Sign of the Times

It occurred to me today that I am seeing more and more damaged vehicles on the road. You know the ones I am talking about, dented fenders, crushed bumpers, broken taillights. With the economy like it is, people aren't spending those hard earned dollars on car repairs...or car insurance...or the deductible...pretty scary proposition. And this isn't even the worst one I've seen on the road.

Walk and Chew Gum

I proved today that I can't walk and chew gum at the same time...I bit my tongue. I thought that was just an urban myth.

Facebook Flair

I am addicted to Flair on facebook. I may need an intervention.

Lotsa Mozarella Omelet

2 eggbeaters, red pepper, portabella mushrooms, sweet onions, cilantro, black beans, and a handful of shredded fat free mozarella cheese. Hmmm, hmmm, good. Shoulda took a picture : )

Chocolate Milk Shake

Did you know that a chocolate milkshake from chik fil a has 760 calories????? Ugh, but good it was. With whipped cream and a cherry.

Vegas or Bust

Purchased the airline tickets to Vegas today. Figured that they were not going to get any cheaper. We tried to use flier miles, seats were available, but the number of miles needed to get a ticket has increased. 47,500 for one round trip. It used to be 25,000. Anyway, we have airline tickets, primo seats to see Bette Midler and reservations at Ceasar's. Happy Birthday to me !!!

Is Blue the New Brown

I have noticed recently that there are more blue M&Ms than brown. It used to be that a package consisted of about 55% brown (dark and light) M&Ms. Now that number seems to be decreasing. And what happened to the light brown M&Ms? When did they go away? You still get only a couple of the green, red, and orange. So is Blue the new brown?

Hanging Bridges, Baldi Hot Springs, La Fortuna

We started the morning at the Hanging Bridges. It was $22 per person with approximately 2 miles of trails in primary and secondary rain forest. We did see some howler monkeys, spider monkeys, and a Mot Mot bringing food back to the nest.

I think this is a Mot Mot. The coloration did not match any on the short list we had, so I am making my best guess based on the very long tail feathers.

It took us about 2.5 hours to walk the trails. We did not take any of the alternate routes available, for example down to the waterfall. When you walk down, you have to be prepared to walk back up.

When we finished we headed back to La Fortuna to do some shopping and eat lunch. One thing that caught my eye and I did not purchase was feather paintings. You know bird feathers with paintings on them. They were actually quite lovely.

Lunch was really good. So far, we have not been disappointed in our mean choices. It must be the exercise.

After lunch we headed to Baldi Hot Springs ($22 a person with a discount from our hotel, otherwise $28). We locked our cameras in a locker so no pictures here. I believe that there is 25 separate pools, each a different temperature. Our first stop was one of the cooler ones, about 94 degrees, with a waterfall and if you enjoy such things a really big slide.

We moved on up to a couple of the hotter pools. I don't remember the temps but after sitting in the hottest one for about 5 minutes you need to move on. It really drains your energy, but feels so good on aching muscles. We tried a couple of the cooler ones before we left.

Other observations:
(1) Everyone does not speak English. You know when you are planning a trip and everyone that has been there says something like "you dont' need to know any Spanish phrases because everyone speaks English", so not true. Glad I took the time to learn a few phrases and the high school Spanish started to came back too : )
(2) Diet Coke = Coca Cola Light

Butterflies

Butterflies

We saw dozens of butterflies - most went unidentified:

Cloudless Sulfur - http://insects.tamu.edu/fieldguide/cimg274.html

Nero Glasswing - http://www.pbase.com/markusu/image/74966916

Magnificent Owl - http://www.fotosearch.com/photos-images/owl-butterfly.html

Monarch - http://www.gpnc.org/monarch.htm

Food and Fireworks

Alan had the ever popular spaghetti. Pretty hard to screw up pasta. I on the other hand had the special: chicken with mango salsa, rice, and veggies. I thought it sounded pretty good, but the chicken was tough. Must have been left overs from the day before. The veggies however are always wonderful. So fresh.

There were a few fireworks from the volcano, but with the overcast we could not see much. Overall, we had a good day.

For some reason, breakfast is always delicious. At Observatory Lodge, bfast is included with the price of the room. I never thought that I could be so satisfied eating black beans and rice. Go figure. We woke up early again and decided to walk the waterfall trail before breakfast.

