Lary and I went over to the new place and got it ready for summer's heat down here, which is up to 120 degrees F during July August and September. The rubber stopper for the kitchen sink had already stuck firmly to the arborite kitchen counter, so you know it's been hot here already.
The new insulated roof on our park model trailer I think has made quite a difference to the inside temps, and the roofers eliminated a skylight that had been letting in quite a bit of heat. Sounds as if the previous owners had had some leaks around the windows, but we haven't seen any evidence of that.
The owners had cut lengths of special silver insulating material to cover the windows and keep out the summer heat, and they were already labeled with which window they fit, plus there was a special tape to use to fix them into the frame of each window, so it went fairly quickly, though with the doors closed, it was pretty stuffy inside. And of course it got progressively darker, too.
There is a dove nesting on a strut on the outside front metal shutters of the unit, and today we saw her 2 babies, she was feeding them, looked like she was regurgitating food for them. With the sheers and heavy curtains drawn back we could see her pretty clearly.
Yesterday we had watched a kildeer family here in our campsite park, they were so interesting to watch the young kildeers learning to hunt and feed in the rocks of a wee pond here.
We also put most of the patio furniture in the wooden shed which has a ventilator turbine fan on it, and filled a household garbage can with water and left it on a towel inside the bathtub, to slowly give the house its needed moisture. There is also a bucket of water over the garburetor in the kitchen, and saran wrap over both the toilet bowl and the toilet tank, to maintain the toilet seal and try and avoid getting sewer gas up into the trailer.
Finally we covered the bed and furniture with plastic sheets, and laid down all the lamps, and unplugged all the appliances. Hopefully that will keep the place safe, and OK in the long hot summer months. Also be safe if this area has an earthquake of any serious magnitude.
It was quite a bit of work, and as this is a windy month, and has been a windy winter, there is dust everywhere outside. It doesn't seem too bad inside our new trailer as yet, let's see what happens after a few hot dry months have passed.
Wendy and Dave invited us over for Happy Hour tonight, and we will go out to dinner together tomorrow here in Desert Hot Springs before they leave Thursday and we go Saturday.
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
Monday, March 29, 2010
Last flute class today at Eisenhower
Had lunch with Wendy and Dave, and Dave's sister Ann and her hubbie Ron, at Sherman's.
Yum yum, huge portions, then 2 desserts ordered and shared among us.
After that Lary dropped me off at Eisenhower Hospital for my flute Monday class, and it was nice, though I am a bit sad, they are doing a kind of recital on April 13th at Rancho Mirage Library, and I won't be there.
Wendy and Dave are coming for dinner tonight, we're eating the steaks that Sue and Jen got us from Schwan's, the frozen food delivery service here in the park. Wendy is bringing her homemade bean salad, and we're doing a green salad. I'm still full from lunch.
Our friendly next door neighbour has left, and the park is emptying out pretty quickly, most all of the activities and meals end this Easter weekend. Boo hoo, tomorrow we'll head over to our park model home and "summerize" it for the season when it's really hot, and we're away up north. That will be a new experience for us both, learning to cover the windows with reflective insulation, and add a whole garbage can full of water somewhere in the house, cover the toilet and sink with saran wrap. Etc etc.
Yum yum, huge portions, then 2 desserts ordered and shared among us.
After that Lary dropped me off at Eisenhower Hospital for my flute Monday class, and it was nice, though I am a bit sad, they are doing a kind of recital on April 13th at Rancho Mirage Library, and I won't be there.
Wendy and Dave are coming for dinner tonight, we're eating the steaks that Sue and Jen got us from Schwan's, the frozen food delivery service here in the park. Wendy is bringing her homemade bean salad, and we're doing a green salad. I'm still full from lunch.
Our friendly next door neighbour has left, and the park is emptying out pretty quickly, most all of the activities and meals end this Easter weekend. Boo hoo, tomorrow we'll head over to our park model home and "summerize" it for the season when it's really hot, and we're away up north. That will be a new experience for us both, learning to cover the windows with reflective insulation, and add a whole garbage can full of water somewhere in the house, cover the toilet and sink with saran wrap. Etc etc.
Jammin on Sunday afternoon at the clubhouse
Lazy Sunday morning, then in the afternoon we attended the music jam here, there were lots of people with instruments, even a bass fiddle, and 4 accordians, as well as tons of guitars, trumpet, slide trombone and plenty of singers, and other things.
I signed up to play my flute, the newest addition to my family, made right here in Desert Hot Springs, it has a figure burned into it, and is the key of C. I was #24, so that made a lot of waiting and listening, this is the second to last jam session here in the park, all the activities pretty well shut down this coming weekend.
I played a short piece which I was happy with, and got a nice enthusiastic applause for it, reassuring. Then after that we had hamburgers up there with Dave and Wendy, later I was playing my flutes back at our site when our neighbour Michael brought over his guitar, and we played together, both sort of free wheeling, it worked out quite well, I was surprised and excited to find that out. Michael has made flutes, but it seems that he hasn't got them with him at the moment, and hasn't played them for a while. I was happy to show him my new clay drone flute from Nash.
Nice afternoon and evening, with a big full moon. Still gets chilly at night, it's the desert!!
I signed up to play my flute, the newest addition to my family, made right here in Desert Hot Springs, it has a figure burned into it, and is the key of C. I was #24, so that made a lot of waiting and listening, this is the second to last jam session here in the park, all the activities pretty well shut down this coming weekend.
I played a short piece which I was happy with, and got a nice enthusiastic applause for it, reassuring. Then after that we had hamburgers up there with Dave and Wendy, later I was playing my flutes back at our site when our neighbour Michael brought over his guitar, and we played together, both sort of free wheeling, it worked out quite well, I was surprised and excited to find that out. Michael has made flutes, but it seems that he hasn't got them with him at the moment, and hasn't played them for a while. I was happy to show him my new clay drone flute from Nash.
Nice afternoon and evening, with a big full moon. Still gets chilly at night, it's the desert!!
Sunday, March 28, 2010
Saturday evening at Jackalope Ranch for dinner
Saturday some people Di knew from Grade school came over from Los Angeles to visit, and we met them at their hotel, La Quinta Resort & Club, near Old Town La Quinta, and went together to the Jackalope Ranch. They are Eileen and Rick, Eileen went to grade school with Jen.
News flash, Di made an online reservation for dinner, and it worked!!!!! We sat outside on the pretty patio near the pond, waterfall and flower garden and ate guacamole and had a drink waiting for our dinner reservation time to arrive. First time ever to use valet service, too. Quite a thrill to turn over the truck to the valets. We 4 ate 1/2 rack of pork ribs each and they were very good, but Montana's still doesn't have that much competition, in my opinion.
After dinner we took them back to their place, and sat in their unit, chatting. There are small low buildings grouped around an outdoor pool and hot tub, maybe 6 or so units using the one pool. And the units are spanish style inside, white, with a fireplace, and large living/bedroom, living room had 2 loveseats nicely upholstered, facing the fireplace, bed over on the other side of the room, and then a large separate bathroom. Pretty complex.
I would wager that we hadn't seen each other for almost 40-50 years or more. And it was such fun chatting about the years in between, life and lives. Families and fun times.
Eileen had worked over on Saltspring Island as a realtor for quite a few years, both at PH and at Century 21, and we knew quite a few folks in common. Her mum is stil alive at 92, and living alone still in Victoria down on Broughton and Wharf in a condo.
News flash, Di made an online reservation for dinner, and it worked!!!!! We sat outside on the pretty patio near the pond, waterfall and flower garden and ate guacamole and had a drink waiting for our dinner reservation time to arrive. First time ever to use valet service, too. Quite a thrill to turn over the truck to the valets. We 4 ate 1/2 rack of pork ribs each and they were very good, but Montana's still doesn't have that much competition, in my opinion.
After dinner we took them back to their place, and sat in their unit, chatting. There are small low buildings grouped around an outdoor pool and hot tub, maybe 6 or so units using the one pool. And the units are spanish style inside, white, with a fireplace, and large living/bedroom, living room had 2 loveseats nicely upholstered, facing the fireplace, bed over on the other side of the room, and then a large separate bathroom. Pretty complex.
I would wager that we hadn't seen each other for almost 40-50 years or more. And it was such fun chatting about the years in between, life and lives. Families and fun times.
Eileen had worked over on Saltspring Island as a realtor for quite a few years, both at PH and at Century 21, and we knew quite a few folks in common. Her mum is stil alive at 92, and living alone still in Victoria down on Broughton and Wharf in a condo.
Saturday, March 27, 2010
Wed. March 24 bye bye sisters and friends
Sue and Jen left shortly before 8 AM, then we went and said bye to Bern and Gord, and darned if after that Penny and Peter didn't depart too. We went from lots of company, to just Wendy and Dave left here still, thankfully til near the Easter weekend.
In the evening we went up to the clubhouse to see the Freddie and Sheila Show, they are 2 very good guitarists from Canada, and she sings very well too. They enjoy each others company, and are such friendly positive people, it's a pleasure to watch them together.
Thursday evening we went into the street market in Palm Springs, and walked all up and down among the stalls and tourists, it was nice and warm. During the day Manny's came out and washed and waxed our trailer. We also had tacos and chicken enchiladas up at the clubhouse.
Friday Lary got up on the roof and did a rubber roof treatment, and during that time the wind came up, so that was almost more excitement than he needed or wanted. Spaghetti dinner at the clubhouse, after a bit of a swim and a visit in the pool.
