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I have finally escaped... from my school. But now I will face a new challenge: five months with my FAMILY! Read more Hazelton, Canada
  • TravelerFeb 2018
    11
    Day 49

    Mountain exploring

    March 18, 2018 in Costa Rica ⋅ ☀️ 20 °C

    Marty, as you know, loves to explore.  The steeper and more remote, the better.  We loved the cool air and less populated areas of the mountains so much that we stayed up high for a few more days.   We set off to visit the ruins of a catheral from the spanish conquistador days, only to discover that there is another town called Ujarres, but it is on the other side of the mountains nearer San Jose.  However, we did end up high in the valley, on roads that are not meant for rental 4x4s and we loved it!  We gave Anthony a ride, up to his farm, where we met his father (Alexis) who is retired from working at Dole, and is now exploring being a farmer on his wife's families' farm.  It was incredibly dry, no rain for three months, but the rainy season replenishes the water so well, that water was running from the hills in all sorts of creeks.  They had a tomatoe and bean crop ready to harvest to sell in town, that without the water would have shrivelled in a day.  We were, again, driving around without a place to stay, and didn't want to drive all the way back to Buenos Aires which was closed up for Sunday had been stifling hot and was an hour down a dirt road.  Would you believe that Anthony's uncle owned the only accomodation in the valley?  Anthony lept on his bike, without a helmet and powered up the hill ahead of us, the hill I hadn't been so sure we should drive down, and hurled down the hill on the other side.  A river crossing, and we ended up at a 4 room lodge, where we were the only guests and there was a pool!!!  No cooking facilities, but his cousin found a pot for us and we cooked over a fire as the cicadeas (massive 3 inch beetles that flew into our room at night) and toads and stars came out.   It proved to be still warm in the mountains during the day, but cool at night.  

    We drove off the next day,  and up up up into the cloud forest, where someone had left a bit of forest and not burned it off for pasture.  After visiting a school, (there are schools everywhere) we found a town that wasn't on our map, where we picked up Anita and her grandaughter Diane.  Diane goes to a school, where the teacher drives 28 km one way from Buenos Aires that takes an hour on an insanely steep and twisty road.  And all for 8 students.  Anita invited us back to her house for lunch, a house that was built before she moved here 34 years ago to be with her husband.  They work for the ranch owner and grow cilantro to sell in town.  They have a Toyota jeep, and motor bikes and a horse,  and live in a very simple house.  She cooked for us on a wood stove and talked about her five children,  two who have started families in the village, and one who has gone off to university.  I asked about the upcoming election and what was important to her:  Peace, a roof over her head and education for the children.   Jorja loved playing with Diana, and they managed despite not being able to speak to each other!   It was a treat to meet them. 

    Our next day found us up the roads of the next valley, again visiting indigenous territory, where they are proud to have not succumed to the Spanish.  Many people riding horses, for work or to pick up the kids from school.  It looked like a poorer area, but still water treatment plants and schools.  We stayed cool swimming in rivers, and drove down cart tracks that could have been the road back to the highway, but sometimes ended at a farm or a washed out bridge.  It was with relief that we finally hit pavement and allowed our teeth to reconnect to our skulls and headed to San Vito.  We enjoyed our respite from Costa Rica tourism, and the chance to meet and learn from people.     Read more

  • TravelerFeb 2018
    11
    Day 41

    Cloudbridge Nature Reserve

    March 10, 2018 in Costa Rica ⋅ ⛅ 6 °C

    We travelled from Bejuco to Quepos on the bus, and went to Alamo to see if we could rent our car a day early.  Not only could we get it early (with no hastle - Love Alamo!) but they upgraded us to a 4x4 that actually will fit Keith when he arrives and our packs.  And off we went.  Marty and Caleb immediately felt better being able to choose our route.  We headed up into the hills, on the smallest road we could find.  Made a few mistakes, then Marty drank a beer outside a small grocery with some older cowboys and asked if we could drive through to San Marcos on the little road.  Of course!  Take a right, another right, through the river, another right and derecho (straight ahead).  It was like driving up 9mile.  Except people were farming and living everywhere.  When the road couldn't get any steeper, it did.  They just put a bit of concrete down for extra traction.  Driving through this area which is heavily farmed, or growing coffee or cacoa on 80 degree slopes, I appreciate the National Parks of Costa Rica even more.   We made it to San Marcos just as the sun was going down, with no indication of where we were going to stay.  We drove around for about an hour, following people's tips, and finally settled in at $40 per night in a local place.  We all slept, except Marty, but that is not so unusual anyways. 