It took about an hour and was a nice walk. Some of the birds we saw along the way: tanager, hummers, and the crested guan. We also head some howler monkeys but we did not see them. And don't forget the ever present squirrels. Just can't get away from those little buggers.

Take nothing but photographs, leave nothing but footprints.

We walked another trail after bfast. We crossed another hanging bridge and the lodge farm. There is another waterfall at the base of Cerro Chato (another volcano), but it is still dry. Not enough rain yet. By this time I am getting tired and hungry and it was starting to get hot. We did about 6 miles.

We saw some wildlife,

beautiful scenery,

and gorgeous flowers.

I did not take any photos of our room, but it is very nice. Personal safe for possessions, two beds, plenty of room, and a balcony with a view of the volcano. No TV tho. They do have a TV in the bar if you just have to watch the tube.

The Right Left Turn

About half way (7 km) down the volcano, we took a left turn to our first adventure. It was not on the schedule, but those are often the most memorable and exciting. We were headed to our first ever canopy tour.

As with everywhere else in Costa Rica, we had to get past the security guard. We had some time to burn, so we grabbed a drink and something to eat at the snack bar. Our tour time was scheduled for 2 p.m. Surprisingly, we did not have to pay when we first put our names on the list, they give you time to change your mind.

As our trip time gets closer, we pay and get harnassed up. Lockers are provided to secure your valuables; however if you lose the key it will cost you $5. We can take our cameras, but for safety reasons we are instructed not to use them on the zip-lines. That's OK by me, I am keeping both hands firmly on the cable apparatus.

The harness is actually quite comfortable and believe it or not I do not have any butterflies : ) I am ready to go. Our guides our friendly and helpful. We ascend using the tram way. At the top is a large observation platform. In one direction you can see Arenal Volcano, the other is Arenal Lake.

Before you get to the long, high cables you have an opportunity to practice on 2 short cables. You practice the proper form (knees pulled up, ankles crossed) and how to slow down (legs spread wide). If after the second cable you decide you don't want to go on, you can walk back to the observation deck and take the tram down to the bottom. Be aware that at this point you will not receive a refund (as of this writing $66 per person).

After the practice run you are ready to go to the longer cables. I forget the lengths and heights of the cables, but they can be a bit overwhelming. I do know that the last cable is roughly 1/2 mile long and can reach speeds of up to 50 miles per hour.

It was the most exhilarating experience of my life. Really amazing. I would like to do it again some day.

North to Arenal Volcano

Up early because of the trucks and the time difference. We took a stroll around the gardens and ate a leisurely breakfast of black beans and rice, fresh fruit, plaintains, eggs, and Costa Rican coffee. The food was delicious.

We were on the road by 8 a.m. We figured that we had about a three-hour ride ahead of us. Driving here is like riding a rollercoaster, up and down, and round and round. The roads are not the best, they are narrow, no shoulder, and so many cars that you have to fight for space. At times a very unpleasant experience. Most bridges are only one lane and there are a lot of them, so at one bridge you have to yield (ceda) and the next time the other guy has to yield. It works pretty well, but sometimes I was left wondering if the other guy was going to yield...they get as close as they can.

Keep in mind that it is totally acceptable to honk, so honk away if it makes you feel better.

When you arrive in La Fortuna, you are almost there, just a few more miles up the road. As you turn off the main road and you see a sign for Arenal, 14 km. You think, yeah, we're almost there, but let me tell you, those are 14 of the roughest kilometers I have ever ridden in my life. It took us about 40 minutes. Narrow, short wheel base vehicles do not offer much comfort on roads like these.

It was a great accomplishment when we finally arrived at the security gate. The road got better and we were greeted with this view. . .

We arrived at the lodge around noon. We couldn't check in until 3 so we had some time to burn.

We headed back down the mountain.

May 16: San Jose

Our arrival in San Jose was uneventful. We picked up our rental car and successfully made it to our first hotel; Orquideas Inn.


Let me just say that this little boutique hotel is one of the nicest places I have stayed in recent history. The hotel gardens are beautiful. The restaurant has a great menu and the food is delicious. The best breakfast in town is included in the price of your room and served on the patio by the pool. The fruit is fresh and the eggs are cooked to order.


