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Eileen Joll
Eileen Joll

Eileen Joll

traveled in 9 countries Read more
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  • UK & Ireland - hiking & more
    Getting started!
    A cottage called the Shire!There are sheep everywhere!!Other hikersThe distilleryThe Beach Tree for lunchA common wildflower found all along the trailThis is the symbol we look for to stay on the trail.The Crachan - good food.Our hotel

    The Highland Way Hike - day 1

    August 29 in Scotland ⋅ 🌧 57 °F

    Today we started hiking on The West Highlands Way in Scotland. Day one involved walking from Milngavnie to Drymaen. We took a bus to the starting point where we had breakfast and saw many other hikers starting the journey, everyone getting their picture taken at the famous obelisk.

    The weather was mostly cloudy with occasional sprinkles. Great hiking weather.

    We hiked 13.5 miles mostly through meadows next to sheep and cows with some rolling hills. The surrounding hills were very green and beautiful. About halfway, a distillery called out to Jeff and we did a short side trip to the Glengoyne Distillery. We didn't take the time to do a tour but we were able to sample some whisky and purchase travel bottles for later.

    There aren't a lot of places to stop along the way so when you find one, you take advantage of it. So, we stopped at the Beech Tree for lunch. They have a petting zoo with Shetland ponies. From there it was just one foot in front of the other until Dryman. Along the way we met two girls from Colorado. One just moved to England to go to school and she and her sister are doing the hike before school starts. We also met Francesco from Italy (Sicily).

    We are spending the night at the Buchanan Arms. Once in Drymen we ate at the Crachan, noted as the oldest licensed pub in Scotland.    Read more

  • UK & Ireland - hiking & more
    Bagpiper on the Glasgow University campusGlasgow campus groundsAshton LaneRiver Museum - a museum of transportationGlasgow cathedral1On tour at the Tennets breweryOne of many murals throughout the cityGeorge wears the cone all the time and sometimes other celebratory decor as well!A couple of many of the cool old buildings in the cityThe "armadillo" as called by the locals - a new concert venueLike Pittsburgh, this used to be a industrial site, now revitalized.

    Glasgow

    Aug 27–29 in Scotland ⋅ 🌧 63 °F

    We arrived in Glasgow Wednesday afternoon after leaving home at 5:30pm on Tuesday. We were tired enough that we decided on an Uber instead of taking bus and subway. Chris greeted is when we got to our Airbnb. We had a bedroom, sitting room and private bath in a very modern (interior) townhouse in the west end.

    After resting a bit, we ventured out for food and drink. We ended up at Curlers Rest, one of the recommendations of our Airbnb host. The food way good and I enjoyed the St. Mungo's beer.

    We then wandered around and spent some time exploring the University of Glasgow campus. Certainly some beautiful old buildings. There was some type of event taking place and we got to enjoy some bagpipe music.

    A stroll through cobblestone Ashton Lane was nice. At night, it is lit with twinkling lights.

    We made our way back to our room and it wasn't long before we decided it was time for some sleep.

    On Thursday we slept in but once we got moving we headed on the subway to the city center. The subway circles the city with only 15 stops. It is very modern despite dating from 1896. It is the 3rd oldest in the world. We walked around the city center a bit to get a feel for it. It reminded us of Pittsburgh with a gritty feel, no doubt due to its industrial history.

    We decided to do on the hop on, hop off bus for a tour of the city. We decided to go off at the Riverside museum, dedicated to transport. I expect a major focus on ships, given that at one point Glasgow had about 50 percent of the ship building capacity in the world and employed 100,000 people in the ship yards. However, the museum covered everything related to ground transportation, as well. A good stop.

    After getting back on the bus, our next stop was the Glasgow cathedral. This was built around the year 1200. While not the most impressive of cathedrals, it is the only cathedral that survived the Reformation, although not as a Catholic church. The crypt below the church contains the remains of St. Mungo.

    Since we were so close, we decided to walk to the Tennent Brewery and caught the last tour of the day. Tennent claims to be the best selling beer in Scotland. The Tennent family started brewing on the site back in the 1500s. The tour finished up with a pint and some good conversation.

    Food (and some more beer) was at Sloan's, a recommendation of the bartender at Tennents. Eileen had fish and chips while I had a haggis melt in ciabatta per recommendation off the Tennents bartender. Very good.

