Costa Rica to thw big easy.

San Jose is a cool city. It is vibrant, noisy, energetic and fascinating. Because at heart we are nerds we visited 3 museums. The first was the Museo Nacional a fantastic homage to the local Pre-Colombian civilisation certainly they were a well organised and sophisticated society. Their technolgy and art were amazing. The spanish don't seem that well regarded even though that is the ancestry of most of the people.

We visited the Museo de Or; gold! The central bank has been buying up the Golden art etc. for decades to preserve it as a national treasure. They are pretty switched on, they have also have a Museum dedicated to the developement of their currency. You can chart tne progress of their economy fascinating for me not so for Kerry. 

We found this Italian restaurant by luck the first night back, very close to the hotel and just kept going back; very good food, ambience and reasonable. Just to top it off we were joined by the Costa Rican football side for dinner on our last night. Good blokes and they got a heroes welcome from the patrons. We of course had to ask who they were this was met with astonishment!

A 4.45 start to fly to New Orleans! Now I do understand their concern re terrorism but there is a serious lack of human dignity, they have no humour and you get the feeling that they don't want you to visit. Because I had slipped my boarding pass in my back pocket to assist with belt removal, shoe removal and every other thing removal I went for my first body scan. My boarding pass in my hip pocket was suspicious so after a physical pat down I was tested for Gunshot residue! Welcome back to the USA! We had not left a security controled environment since leaving Costa Rica a bit Ott and virtually un-necessary I would have thought!

How ever we made the Big Easy, New Orleans, the land of dreams and the birthplace of Jazz. As long as I can remember Basin Street, Bourbon Street and Preservation Hall have been part of my musical fabric. Well! Bourbon Street is part sleezy and part exotic but to hear country music in the Bars, though very good, seems wrong but Preservation Hall is magical and far better than I had dreamed. Old fellers including Ray Charles drummer just enjoying them selves and taking us along for the ride was amazing.

We have eaten like Kings and traversed scores of street  musicians that are unbelieveable. It is like walking through a continual concert. Mr Blog is not letting me write any more so I will continue my New Orlean love affair soon.

Punta de Vista to San Jose via the Carribean

The wedding was beautiful we all cried. Irene looked stunning and Arron was elegant. The wedding was on the beach below the lodge with many guests and interested by-standers. The beach dress code ranged from thongs (the by-standers) to suites and fancy dresses

We retired to the lodge for the after match function a beautiful night and my beautiful daughters Irene and Julia shone like stars and gave fantastic speeches (I'm not biased). The Tequila shots added to the evening and I must say the slipped down rather well!

Sunday was a day of rest or a time to readdress the alcohol, water and Paracetamol balance. The pool was a haven accompanied by Sloths and Hummingbirds; idyllic.

Monday it was a short 6-8 hour drive to Chuita on the Carribean Coast. Miss GPS and I had major arguements travelling through San Jose but all was forgiven when we arrived safely at our hotel. I have never seen so many trucks on the road ever and they were massive! It was pointless trying to pass them, a dual carriage way and then more trucks; go with the flow and you will get there.

Like evry drive the scenery has been beautiful, spectacular, even distracting.

Chuita was beautiful, dusty main road, ramshackled shops and bars but so friendly and helpful. We visited the Sloth sanctuary, fantastic and fascinating creatures. We saw little Caymen and spiders and bats and all sorts of things. We then met up with Irene and Arron for dinner in Peuto Vijeau a great meal with great company in a real neat setting.

The following morning the 4 of us took a guided tour of the Chuita National Park we were accompanied by Howler Monkeys, Howler Monkeys, Squirrels, Snakes, Spiders and so many more interesting and many times beautiful animals. 4 hours in the heat and humidity burnt lots of calories. True I am having trouble keeping more shorts up!

The Costa Ricans really do inderstand the National Parks as a tourism asset we can and should be learning from these guys. They have it organised far better than us and the parks are a source of real pride to all Costa Ricans!

We stayed the night in Limon not a pretty town, industrial and a bit squalid compared to every where else we have seen.

Yesterday was Kerry's birthday a very pleasant and leisurely drive to San Jose a lovely hotel a bit of retail and then a great Italian meal down the road to finish off another great day.

St Elena to Punta de Vista

What a life!

Chocolate making and coffee growing, grinding and drinling followed by a three hour drive back to Sam Jose., the first hour on gravel roads but once on the main roads it was plain sailing easy driving really! Kerry's knuckles aren't quite as clenched!

