Costa Rica

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Costa Rica 2010
While in Annapolis for nephew John Water’s graduation from the Naval Academy in May 2009, we met several fantastic friends of the Waters family, from Nebraska, onboard our M/V Sea Echo which made the voyage from Ithaca New York for the occasion. Tom and Ann Schlosser, in casual conversation, invited us to Costa Rica and my bride, Patricia readily accepted. That cleared me to make the arrangements, no arm twisting required.

In November I began getting itchy to get south, as in Central America, as in Costa Rica.
11/09/2009 - Arrange Flights - Time to burn up some frequent flier miles. I got us 4 first class round trip tickets from Philadelphia to San Jose, Costa Rica on Delta.
Booked a house in Manuel Antonio http://www.manuelantoniovacationrentals.com/node/135
Arranged for a charter sail boat http://www.sailingcharterscostarica.com/
Arranged for a charter fishing trip http://www.caribseasportfish.com/
All arrangements being made we could sit back and wait for departure. Not before a trip to New Bern (January 14th through 17th) to check on M/V Sea Echo. Sea Echo was brought to New Bern in October (Oct 1st departed Ithaca arriving in New Bern Oct 14th). We had good weather there and were more than ready to get further south.

After waiting, working, arranging schedules, waiting and working some more; the day finally arrives. We have a flight out of Philadelphia on Feb 10th, returning Feb 17th.

02/09/2010 - We drive to Philly, a nice day for a drive. The trip is @ 3 hours and we get to the Crowne Plaza downtown Philly - getting stoked and talking about going out to an Irish Pub for dinner. We get checked into 2 Rooms in the Crowne Plaza on Priority Points, I really love these “free” things. We are there about 2 hours when the Philadelphia Airport (PHL) closes.
Delta says they can get us out on Monday the 15th. That is way too short of a vacation. I start working on getting back to Syracuse - however that would go through Detroit and DTW has closed and expects to be closed Wed. Delta advises that we can get out of Newark. We check out of the Crowne Plaza and hire a limo to Newark ($300.00). En route I make reservations for the Crowne Plaza at Newark Airport ($199.00 per room / night). EWR closes and our flights canceled shortly after arriving. Delta says they can get us out Sunday. We stay overnight hoping that the morning would bring something of a miracle.

02/10/2010 - Morning brings snow and expecting significant snow throughout the day. I spend all day on the computer / phone. Delta is unable to get us out of Newark. Crowne Plaza says we have to leave. I am way past my level of tolerance and contact Priority Club. Platinum Services contacts the front desk and tells them to smarten up and they get us to stay in our rooms.
While several NE Airports are closed the Federal FAA website has no clue what is happening as it clearly shows not even 15 minute delays ANYWHERE…..

02/11/2010 - Delta says that we should get to Charleston, WV for the noon flight to Atlanta - and we can get the later flight to SJO out of Atlanta. Get a rental car and drive to Charleston, WV. I Brian and I take the airport shuttle to the airport and get a Hertz car. No 4 wheel vehicles are available. We go to the motel and pick up Patty and Jamie - off we go for an 8 hour drive. The roads in and around Newark are fantastic. They are clear and dry. Throughout the trip we encounter some whiteout conditions, road closures, traffic delays and it is just not fun. We all persevere.
Delta required that we purchase tickets to fly from Charleston, WV to Atlanta. Flight Record CUBIVX - @$2,000.00 for the 4 tickets. I will get that back from Delta.
2200 - Arrive in Holiday Inn. Pat and boys go down to restaurant. I am back on the computer. I no sooner log into Delta and I get a NOTICE - Flight Canceled. I am really distraught and utterly in disbelief. My fight intensifies and I head to the restaurant to tell Pat and boys. They all believe I am making it up and don’t think it is funny, I agree. What a level of depression! I go back to work on Delta via the internet. I get through to Elite Services and Christian is very sympathetic and extremely helpful. However the first flight at 0705 flight has only 3 seats and the later flight may be cancelled due to the storm expected to run through Houston and arrive into Atlanta before mid morning tomorrow. We are just speechless. Somewhere @ midnight I get an email indicating that Christian was able to get us all on the 0705 flight. Now we can sleep….sort of.
It was around 0400 when I awoke and had a thought about the email I received….in the body of the email it had a message containing an 800 number to call and confirm receipt of the email. I never paid any attention to that and for the life of me cannot describe how it was that this is what woke me. Anyway - I am all panicked and trying to call that number and working on the computer simultaneously trying to confirm those tickets / seats. How could I let everyone down at this point, after all we have been through and I failed to follow through with a simple thing as making a phone call to confirm this “gift”? I finally get through and they are confirmed - had already been - I believe Christian may have pulled this off knowing that I would somehow get the email and get to the airport.

