How Not to Leave Costa Rica

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Well, our New Years Eve meal was magnificent. It was us, Antigone & Patrick (2 geologists from Vancouver - I was in Volcano fan heaven), Maggie Jo & Tony (from England) and a couple from Boise (and formerly San Diego). It was a 5 course meal. We started on the patio with vodka and latkes with creme fraiche and caviar (sorry Gab - they outdid you). Then to the table for vegetable and champagne sangria with assorted dim sum. Our next course was fish ceviche with a pinot grigio. Then our main course of turkey with tamarind glaze, potatoes and green beans accompanied by a great Argentinian red. Finally we had a sugar cookie with the best chocolate souffle I've ever had with vanilla ice cream plus champage for toasting as we watched the ball drop in NYC. Seriously - if you ever pass through Alajuela stay at Hotel Pura Vida and eat one of Nhi's outstanding meals. We stayed up till midnight Costa Rica time, enjoying the fireworks that lasted far past midnight.
The local parties carried on long after bedtime, and the loud singing kept me up at times. At 4:30 or so a rooster began announcing the dawn, keeping us both up until he saw fit to stop around 6:30 am.
We enjoyed a light breakfast of fresh fruit and banana cake with coffee before setting off for the airport to return our rental car.
Once at the airport we quickly discovered that our flight had been cancelled. A mere FOUR HOURS later (and we were only about 25 people back in line when we got there - they checked in all the other flights ahead of us and the entire scene was total chaos) we were told that American Airlines couldn't get us back until Thursday morning. Nightmare.
So, armed with an array of vouchers (taxi, hotel, meals) we are now at the Raddison Hotel and Convention Center somewhere between the airport and San Jose trying to enjoy our 3 extra days of vacation. The food here so far has been awful - a lukewarm buffet that made both of us sick. Not much going on besides that. I think tomorrow we will wander into San Jose to explore.

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Photos

The Ramada Herradura
Our new home until AA can get us back to the States....pretty nice, but nothing around other than a mall.