    We headed off good and early with some pan dulce that had dulce de leche in it instead of brown sugar (sweet bread).   Off onto another track, that might be a road.  Stopped to let some cows go by, and jumped out to ask if they were for carne or leche.  The herder took us to meet the owner, and she showed us how they made the cheese in their little two room factory.   I can ask my questions in Spanish well enough, that I get a jumble of unintelligible Spanish in return.  I know they make cheese!!  It reminded me of talking to cheese makers in the alps.  We made it to the highway, and travelled over the La Muerte pass, which is at 3500m, on a little two lane paved road which is the main connector between San Jose and the south.  It took us almost 2 hours to decend 60 km with all the other traffic down to 1100m.  San Isidro is a city that has been around for 100 years, and it fed us, and then we headed up to San Gerardo de Rivas, again without a place to stay, but at least earlier.  All the online bookings were full, but we figured there might be something.

    And sure enough, we drove to the end of the road to Cloudbridge Nature Reserve, and they had a cabin open for two nights.  Tada!  Its beautiful, quiet, and cool (we used blankets for the first time in 3 weeks) and in the cloud forest , and borders onto Chiripo National Park.  That may be an adventure for another time, as the peak is the highest in Costa Rica and the trail is 42 km.  Jorja did impress us with her hiking today as we were out for 6 hours in the secondary and primary cloud forest. We decended through the boulder strewn creek for our decent.  There are waterfalls and massive granite boulders throughout the creeks.  Apparently Costa Rica is only 5 million years old, and was actually glaciated 10,000 years ago.  Who would have guessed!!!  A couple bought this property in 2002, when it was ranching land, and over the years have aquired 700 acres that has been reforested.  It is now used as a research and education center.  A great treat to stay here.  We hope Hazelton folks that you are excited to be on your March break!!!  Talk to you soon.     Read more

  • TravelerFeb 2018
    1
    2
    Day 37

    Bejuco Beach

    March 6, 2018 in Costa Rica ⋅ 🌧 4 °C

    We have enjoyed our week at a beach house on a long stretch of quiet beach.  I can sit on the front porch and watch the waves crash 100 feet away.  Might seem a little far to some, but it makes it so you can sleep without the surf keeping you awake.  We did make it here OK, travelling across the country on public transit is easy, and comfortable and cheap.  We did the whole trip for all of us for $40.  On the bus to Jaco we asked a young woman if she could suggest a place to stay, she asked us where are reservation was for, and was a little surprised to learn that we were arriving there at 10pm with kids, without one.  She suggested we get off downtown Jaco, and when we went to get our luggage an older woman said to come with her and we would stay at the same Cabina.  It turned out to be easy, clean, comfy, and had a pool for same price as some other places we have stayed that were not nearly so nice.   Again, people helping us out!

    The beach here at Bejuco is big, beautiful and empty.  Many fancy homes, but not many people. the weekend picked up a bit with folks from San Jose and nearby towns for the weekend.  Folks camping out.   Some serious rip tides at times, as in Marty can't walk sideways and an eddy forms behind him, but not always.  We are learning to read the water.  I (Stacey) am getting out to walk down the beach every morning at 545 as that is the nicest time of day.  If I could get up even earlier I would!  There is an estuary a 10 min walk down the beach,  where we have gone several times to swim in the calm water, and walk in the mangroves.  The water rushes upstream like a backwards river when the tide comes in.  The water is so warm, getting cold is never an issue.  Did not need to bring Jorja's wetsuit!  Well, not yet anyways.  Its a 15 min walk to the tienda where we can buy enough food, even if it is a little more costly than in Parita which is a 20 min bus ride away.  Way cheaper to cook our own rice an beans rather than eat out. 