02/12/2010 - We drive to the airport, Jamie returns the rental car while Pat and I are checking in. The ticket agent is all confused, things do not go right and she is having all kinds of problems. OK - so we can get on the flight to Atlanta, I ask about the flight from Atlanta to San Jose, Costa Rica and she knows nothing of that. Somehow those tickets were cancelled. I am so pissed but somehow I do not let her know that. I calmly inform her that the whole reason we left our house 3 days ago was to go to Costa Rica. She asks why we don’t fly out of Atlanta on the earlier flight. I say OK and she cancelled our later flight. She then tells me that she is having problems and cannot get us our boarding passes on the earlier flight. She tells me that I can take care of that in Atlanta to which I calmly explain to her that we have less than 20 minutes to get from our arrival gate and over to the departure gate. She says the boarding passes will be waiting for us at the gate…..clearly she has not ever flown on one of these airplane things before… She is so convincing - she says she will be working on it while we are in the air…..
We arrive in Atlanta - run to gate. Boarding passes require some work…..hush the word - not knowing if we can get on the flight - they are boarding and nearly complete when we get our boarding passes. I leave Pat, Brian and Jamie behind as I cut to the front of the line and get my ass on that plane. Let them try and leave now, this plane will go nowhere until Pat, Brian and Jamie are on board! They all make it. We are all very comfortable in our big seats in the front of the plane. Yes I will have that Mimosa! Everyone sleeps through most of the flight. With about 30 minutes left in the flight I order a double shot of Jack on the rocks - one for me and one for Jamie, Brian had a beer and we toasted our success, we toasted perseverance and we toasted being together through the tough times and getting ready for some good times!
We arrive in Costa Rica just before 1300. We gather up our luggage and get out front. After a short wait we are met by the driver. We drive 3 hours to Manuel Antonio stopping to get some provisions which included some ice cold beers. Finally - we are in Casa Vista. Susan meets us. We go through the house and arrange to meet tomorrow morning. The rental car will arrive tomorrow.

What a Place!!!
2030 - Everyone in bed.
2100 - Suddenly Patty and I are awaken by Brian and Jamie are yelling loudly - Brian runs into our room screaming about someone breaking in…..here we go……I have no idea where I am. All the lights are on, Brian is freaking out; Jamie has a strange look on his face……What IS Going On????? Apparently Brian saw a flashlight shining outside one of the 305 sliding glass doors and alerted Jamie. Together they confronted the person / persons with loud aggressive action. The person / persons fled.
Slowly I get the information, compose myself and methodically gather up my cell phone and try to concentrate on who to call, how to call them and what to say…..I get a hold of Heather (the Property Manager) and her first question was “ are you sure it was not the security guard?” My reply is “what security guard and if it was the security guard why would he run away?” She says get off the line; she will call the security guard and see what is going on. Heather calls back within 1 minute - as she was on the phone with me she was getting beeped - it was the security guard - he was saying that he thinks he alerted the client……Good Night.

02/13/2010 - Pat and I are up early, as in 0600 local time. Committing to a relaxing day. Start off with some fresh coffee and pastries, fruit. Susan was great in getting some provisions into the house. Fresh ground coffee, several different pastries, bananas, pineapple, watermelon and cantaloupe were all here waiting for us. We are very comfortable on the deck.

We all agreed - we could spend all day, several days, here on the multiple decks, infinity pool and the endless scenery coupled with the 85 degree weather.
Brian and I take our maiden voyage in the little jeep up the hill and into town. Driving a stick shift is easy when you know how. We get some Hot dogs, rolls and beer for an afternoon cookout.
0900 - Susan (our personal concierge) and Rigo the maintenance man arrive. Later Jovita, the maid arrives. I could live like this forever. Patty agrees. Neither of us can believe that we finally made it. Me; I can only think how I would be feeling if I were at home right now - not having made it.
Brian and James are up and we all settle into a no stress / no effort day in the pool. Not before Jamie discovers a scorpion in his gym bag. After a call to Susan - we are advised that the scorpions are not fatal; just like a bee sting. So I surgically remove the critter, outside and cleave it into bite size pieces. Jamie still believes that the scorpion was actually a lobster, a Maine Lobster at that.



I get the grill fired up and Jamie cooks the dogs and Chorizo sausages. We find out after it is all cooked that each Hot Dog / sausage is individually wrapped in plastic…..takes some effort to get the plastic off - they still taste ok. After a full day in the pool and an unforgettable walk to the beach; we are all beat, yet never feeling more alive. The sun and sea; the wonders they work.
We are all in bed early, as in 830 pm.