    We then wondered around some more before hopping on the subway for the last bit of the journey to out room.

    Tomorrow starts our 7 days of hiking on the West Highlands Way.    Read more

  • Wedding and the South
    Great Britain Embassy
    A Shakespeare performanceCosta RicaChina Embassy

    Washington DC

    May 2 in the United States ⋅ ☁️ 18 °C

    We added the more so before heading home and that to visit Jason and Selina in DC. Well, just Jason since Selina was unfortunately out of town. They live in Alexandria VA, a very cute walking town. Friday evening we took a walk around town and found another Jeni's ice cream. I didn't know it was a chain! Saturday we went into DC and headed to the embassy area. The embassy's were having an open house, where you can walk through parts of the embassy and many of them have music, dancing, and/or food samplings. There were 64 embassy's open this weekend (more next weekend) and we got to about 7 or 8. Great Britain is the most impressive (and massive) embassy. Even without touring the insides, it was fun to just walk past and see the embassy buildings. This is an area em we haven't been to before. Later we settled in at Jason's house and enjoyed watching the Kentucky Derby and catching up on life. Love visiting my kids!!!Read more

  • Wedding and the South
    SnakeTall trees!

    Congaree National Park - day 2

    May 1 in the United States ⋅ ☁️ 19 °C

    After breakfast we set out for another hike, this one starting at another point in the park. We followed the Kingsnake trail. This trail is known for birdwatching and while we weren't looking for them, we heard plenty of them. This is not as popular a trail so it was very quiet and peaceful. We walked past groves of the same trees with intermittent areas of standing water and crossing over the Cedar Creek. In one of those holes of water we saw as raccoon swimming from tree to tree. We also got a glimpse of a snake, lizards, a frog, beautiful white bird flying, as well as other birds. One can only imagine the number of insects and critters that live in this habitat. If this area was flooded, there would not be a path and the giant bases of the trees and the knee would not be seen giving it a completely different view. The water rises about 10 feet when it floods. We hiked to the Weston lake and then back, a total of about 10 miles. It is possible to canoe or kayak the creek that runs through the park or the river that runs on the edge of the park. You need to bring your own, rent them outside of the park, or plan on taking a tour with a third party outfitter. Definitely something we would do next time, especially if there was some flooding.Read more

  • Wedding and the South
    Very tall treesHmmm, what chewed this?We heard lots of woodpeckers"knees"

    Congaree National Park

    April 30 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 20 °C

    We arrived at Congaree National Park around 3:00. After seeing the exhibits in the visitor center and getting a hiking trail map, we set out on a hike. Congaree has a boardwalk that is an easy hike and gives you a great feel for the nature of the park. Part of it is closed for reconstruction. We took the boardwalk trail for a bit and then got on the Weston lake trail, taking a little detour to Wise Lake, a very beautiful, peaceful place. Back on the Weston trail we hiked as far as we could go before we had to turn around and go back. Normally this trail would connect with the boardwalk again making a loop. All in all we went about 6 miles. Congaree is a park that's will look different every time one visits depending on rain. Being a lowland, the area floods easily from the Congaree river. It floods 8 - 10 times a year mostly in the winter season and the water can rise up to 10 feet. Because of all of the water, the ground if very fertile for the trees that are there. The most notable trees are cypress, tupelo, loblolly pines, and sweetgum. The average height of these trees is 130 ft high. They are very impressive. The cypress and tupelo trees have massive bases and the cypress have 'knees" surrounding the tree. These are roots from the trees that grow up out of the ground. They look like trees that have been cut down. No one really knows their purpose but it is believed that they add extra support for the trees. The fox squirrels like these trees and the area as there are a lot of them! We headed to the campground in the park. There are only 12 walk-in tent sites here with no camping in your cars. We set up our tent and made some grilled ham and cheese sandwiches for dinner.Read more