In the evening we went up to the clubhouse to see the Freddie and Sheila Show, they are 2 very good guitarists from Canada, and she sings very well too. They enjoy each others company, and are such friendly positive people, it's a pleasure to watch them together.
Thursday evening we went into the street market in Palm Springs, and walked all up and down among the stalls and tourists, it was nice and warm. During the day Manny's came out and washed and waxed our trailer. We also had tacos and chicken enchiladas up at the clubhouse.
Friday Lary got up on the roof and did a rubber roof treatment, and during that time the wind came up, so that was almost more excitement than he needed or wanted. Spaghetti dinner at the clubhouse, after a bit of a swim and a visit in the pool.
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
Joshua Tree National Park and Pioneertown today
23 March it was sunny and 80 degrees. We got info about Joshua Tree from Gord and Bern who had just visited there. Set off at 10 AM with Sue and Jen in the truck, got lost a bit going for gas near the east end of Dillon Road. Filled up, then hit I-10 highway going east toward Joshua Tree National Park. It is 792,000 acres, and quite varied in both vegetation and elevation.
Went to the info center for tourist info, got a few things, then set off slowly through the park, stopping to read the informative signs along the way, and hunt for wildflowers. Didn't see many, and one showy blooming cactus we passed before we could stop. The I-10 highway has some pale yellow wee flowers blooming like a carpet on the desert floor, also some bigger plants with bright yellow flowers, and the odd pale purple flower also down low on the ground, very pretty in places.
The park is both Mojave Desert toward the north, then Colorado Desert toward the south, becoming the huge Sonoran Desert which goes way down into Mexico.
It has areas of creosote bushes, in bright yellow bloom at the moment, then on to cholla cactus, pale green with tons of thorns, and the old growth a kind of browny black at the foot of each plant, and then more north it gives over to huge Joshua Trees, like giant yuccas, but with many arms, many of them in creamy big blooms at the end of the branches.
It was very pretty, and quite interesting to see. We didn't see many birds or animals, though of course there are lots of critter holes beneath the creosote bushes in bright yellow bloom. We were glad that we didn't see the sidewinder rattlesnakes that exist up there, perhaps most of the animals are more night creatures, due to the daytime heat.
It was quite windy and a bit chilly, Jen and Sue hadn't brought sweaters, and the truck doors were really pulled open wide when we opened them to get in and out. There are no food facilities there, and we hadn't brought a picnic like Gord and Bern had suggested we do. In a nearby town we got to once we left the park we ate at a Country Kitchen, the chinese lady operating it was very amusing, and we had burgers and drinks.
Then we cruised a few shops up there, got some money at an ATM, and went over to Pioneertown, a cowboy western one street town that had been developed by Roy Rogers and some of the other cowboys of the 1940s, it was built as a stage set in the late 40s, and is just one dusty road out in the middle of nearly nowhere, though there is a tiny wee post office still functioning there, and several of the buildings are occupied by folks still in residence there. On the weekends it is more animated, with actors, and a restaurant that opens for the toursit trade.
We saw one business, the man has some beautiful western saddles and bridles for sale.
It wa apparently the scene for some 200 cowboy western movies and series on TV, and is named after the Sons of the Pioneers early country singers, who were also involved in developing the locale.
Came home, flopped for 20 minutes, then off out to dinner with Sue and Jen inviting us, we went to Agua Caliente, and had a yummy steak and seafood buffet dinner.
Sue and Jen packed up most of their stuff into their suitcases, they have to be off in their rental car for the airport before 8 AM tomorrow. After they leave we will pack up the linens and bring them home to wash, and soon we will have to pack up our new park model home at Almar Acres, learning to "summerize" it to prevent the desert high summer heat from damaging it. And then pull our trailer out and up towards the north, to get home for our April 7th appointment at Greg's in Duncan.
Went to the info center for tourist info, got a few things, then set off slowly through the park, stopping to read the informative signs along the way, and hunt for wildflowers. Didn't see many, and one showy blooming cactus we passed before we could stop. The I-10 highway has some pale yellow wee flowers blooming like a carpet on the desert floor, also some bigger plants with bright yellow flowers, and the odd pale purple flower also down low on the ground, very pretty in places.
The park is both Mojave Desert toward the north, then Colorado Desert toward the south, becoming the huge Sonoran Desert which goes way down into Mexico.
It has areas of creosote bushes, in bright yellow bloom at the moment, then on to cholla cactus, pale green with tons of thorns, and the old growth a kind of browny black at the foot of each plant, and then more north it gives over to huge Joshua Trees, like giant yuccas, but with many arms, many of them in creamy big blooms at the end of the branches.
It was very pretty, and quite interesting to see. We didn't see many birds or animals, though of course there are lots of critter holes beneath the creosote bushes in bright yellow bloom. We were glad that we didn't see the sidewinder rattlesnakes that exist up there, perhaps most of the animals are more night creatures, due to the daytime heat.
It was quite windy and a bit chilly, Jen and Sue hadn't brought sweaters, and the truck doors were really pulled open wide when we opened them to get in and out. There are no food facilities there, and we hadn't brought a picnic like Gord and Bern had suggested we do. In a nearby town we got to once we left the park we ate at a Country Kitchen, the chinese lady operating it was very amusing, and we had burgers and drinks.
Then we cruised a few shops up there, got some money at an ATM, and went over to Pioneertown, a cowboy western one street town that had been developed by Roy Rogers and some of the other cowboys of the 1940s, it was built as a stage set in the late 40s, and is just one dusty road out in the middle of nearly nowhere, though there is a tiny wee post office still functioning there, and several of the buildings are occupied by folks still in residence there. On the weekends it is more animated, with actors, and a restaurant that opens for the toursit trade.
We saw one business, the man has some beautiful western saddles and bridles for sale.
It wa apparently the scene for some 200 cowboy western movies and series on TV, and is named after the Sons of the Pioneers early country singers, who were also involved in developing the locale.
Came home, flopped for 20 minutes, then off out to dinner with Sue and Jen inviting us, we went to Agua Caliente, and had a yummy steak and seafood buffet dinner.
Sue and Jen packed up most of their stuff into their suitcases, they have to be off in their rental car for the airport before 8 AM tomorrow. After they leave we will pack up the linens and bring them home to wash, and soon we will have to pack up our new park model home at Almar Acres, learning to "summerize" it to prevent the desert high summer heat from damaging it. And then pull our trailer out and up towards the north, to get home for our April 7th appointment at Greg's in Duncan.
Monday March 22, cloudy and 80 F in DHS
Lary and I went in to Von's and bought 3 bar b que chickens already roasted for our part of the dinner. We also picked up a large platter to put them on, with handles. Had a swim and then Lary took Di into Eisenhower for her flute get together there in the Lucy Curci Cancer Center.
The group is busily getting ready for their flute recital on April 13th, Di feels very left out, as we will be leaving at the beginning of April, to get the trailer home and in for repairs in Duncan on April 7th. Still managed to play a bit, but you can definitely tell that I hadn't practiced while I was away in Costa Rica. Lary got his INR blood levels checked at Eisenhower Med while Di was in fluting.
Dashed home, and tore the chickens apart, and went up to the upper clubhouse to set up for dinner. By that time it was windy, so no tablecloths, but everyone arrived, Penny and Peter with olives, cheeses, and lots of delicious bread and fresh strawberries, Gord and Bern with a pasta/veggie salad, Dave and Wendy with bean salad, Sue and Jen with tons of fruit on a platter, and a cheesecake with varied toppings on it. All of us had our own libations, the joint effort meal was just delicious, lots of chats, Sue and Penny had worked together at the health unit in Nanaimo. We were sheltered from the wind up against the building, in the area that is somewhat covered with a kind of gazebo over the top of the picnic tables. We were cozy at 2 big picnic tables put together in a row. Perfect setup, nobody seemed to mind us there.
But after we ate it got pretty chilly, we hadn't started til 6 PM, so we asked Dave and Wendy if we could crowd into their park model, and that's what we did, all 10 of us, looking at their photos of C.R. on the computer, and continuing the libations.
It is very amusing because there is a pair of resident mallard ducks that insist on swimming in the swimming pool, they scoop up all the bugs that are coming into the pool at this time of year, it is a feeding frenzy for them, but of course what goes in has to come out, which we aren't very keen on swimming in. Other folks gave Jen heck when she tried to shoo the ducks out of the pool.
Fun way of getting together with all our company at one time, everyone seems to be leaving on Wednesday except for Dave and Wendy, all at once there is a group, then they all disburse and leave us alone once more. Boo hoo. We will miss them all so much.
The group is busily getting ready for their flute recital on April 13th, Di feels very left out, as we will be leaving at the beginning of April, to get the trailer home and in for repairs in Duncan on April 7th. Still managed to play a bit, but you can definitely tell that I hadn't practiced while I was away in Costa Rica. Lary got his INR blood levels checked at Eisenhower Med while Di was in fluting.
Dashed home, and tore the chickens apart, and went up to the upper clubhouse to set up for dinner. By that time it was windy, so no tablecloths, but everyone arrived, Penny and Peter with olives, cheeses, and lots of delicious bread and fresh strawberries, Gord and Bern with a pasta/veggie salad, Dave and Wendy with bean salad, Sue and Jen with tons of fruit on a platter, and a cheesecake with varied toppings on it. All of us had our own libations, the joint effort meal was just delicious, lots of chats, Sue and Penny had worked together at the health unit in Nanaimo. We were sheltered from the wind up against the building, in the area that is somewhat covered with a kind of gazebo over the top of the picnic tables. We were cozy at 2 big picnic tables put together in a row. Perfect setup, nobody seemed to mind us there.