The owner is obviously infatuated with the late Marilyn Monroe and the restaurant and bar is a colorful collage of photographs of her. The rooms are comfortable and reasonably priced. They don't offer wi-fi, but they do have a PC that can be used by guests with free internet access.


If you travel to Costa Rica and plan to spend any time in San Jose, I highly recommend this hotel.


Fred is a permanent resident at the Inn. He is hybrid macaw that was born and bred in captivity.

Dinner Night 1: Grilled Swordfish
Lunch: Chicken Fajita
Dinner Night 2: Black Bean Soup, Hearts of Palm with Blackberry Sauce

Downside: Located next to a well traveled road. The big trucks started about 5 a.m.

Departure: May 16th, 0600

I checked us in for our flight on the 15th to save time at the airport. The drive to the airport takes about 90 minutes. It was uneventful and we made good time.

Airport Parking:

I don't know about your airport, but Hartsfield-Jackson in ATL has a park and ride. We used it for the first time and we will use it again. It's cheaper and the van drives you right to the terminal. No bag drag : )

Upon our return, the van driver checked the parking information provided by the first van driver and took us right to our vehicle. No bag drag and no searching for the Murano in the dark : )

Arrival in San Jose:

We arrived in San Jose on a balmy Friday afternoon (1300 local time). We were excited and ready to start our Costa Rican adventure. Our first stop was to pick up our rental car.

Rental Car:

Rental cars can be expensive by the time you add in the expense of the insurance (collision, tire, and windshield insurance) is recommended. If you don't have nerves of steel, you might consider using public transportation. Buses and taxis are readily available and affordable.

Navigation:

Tico's do not use maps (this information from a local who was kind enough to speak to and help visitors, in very good english I might add). Tico's don't use addresses either; they use landmarks plus they have the advantage of knowing where they are.

Anyway, we quickly got used to the landmark method of navigation . . . McDonalds, KFC, Taco Bell, Pizza Hut, Papa Johns, and Mega Super (Tico version of wal-mart). Street signs are far and few between and are hard to see even when they are posted.

Without notice, streets can change from two-way to one-way. If you are lucky enough to see a sign that reads "No Hay Paso" do not enter. I cannot count the number of times we ended up on a one-way street. Dangerous.

We had relatively good directions to our hotel and we made it without incident, giving us a false sense of confidence in our ability to drive in and navigate in this city.

Other Street Signs:

Alto = Stop

Despacio = Slow

No Hay Paso = One Way

Driving in General:

It's ok to honk your horn. There is a difference in the friendly "I am going to pass you" tap and the "Get the %#&@ out of my way" bleet. You will quickly discover which is which.

It appears to be ok to run red lights, cut in and out of traffic, and turn in front of oncoming traffic. The streets may or may not have lanes. Tico's just drive where they want (at least it felt that way to us) and they are aggressive.

Did I mention that it's a good idea to purchase insurance for your rental car?

T - 12 Hours

Less than 12 hours till departure for Costa Rica. The bags are packed; we are checked in for our flight. Ready to go. Are we really?

emotional

anxious

excited

sad

nervous

prepared

broke

credit card

overeating

happy

medicated

headache

hungry - not

Feeling a bit anxious but not sure why. I hope we aren't getting too old for this. Travel I mean. Anyway not much to say so I will sign off. Come back soon to view pics : )

Down by the River

A couple weeks ago I was walking down by the river on my lunchbreak and I noticed an interesting configuration of tree roots. They looked like a person with arms reaching forward. My mission today was to try and capture the Treemaid. So here she is . . .

I may have to go back with different light. Although the light was good today, not overly bright. From this angle you can very clearly see the arms, head, and torso. Here is a long shot . . .

Several people were fishing. With scoop nets they catch bait fish. In fact, the Cree Indians used to fish in this very spot.

