 Mark Bortman - TheBortmans | All Comments |
Mark Bortman - TheBortmans | All Comments |
Comments | |
| 7th May 2006 eli | at long last - From: Busy, busy Trip Nice to get a travelblog at long last. I know we've talked on the phone and via skype a few of times, and we enjoy those conversations, but we don't get all the details that show up in the blog. So, keep both the skype and the blogs coming. Also, how come Ellie and Schuyler look so serious in the photo of the two of them? |
| 1st May 2006 Ron | Hoping to learn more - From: The Birthday Month Celebration I don't know the Bortman's and stumbled across the entries here but have followed their adventure with great interest as I've contemplated doing the same. Hope to learn more soon and that all is well. A cyber friend. |
| 7th April 2006 Adina | Happy Birthday Ellie - From: The Birthday Month Celebration Wow, Dara, if Cramer's or McCaffrey's can't make it, then my kids aren't going to have it! Now I know who to turn to for great-looking cakes! I'm glad that Ellie had such a special birthday. Miss you all... |
| 7th April 2006 Dalete, Dave, Dani, Adam, and Maya | Happy Birthday - From: The Birthday Month Celebration Happy Birthday Ellie! Sorry we missed your birthday... Looks like both parties were a blast. Great job on the cake, Dara . Keep enjoying your adventure and having fun. We miss you. Fairfield is not the same without you. Thanks for the Blogs updates - we love reading them. The Gellers. |
| 3rd April 2006 Tracey Magee & family | Happy Birthday Eliana!! - From: The Birthday Month Celebration Finally found the time to enjoy your latest blog! Loved the photos! What a wonderful birthday celebration sounds like you guys had a lot of fun - after 2 fun-filled parties Eliana must feel very celebrated! Dara as creative as ever...loved the cake and the Bikini Bottom decor! You guys seem to have really adapted to life over there. Don't get too settled/attached we miss you over here... |
| 3rd April 2006 The Klingsporns | HAPPY BIRTHDAY, ELIANA! - From: The Birthday Month Celebration We enjoyed reading about your wonderful birthday celebration and seeing the happy pictures. What a great way to turn 5 years old. It's a birthday you'll never forget. |
| 21st March 2006 Eileen Cove | - From: Our Volcano Adventure Wow, those views are amazing!!!!! It looks like you are having the time of your lives. Continue to enjoy. We love the updates. Stay well. We miss you, Eileen, Mitch and Lauryn |
| 16th March 2006 The Johnsons | - From: Incredible Waterfalls and more So cool! Right up our line with frogs, waterfalls, birds and loved the volcano adventure. Always a treat to read the latest! Must say I'm amazed how "worldly" the kids look. They are so fortunate to have this experience. |
| 10th March 2006 Rae Koosman | - From: Our Volcano Adventure The pictures were fantastic!! You all look great and happy. Haven't heard from you ihn a while so this was a real treat. We miss you! |
| 9th March 2006 TheBortmans | Wow, a picture in a comment! - From: Our Volcano Adventure Hello Liz, Good to hear from you. How did you get the picture in the comment? Great picture, by the way. Dara, Mark, Ari and Eliana |
| 9th March 2006 Liz Petty | looks like fun! - From: Our Volcano Adventure I visited Poas with Alvaro but it was all fogged over that day. Looks beautiful! Say hi to the kids. I hope your adventure continues to be amazing! liz  |
| 9th March 2006 Art F | Volcano - From: Our Volcano Adventure Wow! What a treat. Art |
| 9th March 2006 David | - From: Our Volcano Adventure Hope all is going well in back in Randolph, bummed we didn't see Dara. My brother just returned from CR and loved it. He supposedly was down there to look at real estate (though I think he spent most of the times in the casinos) and was surprised at how built up (and therefore expensive the north was) so he's going to return again to head south. I like the concept of having family offshore in case I ever need to go on the lam. |
| 21st February 2006 Emily Lyons | HI - From: Ellie Back to School Hi my name is Emily and I was online looking at Costa Rica, I love the country although I don't know a ton about it. I came across your site for some reason and your adventure sounds amazing. I am wondering how you found a host family. I am a single mom from Minnesota and I want to go on an adventure with my son. I was thinking of renting an apartment but I am also concidering a host stay instead. I am just wondering if you would mind e mailing me and letting me know what service you went through or how you went about finding a trustworthy family to live with. Why did you choose to stay with a family and not rent? Do you know of anyone in Costa Rica looking to host? My e mail is lyon0169@metnet.edu. Thanks, any info you can share would be great! Emily |
| 20th February 2006 Bobby & Terri Fink | A wonderful experience - From: Ellie Back to School Dara & Mark, Ari & Ellie, what a wonderful experience you are having! We've enjoyed your entries and can only imagine how positive this experience must be for the kids. We will continue to follow your adventures!! Oh, and we are keeping an eye on your house....literally.....everyday!! :) |
| 15th February 2006 Adina | Karate - From: Whew, what a week (part 2) Josh is a black belt in tang soo do and it changed his life. It made him more self-confident and less shy. It's a great sport! |