  • Wedding and the South

    Charleston - day 3

    April 29 in the United States ⋅ ☁️ 28 °C

    Officially we were west of the city of Charleston and in James Island. We camped at the county park. They have a regular RV park, but many places on the south do not allow you to camp in your car unless it is RV certified. Can't find a reason why, but we cannot sleep in our van like we usually do. This is not the first place this was the rule. So we tented and all of the sites were walk in which means you park in the field or parking lot and carry your stuff to your site. Fortunately our site was not very far and the sites are pretty nice. This park had a lake, large (5 mile) walking track around it, outdoor adventure area, and splash zone for kids. After cooking breakfast at our camp, we got ready to go to Folly Beach. Folly Beach is a cute little beach town with a pier, restaurants, and the usual souvenir shops. We walked on the beach, took a swim - the water was remarkably warmer than expected - had a drink at the pier, then took another walk on the beach again. It was a perfect relaxing day after so many days of touring or driving. On our way back we stopped at Cuco's raw seafood restaurant. You pick the fresh fish that you want and they cook it to your liking. I had a crab cake and Jeff had swordfish. Back at camp we enjoyed a fire before retiring for the night.Read more

  • Wedding and the South
    Painted RowSt John's Church CemeteryChurch of the HuguenotsBig tourist things to doNathaniel Russel House

    Charleston - day 2

    April 28 in the United States ⋅ ☁️ 23 °C

    After a relaxed morning at the hotel we packed up, loaded the car, and then went to breakfast at Poogan 's Porch. Jeff's tomato omelette and my chicken and waffles were definitely highlights of Southern cooking!!! We walked around the french quarter taking in the old churches including a church of the huguenots (French Protestants). We toured the Dock theater, the oldest theater troop in the country, and still performing in a very old building that was once a hotel. Next we hit up the slave trade museum where slaves were separated from their families and traded. We moved southward to the fancier, richer, neighborhood of historic mansions called South of Broad. There we saw rainbow row - a row of brightly colored houses. Some say they were painted this way so the drunk sailors could find the right house. For whatever the reason, the houses are quite colorful and well maintained for being as old as they are. We toured the Nathaniel Russel House, a rich man who made much of his money in slave trading. Grabbing a coffee for the road, we got the car and headed to James Island county park to camp.Read more

  • Wedding and the South

    Charleston, SC - day 1

    April 27 in the United States ⋅ ☁️ 22 °C

    We drove to Charleston and arrived Sunday afternoon. We walked around the historic town and got the lay of the town. We found the waterfront park and the famous Pineapple fountain. Many of the must see things were closed either because it was Sunday or because of events but we did tour the old exchange and provost jail . This building has been many things over the years between the revolutionary war, through slave trading, and then the civil war. We window shopped along King St and then went to the Rusty Bull for a beer. Unfortunately their kitchen was closed but the worker directed us to the Big Gun Burger shop. It was definitely a locals place with good burgers, beer, and great conversations. The bartender was awesome. Walking around a little more we ended up at Jeni's ice cream - the best ice cream I ever had! The brumbleberry was too die for!! Tonight we decided to splurge and stay at a hotel in town- the Emiline.Read more

  • Wedding and the South

    Savannah, Day 2

    April 26 in the United States ⋅ ☁️ 20 °C

    We started the day with a free walking tour of the historic district of Savannah. Free walking tours are one of our favorite things to do in new places. They aren't really free, but you tip at the end accordingly. They are very popular in European cities, but not so much here. Daniel helped to start the free tours here in Savannah after visiting in Europe. He grew up in Savannah and was very knowledgeable about the city. The city was started by a man named Oglethorpe from England. He sailed here under the leadership of one of the King Georges, hence the name Georgia. The area was set up like those in England, that of communities with a church at one end, housing along the sides, and civic or commerce buildings at the other end, all around a common space. There were originally 24 communities but now there are 22. Each common space has become a park so there is plenty of green space in the historic district filled with great old oak trees. Before Savannah became a tourist area, land was pretty cheap and hotels started moving in. People didn't like the look and an ordinance was passed that all new builds had to look like the era of the old buildings, so everything looks old and very well maintained. After our tour with Daniel we walked around Forsyth Park, the largest community park made up of over 30 acres. Students from the Savannah College of Art and Design were having a chalk draw festival throughout the park. They all were good but some of them were very talented! We toured the Juliet Lowe House. Juliet Lowe was the founder of the girl scouts. We passed an old graveyard on our tour so we went back to walk through it. There are about 600 headstones there, but about 9000 bodies. Many were buried in mass graves during disease times. No one has been buried there since 1835. We headed over to the market district which is a more lively entertainment area with restaurants, shops, and tourist things like escape rooms, etc. Along the way we picked up a beer at the Little Crown, a very small pub. Savannah is an open container city and they card everyone no matter how old you look! There was some live music happening at an Irish pub but in the open air. We got some pizza and enjoyed the showRead more