Bloggers Beware . . . XP Antivirus I have found that comments added to my blog by the users Jojosho and Akinol link to and automatically upload of the aobe mentioned spyware. A scan is completed of your system that provides false results, for example worms, viruses, etc. Do not open comments from these users. Delete them. Here are some links I found with more information about this spyware. Informational: http://blogs.stopbadware.org/articles/2008/03/27/alert-xp-antivirus-2008 This link walks you thru the removal process> Pretty helpful if you know just enough about computers to be dangerous: http://www.lancelhoff.com/2008/02/22/how-to-remove-xp-antivirus-protection/ Informational: http://www.symantec.com/enterprise/security_response/weblog/2008/03/yet_another_site_falls_prey_to.html There is a multitude of other references when you google xp antivirus. If this warning saves one fellow blogger, I've done my job. Good luck and happy blogging. bfarr

Planning for Departure

Getting closer to our travel date. I have a tendency to start planning early and TOM just rolls his eyes. I purchased a new cosmetic/travel case today. I plan to build the ultimate travel/first aid kit. As TOM and are not as young as we used to be is it conceivable that one of us (probably me) will get hurt while participating in one activity or another. When we were in Belize 2 years ago I fell in a cave...not a pleasant experience and injured my knee. Anyway, this year I am going to be prepared with the basics. I found this kit list in Conde Nast Traveler: Compartment 1 Personal medication (bring 50% extra) Cold and allergy medication Throat lozenges Nasal decongestant spray Cold and flu medication Tums Pain reliever Hand sanitizer Compartment 2 Eye bandage Antibiotic eye drops and ear drops Sterile eyewash Cotton swabs Earplugs Disposable thermometer Scissors Small flashlight Surgical gloves Lip balm Compartment 3 Band aids Small nonstick dressing Surgical tape, not surgical tape, white electrical tape. Good thing we didn't need it ;-) Burn gel Burn dressings Antiseptic swabs Spray on dressing Ace bandage Steri-strips Sutures Needle holders Syringes Surgical blade Anesthetic Triangle bandage Compartment 4 Insect repellent Insect bite treatment Hydrocortisone cream Water purification tablets Sunblock Oral rehydration packets Dextrose tablets Motion sickness tablets Post Trip Note: No injuries on the trip (I had been in training for quite a while in preparation) However, TOM did get sick so that put a damper on several activities. Highlighted items were those that we actually had in the kit.

Hiking the Pine Mountain Trail

TOM and I went hiking yesterday with our boys and a girlfriend on the Wolfden Loop. We got an early start and saw only 1 group of three hikers on the trail when we started. The trail was in pretty good shape and not too damp in the low areas. The weather was nice and we had a great time.It's been a long time since we did a family activity like this. We stopped for a couple of photo ops along the way. I wish I had brought the tripod so that I could have taken a picture of all of us together.
I was starting to get tired and on the walk back I stepped wrong and turned my ankle. After resting for a while I was ready to go and eat lunch. The round trip took about three hours. We were all quite hungry by the time we got back to the car.
The sandwiches were delicious. The drinks were as cold and refreshing as the water running in the creek. The day was good. We were all pretty quiet on the ride home. I was ready for a nap. But before I did that I iced my ankle and hit the ibruprofen. It definitely paid off. The ankle was stiff this a.m. but it loosened up. No bruising; although there is some swelling. These beautiful flowers remind me that the entire day was worth it.

I found this plan last year and plan to use it as a starting point for our meditation garden. In the area where the bench is located in this illustration will be the back corner of our garden. Other modifications will be made as well.


This is the list of suggested plantings for our part of the country:
A. Eastern redbud (Cercis Canadensis); Alternative: Silverbell (Halesia Carolina) or other small accent tree
B. Hearts-a-bustin (Euonymus americanus); Alternative: Winterberry (hex verticillata) or other specimen plant with winter interest
C. Sugarcane plumegrass (Saccharum giganteum); Alternative: Other tall grass
D. Spoiled horsemint (Monarda punctata); Alternative: Narrowleaf mountain mint (Pycnantheum tenuifolium); non-native options include lavender, sage or rosemary) or other medium-height, scented, woody or herbaceous plant
E. Pussytoes (Antennaria plantaginifolia); Alternative: Non-native options include thyme or other groundcover plant
F. Prairie dropseed (Sporobolus heterolepis); Alternative: Little bluestem (Schyzachirium scoparium) or other small grass

Other Garden Elements:

1. Stone-edged patio (patio surface can be pea gravel, concrete or flagstone)
2. Waterfeature (bowl or fountain)
3. Boulder
4. Bamboo fence, 2’ x 6’ panels
5. Bamboo fence, 2’ x 4’ panels
6. Bamboo fence, 2’ x 2’ panels
7. Candle lantern (or solar light)
8. Stepping stones
9. Entrance
10. Bench

TOM has finsihed the steps up to the garden area. All that's left is to design the compass rose (for the step), fill to level, and plants. Maybe even a fountain. I saw a solar fountain on TV that would be really neat. Maybe a bench of some sort.