    On Sunday, Shirley, who is one of the caretakers of the property we are staying at, asked if we wanted to go fishing.  Of course!!  Luis (Shirley`s husband) and Ronnie (family friend) had caught a bunch of shrimp (calazone) to use for bait, and we headed to the estuary with them and Shirley and her 5 year old Bradley.  Marty and Caleb fished with Luis and Ronnie and Jorja and I hung out in the calm waters with Shirley and Bradley.  Marty and the others had to swim back after fishing when the tide had come in.  We were invited to their place to have delicious pork and pineapple shishkabobs.  Yumm.  We have met up again, so kids could play, and she brought us rice pudding this morning.  Shirley came to Costa Rica as a six year old and never left.  Her daughter Ashley is 17 and works at the hotel down he road as she speaks great English and is considering a career in tourism or executive management. At her school hey spend part of heir day working o specialty courses and will graduate with courses in a certain field to give them a head start at college. I’d say Shirley and her family are a pretty good example of the contented people that National Geographic said we would find in Costa Rica (recent issue - Costa Rica is one of the happiest countries in the world).

    Ronnie gave Caleb a surfing lesson the next day, and Caleb figured it out fast.  I tried surfing the next day, and not quite the same learning curve.  I suppose it is consolation that it is not a learner's board (6'6" and narrow - and slippery and tippy!!).  We rented the board from him today and Caleb continues to improve and I have been able to stand up a few times!  It is fun to learn when it's warm, and the pelicans are surfing the waves ahead of me.  I don't know if I could ever get past the surf, and onto it, but I'm glad Caleb is having a chance at it. 

    We head out tommorrow. Off to Quepos were we will rent a 4x4 Jimney for a week and do some  exploring.  We have made it over the hump of "why are we here for so long, what can I possibly do for so long, it is so flippin' hot - +30 every day" and even Marty claims to be enjoying himself.  We do actually get some school work done, and with one of us near by, our 11 year old son can actually finish some work in a reasonable amount of time!!   We will be travelling without a tent,  and I'm not so certain of how we are going to find a place to stay each night!  Keep in touch!    Read more

  • TravelerFeb 2018
    Day 32

    Tortuguero

    March 1, 2018 in Costa Rica ⋅ ⛅ 24 °C

    Beautiful escape onto the canals in a rented canoe for the day. Bit of an expensive local as Marty was swept by a wave when he was fishing and lost his prescription glasses and then I fell into the Caiman infested waters when hauling the canoe over a log and toasted our camera. Sigh. We will see if visa purchase insurance works!! Off to the Pacific coast now. Long trip and we don’t know where we are staying tonight. I’ll let you know how that goes!!Read more

  • TravelerFeb 2018
    Day 28

    En route to Tortuguero

    February 25, 2018 in Costa Rica ⋅ ⛅ 26 °C

    Luis left us at Cahuita, after making sure we were comfortable getting to our next destination.  Thanks Luis for hanging out with us.  You were a great sounding board for Marty (and viceversa), and the kids loved having you around! 
    After another day at Cahuita, where we hiked out to some quiet water behind the reef, we got ourselves organized onto the public buses and headed out.  Buses here are great.  Comfortable, on time, cheap, and they go all the time.  We ended up with quite a convoluted route (4 different busses, and the mandatory boat ride), but it was great.  We started at 6:30 to avoid the heat and people and it was a great trip.  There was a massive cruise ship docked in Limon, which explained the hoards of crowds that had decended on Cahuita (we had almost decided we didn`t like it), and the we were thrilled when we got to have a double decker bus for 2 hours of our ride. 

    Its a great tour just riding the bus around.  We saw the depot where Delmonte ships all their bananas to and loads them into trucks and then drives them somewhere.  I'm not sure yet how they get to Hazelton, but we have seen them in the processing plants in Rio Frio being packaged into their banana boxes.  Alot or rainforests have been sacrificed for the yellow one, and the reefs at Cahuita are all but smothered by the extra sediment that runs off from the plantations.   LImon is where the gas refineries are, and then there are gas lines, maybe a foot in diameter that run beside the main highway.  The pipes are propped up on clods of dirt, or concrete blocks.  I'm curious about the pipeline safety!  

