http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Costa-Rica/Guanacaste/ Travel adventures in journals and photos from Central America Caribbean , Costa Rica , Guanacaste en-us Sun, 12 Oct 2008 19:30:10 BST Sun, 12 Oct 2008 19:30:10 BST Well we have just been doing. A little of this some of that. Nothing really interesting. We had friends over for diner the other night was good fun not only to have them over but to be able to host people in our house. I made my what would normally be called green chili chicken cheese enchiladas fresh corn chips guacamole and an apple crisp world have gone for the apple pie but no pie pan or r http://www.travelblog.org//Central-America-Caribbean/Costa-Rica/Guanacaste/Playa-Flamingo/blog-333033.html Hola Pura Vida Costa RicaPieces of advice avoid rainy season it rains practically every single day avoid buying anywhere in Tamarindo better go to the supermarket with Buddha statues we think it's called Auto Mercado or something like that right before entering Tamarindo bring lots of sunblock and insect repellent bring your camera everywhere and DO NOT miss surfing or surf les http://www.travelblog.org//Central-America-Caribbean/Costa-Rica/Guanacaste/Tamarindo/blog-332113.html Here are some pictures of the new house. I really canrsquot even explain the difference its making in lowering the stress level. So much better just being able to shower make food and keep stuff in the fridge. I spent an hour cutting up fresh fruits and veggies yesterday. Made chicken enchiladas for diner kids loved them.Got up this morning had French toast and sausage for breakfast and were ou http://www.travelblog.org//Central-America-Caribbean/Costa-Rica/Guanacaste/Brasilito/blog-331163.html Irsquoll admit it. Hell right now I really donrsquot care what you call it cuz I just had the first good shower since Irsquove been in Costa Rica. Oh man it was sooooo nice. And now I can do that every day So I give up on the really roughing it. We had to get out of that house for all the reasons listed shower electrocuting me infested with ants no fridge broken everything shower soaked http://www.travelblog.org//Central-America-Caribbean/Costa-Rica/Guanacaste/Playa-Flamingo/blog-330775.html Well we have been hit with some rains yesterday we got pounded and at school pick up time it was an interesting display of community ingenuity and a smidge of organized chaos. Brazlito lies just south about 1.5 km of flamingo on the main road to everything. Sometime yesterday the bridge started to go. At one point they were only letting pedestrians cross this meant kids who go to La paz Kileyrs http://www.travelblog.org//Central-America-Caribbean/Costa-Rica/Guanacaste/Brasilito/blog-330226.html Wow it's been 4 years since my last trip. Almost forgot my password to this site. Well this blog will be a few days jammed into one.I left for Costa Rica on Sept 25th and had 2 lay overs. There's not really any direct flight to CR so I would recommend limitting your layovers. When I first purchase my ticket I thought 2 lay overs including 3 hours at each airport wouldn't be bad but until you http://www.travelblog.org//Central-America-Caribbean/Costa-Rica/Guanacaste/Tamarindo/blog-329874.html Just wanted to get up some pictures of the house and the kids donrsquot be fooled thinking itrsquos not clean or I have not unpacked all the stuff on the counters well thatrsquos called organized storage. There is very limited storage space no closets really and not much for cabinets. Broom in the corner thatrsquos called put away Towel on the doorknob thatrsquos called hanging up to d http://www.travelblog.org//Central-America-Caribbean/Costa-Rica/Guanacaste/Playa-Flamingo/blog-329394.html We have gotten all moved into the house itrsquos a bizarre little tico house. We are calling it a tico house as it was built by ticos. They must have just started in one corner with a brick and gone from there with no real plan in mind. Kids have a bedroom that I think someone might have had a glimmer of a thought of making it two bedrooms. Only put one door thankfully so itrsquos a long ov http://www.travelblog.org//Central-America-Caribbean/Costa-Rica/Guanacaste/Liberia/blog-328819.html So quite honestly this last week Costa Rica has totally been kicking my ass. This weekend was rough think things started when the fridge went out for no real reason. Maybe the electricity going on and off it just didnrsquot stay cool for a day. Was dinnertime diner was half cooked but when I got to the cheese and it was warm and gooey I gave up. Knew the fridge was not working It was rainin http://www.travelblog.org//Central-America-Caribbean/Costa-Rica/Guanacaste/Playa-Flamingo/blog-327101.html Well I have not been reporting much as there has not been much going on. We are going to be living in the smaller two bedroom cheaper house. The other house is not