| 14th February 2006 Andy | please send video - From: Whew, what a week (part 2) Jared took Karate - I'd love to see the videos about Ju-Jitso in Costa Rica |
| 12th February 2006 eileen and lauryn | awesome - From: Whew, what a week (and this is just the first day)! Well, you may be up to midnight but it is worth it, we enjoy reading everything that you are all doing. Lauryn even asks me to print out the pictures of Ellie because she misses her. We got a lot of snow in Bucks County today ( Sun. Feb.12)We have anywhere from 12-20inches depending on some drifts. Anyway, enjoy yourselves and we look forward to reading more on your travel expirence. And Ellie, good luck with school. |
| 12th February 2006 TheBortmans | Snakes - From: Whew, what a week (and this is just the first day)! We haven't seen any Fer de Lance snakes, but we'll keep our eyes open. There was a story on the news the other day about a guy getting bitten by a snake. We couldn't catch what kind of snake it was, or where in the country it was, but he seemed fine -- must not have been a poisonous one. |
| 11th February 2006 Barbara | snakes - From: Whew, what a week (and this is just the first day)! Keep the blogs coming, i so enjoy them! I was watching a program on PBS a few nights ago and they highlighted the Fer de Lance - a nasty snake they say is indigenous there. They also say they are coming into the towns because their natural habitat is being destroyed. Have you seen any? |
| 11th February 2006 eli | weather - From: Whew, what a week (and this is just the first day)! So sorry to hear that it was 'cold and dreary with rain on and off all day' one day last week. I sent you (a little earlier today) the weather report for Yardley -- 10-13 inches of snow expected. It's 25 in Boston today and we're going to get 12-18 inches of snow starting tonight. So -- tell us more abut how cold and rainy it was. |
| 9th February 2006 TheBortmans | To the Millers - From: First Week of School Hi guys - It's great to hear from you and we'd love to help you in any way we can, but we don't know how to reach you! If you click on the Contact the Bortmans button, it'll send us an e-mail and then we can reply and just e-mail back and forth. We look forward to hearing more about your upcoming adventure! |
| 3rd February 2006 TheBortmans | To the Millers - From: First day of school… Hi guys - It's great to hear from you and we'd love to help you in any way we can. If you click on the Contact the Bortmans button, it'll send us an e-mail and then we can reply and just e-mail back and forth. We look forward to hearing more about your forthcoming adventure! |
| 3rd February 2006 TheBortmans | We miss you - From: Beautiful Birds! Adina, you are too funny! We miss you and everyone back in Yardley. |
| 3rd February 2006 doug | getting a preview of CR - From: First day of school… Thanks for your using travelblog, it has given me invaluable insite for my future visit to Costa Rica. I know from my own experience that it is a bit of work to keep a log/diary every day - so thanks! |
| 2nd February 2006 shannon | our family wants to do what you did... - From: First day of school… hi bortmans..we are the millers (shannon37, craig40, cole, 13, jack4 and georgia3) and we are heading to CR in october hopefully for a year...how did you decide on the town you are in? |
| 2nd February 2006 Adina | My take on birds - From: Beautiful Birds! My first experience with birds on me, close to me and around me was when I was 11 at Busch Gardens. My parents thought it would be cute to get a picture of me with the parrot that talked. The parrot sat on my shoulder. I had overalls on. The bird picked off all of my buttons and broke my overalls so that I looked like Corduroy all day. And that, my faraway friend, is MY bird story. |
| 31st January 2006 Rae Koosman | - From: Beautiful Birds! You did a great job describing your visit to the "bird place". Mark taught you well! |
| 31st January 2006 Robin | - From: Beautiful Birds! No offense to Mark, but it was nice to hear about the surroundings from a female point of view. I could really image the vivid colors of the birds - of course the pictures really helped, too! |
| 31st January 2006 Marilyn | beautiful birds and family - From: Beautiful Birds! It is such fun to follow your adventures! Miss you all...... |
| 30th January 2006 Cousin Bev | Yeesh - From: First day of school… If MY brain cells were scrambled with all the options for schools, I can only imagine how confusing it was for you guys. But, I think you went about the job carefully enough, and have made the right decision. Of course, time will tell. |
| 30th January 2006 Dman | - From: First day of school… I knocked out the New Generation school solely on the name. |
| 29th January 2006 Linda | lol - From: Our luck runs out... This one had me laughing out loud! Miss you all. |
| 29th January 2006 Jon-A-Thon | Lovin' it - From: Our luck runs out... Keep it up Mark. Great stuff! |
| 29th January 2006 The Johnsons | Oh the suspense! - From: Our luck runs out... The suspense was killing me! Couldn't wait to read the continuation and so happy to hear you are all safe. You are such a descriptive writer! A joy to read and love the pictures/Dara's comments : ) |