    I really like riding the bus, just to meet people and talk.  We met one woman who was heading off to school to study english and computers who wants to work in tourism, she has family in Tortuguero (where we were headed) and showed us pictures.   Then when we got off the bus and needed to walk to another bus station, she took us there.   An older gentleman in Cariari came to sit with me and Jorja while Marty and Caleb were off buying Tequila, hand lines, and knives (doesn't take much to make them happy).  We chatted about living where he does, he has never been Tortuguero, where we should visit, and then he bought Jorja a treat when he had to leave.   People have been kind and helpful all over the place.  My spanish is terrible, but I can usually make myself understood, and we have discovered google translate (type what you want to say in english, it spits it out in spanish!)   Caleb`s french teachers may cringe, but seriously it is fun to be able to talk to other people.  We have all used it, and Marty is particularly enamoured with the talk and it translates feature!!

    The last part of the trip to Tortuguero is on a boat for an hour. Its one of the long skinny ones with a roof that holds about 30 people.  The first tributary is small and windy and it has to be dreged (by a backhoe that has tracks AND floats so it can be towed around the river).   I wish the boat part could be longer!   In all it took us 6 hours to get from Cahuita to Tortuguero and cost us about $40 for all of us.  See ya later! Pictures later, its a bit of a process to get the phots from camera to blog, and need good wifi!!    Read more

  • TravelerFeb 2018
    112
    Day 26

    Cahuita, Costa Rica

    February 23, 2018 in Costa Rica ⋅ ☀️ 27 °C

    We love Cahuita.  We drove down with Luis through farm land and bannana plantations.  He found us Spencers Seaside Cabanas, where the surf pounds relentlessly, and we had a big room, with sheets that didn't stay on with a deck that looked out onto the Caribean through the palm trees. Caleb or I would sit on the deck in the evening and play the ukelele We take the bad with the good and it all balances out.   Cahuita is a small town, that has many small accomodations (5 - 20 rooms).  No resorts, a few fancier lodges up the beach.   The best part of Cahuita is the National Park that you can access by donation from the town end of the park (at the Puerta Viejo end it is $10 per person). We went in every day and walked the trail, hung out on the beach, walked up the beach in the water to get to quiet areas all to ourselves. 
    We really enjoyed the wildlife in Cahuita National Park.   There were lots of white throated capuchin monkeys overhead, that provided tons of entertainment.  Of course the baby ones holding onto mama for dear life that were 10 feet from us were amazing to see.  Marty would spend a long time engaging the howler males in territorial disputes,  just to see if he could make them go hoarse.  Would you believe Marty could outlast them?  Its because your such a stud Marty (says Luis).  We saw some agoutis (cat sized guinea pigs), a coati (a cat sized furry critter), but neither for long as they would run across the trail in front of us, or under a walk way.  There were several sloths that we saw (one hung out around our hotel and he climbed right past us on the railing while we ate our breakfast not 3 feet away).  One day we walked 10km around Cahuita point and there was 2 km on a beautiful boardwalk through old rainforest.  There was a mama sloth climbing down a tree and a baby hanging off her.  There is a symbiotic relationship between sloths, a fungus that grows on the sloths back, and ants that eat the fungus.  All good for mama who was apparently used to it, but the poor little sloth was going nuts trying to scratch at the ants, and keep hold of mama who was transfering from one tree to another with a great stretch, all in very slow motion.  They do not have any fast twitch muscles! 
    We hung out with Luis and watched him surf the waves at playa negra, and thought we were staying out of the sun, but would you believe it doesn`t take much time down here to burn on up? Painful, and embarassing.  I believe I was being judgemental just the day before when I saw a mom with a burn.  And we learn very slowly, forgetting various body parts on a regular basis.  We did bring sunscreen,  its just 20$ for small bottle, so I thought I`d try the cover up and stay out of the sun option, but you do have to do all of those parts together, and all the time!! 
    Caleb says these are too long (especially if you are on your phone), sorry!  Off for swim, and I`ll post this with photos later.     Read more

