Well, our time was up in Nicaragua, and while it had been a blast it was time to head to Costa Rica... First stop was hoping to be Monteverde; we had dropped the rental car off and were now on foot without really knowing how to get there. After a long and stinking hot 4 hour wait at the border (1 on the Nica side, 3 on the Costa) we boarded a bus to Liberia hoping to find a connection there. Fortunately along the way we met an American family who were spending a year in Nicaragua and visiting Liberia for [View Full Entry]

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The first installment in the blog catch-up posts is our visit to Monteverde Cloud Forest. Steve's mom (Linda) arrived from California on Thursday the 6th and we drove up to Monteverde on the following Saturday morning. The 25-mile road off the highway to Monteverde is notoriously bad but they recently paved the first 8 miles so it was not too awful. The vistas are amazing as you climb upward; you can see all the way to the Pacific Ocean. After checking into our rustic but inexpensive accommodations (it was one of the first lodgings constructed by the Quakers who settled there [View Full Entry]

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We have to go to Monteverde. When the McLeod’s visited Costa Rica some 17 years ago they never made it to the famous Costa Rican community of Monteverde because they didn’t have a 4x4. Monteverde has a unique history, climate, geography, ecology, and is very difficult to get to. Therefore people want to go there. Monteverde, means Green Mountain in English, and after spending two nights in Monteverde I wonder what kind of green the name refers to. I'm pretty sure you know it isn't the green that Puerto Viejo is known for and that what I'm talking about is dollars. [View Full Entry]

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The surprises just keep coming, especially when one can only understand approximately 63% of what is being said around them. At this given moment, I understood that we were conversing about Thanksgiving dinner, so I smiled and nodded periodically to convey that I was still “in” on the conversation. Since I knew Crosley or Bull would fill me in on the missing pieces of our discussion later, I surrendered to day-dreaming of Merm’s infamous pecan pie and delightful sweet potato casserole, topped with brown sugary goodness. When they filled me in, I was shocked to find out tha [View Full Entry]

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After an amazing summer on the Vineyard wrapped up with weeks of intense jet-setting, criss-crossing the country, I am ready for a break (or una siesta as my new friends call it). With the help of my non-revenue free-loading airfare specialist, Mr. Kevin John Graham Scott, I was on my way to San Jose for a mere $1.19 (which he so kindly purchased for me. Thanks Kevvy. I owe you a Coke.) I landed one action-packed week ago and the surprises just keep coming. These are the surprises that give me the same great feeling as when you’re scratching a scratch-off [View Full Entry]

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So next stop was Monteverde. As per the last few days it rained pretty much the whole way, although it didn´t stop the views from the lake being rsather interesting. The ´jeep´part of the journey after the lake was our bumpiest trip yet. 2.5 hours of not really staying in your seat. We arrived at what we are told is the best accomodation of our trip, and it is nice. Powerfull hot showers, mmmm. The afternoon was at our leisure so some of us went to the Butterfly farm. This had far more than its name suggests starting with a [View Full Entry]

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Hej Da noget tyder paa, at denne blog ikke er naaet frem til alle, sender vi den igen. Der findes mange forskellige dage, nogle mere serioese end andre. I flaeng kan vi naevne D-dag (invasionen i Normandiet) P-dag og J-dag (paaske og julebryggene paa gaden). Siden sidst har vi fejret Q-dag, som er dagen, hvor den foerste Quetzal blev set. Og hvad er det saa for en stoerrelse ? Det kommer vel ikke helt bag paa de , der stadig laeser vores breve, at det er en fugl. Vi talte lidt om den bagefter og blev enige om, at havde man [View Full Entry]

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Heisann hoppsann! Vi er i Montverde nasjonalpark i Costa Rica. Kom i gaar kveld. Vi har leid oss bil som vi kjoerte fra San Jose for 2 dager siden. De siste 3 milene kjoerte vi paa en utrolig humpete grusvei. Vi kunne ikke tro at veien er i bruk, eller at den foerer til den stoerste attraksjonen i Costa Rica, saa daarlig er den. Heldigvis bestemte vi oss for aa leie en 4hjulstrekker, ellers maatte vi ha snudd. Men de kjoerer baade busser, lastebiler, motorsykler og tom trehjulinger paa "veien" ! Vi bor paa et slitent "hotel". Vi har eget stort [View Full Entry]

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Costa Rica Rocks! This is definitely our favourite so far. First stop was Monteverde, which is a little town in the middle of a cloud forest with the main focus on adventure sports. White water rafting, zip lining through the forest, Tarzan swings etc. We found a great hostel, the best we have stayed in so far, for only $6 per person per night. Nice new rooms, hot water showers, free breakfast, free internet and the loveliest owner, Ronny, who immediately made us feel like part of the family (see the photo of Jason and Daniel, Ronny's son). So off to [View Full Entry]

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After Montezuma we made our way up the gravel road that the locals have refused paving for (to keep the tourism down) to Monteverde (Green Mountain). This place is beautiful and is just rolling hills for miles. We stayed in a farm stay which was great, yesterday we did a canopy zip wire through the forest in the cloud which was amazing followed by suspension bridges, butterfly gardens and a humming bird garden. A proper day out with nature! Photos attached are of me down the Tarzan swing! [View Full Entry]

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