We knew Friday would be our last day in Monteverde. For this reason, we saved the best for last. We decided to finally see the eponymous cloud forest that is the reason that so many people come to this place. Yes, it is immensely popular and we saw more people there than anywhere else we went, but there was definitely a reason for it. The forest is amazing, with all the moss growing off the trees, trees growing upon trees, green everywhere - it looks much like the move Avatar - otherworldly. At one point, we came upon a vista of a huge tree that seemed like all of its branches had other trees or plants growing on it - it was so big, that it reminded me of that big fake tree in the middle ... read more

On this day, we decided _not_ to hike. It was Wednesday, mid-way through our trip. It was one of the most trying days we had with Kai, and Alli had a fever to boot. So in the morning we went on the "El Trapiche" tour, which is a family-owned farm that makes sugar and coffee and fruits. The farm tour takes you to their tilapia pond, through the banana and plaintain fields, pass pineapple, to the coffee barn. An oxcart takes you (or not, if you have babies in a backpack) from the coffee barn to the "Trapiche" where the sugar products are made. You got to see the oxen grind the cane so that the juices run out, and the more modern machine that does it now. We had the chance to make our own ... read more

On Monday, our first full day in Monteverde (as we had spent the previous day wrangling with a rental car company to get the right size vehicle - i.e. ginormous in spite of our attempts to "pack light" and driving up the insane road to Monteverde, then settling into the house and going grocery shopping) - we decided to make our introduction to the rainforest with the hanging bridges at Selvatura. Selvatura is essentially an all-purpose cloudforest theme park, with prices to match. They have hummingbird and butterfly gardens, zip lines, hanging bridges, a huge gift shop and a restaurant. We went only for the hanging bridges, but I could see that some people - coming to Monteverde for one night only - would be able to hit all the hot spots in this one place. ... read more

We took a day trip with a private guide on our last day in Oaxaca. He took us to the Friday market at Ocatlan. This market was fairly overwhelming. With the guide along, we never really felt like it was OK to stop and buy something, or to explore. It kept feeling like we were rushing through the market, to get somewhere - and then suddenly, it was over. We had "seen" the market, but we hadn't really seen it because we spent most of our time trying to follow our guide through the crowded stalls. Next, we saw a gorgeous church restored by a famous artist in Ocatlan. He had painted the outside and inside so creatively. He is very famous for his work in Mexico, having also painted inspirational murals in Mexico City's subway ... read more

We spent four fantastic days in Oaxaca, and it is known for its food. so this entry will be all about the food! Friday March 6 Los Danzantes Modern restaurant with open sky atmosphere, great service, very popular. duck tacos with slices of avocado and a smoky salsa hoja de hierba santa relleno con queso de “goat”, in a sweet sauce black bean soup with Chiapas cheese, masa dumpings, and onions. Sopa azteca atmosphere - outdoor once inside, fountains/pools, chill music, best bar set up Thursday March 5th Casa Crespo served in the courtyard of a B&B Each dish introduced by the chef, an enthusiastic guy who is inspired by molecular gastronomy coming out of Spain. 9 courses 1. cactus salad with pomegranate syrup, also some cheese and a ball of corn flour. eh. 2. Ceviche ... read more