| 28th January 2006 Rae Koosman | Eternal Optimist - From: The sun, the surf, the scarlet macaws, and the sign! Your closing remarks seems so ominous - "our luck is changing" - that I'm kinda worried. We're going to Florida tomorrow 1/29 and hope to pick up your next blog there. I'm hoping that it really isn't anything bad. Love, Rae |
| 27th January 2006 Marcy, Craid, Jenna and Jordana | gorgeous sunsets - From: The sun, the surf, the scarlet macaws, and the sign! Wow! Ellie's hair is getting so long! It's so amazing to see how the kids seem to have already grown so much!!! Harder to see it in the few internet cafe videoclips we've managed so far. I love the pictures of the kids in the sunsets... they look almost professional... except for the mud of course. We can't wait to see you all in a few months. |
| 25th January 2006 The DMan | - From: At the Beach So happy you slowed down so I could catch up. Waiting for client information for year end filings (Dara, remember Public Accounting) is a great time to read Bortman blogs. I'll distill the thousand comments I have from reading about your last 2 months into 3: your tales of driving around off road reminded me of our visit to Belize when we went through 3 rental cars because we kept breaking the axles; can't wait to show Maddie & Soph the picture of Ari with the toucan - they loved them down in Aruba (which is about as immersed as we get in a foreign country); will pass on your comments to the next American I hear complaining about how stamps went up 2 cents. Big OTB party in NYC next month that Rachel agreed to go to (even though it is her birthday) so I'll make sure to write. I know Mark must be suffering from OTB withdrawal by now! |
| 21st January 2006 David and Dalete Geller | - From: At the Beach What a great life experience for all of you. We miss you but are so happy for you. Keep up the Blog writting, you are doing a great job (and we get a chance to live vicariously through you). The kids really enjoy the pictures of Ari and Ellie and ask about them often. The Gellers. |
| 17th January 2006 Alvaro del Castillo | Hola Mark - From: At the Beach Hola Familia Como estan todos?, Pura vida! Espero verlos pronto en Asis para visitar el volcan Arenal. Magdalena y su familia les envian saludos. Abrazos, Alvaro Proyecto Asis www.institutoasis.com |
| 15th January 2006 The Johnsons | Amazing! - From: At the Beach WOW This is TOTALLY amazing!! So glad to hear you are all fine and having a wonderful adventure! Your travel blog was so fascinating to read! Can't wait for your next entry! Happy New Year! Susan, Glenn, Jay and Marc |
| 14th January 2006 Eileen Cove | - From: At the Beach Wow, I am jealous. Your trip sounds amazing. You may be a slave to your computer but writing these memories down will last a life time. Everyday when I go to the computer Lauryn asks me if there are any new pictures of Ellie and her family. So we thank you for your hard work in keeping us updated. Have fun!!! Love, Eileen |
| 14th January 2006 eli | map - From: At the Beach Well, I finally took the time (all of a minute, actually) to find a map of Costa Rica so that I could better follow your travels. For the benefit of your other readers http://centralamerica.com/cr/maps/mapcosta.htm is the first one I looked at. I can click on the national map and zoom in to see Alajuela and Jaco, and see just what you were describing. So, keep the news coming, especially now that I can follow along with a map. |
| 13th January 2006 Just Jen | Great Blog! - From: Settling in in Heredia Stubbled across your blog while working on mine. We are moving to Costa Rica in about a week from Tempe, Arizona with our 9yr old daughter. I'll enjoy reading your blogs & comparing our adventures. Pura Vida! |
| 10th January 2006 TheBortmans | about impromtu shops - From: Settling in in Heredia Another comment on a comment -- Good point Barbara & Hal. Downtown here does remind me a little of the Mission District. I was just thinking about how things would be received back in Yardley. If we even let our grass get too long we hear about it. |
| 10th January 2006 eli | commenting on a comment - From: Unforgettable Christmas I think your commenting on a comment is a nice touch -- makes the blog a little more conversational. Keep it up. |
| 10th January 2006 Barbara & Hal | Impromptu Shops - From: Settling in in Heredia We know exactly what it's like to have a nearby garage or sidewalk suddenly become a shop! We live in the Mission District of San Francisco! Mark, is that how you're going to sell flowers? Go for it! |
| 7th January 2006 marcy | hospitality - From: Unforgettable Christmas all i can say is "wow!" i hope the kids realize how lucky they are to have these opportunities because you guys are really special! can you ever imagine jenna on a horse???!!! |
| 7th January 2006 Marilyn | Terrific photos - From: Unforgettable Christmas I am so in awe of your following this dream. I wish we had the opportunity to do something like this when the children were small. Be well. We miss all of you. |
| 7th January 2006 Adina | - From: Unforgettable Christmas My kids are looking at your pictures and reading your blog and they say that they could never do this - they are not that flexible! They are afraid of horses and most farm animals, they think swimming with a flashlight is unbelievable and they don't like ham and cheese. Your kids are great because you are wonderful parents. |