going to be vacant for a few months and I really at this point dot see the point of planning to move more than once. Will start making plans for moving and getting things squared away on the other house.I got to help in Kileyrsquos c http://www.travelblog.org//Central-America-Caribbean/Costa-Rica/Guanacaste/blog-325680.html Hola Well we are now at our final destination on the adventure tour. Arrived at Playa Ocotal this morning and have been relaxing in the 5 swimming pools and jacuzzi and appreciating the cable flatscreen TV balcony with panoramic views of the ocean and amazing air conditioningWe left Monteverde this morning where we went zip lining and hiking in the cloud forests. I will put pictures up when I g http://www.travelblog.org//Central-America-Caribbean/Costa-Rica/Guanacaste/Playas-del-Coco/blog-324424.html Independence Day Irsquoll start here and work backwards through our weekend. Today Monday September 15 is Independence Day. We had stuff for all the different ages throughout the weekend. Ending with a parade this morning. There was a run at midnight last night with torches best I have it with no real research is this. Costa Rica won its independence but it took a full two weeks for word to r http://www.travelblog.org//Central-America-Caribbean/Costa-Rica/Guanacaste/Brasilito/blog-324298.html A house decision has been madehellip. Dad you will be proudhellip economics has won and craigslist has won out. Itrsquos actually a long story I will try to shorten itrsquos a house I found on craigslist a two bedroom one bath pretty small with a pool. I contacted the lady on CL she said it was managed here I Surfside to contact them and they would show it to me. I did and it was a mess to http://www.travelblog.org//Central-America-Caribbean/Costa-Rica/Guanacaste/Playa-Flamingo/blog-323514.html Irsquom thanking the world for giving me today. Let me lay out my day. I was awakened by the kids about 10 min before the alarm I got up and made simple pancakes in an old pan on a little stove. Served them with syrup and pineapple juice. Made Kileyrsquos lunch while munching on fresh mangos and papaya. Took Kiley off to a school she adores to see friends she loves in all grades. She has budd http://www.travelblog.org//Central-America-Caribbean/Costa-Rica/Guanacaste/Playa-Flamingo/blog-322385.html Who is this social butterfly So Irsquom standing at the pet shop humane society dive snorkel gear internet caf place. What like there is NOT one of those in phoenix and Debbie mom of three awesome kids at school come it to buy dog food she looks at me all pathetic what are you doing I was waiting for the printer WHAT Why didnrsquot you ask me or just come over Uhhh cuz I do thin http://www.travelblog.org//Central-America-Caribbean/Costa-Rica/Guanacaste/Playa-Flamingo/blog-321964.html Carter starter school today He is officially a butterfly a mariposa. Itrsquos the local preschool that is flooded. everyone I talk to really recommends it and Janet the lady running it. So thatrsquos where he is there is actually 4 kids his age I was mistaken and he came home with work sheets on shaped colors and some art work so all is well. He loved it and I guess thatrsquos the import http://www.travelblog.org//Central-America-Caribbean/Costa-Rica/Guanacaste/Playa-Flamingo/blog-321582.html The beach finally and for real. We packed some snacks in our new cooler and headed to Flamingo beach. Wow is it amazing the water is warm the sand soft no rocks and after about an hour on this public beach I finally realized not one peddler. Not a single person with ldquoname on a grain of ricerdquo or a vase on their head not even a big turtle or giant wooden horse. The kids had a blas http://www.travelblog.org//Central-America-Caribbean/Costa-Rica/Guanacaste/Playa-Flamingo/blog-321089.html Faith in the world. I have so many decisions to make and just not much to go on so much being up in the air I trust all will always work out. The house decision is a biggie the school for carter huge. I did not come to Costa Rica to live in a fancy vacation rental and trust me even the vacation rentals I could afford are not luxurious but I can get a 3 bedroom 2 bath nicely furnished with a poo http://www.travelblog.org//Central-America-Caribbean/Costa-Rica/Guanacaste/Brasilito/blog-319710.html We found compromise today got Kiley off to school then went to check out Country Day School for Carter. They have all day and half day pre K seems very prestigious Americanized or rather Europeanized itrsquos a boarding and day school. Years from now I can ship the kids back here by themselves JA JA JA. It is located on the paved road south of here. To lay out the land. Flamingo is at the end http://www.travelblog.org//Central-America-Caribbean/Costa-Rica/Guanacaste/Brasilito/blog-319150.html Ok so we made it to school and were completely pulled it off as if