But after we ate it got pretty chilly, we hadn't started til 6 PM, so we asked Dave and Wendy if we could crowd into their park model, and that's what we did, all 10 of us, looking at their photos of C.R. on the computer, and continuing the libations.
It is very amusing because there is a pair of resident mallard ducks that insist on swimming in the swimming pool, they scoop up all the bugs that are coming into the pool at this time of year, it is a feeding frenzy for them, but of course what goes in has to come out, which we aren't very keen on swimming in. Other folks gave Jen heck when she tried to shoo the ducks out of the pool.
Fun way of getting together with all our company at one time, everyone seems to be leaving on Wednesday except for Dave and Wendy, all at once there is a group, then they all disburse and leave us alone once more. Boo hoo. We will miss them all so much.
Sunday 21st March Sunny and 80 degrees in DHS
Sunday we got up and tried to visit with Bernice and Gordon E from Keremeos, they were out with friends for the day. They had arrived March 10th, from Desert Pools, and were to leave March 24th, so we wanted to get together with them while they were here.
We went to the Ice Cream Social and stayed for the Music Jam, but Penny and Peter R from Nanoose arrived at the gate of the campsite, and called us. They didn't have reservations, but luckily it is thinning out quite a lot, so they were able to get a spot, and came up to the Jam, and found us after they had parked and set up their site, quite near us here at the top of the park.
We chatted a bit with them, then introduced them to Sue the saleslady for the park, and she gave them a presentation right there and then, Lary brought our RPI books for them to look through during the presentation.
Gord and Bernice arrived, as did Dave and Wendy, so we 8 sat together and had sirloin burgers at the clubhouse; Sue and Jen had taken a wrong turn coming back from Penny's, and were misplaced and delayed, so arrived after dinnertime. They ate in Palm Springs at Rick's, a Cuban place they said.
Di decided that we 10 should all get together for dinner the next night, Monday, so we planned that a bit. Wendy has a cold, but we all organized what to bring.
Then we swam together after dinner, and soaked in the hot tub before turning in for the night.
We went to the Ice Cream Social and stayed for the Music Jam, but Penny and Peter R from Nanoose arrived at the gate of the campsite, and called us. They didn't have reservations, but luckily it is thinning out quite a lot, so they were able to get a spot, and came up to the Jam, and found us after they had parked and set up their site, quite near us here at the top of the park.
We chatted a bit with them, then introduced them to Sue the saleslady for the park, and she gave them a presentation right there and then, Lary brought our RPI books for them to look through during the presentation.
Gord and Bernice arrived, as did Dave and Wendy, so we 8 sat together and had sirloin burgers at the clubhouse; Sue and Jen had taken a wrong turn coming back from Penny's, and were misplaced and delayed, so arrived after dinnertime. They ate in Palm Springs at Rick's, a Cuban place they said.
Di decided that we 10 should all get together for dinner the next night, Monday, so we planned that a bit. Wendy has a cold, but we all organized what to bring.
Then we swam together after dinner, and soaked in the hot tub before turning in for the night.
Saturday March 20th in the campground
First day of Spring, Lary went to the clubhouse for breakfast and brought some back for Di. Yeah team. Went to DHS for groceries and money, had lunch and watched some pickleball, as there was a tournament here in our campground, with teams from as far away as San Diego competing. Sue and Jen had set off for cousin Penny Hett's in Dana Point, together with our GPS, and they were spending the night there with the cousins.
We went in to the Jazz concert put on at the Gardens shopping complex at El Paseo, the swanky shopping area down here, with Dave and Wendy. Will Donato was the featured sax player, and he didn't play much, he goofs off a lot, and was going on to another place to continue playing afte our show. He's more showman than serious musician, and really promotes himself quite a bit, and goofs off instead of playing a lot of music. He played from 6 til about 6:45 when he left, way earlier than the other musicians that play. For $12 we had an appy plate each, and 2 tiny glasses of wine, and sat outdoors on the lawn in the warm sunshine.
We 4 went and had dinner at Applebees after that. Home at 9:30 PM, Dave drove.
We went in to the Jazz concert put on at the Gardens shopping complex at El Paseo, the swanky shopping area down here, with Dave and Wendy. Will Donato was the featured sax player, and he didn't play much, he goofs off a lot, and was going on to another place to continue playing afte our show. He's more showman than serious musician, and really promotes himself quite a bit, and goofs off instead of playing a lot of music. He played from 6 til about 6:45 when he left, way earlier than the other musicians that play. For $12 we had an appy plate each, and 2 tiny glasses of wine, and sat outdoors on the lawn in the warm sunshine.
We 4 went and had dinner at Applebees after that. Home at 9:30 PM, Dave drove.
Thursday March 18th, our departure from Costa Rica
Up at 4 AM, showered and down to breakfast, suitcases out by 4:45 AM, lucky we got something to hurriedly eat before the bus left at 5:15 AM for the airport. Orlando, Wilbert and Fabio the faithful driver took us right to the door of the airport, before saying goodbye.
Total chaos reigned there at the airport, it was a freaking disaster, and I'm surprised the tour guide Shirley didn't have a heart attack it was so confused there. Apparently all the flights depart in the morning from C.R. so it was lined up everywhere, and not clear how to check in for your flight, check your bags through screening in another lineup entirely, and then go outside once again, to lineup once again, to re enter the building through yet another line, and go through security screening to get on to the flight. Pandemonium, and you could easily stand in the wrong line, and miss your flight. Creepy to say the least. Security was somewhat low tech, they said my glasses had set off the detector, but then later I realized I had my lipstick still in my pocket.
Yet another reason not to fly in to San Jose when visiting C.R. There are many other cities you can fly into and out of in Costa Rica, missing the capital city completely. San Jose is really not worth a visit in our opinion.
While on the flight from C.R. Di sat with a man from the US, he had been in C.R. for a month, and was thinking seriously of returning to live there, a friend of his produces movies and documentary films there in C.R., he's also American, but has lived in C.R. for 18 years, and has more than enough work himself, and wants help from this other man.
The man Di talked to lives in Oregon, but is bilingual in Spanish, and has a wife from Chile, so they seem an ideal couple to make the move to C.R., and also find gainful employment once there. He had been hurt seriously in his back when he was only 20, and hadn't been able to work much since then, he's also had to have 5 different back operations, so it might be a wonderful opportunity for him to change careers.
He thought he might rent out his own home in Oregon just to make sure the C.R. idea worked for him, though he said he'd be heartbroken to leave his young grandson behind in Oregon. They are very good buddies. He had met up with somebody willing to rent a house to him in C.R. already.
Once through the circus activity of all that arrival activity in San Jose airport, we boarded, and then were told that the plane had to land for fuel in Mazatlan, and we likely wouldn't make our connection, or it would be extremely close in Phoenix, as we didn't have much time to move from International to National and the connecting flight when we arrived there.
Fueling went smoothly in Mazatlan, but we did in fact all miss our connections in Phoenix, except for the 90 year old in our party, who got a ride with the airport toodle car people movers, and caught the flight. So that put him alone into L.A. and the rest of us had a 3.5 hour wait there in Phoenix airport, with the guide still hysterically trying to organize us all. Bill the 90 year old also had a lonely, chilly wait in L.A. for the rest of us to arrive, he had to wait because we would go as a group in the limo back to our campground in D.H.S., a 2 hour journey.
Shirley got us $5 vouchers each toward a meal in the airport, but due to her antics in the arrival hall of Phoenix, trying to get the troupe given preferential treatment ahead of other folks who had had the same thing happen to them, she wasn't very popular with the rest of the Phoenix travellers. One lady came up to Di and said she was glad that our tour leader hadn't made the connecting flight!!!!! We all got rebooked on the 5:15 PM flight to L.A., so sat down to wait.
We had a longish wait, luckily there were shops, bars and restaurants, so we kept ourselves busy, though indeed starting to sag a bit due to the early departure time from our hotel in Costa Rica.
When we all arrived in L.A. we found Bill the 90 year old, then found our hotel limo driver for the 2 hour ride back to the campsite in Desert Hot Springs. We arrived in L.A. around 7 PM, it was only about 62 degrees there, and foggy, brrrrrr, the limo arrived around 7:30, and we all arrived back in Desert Hot Springs right at the door of the campsite around 9:30 PM or so.
The driver of the limo had driven very fast, mostly in the extreme left side lane, guess he was able to use the HOV lane for clear access, even at that hour the freeways were busy with cars. It luckily wasn't bumper to bumper traffic at that hour, but each lane had its own lane of red tail lights racing down the freeway beside us. He used his GPS to find D.H.S.
Blowing a gale of wind when we got here, and chilly when we got home, we brought the suitcases up to the trailer, and then popped over to visit Jen and Sue in the park model rental unit here.
They seemed very cozy, sleepy, and surprised that the rental hadn't had any blankets, sheets, towels or anything. All the linens came from our trailer, this year they had realized that we had supplied everything they used, pretty well. They had hauled it over themselves from our trailer this year, last year they had walked in to the rental unit, and presumed that all the stuff they used came from the campground. NOT!! Unfortunately their pull out sofa bed wouldn't pull out, and they didn't go down and complain at the office their whole week here. So one of them slept on the sofa cushions on the floor every night here in the rental unit.