  • TravelerFeb 2018
    1
    21
    Day 23

    La Finca Seize

    February 20, 2018 in Costa Rica ⋅ ⛅ 29 °C

    Rural Costa Rica. The Two Mile of Costa Rica.  Luis said Marty would like it here and he was right.  Luis took us on an adventure into the mountains and we followed farmer tracks up and up, then walked to confirm that we were on the wrong path.  It would rain on and off, which was not too bad, , but we were happy to get back down to the river where Luis took off in his kayak and we played in the river.  Caleb loves nothing better than to jump into rivers and he has found most places where this is possible. 
    It is easy to stay at the farm.  A Nicaraguan family stays in the main house and we have use of the tree house and the outdoor kitchen.  Luis has planted trees and heart of palm crops on his property and it is shady and entertaining.  There is a sloth who lives in a tree, but way up in the tree, and a scarlet macaw comes by some mornings. We can pick limes and bananas, but the pineapples are still too small. After we ate one that we had bought, we planted the top as Luis says anything will grow here.  They grow in the field around us, but I bought one,  where anyone else would buy it and it was 900 colones, which is about $1.80.  Like anywhere, the kids enjoy fruit when they get it as money goes towards rice and beans to fill tummies.  Last night Marty wanted a lime for his tequila, so he walked back to the lime tree to get one.  Luis' mom came out on Saturday on the bus from San Jose to get heart of palm that she sells to a fancy restaurant near her house in Heredia.  Josue cuts it before she comes and then they work together to split it and take the heart out.  I was put to work bagging 1kg bags, for which she gets 3$.  We had some for breakfast yesterday, and it is a bit like mushrooms, but denser.  It is good for you apparently, not much flavor.  Marty suggests that rich people like eating it because they like to know the poor people have worked hard for the food they eat.
    I am glad there are kids here.  Jorja has been playing hide and seek and tag and drawing with Micheal (5) and Daidra (10).  Yesterday we took Daidra, her little sister johanna (1), her big sister Hazel (19) and the boy from cross the street David (17) to the river near here to swim.  The family has a motorcycle, so I think it is hard to get everyone to one place at one time.  Daidra used the mask to watch the little yellow fish and thought that was pretty cool.  The rivers are clean and cool and we try to swim in all that we find.  Nicaraguans come to Costa Rica for the work, and are alot of the work force for the plantations of bananans and pineapples and do alot of the truck driving.  They have access to education and health care, but some Costa Ricans think they are displacing their own kids from jobs.  lll let you know if I meet any well off Nicaraguans.  We are going to find a back wheel for Josues bike today as the rim has worn through and he doesn't have the money to replace it.  For $8  it will be something we can do.  I would like to go to school with Daidra today and meet her teacher, maybe be put to work! 
    Luis comes back from San Jose today and we are heading to the Carribean maybe to Cahuita tommorrow.  I think it is good for us to stay at the farm and be reminded how a large portion of the country lives before we hit the tourist towns.     Read more

  • TravelerFeb 2018
    Day 19

    Mountain adventure

    February 16, 2018 in Costa Rica ⋅ ⛅ 21 °C

    Driving in the montanas with luis and he takes us this very quiet tree house resort where noone goes, after he gets us lost in the hills. Toucans in the trees, we can see Nicaragua in the distance. Swimming in the rivers that we crossed on the questionable bridges. Running shuttle for luis so he can paddle. Random moments of wifi!! Very nice palm wine and tequilla. Now luis has to drive.Read more

  • TravelerFeb 2018
    Day 18

    Alajuela

    February 15, 2018 in Costa Rica ⋅ ☀️ 21 °C

    Schools scary here .ya that was a school .we are now leaving to are friends farm for 2 weeks . I chased and caught pigeons last night in the square. The first walk we took, dad led us down the hill to the gang area where we talked to the two cops who are posted here 24-7!!!Read more

  • TravelerFeb 2018
    Day 16

    Livin it up in LA

    February 13, 2018 in the United States ⋅ ⛅ 13 °C

    We are sitting at a Hilton in LA trying delightfully to eat up our west jet meal credits. A little tempered by all the homeless people we saw living on the beach, however we are still having a good time. Marty has not had to drink the two beer he bought as he was double fisting Cesar’s at the complimentary bar. We got dropped off by our Uber taxi at the Santa Monica pier and quickly escaped to the beach. Caleb was soaked in minutes and jorja was naked just as fast. After checking out the fish science guys collecting water samples for background petroleum levels and desalting we headed up to rent bikes. We biked four hours way past Venice beach. And Caleb checked out the boarders at the park where upon a time in Venice was filmed. Just after that a black man got arrested and a naked woman walked by. There’s Caleb's education right there! Oh. Here comes our steak.

    Sent from my iPhone ( Marty has never eaten steak in a restaurant and he says it is almost as good as he farm!)    Read more

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