Taking the rest of the weekend off. More next time.

Phrases you can be without in Costa Rica

One beer, please Un birra, por favor Where is the bathroom? Donde esta el servicio How much? Cuanto Turn on the [taxi] meter, please Ponga la maria, por favor

Rainy days. . .

Not much going on today. It's 2:00 and I have only been out of my room a couple of times. On one trip out, I saw this very brave squirrel sitting on the back fence (we have two dogs and four cats, two of which are very good hunters). Anyway, he looked so cute I just had to take a photo. So here he is . . .


Maybe tomorrow will be more productive.

The Meditation Garden continues to come together. I have pretty much given my husband carte blanche to do what he wants back there. Pretty suprising because I have very specific ideas about the projects that we work on. He really seems to be enjoying it tho and it's a great way for him to relieve stress.

He got home early and poured the foundation for the compass rose that will be the step up to the 'garden'area.

The compass rose was his idea and will be about 48" in diameter. Now we just have to decide on a design that we both like and is relatively simple to construct. Stencil and paint would be easier and provide more detail than a tile mosaic. Historically, they are blue/green/red on black background.

Here are a couple of examples that I found as a starting point for our design. I especially like this one, but TOM thinks its too busy. This would be very challenging to recreate, but I like it as a starting point for our design.


TOM likes this...as do I. Much simpler design and would be easier to replicate. This example is made of slate which will definitely hold up to the weather.

(I Like to Think) I Saved a Turtle Today!

I go for a walk each day, either during my lunch hour or in the early afternoon to get energized for the rest of the afternoon. Anyway, our campus runs along the river and is a nice place to walk during the spring and fall. In the summer it's a too hot.

Anyway, I was on my way back to work when I spotted a small turtle on the path. Fearing for his life (he was about the size of a 50 cent piece) I picked him up and placed him in the grass on the river side of the path. The rocks in the river are a favorite sunning place for a plethora of turtles. I love to watch them stretch their necks toward the sun as they rest on the rocks.

I pulled this photo from wikipedia until I can post one of my own :)

Update: I took my camera to work today, but the river is up and the rocks used by the turtles sunning are currently submerged. Better luck next time.

Our Bottle Tree:

A bottle tree is a southern garden tradition. The idea is to put bottles on a tree to trap evil spirits. The evil spirits enter the bottle and then they can't find the way out. During the heat of the day, they are destroyed. The bottle tree will be part of the meditation garden that we are building in the back corner of the yard.

We need some fill (about 4 yards, maybe more) and we will need to get creative about how to 'pave' the garden. Do we buy some nice slate, used recycled bricks, or make stepping stones out of concrete? Buying recycled bricks could be almost as expensive as the slate and making stepping stones could be quite labor intensive. I will have to do some more research on our options.

The bottle tree has been moved into position. We plan to cut a door in the back fence to access the area above the retaining wall; as well as hanging lattice panel as a base for some flowering vines ... maybe bouganvilla (sp) or frangipani (sp)...somthing that is pretty and smells good. All this is going on while to plan vacation. I may have to start a new blog for our home improvement projects . . . or maybe not. I have a hard time trying to keep up with this blog.

Later . . .

Check out my Slide Show!