We sorted out a few things in the trailer, and then dropped into bed, exhausted. Wonderful trip overall, and thanks to the tour being organized, we managed to see and do a lot in our one week voyage there in C.R.
Total chaos reigned there at the airport, it was a freaking disaster, and I'm surprised the tour guide Shirley didn't have a heart attack it was so confused there. Apparently all the flights depart in the morning from C.R. so it was lined up everywhere, and not clear how to check in for your flight, check your bags through screening in another lineup entirely, and then go outside once again, to lineup once again, to re enter the building through yet another line, and go through security screening to get on to the flight. Pandemonium, and you could easily stand in the wrong line, and miss your flight. Creepy to say the least. Security was somewhat low tech, they said my glasses had set off the detector, but then later I realized I had my lipstick still in my pocket.
Yet another reason not to fly in to San Jose when visiting C.R. There are many other cities you can fly into and out of in Costa Rica, missing the capital city completely. San Jose is really not worth a visit in our opinion.
While on the flight from C.R. Di sat with a man from the US, he had been in C.R. for a month, and was thinking seriously of returning to live there, a friend of his produces movies and documentary films there in C.R., he's also American, but has lived in C.R. for 18 years, and has more than enough work himself, and wants help from this other man.
The man Di talked to lives in Oregon, but is bilingual in Spanish, and has a wife from Chile, so they seem an ideal couple to make the move to C.R., and also find gainful employment once there. He had been hurt seriously in his back when he was only 20, and hadn't been able to work much since then, he's also had to have 5 different back operations, so it might be a wonderful opportunity for him to change careers.
He thought he might rent out his own home in Oregon just to make sure the C.R. idea worked for him, though he said he'd be heartbroken to leave his young grandson behind in Oregon. They are very good buddies. He had met up with somebody willing to rent a house to him in C.R. already.
Once through the circus activity of all that arrival activity in San Jose airport, we boarded, and then were told that the plane had to land for fuel in Mazatlan, and we likely wouldn't make our connection, or it would be extremely close in Phoenix, as we didn't have much time to move from International to National and the connecting flight when we arrived there.
Fueling went smoothly in Mazatlan, but we did in fact all miss our connections in Phoenix, except for the 90 year old in our party, who got a ride with the airport toodle car people movers, and caught the flight. So that put him alone into L.A. and the rest of us had a 3.5 hour wait there in Phoenix airport, with the guide still hysterically trying to organize us all. Bill the 90 year old also had a lonely, chilly wait in L.A. for the rest of us to arrive, he had to wait because we would go as a group in the limo back to our campground in D.H.S., a 2 hour journey.
Shirley got us $5 vouchers each toward a meal in the airport, but due to her antics in the arrival hall of Phoenix, trying to get the troupe given preferential treatment ahead of other folks who had had the same thing happen to them, she wasn't very popular with the rest of the Phoenix travellers. One lady came up to Di and said she was glad that our tour leader hadn't made the connecting flight!!!!! We all got rebooked on the 5:15 PM flight to L.A., so sat down to wait.
We had a longish wait, luckily there were shops, bars and restaurants, so we kept ourselves busy, though indeed starting to sag a bit due to the early departure time from our hotel in Costa Rica.
When we all arrived in L.A. we found Bill the 90 year old, then found our hotel limo driver for the 2 hour ride back to the campsite in Desert Hot Springs. We arrived in L.A. around 7 PM, it was only about 62 degrees there, and foggy, brrrrrr, the limo arrived around 7:30, and we all arrived back in Desert Hot Springs right at the door of the campsite around 9:30 PM or so.
The driver of the limo had driven very fast, mostly in the extreme left side lane, guess he was able to use the HOV lane for clear access, even at that hour the freeways were busy with cars. It luckily wasn't bumper to bumper traffic at that hour, but each lane had its own lane of red tail lights racing down the freeway beside us. He used his GPS to find D.H.S.
Blowing a gale of wind when we got here, and chilly when we got home, we brought the suitcases up to the trailer, and then popped over to visit Jen and Sue in the park model rental unit here.
They seemed very cozy, sleepy, and surprised that the rental hadn't had any blankets, sheets, towels or anything. All the linens came from our trailer, this year they had realized that we had supplied everything they used, pretty well. They had hauled it over themselves from our trailer this year, last year they had walked in to the rental unit, and presumed that all the stuff they used came from the campground. NOT!! Unfortunately their pull out sofa bed wouldn't pull out, and they didn't go down and complain at the office their whole week here. So one of them slept on the sofa cushions on the floor every night here in the rental unit.
We sorted out a few things in the trailer, and then dropped into bed, exhausted. Wonderful trip overall, and thanks to the tour being organized, we managed to see and do a lot in our one week voyage there in C.R.
Wednesday March 17th in Costa Rica
Cloudy but 30 degrees C. Up and off before 0800, back to Braulio Carrillo National Park that we had passed through another day when we went on our river cruise. This time we were headed to the Rain Forest Aerial Trams, the small green metal cable cars that hold 6 people and a guide, and glide slowly through the forest canopy, from down nearly on the ground, to up over 130 feet in the canopy, through a green forest.
It was a peaceful and quiet ride gliding along, we were the first car launched that day, and our guide was again very informative and well prepared. We saw lots of rivers, and lush green growth, and heard birds, but didn't see much except green, green and more green.
The road that leads to Braulio Carrillo National Park was green and lush, many of the hillsides were covered solidly with fern growth, and very pretty. But an extremely busy road for truck traffic, which was coming over from the Caribbean side, from the port of Limon, to the Pacific side of Costa Rica, a journey for them of about 4 -5 hours.
We saw lineups of trucks waiting to enter into San Jose as we left town, apparently their entry is controlled, and they can't enter the capital city until after 9 AM or so. The road is somewhat twisty and turny, and very narrow in most places.
After our 1 hour canopy ride, we headed off to another Buffet lunch at Rio Dante Restaurant, right out in the jungle. Before lunch we went for a jungle walk, about 1/2 hour, and again very interesting as our guide Orlando and the paramedic Wilbert showed us so many things about the jungle there. Orlando caught a tiny tree frog, bright red, with venomous skin, and bright blue feet. The natives had used the venom on their arrow tips in bygone days for hunting, to partially paralyze their prey. Wilbert seemed to be keeping a close watch out all along our route, a cement pathway through the jungle, perhaps for snakes. Costa Rica has some, but we didn't see any. Wilbert gave Lary a huge seed, nearly 2 inches in size. Lunch was delicious, there was a roof covering the restaurant, but no sides, and a kind of atrium in the centre with green plants. There were manicured lawns with flowering shrubs and trees, including orchids blooming right near the restaurant.
Back to the hotel by 1500, group photo near the painted cow at the hotel courtyard near the swimming pool which we hadn't even had time to enjoy, we had been so busy all week.
They were also changing all the fresh flowers in the lobby and public areas of the hotel, the gingers, heliconia, and other incredible flowers, all grown right there in Costa Rica. It was so pretty to see how they arranged them all. What a dream to have such luxuriant plants and flowers all around, growing in the most humble of houses yards.
Before Happy Hour, we had hurriedly packed up our suitcases, and then off for a 50 minute bus ride across town to a very fancy hotel up in the hills, looking down on the lights of the capital city of San Jose, where we had the most disappointing meal of our whole trip.
Wonderful service, waiters in very formal black, most of the time very attentive, but food paltry, not that much of it, and nearly cold to boot. Nice salads, but the hot dishes were scarce, not hot, not really even warm, and only 2 desserts, it was as if we had come late to the meal, and they couldn't be bothered to put on a good one for us. Tenderloin was like shoe leather. Most folks couldn't even get their teeth into it, we just bounced it around then left it on the plates.
What irony, out in the middle of the forest or the jungle we had been given feasts, often cooked over wood, in open air shelters, veritable feasts, and here in the fancy smancy 5 star hotel we felt like we were getting leftovers. And the guide had hyped it so much for us all, bummer.
It was a peaceful and quiet ride gliding along, we were the first car launched that day, and our guide was again very informative and well prepared. We saw lots of rivers, and lush green growth, and heard birds, but didn't see much except green, green and more green.
The road that leads to Braulio Carrillo National Park was green and lush, many of the hillsides were covered solidly with fern growth, and very pretty. But an extremely busy road for truck traffic, which was coming over from the Caribbean side, from the port of Limon, to the Pacific side of Costa Rica, a journey for them of about 4 -5 hours.
We saw lineups of trucks waiting to enter into San Jose as we left town, apparently their entry is controlled, and they can't enter the capital city until after 9 AM or so. The road is somewhat twisty and turny, and very narrow in most places.
After our 1 hour canopy ride, we headed off to another Buffet lunch at Rio Dante Restaurant, right out in the jungle. Before lunch we went for a jungle walk, about 1/2 hour, and again very interesting as our guide Orlando and the paramedic Wilbert showed us so many things about the jungle there. Orlando caught a tiny tree frog, bright red, with venomous skin, and bright blue feet. The natives had used the venom on their arrow tips in bygone days for hunting, to partially paralyze their prey. Wilbert seemed to be keeping a close watch out all along our route, a cement pathway through the jungle, perhaps for snakes. Costa Rica has some, but we didn't see any. Wilbert gave Lary a huge seed, nearly 2 inches in size. Lunch was delicious, there was a roof covering the restaurant, but no sides, and a kind of atrium in the centre with green plants. There were manicured lawns with flowering shrubs and trees, including orchids blooming right near the restaurant.