  • Wedding and the South
    On top of Stone Mountain
    Savannah Riverwalk

    Savannah, GA - day 1

    April 25 in the United States ⋅ ☁️ 21 °C

    We have spent the last three nights at Stone Mountain Park. It is an outdoor resort of sorts with outdoor activities, a lake, and plenty of touristic things to do. There is a mountain in the middle that has been carved out with images of some prominent Georgia people. You can take a tram to the top of the mountain or you can hike a mile up to it. We have done so much riding in the car and standing while touring, we needed a little activity so we hiked The beginning of the hike was a pretty gradual assent but the top got much steeper. At one point the park had added hand rails to help you get up. We were awarded great views from the top of the mountain, though it was a little hazy. On a clear day you can see a very long distance. Back down the way we came and then back on the car to drive to Savannah. Along the way we came across a roadside stand selling boiled peanuts. We had to try them. They are very soft, almost like beans, but also very addicting. We got to Savannah late afternoon and checked into the RV park we were staying at. We decided to go to the riverfront area in Savannah. It is known for shops and restaurants along the river. We knew this would be open in the evening. There were some crafters selling their wares in an open market. A sax player caught our attention and told us about echo square. It is a square marked by bricks in a small sitting area. When you stand on the square you can hear an echo but anyone else in the area cannot. Also if you and another person stand an equal distance from each other around the square you can both hear the echo. If one person moves one step away, there is no echo. No one can really explain the science behind it or whether it was a planned or an accidental thing created by the architect. We ate at the Broken Keel, a traditional southern food restaurant in a very old building. Jeff had a fried green tomatoes sandwich and I had delicious catfish. We walked around the area a little more but then headed back. The bugs were biting near the water - we were told they were sand mites - and they were biting even more at the campsite. They were super small and came through our netting. Not the best nights sleep!Read more

  • Wedding and the South
    Jimmy Carter Presidential LibraryMartin Luther King's childhood home

    Atlanta - day 2

    April 24 in the United States ⋅ ☁️ 19 °C

    Today we went to the Jimmy Carter Presidential Library. We are getting to know our presidents on this trip! It was a very nice library. Carter was such a peaceful, humble man, and far more intelligent than I ever knew. His legacy continues today through the Jimmy Carter foundation that still strives for peace and equality in the world. Next we went to the Martin Luther King memorial Park. We saw his childhood home and toured the Ebeneezer Baptist Church where he and his father preached and where much of the initial planning for his cause started. The area is a historic area and the houses are maintained as they were in the era. After all of that history, we earned a beer at the Outrun Brewing Co not far from the campground.Read more

  • Wedding and the South

    Atlanta, GA - day 1

    April 23 in the United States ⋅ ☁️ 24 °C

    We spent two days in the city of Atlanta. The first day we went to the World of Coca-Cola, an interactive museum on everything you wanted to know about Coca-Cola which was started in Atlanta. We got to sample come coke products from around the world. Some of them were very different from what we are used to. The Coca-Cola world is next to Olympic Park, a large green space that was a gathering place for the Olympics of 1996. This space is beautiful and well maintained. Next we got lunch at Ted's Montana Grill (owned by Ted Turner). Jeff had a bison burger and claims it was the best burger he has ever eaten. We then walked to the state capital. This is more in the center of town and there were many more homeless people in this area . The capital was simple and had some of the state's history on display. We walked back past an area called the underground. At one time this was a hopping place with multiple floors of entertainment space. Now it is mostly boarded up. Back at Olympic Park we enjoyed a cup of coffee while watching a water show and then took a ride on the large ferris wheel overlooking the city.Read more

  • Wedding and the South
    George H Bush Presidential Library

    College Station, TX

    April 21 in the United States ⋅ ☁️ 16 °C

    After spending the night at Rocky Creek Campground on Somerville lake, we went to the Herbert H Bush Presidential Library. The grounds are beautiful and the library was very informative. We definitely learned new things about this president. This was a short tourist day as we then started the journey to Atlanta, GA. We spent the night in a hotel.Read more