We met up with Irene's Mum, Aarron and family on the Wednesday night and then in convey down to Manuael Antonio and the Punta de Vista. Wow this is pretty spectacular stuff.

We stopped and fed the wild Crocodiles from the bridge, there was an evil gleem in Kerry's eye. The discussions Julia & Kerry were having about the state of my insurances were disconcerting!

We did finally arive at the lodge and it is truely spectacular. 5 stories cascading down a steep slope, roof top Jacuzzis and infinity pool. The lights etc can be operated from the ipod!!!

We went on boat trip yesterday, a bit of snorkling, dolphin chasing and diner as the sun set. Idyllic really.

Today is the wedding, preparations are underway. Decorating, make-up, ironing etc. are in full swing.

I think I might take a walk along the beach there are some spectacular sights to be seen!!!

Monkeys joined us for breakfast this morning, interesting I am not sure who were the most curious or best trained ourselves or the Monkeys! The Sloths are slow in making an appearance!

Monteverde-Arenaul-St Elena

Greetings one and all

Once out of San Jose the driving was easier on the' main roads. We headed to Arenal the Volcano and stayed at a little patch of paradise called Finca Luena Nueva. 

It is a self contained Ecolodge on the edge of the Childrens rain forest. It is quite beautiful! They provide all there own food that is cooked on site. They run a Bio dynamic organic farm and crop Tumeric and Ginger for pharmacutical companies in the US. They run guided tours of the farm amazingly educational, a swimming pool, games, observation platforms etc. Toucans fly in to watch have breakfast and a Sloth joined the breakfesters the day before we arrived.

Getting to the Monteverde National Park was exciting. We decided to take the scenic route! Scenic it was. The Volcano was spectacular, the Lake beautiful and comimg across a band of wild Cota Munde was a highlite bot oh the roads! I had read up on driving here and thought a 4 wheel drive was appropriate, I was right! About 50 ks of dirt road, spectacularly uneven dirt road. Handled with skill and  dignity and lots of advice 1st, 2nd and 3rd gear the whole way.

The park was beautiful we walked for 4 hours through the cloud forest. The birds are very hard to see and very quiet not like home at all a lot of similarities to home but enough diferences to be exotic! 

A nice lunch then off to go zip lining. This is a rush going through to Jungle canopy at 80kms/hr exhilarating to say the least. It was a real buzz. I wrenched my left shoulder being silly old age and stupidity still are a bad combination. A few tequilas to ease the pain worked at one of the top 10 most bizzare restaraunts in the world the tree House in St Elena it was worthy of its billing.

off to the Chocolate and Coffee tour now.

Hasta la vista!

Paradise in Costa Rica!

First let me say Costa Rica is beautiful over tones of the King Country with Jungles and wierd driving habits.

I have learnt a few things! Firstly my Spanish is a bit poor to non existance, I have in total 12 words includinging beer and tequila. Not enough really. I blame there being to few Spanish speaking people in my comics. Zorro and the Cisco kid were amazimg heros but did little to further my liguistic skills.

Secondly there is a pervacive distrust of the
paying passengers by Airlines; this goes so far as giving them inedable food. Not all airlines are created equal neither are Aiports. Air New Zealand has spoilt me really, as have our Airports. I will still get grizelly over flying in New Zealand but after having my dignity shredded in LAX I will keep it in perspective.

I believe the dehumanisation process that checking in has become has changed the relationship the Airline representatives have with their customers. No longer are customers seen as those that buy the tickets and there by provide the jobs but rather as nuisences that get in the way and deserved to be punished see Airline food (not Air New Zealand).

San Jose airport was another matter in spite of the fact that there are major renovations going on they were superb! So efficiant and nice and the duty free liquor was excellent.

Rental cars are annoying but necessary I'm not sure if I was ripped off but it was a bt more expensive than I thought. The short trip from the Airport to the Rental Car company depot convinced us that a GPS was mandatory, all the street signs were in Spanish and it was not going to be easy with my language skills!

Later arriving than envisaged but what a great Hotel; the Feur de Lys a beautifully restored old house (I think). Time to get the body clock changed to local time and also the inner clock as well. Did that checked the shopping again my Spanish and their English not a good mix so little purchased but Costa Rican phone sim cards. We then picked Julia and Simon up I drove to the Airport and with my ace navigator and GPS there were only 2 domestics!

Now I sit in a leather rocking chair over looking the jungle, a drink in one hand after a strenuous bout of aquatic sports, yes the Baines body was seen in the pool frolicing like an overweight porpoise. Hummingbirds are feeding on the flowers 6 feet away. Damn this is hard!

More to come in this gripping saga!