it was planned. School does start at 8 ends at 3. We were there about 725 Jennifer administrative person had everything ready we signed bought a couple shirts done by 750 went to find the class room. Kileyrsquos Teacher is young and seems really fantastic. There are 15 kids. The classroom was literally finished being bui http://www.travelblog.org//Central-America-Caribbean/Costa-Rica/Guanacaste/Tamarindo/blog-318757.html Liberia Siberia holy cow So today we set off with our list of things to buy. We headed to Liberia bypassing Tamirindo. Tamirindo I think is a decentish town but Liberia is the bigger city where the airport is so I figured it would be our easiest bet. That way we wouldnrsquot be paying the inflated resort beach prices and have a better selection. Well what a shock. Itrsquos a different place http://www.travelblog.org//Central-America-Caribbean/Costa-Rica/Guanacaste/Liberia/blog-318637.html Wow letrsquos see if I can even do today justice. We headed out from San Jose about 1030. We had just a smidge of room to spare in the car granted I had not packed it well we have added two more duffle bags and a few shopping bags some of the luggage is fairly spacious missing dirty clothes we have yet to do any laundry The new place has facilities. It was still humorous getting it all in. http://www.travelblog.org//Central-America-Caribbean/Costa-Rica/Guanacaste/Brasilito/blog-318354.html Ok this is not going to be long or interesting even though I have so much to say. The wireless is out at the new place so we came to town for diner. Supposed to be fixed Monday. I just wanted everyone to know we made it safe we are faboulous. Its wonderful and the update will be tomorrow. I have tons of pictures and tons to report was a beautiful drive and we are excited to be here. much much http://www.travelblog.org//Central-America-Caribbean/Costa-Rica/Guanacaste/Brasilito/blog-318087.html We decided to hire a small 4WD so that we could explore the Nicoya Peninsula at our leisure. After mastering the other side of the road and trying to calm David down we arrived at our first destination of the Santa Rosa National Park. There are 2 beaches Playa Nancite and Playa Naranjo. We arrive at the station which lies about 12km inland from ocean. It is apparent that not many people camp in t http://www.travelblog.org//Central-America-Caribbean/Costa-Rica/Guanacaste/blog-317438.html Sorry it has been a while but been away from the pooters and da inter net.....it is a slow old pace over here and the internet is proof positive of that. Well i will begin here i guess we have done a lot. We spent 2 weeks working our rs out at Tenorio which is a low level active volcano but the only activity there is the steam vents and the hot springs and as i mentioned in our previous blog http://www.travelblog.org//Central-America-Caribbean/Costa-Rica/Guanacaste/blog-317417.html Well.... this is it... the last blog. The rain has started to pour down here in Tamarindo aka Tamagringo.... so no better time than now to duck in here and sign off. Hard to believe that our 35 day escape is about to come to an end It has been a while since my last blog and i have received a few complaints... so my apologies. When I last blogged we were in Granda Nicaragua and enjoying o http://www.travelblog.org//Central-America-Caribbean/Costa-Rica/Guanacaste/Tamarindo/blog-315431.html Our bus trip from San Jose got this next section of our trip of to an exciting start. After traveling for a few hours we had to get off our bus and walk near to a kilometre to a connecting bus because a they were fixing a bridge on their main highway out to the northwestern peninsula. So all hot and sweaty we got back on the bus again and continued our journey. Because of this unexpected delay we http://www.travelblog.org//Central-America-Caribbean/Costa-Rica/Guanacaste/Samara/blog-313296.html Hi People Yes we have finally moved away from our little house. We found a great place with ocean view. It is up a hill and 2 stories high we are slowly getting used to running the stairs again man did we have soar calfs the first 2 days. haha.We are enjoying every moment waking up with the sound of the ocean and the monkeys howling and the birds trying to win from the monkeys. Our zoo i http://www.travelblog.org//Central-America-Caribbean/Costa-Rica/Guanacaste/Playas-del-Coco/blog-313217.html So as I said in the last blog we left Tortuguero at 7am for the boatbusbus combination back to San Jose. If everything arrived on time we would hit the city around lunchtime and then the plan was to see what buses were leaving to get us to the pacific coast. Inparticular we wanted to get to a small place called Playa Samara which seemed to get good reviews in the LP for being quiet and unspoil http://www.travelblog.org//Central-America-Caribbean/Costa-Rica/Guanacaste/Tamarindo/blog-310589.html