  • Wedding and the South

    Austin, TX

    April 16 in the United States ⋅ ☁️ 8 °C

    The main reason for this trip - the wedding of Jacque and Jordan!!!! We got there Wednesday evening so we could help with preparations on Thursday and Friday. The rest of the family got there at various times on Thursday and Friday. We all stayed in a great air BNB about three minutes from Jacque's house. Jordan's family was about 10 minutes away. The wedding was immediate families only in their backyard. Jacque, ever the planner, was so organized. Friday evening was a families getting to know you night with Franklin barbecue - the best! It was a very casual evening at their house with lots of conversations, playing with kids, and pre celebrating. Jordan has a great family. Saturday, Jacque, Jodi, and Mom went for hair and makeup and the guys from both families played laser tag! (Selina and Liz tried out the popcorn maker!) And then it was wedding time. It was a beautiful service officiated by Jodi, followed by a taco dinner, some dancing, and an after party at a nearby bar. We were supposed to go to brunch on Sunday, but there was so much leftover food, we had breakfast nachos at Jacques, compliments of Josh and Selina. Jodi and Jim headed to the airport first, followed by Jason and Selina (though their flight was delayed). Josh and Liz weren't flying out until Mon morning so we took the opportunity to meet up with and have dinner with Liz's parents who we had never met and who live in Texas. It was great to finally get to meet these wonderful people. After dropping off Josh and Liz we headed to college station, the start of our extended trip home. The wedding was beautiful, and family time is precious, but it all goes by so fast!Read more

  • Wedding and the South
    Clinton Presidential Library

    Little Rock, Arkansas

    April 14 in the United States ⋅ 🌩️ 23 °C

    We spent a couple of nights in Little Rock camping at an Army Corp of Engineers campground with a campsite on the Arkansas River. We went to the Clinton Presidential Library - nice but not overly impressive. However, there is a replica of the oval office and directly above it is a residence for Bill and Hilary for when they are in town. After that we went to Little Rock Central High School where the national guard was deployed to allow 9 African Americans attend school there during the desegregation time. The school is a functioning school but you are allowed on the front grounds. Next we went to Riverfront Park where there is an impressive sculpture garden. After a beer at the Lost Forty Brewery we went back to the campground.Read more

  • Wedding and the South
    1

    St. Louis

    April 12 in the United States ⋅ ☁️ 21 °C

    We traveled to St Louis and spent two nights with Josh and Liz. We had some things to drop off (including a bike) and got to spend some time with them. Saturday evening we ate our way around their neighborhood indulging in fried pickles, chicken, and Venezuelan barbecue. Sunday we went to the Missouri Botanical Gardens where all of the spring flowers were in bloom. It was a very pretty day and the gardens were beautiful. Next we went to the St Louis Cardinals baseball game. St Louis won! We followed the game with a beer at a brewery near the park then came home where Josh cooked a delicious dinner. We ended the evening with a walk to the neighborhood ice cream place.Read more

  • Costa Rica
    Cheers to Costa Rica and new friends!
    Oh to be young again and bike to the hill!FarmsThe views!!!1Patalones (front) and cerviche (back)

    Final Day

    January 30 in Costa Rica ⋅ ☁️ 75 °F

    We decided to do a repeat activity. We went back to Bosque de Ninos - the park at the top of a 2.5 mile hill and then continues another .75 mile up a trail. " up hill" meant a 1700 ft elevation gain. The hike is up a dirt road but it is so peaceful and the views are amazing. We thought we would both get our exercise and take in the Costa Rican views one last time. It didn't disappoint. We returned and went to the Gastro bus a few blocks from our place. They serve the coldest beer we've ever had. We also had Patalones one more time. (Look them up - delicious!)
    In the evening we went out to dinner with our Airbnb host, Laura, her husband, Jaquin, and her son and his wife who live next door. It was Laura's birthday. We had a lovely dinner of traditional Costa Rican food while sitting outside enjoying the beautiful Costa Rican weather with our new Costa Rican friends. We were invited to come and visit anytime.
    Costa Ricans are very friendly and welcoming. Many times when people found it was our first time to the country, they said "Welcome to our country". They have a very biodiverse country that is green everywhere you look. They love their country! We could not have asked for better weather, views, or company.    Read more