02/14/2010 - Pat and I are up early; our private breakfasts are what we really enjoy. Later I am summoned to the first floor bathroom. Brian was on the throne and could see a giant tarantula watching him from under the sink vanity. I employ a towel to move the massive beast to an open area and proceed in popping it on the floor with Brian’s flip flop. It was big enough to eat - if you were so inclined. We all drive around and find our way to the pier so the early fishing trip is easier tomorrow. Susan delivers some shrimp, chicken, salad fixings and water. Pat and I spend some time in preparing the dinner for tonight when Tom, Ann, Amy and Sarah Schlosser will be our guests at Casa Vista.
I received an email from Terry, owner of Anastasia - our sailing charter; Sailing is cancelled due to a blown seal. There is a joke to that effect….it was only frost.
A major thunderstorm rolls in around 4:00 pm. What a major storm. The Schlosser’s arrive by cab @ 6:00 pm. We have a great time. Tom and Ann are blessed with lovely daughters. Michael is fishing with Buba and we will meet him later in the week.

02/15/2010 -. We are able to get fishing charter for today. We chartered the Caribsea, a 46 foot sport fisher out on Manuel Antonio. We were on the dock by 0700 and on board by 0730. We went out @ 35 miles. We had great expectations as Tom had heard that a boat yesterday hooked 17 sailfish. Our day was not that way, not for a lack of trying. The Capt - Orlando, Pepe the first Mate, Jose the crew man kept the bait in the water throughout the day. We had 8 lines in the water and everything was in place except the fish. That is how it goes; sometimes. The lasagna lunch, a couple beers and the sun / sea were perfect. Tom will have a better day tomorrow.

02/16/2010 - Up again early - with my bride. Susan had an email to me asking for my flight information to arrange for the driver to get us to the airport in time; we have to be at the airport @ 3 hours ahead of the flight. I get on line with Delta and see that my flight reservation “HAS NO MORE TICKETS FOR THIS RESERVATION”. Well that is just perfect. I call Elite Services and they say that my return ticketing was cancelled…. OK by me….where will Delta put me to live? Delta cancelled our return tickets. I spent an hour at long distance getting that resolved. This should be charged to Delta. I am finally told that it is all resolved. I pass the info to Susan. The driver will be here 0800 tomorrow. Susan will be here between 0730 and 0745 tomorrow for checkout.
Jamie and I commence in getting rid of the beer. Before noon I take a drive up to Ronnies, actually this is to give Brian a driving lesson, get 12 beers to go and confirm the dinner deal. Brian did a great job driving the jeep, manual transmission with me on the parking brake as required.
Somewhere before 1500 Jamie goes on a mission, while Patty is getting her facial, all set up overlooking the deck / pool / sea while her favorite music is playing on the phone system. Jamie’s mission was to hump it up the hill, get 12 beers and get back before Patty knows he is gone. Mission accomplished.
We head up to Ronnie’s, Brian driving, around 6:00pm. I believe the Schlosser’s arrived before 7:00 pm. Tom gets the margaritas ordered up. We enjoy cevechie and margaritas. Sarah arrived within the hour and we all have a great time. The Mahi Mahi was prepared 2 ways; blackened and grilled. We all, minus Patty, Sarah and Jamie, ate the fish - the others having steak / chicken. We rolled out of there by 10 pm. We collectively could not have eaten ½ of the fish; Ronnie’s Place got the rest.

02/17/2010 - Up early, coffee and fruit. Susan arrived and we closed out. Susan was wonderful and we look forward to seeing her again as we have already decided to return.
The driver arrives at 0800 and we are off to the airport. We stopped along the way and we all picked up some stuff; me a carved wooden mask; Patty got some Rose Wood placemats,; Jamie some carved wooden lizards; Brian some stuff. Back in the van and to the airport. I get to the ticket counter and the damn tickets are a disaster. Who would have thunk that? Long delay in getting it straightened out but alas we are with boarding passes in hand. We get into Atlanta and onto Philadelphia. We arrived in Philly and took a cab to the Crowne Plaza - where it all started.

02/18/2010 - Pat and I are up, have breakfast and go to the parking facility to recover the car. We drive to the motel and pick up Jamie and Brian. Drive home seemed long, arriving home @ 1545. Pat ran down to get the dogs and we settle in, HOME, missing Costa Rica already.
Throughout my life I have traveled extensively, often into faraway lands where seldom before Americans have been. Never have I had such an ordeal re travel / cancellations / mishaps with ticketing. I am very aware that the storm system that hit the east was a freak, our timing was such that we had to go on or lose everything paid up front, which was the whole trip / house. If nothing else I will let this serve as a reminder that perseverance coupled with commitment to succeed; will get you through.

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Photos

Departue
Philly Closed

Casa Playa Vista
Casa Playa Vista

Casa Playa Vista
Casa Playa Vista

Pool Time
Jamie and Brian in the infinity pool

View of the cove
View of the cove

Feeling the warmth
Bob, Jamie and Brian

Hanging out
Hanging out

Tom and Ann
Tom and Ann - best dressed couple in all of Costa Rica

Caribsea Fishing
Caribsea Fishing

Jamie
Jamie looking for the next big fish

Brian with Dinner
Brian with Dinner