great way to start the day.  Lunch was usually our main meal, with a sandwich or salad for supper.  We always ended the day across the road at the beach for the magnificent sunset display with a glass of wine...a perfect ending to a perfect day!
We spent time exploring the island and discovering new things since our last visit two years ago.  It was fun to meet other guest from all over the world and share stories under the big palapa.  John and Lori from North Carolina invited us to join them in their 4x4 Jeep for a day of exploring the island..Alta Vista Chapel, the Gold Smelter Ruins, The Natural Pool, The Casibari Rocks, Mango Halto, lunch at Zeerover, Baby Beach, etc.  It was a long day, but we had a blast showing them the island.  We ended that day with a snorkel at Mango Halto.

The sail and snorkel on The Tranquilo was another highlight of our trip.  We had done this before and looked forward to another great day on the water.  We sailed from a Oranjestad marina across the turquoise water to Spanish Lagoon and Mango Halto for some snorkeling, and later did a drift snorkel trip outside the reef.  Hot pea soup and sandwiches sure did taste good after we finished snorkeling.....Anthony's Mom's recipe.  A leisurely sail back to the marina was relaxing and beautiful....a great excursion.


Dale surprised me with an exciting excursion for my birthday, which was in a few days....SeaBob Aruba....an electric underwater propulsion device .  OMG...it was so much fun racing across the water and then diving under the water and flying along with the fish.  We had a blast!  We could even imitate the movement of a dolphin in the water. I loved it, and so did Dale!

We couldn't make a trip to Aruba without a day at Mango Halto, so we drove over before lunch and enjoyed a meal at La Granja, a local place.  Later finding a shady spot in the mangroves we set up our chairs and relaxed.  Snorkeling and swimming in the beautiful water filled our day.

On one of our trips to Ling and Sons grocery we had to get some Olie Bollens- a Dutch pastry to ensure good luck for 2014...they were hot and yummy!  Appleflaps were also nice with coffee in the morning.  The cheeses and fresh baked breads in the grocery store were all tempting and delicious.
Christmas Eve we had dinner reservations at Madame Jeanettes, one of our favorites.  Dale had the grouper and I enjoyed the Mahi Mahi....both excellent. A lovely dinner with the man I love!
Our final day was spent down the road at Boca Catalina, under the shade of a tree with our chairs and cooler.  We got their early and I enjoyed a wonderful long snorkel before the crowds from the snorkel boats showed up.  The water was clear and I saw lots of fish.....a nice Peacock flounder laying on a rock.  We spent the afternoon packing and enjoying the last hours of our Aruba vacation.  A beautiful sunset ended the day!
Up early we turned in our car, caught our flight, and headed back to Texas!