Costa Rica

March 2010

Hola

I can hardly believe it is our last real day in Costa Rica. Time went so fast. Tomorrow we leave around 10 am to drive back to San José.

We had a wonderful and interesting day here, not to mention hot. It was about 36 at the peak today but you know the kids didn't complain at all. They were just anxious to hit the water.

We started our day with a tour of an animal refuge. It was a butterfly pavilion but also a reptile home for reptiles that are disruptive in the area. This included some snakes retrieved from local hotels....comforting, hey? We saw some great crocs but that was nothing to the 26 we saw on the side of the road hanging out in a river on our way here yesterday. Seeing animals in their natural environment is so different than seeing them in a zoo.

From there we went to Manio Antonio Nature Park, which is simply an area that is protected. We walked through the trail en route to the private beach and saw soooo many monkeys, including one carrying a baby, a snake, and a sloth. As we lay on the beach we had an iguana come right up and hang with us. I shared my mango. We sat under a hanging tree and the kids swam in the ocean for a couple of hours...loving it. We all had a short swim but the ocean is HOT too! As we lay under the tree we could look up and see lizards, iguanas and birds. It was like being in our own zoo. On our way outta the park we were walking and a lizard jumped and landed on my forearm. Well I shrieked like a girl. Not because I was scared but it was so unexpected and unusual. This provided great entertainment for the gang but not the lizard who I threw about 20 feet!

I later provided more entertainment when we stopped for milkshakes at a cafe and a white faced monkey took a dislike to me and threw mangos at me. The first time we thought it could have been an accident when he hit me in the head. Then there was the mango in the arm that has left a large orange stain, and the next one that almost hit my face. No coincidence. Unbelievable, these creatures. These are the most aggressive of the four types of monkeys living in Costa Rica. We were lucky enough to see all four. Anyway, everyone had a great laugh over this.

We are back at the hotel now. I am about to go for a massage across the road. Even though I am roughing it a little on this trip and wearing dirty clothes, I am still a princess on the inside.

A wonderful day with great friends, nature, animals, and laughter. I really can't believe this holiday is ending. We had only one day of rain and that was our long travel day...incredible.

I am highly recommending Costa Rica...especially for kids.

Just arrived at Quepos on the Pacific side of Costa Rica. It was a 4 hour drive and the landscape is completely different. Along the way, we stopped for coconut popsicles and went crocodile counting on a nearby river. The temperature has gone waaaaayyy up if that is possible.

We are grabbing a quick lunch and then it is off to the beach to cool down. Holy shit it is hot!

I can't believe this is our last stop before San José to go home. Could definitely use a few more days. Lorna and I are investigating purchasing a plantation and running away from home.

S & I

Hi everyone and greetings from downtown Monteverde. Typically Monteverde is very wet and cold with one day of sunshine a week. Isaac and I are downtown poking around and it is about 30 degrees. It was also sunny yesterday.

We woke early this morning for a nature hike in the cloud forest. It was really nice. Our guide Samantha said it is the first time she had ever been there when it wasn't raining. But that is fine with me. From there we came downtown and went to the Serpentarium, a collection of snakes from Costa Rica. Really interesting. Now we are just poking around in the shops and gonna go back to the hotel in a while.

I am such a loser though. Last night I decided to wash out some panties in the sink and hang them out on our patio. I woke this morning and looked out the windows, which are floor to ceiling, (what a view) and couldn't see them. I sent Isaac out to look and no panties!!! Well I looked all around and at last found them in a tree. Isaac was good enough to go retrieve them!

Anyway, we are having a quiet day..gonna go to the frog house shortly. The others are gone zip lining. Oh yes, the other family consists of Lorna, a single mom, lawyer, with two kids Kajal who is 7 and so funny. She is a lot like Ellen! Talks constantly, has a great laugh and wonders if I ever get crabby because I am just such a nice mom! I told her I pull out Isaac's fingernails when he doesn't hang up his coat. I told her I am giving the kids a science quiz and she is obsessed with knowing when and what questions....sweet kid. Jackson is 9 and is quiet but is completely obsessed with wrestling. It is almost painful to listen to him and Isaac go on and on! Lorna's mom is also traveling with us. Her name is Sharon and she is a lovely "nanny". Isaac really thinks that his nanny needs to come on a trip with us like this. So..Nanny, think about that.

Anyway, that is it. Must run. Tomorrow we head to the beach where it will be even hotter. We are pondering taking surfing lessons, but there is a lot to do there and I really think we need a few extra days.

This is an amazing place and one of the best holidays I have ever had. Isaac has been a joy to travel with. He is so easy going. He is also having a blast. His best trip ever he says. I would definitely travel with GAP again as it has been mindless for me...nothing to think about. I am keen to try Guatemala but they don't have a family trip there. So if anyone is game..... Samantha, Lorna and Sharon have all been there lots and say it is the highlight of Central America and is cheap.

March 2010
Just wanted to let you know we are in Monteverde. Our hotel is amazing. High in the mountain tops with a great view. The room is huge. It is unexpectedly warm and sunny!

When we arrived, the great adventurers went right to zip lining. As I climbed the first platform my nerves hit. Isaac was also freaking. I got connected and lost it! Isaac got connected and was crying. So I trembled, Isaac sobbed, and we gave in and walked back to take off our harnesses. Instead, we walked the canopy bridges through the tops of the trees which Isaac enjoyed and I hated. I am truly afraid of heights and am physically unwell. This was only cured by a glass of wine in my room.

As I see it. You can have fins or feathers and we have fins. I have no idea what I was thinking.

All is well. Tomorrow will be quiet with our feet on the ground looking at snakes and frogs.

Shelley and Isaac

March 2010
Well I can honestly say that that is the best thing I have ever done, or at least it is right up there. We had a great day rafting the Toro River which is a 3/4 class river with 45 continuous rapids (yesterday we had 25 with breaks). I am so exhausted I can barely type. Isaac was asleep in 10 minutes after we got in the van to come home. He did so well today. He was the only kid outta 26 people and the guide said he paddled really hard. He was in the back with the guide and I was in the front getting soaked. We had one 10 minute break in 2.5 hours where we could get out and swim a rapid. Isaac did awesome. I got caught in a reverse tow and went backwards. Isaac also "rode the bull", where you sit on the front of the raft on top and shoot a rapid. It was wild and he was screaming with delight! Isaac says his favorite part was when the entire raft went under and we swamped. We did not flip our raft and no one fell out. There was only one other raft outta the 6 that can make the same claim. We have tons of photos as there was a photographer in a kayak shooting constantly. As always, my flabby arms are well captured in most shots....so proud!!! YUK!

When we came back Isaac wanted to soak in the hot springs, so we did. I feel like I have been wet for 2 days straight. I am finally clean and showered. I do miss a good hot shower with some power though.

Anyway, we are off to go into town and get some dinner and pick up our laundry. This will be our first night awake after 8 pm!

Tomorrow we leave for the mountains and the town of Monteverde, where it could be as cool as 6 degrees and it almost always rains or drizzles. We will check in from there.

Love to all, Shelley and Isaac