  • Costa Rica
    The trees are starting to bloomBring escorted on the neighbors land. They even lent is walking sticksInto the jungleWaterfall #1Folks enjoying the swimming holes1Waterfall #2Water came out of there rocks everywhere1Swinging bridge - out of order!The edge of private property and the park area

    Los Chorros Waterfalls

    January 28 in Costa Rica ⋅ ☀️ 81 °F

    Los Churros - "The Jets" - is a government owned park with two waterfalls and is closed to the public. To get to the waterfalls you descend about 15 minutes down a step dirt path. The park is closed maybe because the trail was washed out from the heavy raining season and not repaired, or to protect the waters which flow to the neighboring towns. Either way, the official entrance had been closed for a couple of years. However, a man on the neighboring property is more than willing to let you pass over his land to get to the trail, for a fee. The trail was dirt with rocks and roots and goes through a jungle like area. The variety of foilage is amazing and ends with a beautiful view of a waterfall, running stream, and swimming holes. We had to cross the stream to get to the first waterfall which we were able to get very close to in water about chest deep. We continued around the bend, climbing over rocks, to reach the second waterfall which was much more powerful. The force kept us from getting too close. We found some great rocks to sit on and enjoy a beer in front of this fantastic view. We also met some people from Utah and Maine. During the rainy season, the waters would be too high and too swift to negotiate through. The area used to have a swinging bridge and picnic areas. The bathroom and changing area is still functional but eerie.Read more

  • Costa Rica
    A packed church service celebrating childrenCultural centerView from the roof. We have seen a lot of rainbows but this is the first complete oneLots of people enjoying the dayMango treesThere are people dancing to the music in the parkThis boy was so excited to feed the pigeons!!Our tacos that came without silverware!The stadium we thought we were going toThe National Stadium in San JoseYoung fansThey were on their feet and chanting the entire game!Security lining up before halftime. They stayed there until the game was overThe mascot

    Alejuelan Soccer Game

    January 26 in Costa Rica ⋅ 🌬 79 °F

    We started the day by going to church at Templo Nuestra Señora de las Mercedes - the Catholic church in the town center. The service was in Spanish and there were a lot of children there with balloons. The service was dedicated to the celebration of children with a children's procession and children's choir. Standing room only.

    We wanted to go to a soccer game. The season just started this week and we had our choice of a division 2 game in Sarchi or a division 1 game in Alajuela. The Alajuela team is ranked as one of the best. We chose to go to the Alajuela game after confirming with our neighbor that it was at the home stadium. We bought tickets on line and decided to go into town early. We had spent the night there when we first arrived, but since that was New year's eve/new years day, most things were closed. The town we saw now was 100% different. It was lively with a lot of people about and music in the park. We spent some time at the cultural center which was both a history and art museum. While we were there, they opened the access to the roof where we could get a birds eye view of the area. Supposedly on a clear day, you can see the ocean from there. The workers did not speak English, but another tourist was translating things for us. Alujuela us known as the city of mangos and the park is surrounded by mango trees. After walking around a little bit, we ate tacos at a corner place while watching a local soccer game on the field across the street. When we walked by the soccer game, we saw the tourist who was translating for us playing defense!

    We headed to the field, a fifteen minute walk away. As we got closer to the field, it looked pretty dead and we wondered if we had the right day. Looking again at the tickets, we had the right day, but wrong field - not what was listed on the website. The game was being played at the national stadium in San Jose, 25 minutes away. We summoned an Uber and got to the game just before it started. The national stadium is home to the national team and holds other sporting events. It holds 35,000 people - one and half times more people than the Alajuelan stadium. When ordering tickets I could only get tickets on the upper sections so we were expecting a very large crowd. We were a little disappointed to see that the stadium was only about 20% full and there was no one in the lower seats. It turns out that the championship game that Alajuela lost in in December ended in a riot. As a result they were required to close their local stadium for the first 6 games of the new season, and why all of the fans were seated so far away from the field. The game we saw was no where near that exciting although some of the crowds comments were. While Alajuela dominated possession of the ball, the opposing keeper denied them of any goals and it ended in a 0-0 tie.
    We didn't plan on going to San Jose as no one really has had anything positive to say about it or things to do there, but it was good to get a glimpse of it while driving in.    Read more