Back to the hotel by 1500, group photo near the painted cow at the hotel courtyard near the swimming pool which we hadn't even had time to enjoy, we had been so busy all week.
They were also changing all the fresh flowers in the lobby and public areas of the hotel, the gingers, heliconia, and other incredible flowers, all grown right there in Costa Rica. It was so pretty to see how they arranged them all. What a dream to have such luxuriant plants and flowers all around, growing in the most humble of houses yards.
Before Happy Hour, we had hurriedly packed up our suitcases, and then off for a 50 minute bus ride across town to a very fancy hotel up in the hills, looking down on the lights of the capital city of San Jose, where we had the most disappointing meal of our whole trip.
Wonderful service, waiters in very formal black, most of the time very attentive, but food paltry, not that much of it, and nearly cold to boot. Nice salads, but the hot dishes were scarce, not hot, not really even warm, and only 2 desserts, it was as if we had come late to the meal, and they couldn't be bothered to put on a good one for us. Tenderloin was like shoe leather. Most folks couldn't even get their teeth into it, we just bounced it around then left it on the plates.
What irony, out in the middle of the forest or the jungle we had been given feasts, often cooked over wood, in open air shelters, veritable feasts, and here in the fancy smancy 5 star hotel we felt like we were getting leftovers. And the guide had hyped it so much for us all, bummer.
Tuesday March 16 in Costa Rica
Away from the hotel at 7:45 AM to visit a butterfly farm outside San Jose, the guide Stefanie was very informative. Wow and more wow, those huge morpho blue butterflies are irridescent blue, and she had one grasped firmly in her hand, and showed us the back and front of it.
Size was maybe 4 inches in all, brown on flip side, but the most wonderful blue on the main side.
We were surprised how fast butterflies move, she said that was to avoid their predators.
Of course we saw the different stages of butterfly development, one stage they are like long fat caterpillars, and are eating machines. That butterfly farm ships all over the world, and there are many families who supply them with butterflies from different parts of Costa Rica. It was an intersting time there.
Then off to the Cafe Britt coffee plantation, where we had an informative and very humourous presentation about growing harvesting and roasting coffee. The beans are harvested from December through March or so I believe, and Costa Rica produces about 2% of the world's coffee. The guide said that their coffee is a high quality, so that their competition is Kona Coffee and that level of beans. We ate lunch there and explored their ample gift shop, picking up coffee for Jen and some for ourselves. The buffet lunch was huge, and just delicious.
Most of the places where we have eaten always give us tropical fruit juice as one of the choices to drink at lunch, a real treat for us northerners.
Then a trip to Sarchi, a crafts village where they build the traditional oxcarts, now mostly miniatures for the tourist trade, as well as beautiful hardwood furniture. We were taken to only one shop, which was so disappointing, we had thought we would be able to visit a whole series of shops in the village. The shop we visited was huge, but the main floor was swelteringly hot, though apparently downstairs where there were bigger pieces of furniture it was lovely and cool. And we only had 1/2 hour, which was also very disappointing for us all. We had been promised that this was our shopping expedition and it would be so great. Not so, and a big bust for lots of people on our trip. Di bought some tee shirts, and a lovely hardwood cutting board, but not much else.
We saw and photographed a beautiful supersized oxcart, with it's bright paint, and oxen yoke, it looked as if it was made for Paul Bunyan and Babe it was so big, and it was inside a protective transparent type of cover.
Back to the hotel for happy hour- I forgot to say that it's a whole hour daily, and the drinks are totally free from 5 -6 PM, then a loud buzzer rings, and no more happy hour. One of the couples in the tour even managed to take a drink or two back up to their room, most of us didn't require that much libation!!!!!
We went back to La Gallera Latin American restaurant across the street from Best Western Irazu for supper, with Dave and Wendy, and 2 other couples, Ron H and his friend Sally, and Joan and Chuck W. It was delicious, and not as noisy as the night before when there had been a young boisterous group there. The theme in the restaurant is roosters, and there are some lovely big swirling watercolors of roosters on the walls, also some clay art tiles, and clay plates, all with the rooster them. Roosters everywhere you looked in the stained glass and decoration around the restaurant.
Size was maybe 4 inches in all, brown on flip side, but the most wonderful blue on the main side.
We were surprised how fast butterflies move, she said that was to avoid their predators.
Of course we saw the different stages of butterfly development, one stage they are like long fat caterpillars, and are eating machines. That butterfly farm ships all over the world, and there are many families who supply them with butterflies from different parts of Costa Rica. It was an intersting time there.
Then off to the Cafe Britt coffee plantation, where we had an informative and very humourous presentation about growing harvesting and roasting coffee. The beans are harvested from December through March or so I believe, and Costa Rica produces about 2% of the world's coffee. The guide said that their coffee is a high quality, so that their competition is Kona Coffee and that level of beans. We ate lunch there and explored their ample gift shop, picking up coffee for Jen and some for ourselves. The buffet lunch was huge, and just delicious.
Most of the places where we have eaten always give us tropical fruit juice as one of the choices to drink at lunch, a real treat for us northerners.
Then a trip to Sarchi, a crafts village where they build the traditional oxcarts, now mostly miniatures for the tourist trade, as well as beautiful hardwood furniture. We were taken to only one shop, which was so disappointing, we had thought we would be able to visit a whole series of shops in the village. The shop we visited was huge, but the main floor was swelteringly hot, though apparently downstairs where there were bigger pieces of furniture it was lovely and cool. And we only had 1/2 hour, which was also very disappointing for us all. We had been promised that this was our shopping expedition and it would be so great. Not so, and a big bust for lots of people on our trip. Di bought some tee shirts, and a lovely hardwood cutting board, but not much else.
We saw and photographed a beautiful supersized oxcart, with it's bright paint, and oxen yoke, it looked as if it was made for Paul Bunyan and Babe it was so big, and it was inside a protective transparent type of cover.
Back to the hotel for happy hour- I forgot to say that it's a whole hour daily, and the drinks are totally free from 5 -6 PM, then a loud buzzer rings, and no more happy hour. One of the couples in the tour even managed to take a drink or two back up to their room, most of us didn't require that much libation!!!!!
We went back to La Gallera Latin American restaurant across the street from Best Western Irazu for supper, with Dave and Wendy, and 2 other couples, Ron H and his friend Sally, and Joan and Chuck W. It was delicious, and not as noisy as the night before when there had been a young boisterous group there. The theme in the restaurant is roosters, and there are some lovely big swirling watercolors of roosters on the walls, also some clay art tiles, and clay plates, all with the rooster them. Roosters everywhere you looked in the stained glass and decoration around the restaurant.
Saturday, March 20, 2010
Monday March 15th in Costa Rica
On Monday we had a beach day, but the weather was stinkingly hot and humid, they took us by bus to Jaco on the Pacific Coast, we went to the Best Western Jaco hotel there, where we had lockers to put our clothes in so we could swim either in their pool or at the beach.
There was a high surf full of beach sand, and big rollers, if you wanted you could swim in the warm warm water but be careful for the undertow. We chose the pool and it was only 3 ft 5 inches deep, but we went in anyway, with Dave and Wendy, we were all so hot and sticky.
A lunch was laid on for us, in their pool bar, very nice open air covered place, we were all quite hot but lunch was good. The bus left at 2:30 PM or so, and we staggered back into the hotel when we got home, pretty bashed up by the heat.
Forgot to say that on the way there we stopped at the Tarcoles River and stared down from a busy bridge at tons of huge crocodiles, up to 12 or 15 feet long, they seem to be covered by rows of plates almost like armour, very prehistoric looking. They looked a bit like dark grey logs, just lurking around the edges of the river on both sides.
Due to the intense sun and the shallow pool both Lary and I got very sunburned, so we bought a bottle of aloe jelly and smeared it on, Lary's face was very burnt, and later peeled. We of course were in the pool for quite a long time, and it was really in the heat of the day. It was too hot to sit on the chairs in the sun, and very little shade available. There were 2 iguanas doing bug collecting duty on the hot tiles of the pool deck, quite interesting to watch.
Went out for dinner across the road from the hotel, it was called the Latin American Restaurant, La Gallera, and the food was delicious. Dave and Wendy came with us, and both ladies had only salads, and dessert which was yummy. We had had a big lunch with fish and meat so we didn't want that all over again.
There was a large group of young people there, and their noise was nearly deafening. Restaurant theme was roosters everywhere, very pretty china or clay plates with roosters on them, and lovely large paintings on the walls, with huge colorfully painted roosters, in swirls of color.
The Costa Ricans seem to make clay wall murals, with pieces of interlocking tile pottery forming beautiful bright paintings on the walls. Very pretty and an intriguing art form.
There was a high surf full of beach sand, and big rollers, if you wanted you could swim in the warm warm water but be careful for the undertow. We chose the pool and it was only 3 ft 5 inches deep, but we went in anyway, with Dave and Wendy, we were all so hot and sticky.
A lunch was laid on for us, in their pool bar, very nice open air covered place, we were all quite hot but lunch was good. The bus left at 2:30 PM or so, and we staggered back into the hotel when we got home, pretty bashed up by the heat.
Forgot to say that on the way there we stopped at the Tarcoles River and stared down from a busy bridge at tons of huge crocodiles, up to 12 or 15 feet long, they seem to be covered by rows of plates almost like armour, very prehistoric looking. They looked a bit like dark grey logs, just lurking around the edges of the river on both sides.
