June 2

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Well, the day we’ve been both dreading and looking forward to….time to leave this magical and cool place but also to welcome our nuclear family.

Before breakfast we walked along the very rocky and rapid small river – yes, found more of those cute Torrent Tyrannulets. They are the size of English robins - little balls of birds. We did NOT see any herons (David’s hope) or American Dippers. After breakfast we were encouraged to walk just a little ways up the hill – yep, 2 female Quetzals. And then 2 males. Then while we were trying to pack up a cleaning lady encouraged us to look up in the tree just next to our room – yep, a pair. So, we were full to overflowing in our wish to find these amazing birds.

We managed to make it up the 9 km crazy hill with winding hairpin curves, loose gravel, no where to pass, etc. and David is an amazingly calm driver. We had only made it up the hill twice. Not a trivial pursuit.

We were supposed to get to Villa San Ignacio by 2:15, but big trucks riding their jake brakes down the treacherous hills made for very slow going, and then the traffic once in the cities of San Jose and Alajuela was horrendous. But we made it, by the grace of God.

Checked in, Adobe eventually came to pick up the rental car, and we settled in to walk the grounds. Actually picked up one new bird – a hummingbird high in the trees. The grounds of this place are filled with gorgeous flowering bushes, banana trees, etc.

Then we had the stressful time when Anna messaged that there was a problem with the plane – the braking system wasn’t working properly and was needed for such a short runway as here. Then the delay was to fill the next plane with food (pretzels?). Then thunder storms. Then a person checked a bag but didn’t get on the plane, so the bag had to be found and removed. We made a call to Danny, coordinator of our drivers, just in case, could he provide another driver to pick them up and get them to our next place if they didn’t arrive until tomorrow. Yes. So that was backup.

Fortunately, they are now due in about the same time as Heather and Dario, like midnight. We have their bedroom keys. Megan will share our queen/queen with us, and Andrew with his parentals, and H & D get a king. Hopefully everyone can make it to breakfast by 9, for our driver comes at 10 and we are off to an amazing place called La Paz Waterfalls.

We skipped lunch but just finished a delicious and creative supper – Jean had quinoa salad: red peppers, red onions, curried cauliflower, some tomatoes, with a bit of a spicy avocado dressing. David had coconuy encrusted tilapia in mango sauce with rice.

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