  • Costa Rica
    Gringos!View from brewery

    Beer here

    January 25 in Costa Rica ⋅ ☀️ 72 °F

    Mostly the only beers drank here are the national beers which area all lagers. Imperial is the most popular. It is hard to find craft beers of any kind and even harder to find a draft. We heard about a brewery near here - Beer Designers. It was about a 50 minute walk (almost all uphill) from our place and only open on Friday evenings and Saturday from 3-12. We decided to walk to it on Saturday. When we walked in about 4:00, the place was filled with Gringos. This was a place the Americans hung out. They had about 7 beers on tap including a stout, Belgian wheat, and two IPAs. There was live music and dancing. We had some delicious tacos while enjoying our beers. We Ubered home!Read more

  • Costa Rica
    1
    They have a big mating program to restore these birds to Costa Rica.They and peacocks run freely all through the park.Why would anyone buy this as a pet knowing how big they can get?1Bamboo - an invasive species like in the US1Inside that group of bamboo looking up!Smallest type of monkey but so strong it could crush a bone.He was a pet and wants to play when people come near.Serval cat from the zoo, native to Africa.

    Rescante Wildlife Rescue Center

    January 24 in Costa Rica ⋅ ☁️ 79 °F

    We went to the Escape Wildlife Rescue Center about a 25 minutes drive from our place. While it kind of looks like a zoo with some habitat friendly enclosures, it really is a rescue center where they rehab as many animals as possible and return them to the wild. Over 90% of all the animals received there are returned. The ones that are enclosed are either injured and wouldn't survive in the wild or are not native to the area. Many of the ones kept at the reserve were once exotic pets who wouldn't know how to survive or were treated poorly. Some of the animals came from Costa Rican zoos that were forced to close a few years ago. The zoos were inhumane keeping animals in small cages and not in habitats. There are no longer any zoos in Costa Rica. We had a tour guide (3 hours) who was extremely knowledgeable in both plants (plant biology degree) and the animals. This is a private facility and they get little money from the government so tours and donations are very important to them. There were three others on the tour with us - a lady from Vermont, and two from Montreal. We all are lunch together at the center's restaurant.Read more

  • Costa Rica
    At Asdrúbal'sAt Asdrúbal'sTiny rental At Asdrúbal'sAt Asdrúbal's1At Asdrúbal's1HikingAsdrúbal with "Ophelia"Laura and ChristopherJeffLaura and Asdrúbal1Laura and Asdrúbal

    A picnic

    January 23 in Costa Rica ⋅ ☁️ 72 °F

    We were invited by Laura, our Airbnb host, to go on a picnic with her along with her son Christopher and Olla, our neighbors. We left about 9:00 and headed to her cousin's house, about 20 minutes away.

    When we arrived we were greeted by Asdrúbal, her cousin. He is 80 and for the last 22 years has lived in the house he grew up in. He had worked in San Jose during his career, during which he spent 22 years as a taxi driver.

    First we got a tour of the grounds, which were absolutely beautiful and covered with all types of vegetation and included a pond as well as a pool. Later he explained that if you got drunk, he threw you in the pool. We also saw the rental unit (outside only) that he built on the property from a container unit. It looked like a nice tiny house.

    Our hike was to a nearby reserve that was gated, but it was easy to get around the gate. Access was limited because the spring and river there supplied water to a number of nearby villages. Asdrúbal pointed out his water pipe, originally installed by his father. There used to be a small canal/channel that ran to his property and powered a (sugar cane?) mill before there was electric. At the picnic area we made use of the swings and Christopher and Jeff climbed a tree.

    Asdrúbal brought his shoulder strap cooler with a 6 pack of beer and we learned his cooler was named Ophelia, after a clingy ex-girlfriend who was always on his shoulder. Asdrúbal spoke a little English and Christopher served the role of translator (both directions) as needed.

    After returning to the house, Laura prepared some sausages, grilled pork with veggies and some warm tortillas to go along with other snacks. In addition to beer, Jeff and Asdrúbal were sipping on whiskey while others enjoyed some coconut liqueur. We finished up our picnic with coffee and dessert. Somewhere during this time, Asdrúbal and Laura danced a bit. By the sound of it, her still dances regularly. The husband of a granddaughter also stopped in and visited for a while.