Due to the intense sun and the shallow pool both Lary and I got very sunburned, so we bought a bottle of aloe jelly and smeared it on, Lary's face was very burnt, and later peeled. We of course were in the pool for quite a long time, and it was really in the heat of the day. It was too hot to sit on the chairs in the sun, and very little shade available. There were 2 iguanas doing bug collecting duty on the hot tiles of the pool deck, quite interesting to watch.
Went out for dinner across the road from the hotel, it was called the Latin American Restaurant, La Gallera, and the food was delicious. Dave and Wendy came with us, and both ladies had only salads, and dessert which was yummy. We had had a big lunch with fish and meat so we didn't want that all over again.
There was a large group of young people there, and their noise was nearly deafening. Restaurant theme was roosters everywhere, very pretty china or clay plates with roosters on them, and lovely large paintings on the walls, with huge colorfully painted roosters, in swirls of color.
The Costa Ricans seem to make clay wall murals, with pieces of interlocking tile pottery forming beautiful bright paintings on the walls. Very pretty and an intriguing art form.
Sunday March 14th off to Sarapiqui River cruise
Off quite early today to cross the continental divide and descend toward the Caribbean to arrive at the Sarapiqui River for a 2 hour river cruise. Drifted quietly downstream in a large riverboat, listening for monkeys resting curled high up in the trees, we only saw them from afar as the trees they chose were very high, they were howler monkeys, but they rest when it's warm, and feed in the early morning apparently. We saw caimans, small crocodiles, resting on the muddy riverbanks, their camoflage is very good. It was a surprise to see whole families of local people swimming in the green opaque river, when there are also caimans and crocodiles there.
We also saw anhinga birds, which looked like cormorants, a pretty kingfisher, some white cattle egrets, and a row of bats sleeping in a vertical line on a tree trunk, with very good camoflage.
The driver of the boat together with our guide and the paramedic were very good at spotting things in the trees and along the riverbank. The water moved along quite rapidly, but the boat was quite powerful. It was pretty peaceful as we quietly motored along, and it was interesting to see all the smallish houses along the top of the riverbank. We saw a few large iguanas laying out on river logs, or over the banks of the rivers, mostly on fallen trees or the like.
When we got back to land we had lunch cooked over a wood fire, it was delicious, very satisfying, we tasted breadfruit for the first time, drank juice, and were very satisfied by the meal. Typical costa rican fare is black beans and rice, their staples, but we had tons of things besides that. Chicken, plantain bananas, it was all so tasty.
The restaurant is a roof forming a shelter, and long tables and chairs under that. An elderly man played the marimba for us while we ate lunch, he used 4 sticks and was pretty talented. There was a small gift shop. They called it a ranch where we ate, and took the riverboat. The flowering vegetation there is so pretty, my favourite was long pinkish flowering trumpets, but so many plants have flowers or pretty reddish leaves. There is a huge flower producing industry in the country. We drove through the Braulio Carillo National Park. The bouganvilla flower grows in bushes, small shrubs or huge walls of bright fuschia pink, or an orange color.
On the way home the driver stopped at the most wonderful farm fruit stand, the farmers served us all kinds of new fruits that they had, we bought a kilo of wee bananas, very sweet, the size of your middle finger. We tried papaya and mango, also oranges, and some people bought fruit right from the stand as we did. So many tropical fruits it boggles the mind, watermelon and other melons grown right there, an orange fruit with black fleshy seeds in it, some other mystery fruits. All local produce and available in stands right at the side of the road.
Ate dinner at Denny's.
We also saw anhinga birds, which looked like cormorants, a pretty kingfisher, some white cattle egrets, and a row of bats sleeping in a vertical line on a tree trunk, with very good camoflage.
The driver of the boat together with our guide and the paramedic were very good at spotting things in the trees and along the riverbank. The water moved along quite rapidly, but the boat was quite powerful. It was pretty peaceful as we quietly motored along, and it was interesting to see all the smallish houses along the top of the riverbank. We saw a few large iguanas laying out on river logs, or over the banks of the rivers, mostly on fallen trees or the like.
When we got back to land we had lunch cooked over a wood fire, it was delicious, very satisfying, we tasted breadfruit for the first time, drank juice, and were very satisfied by the meal. Typical costa rican fare is black beans and rice, their staples, but we had tons of things besides that. Chicken, plantain bananas, it was all so tasty.
The restaurant is a roof forming a shelter, and long tables and chairs under that. An elderly man played the marimba for us while we ate lunch, he used 4 sticks and was pretty talented. There was a small gift shop. They called it a ranch where we ate, and took the riverboat. The flowering vegetation there is so pretty, my favourite was long pinkish flowering trumpets, but so many plants have flowers or pretty reddish leaves. There is a huge flower producing industry in the country. We drove through the Braulio Carillo National Park. The bouganvilla flower grows in bushes, small shrubs or huge walls of bright fuschia pink, or an orange color.
On the way home the driver stopped at the most wonderful farm fruit stand, the farmers served us all kinds of new fruits that they had, we bought a kilo of wee bananas, very sweet, the size of your middle finger. We tried papaya and mango, also oranges, and some people bought fruit right from the stand as we did. So many tropical fruits it boggles the mind, watermelon and other melons grown right there, an orange fruit with black fleshy seeds in it, some other mystery fruits. All local produce and available in stands right at the side of the road.
Ate dinner at Denny's.
Saturday March 13th in Costa Rica
Forgot to say that they use Colones currency in Costa Rica, Columbus discovered C.R. in 1502 on his last trip to the Americas.
It takes around 500 colones to make $1 Canadian, so you get lots of them at the ATM, and the conversion isn't very challenging either. Many places are very happy to take US dollars, also. The hotel front desk changes US dollars into colones, but not the reverse.
Went up the Irazu volcano today, it was cloudy, so not distant views, the volcano isn't active at the moment, but has a deep caldera with water in it. At the gift shop we saw a dark brown coati mundi, it has a long snout though our guide compared it to a raccoon, a bit of a stretch. It was begging food from the tourists.
The top of the volcano is over 11,000 feet, so we didn't rush around up there. We have a 90 year old in our group, and a 75 year old man who had a stroke 10 years ago, he has some mobility issues, there is also an elderly woman with her grandson, she's very plucky, but also mobility issues. Dave and Wendy, Lary and I are among the younger members, the group is 20 in all, most people I would put in their mid 70s or so.
Saw an oxen team working the hills with a farmer, the agriculture is right up the slopes, all carefully terraced, every inch of ground being used for agriculture. Much of the country has been preserved into National Parks, quite a high percentage of the land in the country protected by the park system since the 1970s or so. The volcanic soil is very rich and productive, and they rotate their crops for maximum production.
We learned that Costa Rica pretty well grows all its own produce, and can feed itself totally from what it produces, including meats and seafood. They import oil and gas, electro domestics like household appliances big and small, and automobiles and vehicles, very heavily taxed according to our guide. Lovely flowering trees and shrubs everywhere, and a year round growing season. They raise mostly brahma cows, and holstein cows for milk products.
After seeing the volcano we visited the Basilica de Nuestra Senora de los Angeles in Cartago, it was founded in 1635, a young girl found a rock in the shape of the Virgin. It has some art pieces brought to C.R. by the Spanish conquerors, and also has a spring with holy water behind the church.
We ate lunch in Sanchiri Restaurant, and then went to explore Lankester Gardens, which has many hundreds of types of orchids and tropical plants. It now belongs to the University of C.R., though it was originally developed by Mr. Lankester, our guide Orlando had done some schooling there, so he was very knowledgeable about the orchids, the bromeliad family of plants. Just a few were blooming, but they are so showy. The gardens are very pretty, winding trails with tons of blooming plants. He also talked about epiphytes, the plants that are transmitted through the air, and stick on to trees and grow there high up in the air stuck on tree trunks or branches, without moisture.
It takes around 500 colones to make $1 Canadian, so you get lots of them at the ATM, and the conversion isn't very challenging either. Many places are very happy to take US dollars, also. The hotel front desk changes US dollars into colones, but not the reverse.
Went up the Irazu volcano today, it was cloudy, so not distant views, the volcano isn't active at the moment, but has a deep caldera with water in it. At the gift shop we saw a dark brown coati mundi, it has a long snout though our guide compared it to a raccoon, a bit of a stretch. It was begging food from the tourists.
The top of the volcano is over 11,000 feet, so we didn't rush around up there. We have a 90 year old in our group, and a 75 year old man who had a stroke 10 years ago, he has some mobility issues, there is also an elderly woman with her grandson, she's very plucky, but also mobility issues. Dave and Wendy, Lary and I are among the younger members, the group is 20 in all, most people I would put in their mid 70s or so.
Saw an oxen team working the hills with a farmer, the agriculture is right up the slopes, all carefully terraced, every inch of ground being used for agriculture. Much of the country has been preserved into National Parks, quite a high percentage of the land in the country protected by the park system since the 1970s or so. The volcanic soil is very rich and productive, and they rotate their crops for maximum production.
We learned that Costa Rica pretty well grows all its own produce, and can feed itself totally from what it produces, including meats and seafood. They import oil and gas, electro domestics like household appliances big and small, and automobiles and vehicles, very heavily taxed according to our guide. Lovely flowering trees and shrubs everywhere, and a year round growing season. They raise mostly brahma cows, and holstein cows for milk products.
