Arenal Volcano

We spent Thursday night at a cute little hotel called Arenal Green.

This is a picture of our cabin

This one, I think, is of the volcano. The clouds were a little low that day.

The owner, Jerome, was wonderful. He spoke to Delta Airlines several times trying to locate our backpacks and, when they arrived after we left, jumped in the truck with the fellow sent to deliver said packs and raced off to meet us at the ferry.

Tropical Rain

Well, here we are waiting out some tropical rain, making use of the free internet connection that came with last night's dinner. We were supposed to be on a night walk, but I guess they figured it was too wet.
The computer we are using appears to be running some flavour of ubuntu, with 4 (?) terminal cards installed. I will want to look into this when we get home... maybe there is a way here to have both Sox and I have a monitor and a keyboard on that kitchen table. We would never have to talk again :-)

Los Dos Amigas

We thought it would be fun to take a taxi, ferry, and horseback ride from Arenal to Monteverde. The picture above is the view from the ferry.
After we landed, a fellow in a jeep picked us up and we went bouncing down one of Costa Rica's speed-reducing roads. After about 15 minutes, he stopped on top of a weir, got out and locked the hubs, then got back in a put the jeep into 4 wheel drive. Tho' that caused a bit of trepidation (I mean, how much worse could it get) the trail across the pastures was not nearly as rough as the roads had been.

I haven't been on a horse for at least thirty years. Compound that with a bum knee and a sprained ankle (I slipped in the shower) I was very stiff the next day.

The views were amazing, but I could not photograph them properly as my horse always wanted to be 'first' and I had to constantly keep her from breaking into a run.
This is the view of the Arenal volcano and a bit of Arenal lake from the opposite side. The top of the volcano is shrouded in cloud.

It was a pity tho' that the guide did not speak English as we had a great many questions. I also would have like photographic evidence of us on horseback.

Spelunking

I have decided I have mental claustrophobia. The Geek and I went to the Venado Caves on Friday (February 15) afternoon.

This is the entrance to the caves. Apparently the farmer, who owns/ed the property on which the caves sit, discovered them by accidentally falling into them.

Some of the creatures who call the cave home.

Jenny and Todd from Orange County, California with Todd threatening to eat a scorpion.

Since I am such a control freak, I couldn't stand the thought of not be able to find my own way out should something happen to the guide.

Never the less, if you can measure fun by the number of bruises acquired. I had a ball. No, really it was a cool experience as some of the mineral formations are amazing, but I can cross it off the list of things I may ever want to do

I am looking slightly crazed in this picture. I am wearing borrowed clothes and they had their own personality. Plus the previously mentioned control freak was having trouble and was ready to leave...10 minutes earlier.

Here is the exit. I was verrryyyy happy to see it!

Here are the bruises, one week later..

Clothing Optional Vacation

Atlanta has a really nice airport.

This mural is composed entirely of business cards.

The backpacks thought it was such a neat airport, that they decided to spend the night. And then, because they missed the highlights of San Jose, they decided to spend the night there as well.
So I guess it wasn't so much 'clothing optional' as 'clean clothes' are optional.
The backpacks finally caught up with us as we were on the boat leaving Arenal. I never thought I would be so happy to see my toothbrush. I considered buying one on Friday but I was so sure our stuff would have caught up, I didn't.
The Fates were laughing!

Saturday Night at Home

Here we are. Another wild and crazy Saturday night!!!

We could be out, but why? It is -26 with a windchill of -42 and a blizzard warning. Brrr. Better to stay at home!

Foreshadowing

Foreshadowing is the literary device in which the author drops subtle hints about plot developments to come later in the story

In an unrelated aside, why are they called 'fins' and not 'swedes' or 'danes'? ;D