It's so easy to fall behind and not report on the day's happenings. By now I've figured out the Spanish keyboard so things should go faster.
After Britt we decided on a trip up Volcano Poas which is not too far from where we are staying. We get there in good time but the crater was filled with fog or clouds - whatever hangs around up there 2500 meters high. On occasion the clouds faded away and I took a few pictures as can be seen on my phanfare site. In general though, it was a big bust and $35/head poorer. On the way back it started with the afternoon rains but we stopped at a roadside restaurant anyway and the server told us we shoud check out the La Paz waterfalls just around the corner. Yes, sure an hour later we finally arrive at a building which was the reception center for the Peace Lodge and Gardens. (www.waterfallgardens.com) By now it was pouring in buckets and we sat in the car for a while. I finally grabbed the umbrella and went inside. I asked about staying there as we needed a nicer place for our anniversary anyway. They showed me the pictures and I pulled out my Am X card no matter how much the cabins were. I wanted to stay and see the place. Again only pictures do these cabins justice. In the morning all was nice and sunny and we started on a private tour of everything they have including a climb on steps and stairs down to the five waterfalls they have on their property. It took us until lunch and we were thouroughly exhausted from the ups and downs during the tour. They gave us a ride in a service bus up to the lodge. The cabin itself was $345 but they forgot to bill us the $45 tour price so all was well.
We then drove back to our condo and picked up a few things to head toward the Hampton Inn and Lodge near the San Jose airport. Again we needed a decent shower and more comfortable lodging. The roosters here at the condo start doing their thing around 4 am and never get a sore throat in the process of waking everybody up. Again, it was raining cats and dogs and we negotiated a dinner date at Denny's across the road under one umbrella. Denny's is quite fashionable here in CR and not inexpensive. My steak was a bit rare but I made up for it with a banana split for desert. I hadn't had one of those in ages. Marlies had her favorite - apple pie a la mode. I was able to catch up on quite a bit of computer work with lots of uploads in the Hampton in the morning after a great breakfast. The place was really nice and cost $160 or so.
The rest of the day we rested except for a walk around downtown Grecia where we bought some supplies and ate dinner at a local joint. Marlies also found a nice little backpack which doubles as a pocketbook. She didn't like carrying her stuff around in a pocketbook bought for the trip as her arms weren't free to hold onto things. Now our passport and whatever other precious things she carries around are safe on her back and her arms free.
Today, on Sunday moring our bones and muscles were sound again and we took off for a trip to the Pacific shore and the rain forest canopy tram. In the morning we'll be out of here and we wanted to hit the southern coast before travelling north towards Arenal volcano.
The trip was a surpise in that we actually came upon a sort of super highway or toll road where we could actually drive 50 mph or faster and not hit a pot hole or something. Rt 27 is new and designed to carry folks from San Jose to the shore. It's all about tourism here. So this new highway cut through the mountains like a knife through butter and we got there in no time flat. But finding the canopy tram was another matter. I could find no entry in the GPS for it. We drove past the signs leading to it several times always assuming it is so many more miles straight ahead not into the boondogs on a small dirt road. I even tried another canopy tour but it was not of the gondola type and at our age swinging along a zip line was not the thing to do. After several passes I finally stopped at a gas station where everybody tried to be helpful but they had simply never heard of the tram. Besides the English may have left something out in translation. But I showed them the guide book and asked them to call the given phone number - no answer. The boss finally found a local guide map for tourists where all the local attractions and businesses are listed including the tram. So now we found the sign pointing up the side road and the map started to make sense. The car bounced and bounced over the rocky road. Between needing shocks and having too much air in the tires - thanks to a worried wife - it was a bad ride indeed. Then we met a bus coming the other way. It somehow was able to get by. At last we knew, this must be it. And severtal kilometers further on we got there. I found a parking place among the busses and tried to by a ticket. Forget it. The only open slot was after 3PM. The clouds were already forming in the sky and we decided to forget it.
We stopped in a Peruvian Bar and Grill for a late lunch and found heavy duty locals (ie upper class) eating big lunches there. I guess it was the main meal on a Sunday. I just wanted something light and ordered Peruvian chicken soup for $10. Nothing is cheap around here. Marlies ordered sweet and sour chicken which she claimed was superb. My soup was a bit hot for my taste but certainly different. Thern we hit the local super market again and went on our way home to ever darkening skys.
The GPS has been really good to us. This time it took me along a way to hell and over. Once I knew something was wrong, it was a bit too late but the thing did not take the nice new highway we came in on. It took me in a bird like direction more up and down then straight ahead. It was the longest 50 km I ever drove up and down every mountain down into the valley where a one lane bridge would cross a creek. And there was lots of traffic ahead and behind me. You couldn't really stop and Marlies was not interested in checking the map. We just simply had no idea where we were without signs we simply kept making switchback turn after turn hoping that some day we'll get out of there. This must have been the old road which they replaced. I imagine it started out as an old ox cart road to bring sugar cane and coffee out of the mountains. I thought my car would stall a few times but in the lowest gear it kept on going.
Eventually we did manage to hit the highway we live on. It knew all along where we wanted to go but forgot about a better way somewhere along the line.
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