After seeing the volcano we visited the Basilica de Nuestra Senora de los Angeles in Cartago, it was founded in 1635, a young girl found a rock in the shape of the Virgin. It has some art pieces brought to C.R. by the Spanish conquerors, and also has a spring with holy water behind the church.
We ate lunch in Sanchiri Restaurant, and then went to explore Lankester Gardens, which has many hundreds of types of orchids and tropical plants. It now belongs to the University of C.R., though it was originally developed by Mr. Lankester, our guide Orlando had done some schooling there, so he was very knowledgeable about the orchids, the bromeliad family of plants. Just a few were blooming, but they are so showy. The gardens are very pretty, winding trails with tons of blooming plants. He also talked about epiphytes, the plants that are transmitted through the air, and stick on to trees and grow there high up in the air stuck on tree trunks or branches, without moisture.
They use Colones currency in Costa Rica
After a Denny's breakfast we all had a bus tour of San Jose, and were depressed seeing quite a bit of garbage on the roadsides, and a large quantity of modest shack type houses with corrugated iron roofs. Near our hotel there were a number of businesses and quite nice homes, and we drove by local parks, and saw a stadium being built by the Chinese, for the Costa Ricans.
We were amazed by all the traffic and the industrial feel of the city.
First stop was an Emerald and Jewellry factory, where we learned about the lost wax method of casting metal jewelry, a bit of Costa Rican history, and toured their jewellry showroom.
On to the National Theatre/Opera House built in 1897. Very pretty building, lovely hardwood floors, marble details, and it was fashioned after the Paris Opera house. Good acoustics, too.
Stopped at some souvenir shops and Di found a thunder stick, it's a hollow tube with a membrane on one end, and a kind of coil of wire that when you shake it sounds like thunder or a volcano erupting.
That night we had Happy Hour in the bar, free drinks on the house for an hour for all hotel guests, and then we went out to Pueblo Antiguo, a collection of old buildings from the last century from all around the country, and a pretty bandshell, too. It was also a theme park during the day with lots of rides etc, but that part had closed.
We saw a folkloric dancing display with 3 couples dancing together, very energetic and pretty, flirty types of country dances, the girls with colorful tiered gathered skirts, the men in white.
After that there were a couple of stilt people, and some large headed people, young girl, devil, ghost that are typical of Costa Rica. That part of the show seemed to drag a bit, they tried to get us to dance with them but it didn't go off that well.
Then we walked up hill to a pretty restaurant white with heavy dark beams, and had a nicely done buffet style dinner. Our guide through the Pueblo Antiguo was Rosaria, a very vivacious young lady in a cute outfit.
We were amazed by all the traffic and the industrial feel of the city.
First stop was an Emerald and Jewellry factory, where we learned about the lost wax method of casting metal jewelry, a bit of Costa Rican history, and toured their jewellry showroom.
On to the National Theatre/Opera House built in 1897. Very pretty building, lovely hardwood floors, marble details, and it was fashioned after the Paris Opera house. Good acoustics, too.
Stopped at some souvenir shops and Di found a thunder stick, it's a hollow tube with a membrane on one end, and a kind of coil of wire that when you shake it sounds like thunder or a volcano erupting.
That night we had Happy Hour in the bar, free drinks on the house for an hour for all hotel guests, and then we went out to Pueblo Antiguo, a collection of old buildings from the last century from all around the country, and a pretty bandshell, too. It was also a theme park during the day with lots of rides etc, but that part had closed.
We saw a folkloric dancing display with 3 couples dancing together, very energetic and pretty, flirty types of country dances, the girls with colorful tiered gathered skirts, the men in white.
After that there were a couple of stilt people, and some large headed people, young girl, devil, ghost that are typical of Costa Rica. That part of the show seemed to drag a bit, they tried to get us to dance with them but it didn't go off that well.
Then we walked up hill to a pretty restaurant white with heavy dark beams, and had a nicely done buffet style dinner. Our guide through the Pueblo Antiguo was Rosaria, a very vivacious young lady in a cute outfit.
Tues March 9th and on
Our friends Dave and Wendy arrived on Sunday evening, and are staying in a park model here in the park, so on Tuesday we took them over to see our new trailer, and look around the park.
Lary's kildeer carved bird is nearly finished, it now has brass legs and is mounted on the manzanita burl, so we headed off to get a plastic box to put it in to protect it.
Very windy in the evening, we packed for our trip, and got Sue and Jen some very basic groceries. They arrive Wednesday AM and we'll pick them up and take them to their hotel where they will stay overnight before coming out here.
Wednesday was a bit of a challenge, we went into the airport and met Sue and Jen, took their bags to their Palm Springs hotel and left them in the lobby as their room wasn't quite ready so early in the day.
Then we went and ate lunch together and had a brief catchup with them. Jen had a rental car a big one that looked like a police car, black. Mercury Grand Marquis.
Then we returned hurriedly to the campsite, and got ready to head out to Costa Rica with the travel group here. Met at the gate and a bus collected us and we drove to Los Angeles, and stayed in the Hacienda Hotel quite near the airport. We went out to the Sizzler Restaurant across the street from our hotel, and then crashed into bed for an early get up next day.
Up at 5:30 AM, breakfast at the hotel, and off on a shuttle to Los Angeles airport. Lary and I were ahead of the group, not a good thing apparently. Sunny weather, we flew off to Phoenix on US Airways, left at 10 AM, a short flight, and there we transferred to another plane and the much longer flight to Costa Rica. Paid $25 each to check our bags. Left Phoenix at 1:02 PM.
Arrived Costa Rica early about 1830 PM, and met the tour guide Orlando Vargas, the paramedic Wilbert and the driver Fabio, and were greeted with tropical flowers for each lady in our group. Tour bus into the hotel. The flowers are really gorgeous. Had dinner in Denny's Restaurant which is right in the hotel, it's the Irazu Best Western, also has a casino and a very active bar, kind of an outdoor covered bar. Hotel is on the Panamerican Highway which goes all through Central America, so heavy traffic, good location not far from the airport, and near quite a few restaurants.
We were given coupons for a modest breakfast each day in Denny's Restaurant, and got more info on the program for the week from Shirley Graham, our main escort from Gadabout Tours. She has worked many years with Orlando and Wilbert. It is quite normal in Costa Rica to have a paramedic accompany tour groups the whole time they are on tour.
Lary's kildeer carved bird is nearly finished, it now has brass legs and is mounted on the manzanita burl, so we headed off to get a plastic box to put it in to protect it.
Very windy in the evening, we packed for our trip, and got Sue and Jen some very basic groceries. They arrive Wednesday AM and we'll pick them up and take them to their hotel where they will stay overnight before coming out here.
Wednesday was a bit of a challenge, we went into the airport and met Sue and Jen, took their bags to their Palm Springs hotel and left them in the lobby as their room wasn't quite ready so early in the day.
Then we went and ate lunch together and had a brief catchup with them. Jen had a rental car a big one that looked like a police car, black. Mercury Grand Marquis.
Then we returned hurriedly to the campsite, and got ready to head out to Costa Rica with the travel group here. Met at the gate and a bus collected us and we drove to Los Angeles, and stayed in the Hacienda Hotel quite near the airport. We went out to the Sizzler Restaurant across the street from our hotel, and then crashed into bed for an early get up next day.
Up at 5:30 AM, breakfast at the hotel, and off on a shuttle to Los Angeles airport. Lary and I were ahead of the group, not a good thing apparently. Sunny weather, we flew off to Phoenix on US Airways, left at 10 AM, a short flight, and there we transferred to another plane and the much longer flight to Costa Rica. Paid $25 each to check our bags. Left Phoenix at 1:02 PM.
Arrived Costa Rica early about 1830 PM, and met the tour guide Orlando Vargas, the paramedic Wilbert and the driver Fabio, and were greeted with tropical flowers for each lady in our group. Tour bus into the hotel. The flowers are really gorgeous. Had dinner in Denny's Restaurant which is right in the hotel, it's the Irazu Best Western, also has a casino and a very active bar, kind of an outdoor covered bar. Hotel is on the Panamerican Highway which goes all through Central America, so heavy traffic, good location not far from the airport, and near quite a few restaurants.
We were given coupons for a modest breakfast each day in Denny's Restaurant, and got more info on the program for the week from Shirley Graham, our main escort from Gadabout Tours. She has worked many years with Orlando and Wilbert. It is quite normal in Costa Rica to have a paramedic accompany tour groups the whole time they are on tour.
Monday, March 8, 2010
Monday back at Cat Spa - hooray
Thursday night Judy and Gary, and their friends Laurie and Mo came over for dinner, it was lots of fun. Lary cooked chile, delicious, Judy brought a veggie plate, and Laurie brought apple crumble pie and ice cream. Had lots of fun together, we are all in WHR at Indian Waters.
I had a flute lesson for an hour at Annie's in the afternoon. Wonderful, I enjoyed it.
Friday Lary and I went into town and went to the Follies, it was fun. We ate lunch first at Ruby's diner in downtown Palm Springs, and the performance was a matinee. It was enjoyable, 10 women and 6 men, kind of a music and dance revue. The guest performer was Rita Coolidge, a great singer.
All dancers are between 55 and 86 years of age. The costumes were terrific, lots of feathers, and beads, long legs and lovely bodies. Most of the dancers have been dancers all their lives. Huge feather costumes, they must weigh a lot. They talked a bit about themselves.