Things to bring:

• Binoculars
• Flashlight
• Camera with extra batteries and SD cards
• Rain gear
• Hiking shoes/boots
• Swim suit
• Light sweatshirt or windbreaker
• Birding list
• Pocket knife
• Insect repellent
• Sunscreen
• Hat
• Day pack
• Plastic bags

We are in the midst of planning the annual vacation. This spring it will be Costa Rica. We are going during the first part of the "Green" read "Rainy" season. Hopefully, it won't be too green as it is still early in the season. We have made our selections as to the parts of the country we want to visit; La Fortuna and Quepos. San Jose (day 1): We plan to spend the first (and last)nite near San Jose. Reservations have been made at the Orquideas Inn. I will let you know about the accomodations upon my return. It looks to be quite a charming hotel and is close to the airport; especially important on departure day. Things to do in the area: The Gold Museum; Cafe Britt Farm (for coffee), La Paz Waterfall Gardens. La Fortuna (days 2 thru 5): Reservations have been made at the Arenal Observatory Lodge. Our room has a view of the volcano. With any luck, we will have the nightly glow of lava from our room. Things to do in the area: Lake Arenal; bird watching; hiking; Cloud Forest; Hanging Bridges; Hot springs. Quepos: (days 6 thru 9): Resversations have been made at the the Mono Azul (the Blue Monkey). I love that name. It is very near Manual Antonio National Park on the Pacific coast. Things to do in the area: the beach; wildlife; horseback riding; canopy tours. No matter what we do, it will be a great time.

June Already

Jeez, I can't believe that it is June. I have not been here in quite a while. Busy with work, etc. Any excuse will do, right? Anyway, I just returned from a week in my home state of Minnesota. It was my parents 50th wedding anniversary and we had a big blowout for them. We were so busy hosting the party that we did not get many pics. Before we left however, I did create a short dvd to give to my parents. It is not long, we played it intermittently at the party.

Living with CRUD!!!

I, like hundreds of thousands of citizens, have been suffering from the CRUD. You know, the stuff that clogs your lungs, sinuses, eustachian tubes (they help you keep your balance by the way), and body aches. Well, I don't really have body aches...just arthritis.

I thought I had managed to dodge the bullet, but I started to get clogged up last week. Anyway, I spent my time and money going to the dr. to have him tell me he wasn't going to give me anything for it...my lungs were not that congested.

I would have to agree, we do tend to take too much medication, especially antibiotics.

Moving on to more interesting topics, I just downloaded some cool music...some new...
1. The Guide; Bourne
2. Starlight; Muse
3. Girl; Beck
4. Fidelity; Regina Spektor

and some not so new:
5. Rocket Man; Elton John
6. Black Hole Sun; Soundgarden
7. Nothing Compares to You; Sinead O'Connor
8. Smells Like Teen Spirit; Nirvana

The ability to download music really is the greatest thing. It used to be that you had to buy the whole damn album or tape or CD and more than 50% of the songs were crap. With downloading, you only buy the music you like. You also have the opportunity to listen to obscure artists that you've never heard of before and discover some real jewels. More bang for your buck!

A couple of weeks ago, I went to Linwood Cemetary to take some shots of the monuments. This cemetary has been around since 1828 (or something like that).

Here are some of the more interesting shots:

People spend lots of money immortalizing family members that are gone. Some of these monuments are very elaborate.

This one is especially pretty. She is missing a finger tho.

I was quite entranced by her. I wish I had wings : )








These next two shots tell quite a sad tale. Two families, two lost children, eight years apart.

And no parents beside them.

I wonder where they ended up?























This next monumuent was provided by the "Woodmen of the World". Quite the phallic symbol. A great big dick. I did not see the resemblance until I loaded it to this blog...don't turn me in ;)

Bye for now.

TGIF

I wish I could have few weeks of Fridays. It would be nice to take some time for myself but I don't see that happening. I'm the Mom, I am not supposed to have time to myself. And it is too early in the year to start taking my vacation days.

I am still scanning family photos. And the end is in sight. I have about nine albums left. but the photos of Hawaii don't have to be scanned...they are already on CD!

To make my life easier, TOM bought me an external hard drive to storel all the photos, music, and important documents. 320 gigabites...it will definitely take a while to fill that up. I love it already. I could tell that my hard drive was getting slower. Can't have that.

Anyway, of my recent scans, these are some of my favs...taken 1979 and 1980. Sounds like a long time ago...



Chip and Dale

Sean, about 6 months old

Sean, about 6 months old

Sean, about 6 months old

Post post comment: I no longer wish my days (my life) away. I take each day and appreciate it for what it is.