Back from Costa Rica!

Back from Costa Rica at 4:00 a.m. this morning because of the snow and our flight being delayed in the east. Warning we saw at three a.m. driving home from Salt Lake Airport, "Warning...Roads may be icy. Use Caution!" NO kidding! It is good to be at home! Quick updates today: Susie is running a fever, Rebekah had a headache and came home from school, Jonathan's plastic surgeon appointment showed what was feared the body is laying down more bone and pulling the tip of the original thumb over again *sigh* a referral to the University of Utah Medical Center for consultation and third surgery involving more bone out and grafting bone into his existing thumb to strengthen it...hmm. Costa Rican Adventure to follow soon!

Costa Rica, Day 8 (March 29, Sunday)

Sunday, our last day in Costa Rica, we awoke early for a chance to hurry to the beach and possibly see the famous Scarlet Macaws. They eluded us today but we did take some shots of local wildlife at 6:00 a.m. on and around the hotel. A crane above? us Scarlet Macaws. They eluded us today but we did take some shots of local wildlife at 6:00 a.m. on and around the hotel. A crane above? Iguanas were plentiful as they were seeking the warmth of the early morning sun on rooftops and rocks. Isn't this tree interesting with all the vines hanging down from it?! This is a view of Joe looking out from what other's termed the "Rapunzel Tower." A beautiful view of the entire resort. The incredible Buffet Breakfast: Danishes and cereals above: Chefs make personal fresh fruit smoothies (above). To the right, this woman is waiting for her made -to-order Belgian Waffle with chocolate, caramel, whipped cream, fruit, or syrup toppings. Fresh Tropical Fruit Bar: Bananas, (green) guavas, papaya, passion fruit (Granada), pineapple, strawberries, etc. Hot choices in the center island included: Fried plantains, cheese quesidillas, Gallo de Pinto, Eggs Hollandaise, sausages, pancakes, etc. Charter bus ride to San Jose' Airport was four hours from the hotel. This was a small airport. Inside the airport were fresh flowers: red ginger, enchantment lilies, etc. Seating was in the terminal with a small gangway to the airplane and runway. A local artist sat painting pictures in the airport in front of us! Stunning! Our flight was delayed in Houston, TX. We sat for hours to board the final plane to take us home to Utah. We arrived around 2:30 a.m. Snow, darkness, cold. The final leg of the journey was the drive home in the sleet and snow (3:00 a.m -4:00 a.m.) The blurred sign on the freeway read," Caution! Roads may be slippery when wet! (No kidding!)" At home, we found little blue post-it notes that lead with arrows from the garage up and around the front foyer and up the stairs to the girls room. In their room was little notes, confessions, and a present of individually wrapped cookies in a stenciled box, "Hannah's Delux." On Rebekah's side was intricately sculpted oil clay animal figurines and a colorful marker note on a cloth wet wipe, "Welcome Home." Jonathan had taped two Valentine candy hearts he had been saving with a Mom and Dad sign and an arrow. We indeed felt their love and all were soundly sleeping at 4:30 a.m. Joe got up at 6:30 and we were up and at 'em at 7:00 a.m. "Back to Life, back to reality."

Costa Rica, Day 5 (March 26, Thursday)

Vista Golfo "Dry" Rainforest on the south western side of the Pacific. I think the scenery looks a lot like Utah. It will begin to rain here in a matter of weeks and the yellow will turn green again. This area is on the opposite side of the Continental Water Divide. (The North eastern side getting most of the water, that is). Today we took a charter bus to Vista Golfo (back up north east two hours) to Zipline and Rappel down the Dry Rain Forest. We rode down 25 zip-lines and rappelled down (backwards) 2 places. Some of the lines were short. Most were average with two lines being long, over 1500 feet (450 meters). We saw some birds, a giant caterpillar hanging onto a tree, a frog, some HUGE ants, and the smallest ants I have ever seen (in our hotel room at the Marriott). Our group was loud and animals are not usually active in the heat of the afternoon, so we did not see as many as we may have in a smaller group. At one point we were able to swim in a waterfall and relax a bit. After all the adventure, we were bused back to the main open air restaurant and fed a buffet and then loaded up to ride the windy tour bus back to the Marriott. Once there, it was fun to swim, shower, and have a picnic dinner from the deli while watching Meercat Manor on Animal Planet! We are still adjusting to the dry rain forest. Even though it is beautiful here...it is a bit like going from the Terrestrial Kingdom down to the Telestial Kingdom. I am grateful for the macro button onmy camera. These earrings are small. Maybe slightly larger than 1/2 inch. Below the cup is a traditional hotel glass. Again, we zoomed in on the ant to get it's picture. Amazing, the insect and flora here in CR. Evening photo at the Marriott Los Suenos Hotel, Herradurra, Costa Rica.

Costa Rica, Day 4 (March 25, Wednesday)

These "Living Fences" are typical here. They are made of the bark of a tree called Naked Indian because as a defense mechanism the tree sloughs off bark and thus keeps itself free of many fungi and insects that would try and live on or in it. Farmers use machetes and hack off limbs and stick them in the ground and the limbs grow into living trees that hold barb wire and grow. Beautifully planned gardens outside a souvenir shop and toilet stop. Notice the toucan flower arrangement in the middle. There was monkey faces and other things in plants and flowers. Not more than 60 yards from the crocodiles on the shores of a river is this herd of beef cattle lounging under some shade. Tartelas Bridge where the crocodiles lay under basking in the sun. This morning we ate the beans and rice breakfast once more and loaded a charter bus down to the Pacific Coast where we would be staying the rest of our time here in CR. We would be traveling four hours in these winding hills up and down to the coast on the Pacific Side. We are going to Herradurra, Los Suenos Marriott in the dry rain forest region. In a few weeks the rains will start again and this "dry" rain forest will turn green once again. The terrain was quite different from the region around the volcano. There was yellow and brown patches of ground and some places looked similar to Utah. About two hours into the trip we stopped for some toiets, souvenoirs, and to see beautiful gardens. After three hours, we stopped at Tarcaloes bridge. There were crocodilles and caimens under the bridge and Steve, head of Marketing, bought a bag of raw chicken and three pieces to the crocs. It was interesting to note that the crocs did not get the chikcne that fell into the water. It sat there. Instead, the chicken that binged them on the head or that was throw onto the muddy shore was sometimes fought over but gobbled up. The chicken in the water laid there until we left, undisturbed. Can crocs smell under water? CR Squirrel eatting nuts from a Sea Almond tree (also liked by Scarlet Macaws...Planted by the hotel to bring the birds there to feed). Scarlet Macaws mate for life and are currently endangered in CR. A "natural" brown beach off the Marriott Los Suenos Hotel. As we walked along the beach, we found pick clam shells.