The show was 3 hours long, we were surprised at that. Historic old theater, and the show has been going for 19 years. The impresario I think renovated the building for the show, from a derelict condition.
Apparently being a historic building with a preservation order has its drawbacks in that things can't be changed substantially, or modified for modern needs. Narrow staircases, and very limited washroom facilities are 2 of the challenges.
After that we raced home, changed, and flew over to the Coachella Valley Flute Circle at Annie's house, for pot luck dinner at 6 and then the music jam. Warm enough to eat outside at tables in Annie's backyard. Flute circle was grand, flutes, rattles, the Mother drum which seems about 2 feet across, some good singing and wonderful music playing. And didgeridoos, lots of them. One of the girls has a bowl that she plays, by tapping the edges of it. It has a beautiful sound. Everyone had at least 2 turns playing, and there were some group things happening.
Later some of us stayed, and Al Hollinger did some great flute playing, and he does some very interesting voice things. Throat singing, and he talks about circular breathing, too.
Saturday we went over to the Coachella Valley Watercolor Society members show and sale, in the Palm Desert Community Center, on San Pablo. It was quite close to College of the Desert, and there were some lovely paintings there, on display, and tons of them unframed, for sale. We didn't buy anything, but we met my painting teacher, Sue Honnell.
We had lunch at Manhattan of the Desert restaurant, on Hwy 111, looked through a few consignment shops, and visited the Backstreet Art District, off Hwy 111. Some nice art there, and some weird stuff, too.
Later we headed into town again, to Palm Springs High School as the newspaper had said the Canadian Tenors were there, and the show was $20 to get in. On arrival after having a terrible time finding parking, we found out that it's a series of season Concerts, and all tickets had been sold out 4 weeks previously. There was a waiting list but we left.
Tried to see the Young Victoria movie, but it had finished for the day. Ended up going to Crazy Heart at the Mary Pickford Theatres, Jeff Bridges was a dissolute country singer, a great song writer, an alcoholic, travelling and singing in rotten scuzzy places, and his love interest was played by Maggie Gyllenhall, but she couldn't accept him as she had a 4 year old son, and Bridges as Bad Blake was a very bad influence on the boy. Great acting from both of them.
Sunday we stayed in, it had rained a lot, so we read and putzed about. Judy and Gary came over and invited us over for 3 PM, so we went over to their motorhome, and they fed us margaritas, we munched on yummy natchos, and then Judy made dinner for us 6, Mo and Laurie had arrived, and we all watched the Oscars, and had yummy crabcakes, salad, rice, and hedgehogs for dessert, with tea and coffee. Yum yum, we had such a nice time.
Monday we moved over to Cat Spa once more, and Dave and Wendy had arrived on Sunday around 3 PM, and are staying in a park model here before we all go to Costa Rica.
I went into Eisenhower for flute class today, then home. After Happy Hour at Dave and Wendy's we had hot dogs, and I did lots of laundry. If you get to the laundry room late, it's dandy, as there is rarely anyone there. Getting ready for the trip, and Sue and Jen coming down into the trailer here.
I had a flute lesson for an hour at Annie's in the afternoon. Wonderful, I enjoyed it.
Friday Lary and I went into town and went to the Follies, it was fun. We ate lunch first at Ruby's diner in downtown Palm Springs, and the performance was a matinee. It was enjoyable, 10 women and 6 men, kind of a music and dance revue. The guest performer was Rita Coolidge, a great singer.
All dancers are between 55 and 86 years of age. The costumes were terrific, lots of feathers, and beads, long legs and lovely bodies. Most of the dancers have been dancers all their lives. Huge feather costumes, they must weigh a lot. They talked a bit about themselves.
The show was 3 hours long, we were surprised at that. Historic old theater, and the show has been going for 19 years. The impresario I think renovated the building for the show, from a derelict condition.
Apparently being a historic building with a preservation order has its drawbacks in that things can't be changed substantially, or modified for modern needs. Narrow staircases, and very limited washroom facilities are 2 of the challenges.
After that we raced home, changed, and flew over to the Coachella Valley Flute Circle at Annie's house, for pot luck dinner at 6 and then the music jam. Warm enough to eat outside at tables in Annie's backyard. Flute circle was grand, flutes, rattles, the Mother drum which seems about 2 feet across, some good singing and wonderful music playing. And didgeridoos, lots of them. One of the girls has a bowl that she plays, by tapping the edges of it. It has a beautiful sound. Everyone had at least 2 turns playing, and there were some group things happening.
Later some of us stayed, and Al Hollinger did some great flute playing, and he does some very interesting voice things. Throat singing, and he talks about circular breathing, too.
Saturday we went over to the Coachella Valley Watercolor Society members show and sale, in the Palm Desert Community Center, on San Pablo. It was quite close to College of the Desert, and there were some lovely paintings there, on display, and tons of them unframed, for sale. We didn't buy anything, but we met my painting teacher, Sue Honnell.
We had lunch at Manhattan of the Desert restaurant, on Hwy 111, looked through a few consignment shops, and visited the Backstreet Art District, off Hwy 111. Some nice art there, and some weird stuff, too.
Later we headed into town again, to Palm Springs High School as the newspaper had said the Canadian Tenors were there, and the show was $20 to get in. On arrival after having a terrible time finding parking, we found out that it's a series of season Concerts, and all tickets had been sold out 4 weeks previously. There was a waiting list but we left.
Tried to see the Young Victoria movie, but it had finished for the day. Ended up going to Crazy Heart at the Mary Pickford Theatres, Jeff Bridges was a dissolute country singer, a great song writer, an alcoholic, travelling and singing in rotten scuzzy places, and his love interest was played by Maggie Gyllenhall, but she couldn't accept him as she had a 4 year old son, and Bridges as Bad Blake was a very bad influence on the boy. Great acting from both of them.
Sunday we stayed in, it had rained a lot, so we read and putzed about. Judy and Gary came over and invited us over for 3 PM, so we went over to their motorhome, and they fed us margaritas, we munched on yummy natchos, and then Judy made dinner for us 6, Mo and Laurie had arrived, and we all watched the Oscars, and had yummy crabcakes, salad, rice, and hedgehogs for dessert, with tea and coffee. Yum yum, we had such a nice time.
Monday we moved over to Cat Spa once more, and Dave and Wendy had arrived on Sunday around 3 PM, and are staying in a park model here before we all go to Costa Rica.
I went into Eisenhower for flute class today, then home. After Happy Hour at Dave and Wendy's we had hot dogs, and I did lots of laundry. If you get to the laundry room late, it's dandy, as there is rarely anyone there. Getting ready for the trip, and Sue and Jen coming down into the trailer here.
Thursday, March 4, 2010
Thursday news
Gary and Judy Hare arrived here at Indian Waters, and are coming for dinner tonight.
We went for Happy Hour at a neat new restaurant called the Jackalope on Monday night after Di's flute class. It is a very interesting place, lots of outdoor seating, very pretty with ponds and a waterfall, and pretty garden outlook, and Dr and Mrs Andrews Di's old dentist boss and his wife from Nanaimo, said hi to us on their way out, what a small world indeed.
They serve appys and meals til 6 PM at very reduced prices, so that was wonderful, we ate there.
Tuesday Lary attended a Tengo internet class, new HP computers were all having same problems connecting to Tengo website, so they worked on that.
Gary and Judy arrived on Tuesday evening, so we visited a bit that night.
Wednesday Lary went over to finish up his kildeer bird, it now has long legs and is standing on a manzanita burl, and just needs small finishing touches. It is pretty well painted, he may spray on a fixer coat of clear finish next time.
Gary, Judy and I ate lunch together at the clubhouse, and I listened to a nice music group playing outside in the courtyard after lunch.
Thursday AM Lary went over to the computer course once more, and now we can once again get Tengo Internet in our trailer. Whew.
I Di head off for a flute lesson at Annie's house this afternoon, for an hour, Lary is cooking chile outside. It is breezy, but for nearly the first time this winter, we have the hatches open, and they stayed that way overnight. Still sunny, though some small amount of rain is again forecast for this weekend, likely late Friday and early Saturday.
That's it for now.
We went for Happy Hour at a neat new restaurant called the Jackalope on Monday night after Di's flute class. It is a very interesting place, lots of outdoor seating, very pretty with ponds and a waterfall, and pretty garden outlook, and Dr and Mrs Andrews Di's old dentist boss and his wife from Nanaimo, said hi to us on their way out, what a small world indeed.
They serve appys and meals til 6 PM at very reduced prices, so that was wonderful, we ate there.
Tuesday Lary attended a Tengo internet class, new HP computers were all having same problems connecting to Tengo website, so they worked on that.
Gary and Judy arrived on Tuesday evening, so we visited a bit that night.
Wednesday Lary went over to finish up his kildeer bird, it now has long legs and is standing on a manzanita burl, and just needs small finishing touches. It is pretty well painted, he may spray on a fixer coat of clear finish next time.
Gary, Judy and I ate lunch together at the clubhouse, and I listened to a nice music group playing outside in the courtyard after lunch.
Thursday AM Lary went over to the computer course once more, and now we can once again get Tengo Internet in our trailer. Whew.
I Di head off for a flute lesson at Annie's house this afternoon, for an hour, Lary is cooking chile outside. It is breezy, but for nearly the first time this winter, we have the hatches open, and they stayed that way overnight. Still sunny, though some small amount of rain is again forecast for this weekend, likely late Friday and early Saturday.
That's it for now.
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