    Asdrúbal was a great host and truly seemed to enjoy our being there. He took two phone calls while we were there (one was for a party taking place there tomorrow, the other to a friend or family in the US). On both calls he said he was having a "united nations" meeting with both the USA and Ukraine (Olla) represented.

    We got back home around 4:00. It was a great day with some fantastic people.    Read more

  • Costa Rica
    Note the boys taking a rest from coffee pickingJeff loves this. Small and no view, but .....White-nosed coati - came right up to our picnic table looking for foodAlmost 2000 ft ascent in totalHighest point that I checked elevation.

    Grecia Forest Reserve

    January 21 in Costa Rica

    Great day for a hike! We got a ride to the road heading up to the park, about 20 minutes from where we are staying. From there we hiked up a (mostly) unpaved, rutted gravel road the 2.5 miles up to the entrance. Along the way, we past lots of coffee trees. We came across 2 young guys sitting in the shade, taking a break from their coffee picking (picture attached). There were some new homes, quite nice, along the way. Evidently, from what we have read, having a 4 wheel drive vehicle would be a requirement during the rainy season.

    After paying our entrance fee (about $11 for two of us), we hiked the longer of the two trails (only about 1.25 miles in a loop) up to the highest viewpoint. There we were at a little over 6000 ft altitude. Our walk up the road had started at about 4300 ... And the walk had been almost continual up hill.

    After completing the loop, we used one of the quaint little pavilions to eat a snack. Then we did the shorter, less inclined trail that was available. Once completed, we started back down the dirt road .... A much easier trip going down.

    It was a beautiful hike, about 7.25 miles in total . While it was 80 deg back in town, it had only been 70 on the mountain. The skies were mostly blue, with a few puffy clouds. And it was so quiet, only the sound of the breeze through the trees.

    After getting back to our place, we decided that we earned pizza and beer from Il Forno. This was our second visit here, veggie pizza both times. I highly recommend it if you are in the neighborhood.    Read more

  • Costa Rica
    Oxcart factoryInside factory2Botanical gardens1A family gatheringPlant sale1Mural of the history and culture of SarchiChurch in the town centerWorld 's largest oxcart1The detail!!!

    Sarchi

    January 19 in Costa Rica ⋅ ☀️ 81 °F

    Sarchi is a neighboring town known for its artistry. It is the home of the oxcart factory. Oxcarts were used to haul the coffee beans out of the field after they were picked. Besides being practical, oxcarts became a way of displaying art. The cart and the wheel were hand painted with very intricate detail. The oxcarts are not used today in the field but they are still make them at the factory in all sizes from small decorations to large, portable bars. You can view the artists making the Oxcarts and other art designs, mostly out of wood. Unfortunately we visited on a Sunday and the artists were not working. The area is also known for its finely make wood furniture. To bad it would cost an arm and a leg to ship home!

    After viewing the artist sites, we walked 30 minutes out of town to the botanical gardens. This area is a garden, picnic area, and laboratory for plants. They were even having a plant sale. We hiked all through it. Because it was on a Sunday, there were many, many picnickers from just a couple of friends to a large family gathering celebrating a birthday. Many locals come here to picnic. On our way back to town we passed a very long (3 blocks long) mural depicting the history and culture of Sarchi and surrounding areas.

    Lastly we went to the town square where they have the world largest oxcart on display. The church was closed but the outside looked very impressive. We have seen the church steeples from Grecia where we are staying. We had a bite to eat and then got an Uber home.    Read more

  • Costa Rica

    Neighbors

    January 18 in Costa Rica ⋅ 🌙 66 °F

    We are renting an air bnb and the son (Christopher) of the lady we are renting from lives my next door - we share a drive way. He is from Costa Rica but spent a few years in the states as a kid and has traveled to Germany extensively. He gives language lessons in German and is a guitarist. His girlfriend (Olla) is from Ukraine. She came here with her grandfather 5 years ago to visit an uncle who lives here and has stayed. They both speak very good English and have been very helpful in giving us directions and telling us about the area. Earlier this week they invited us over for coffee and danish and great conversation. Christopher is converting an area below their house into a practice studio. He opens it up to any bands who need a rehearsal space. It's not soundproof but the bands can practice quietly. There is not a lot of support for music in this town. You mostly have to go to San Jose to play gigs. Christopher practices with a band but he performs by himself. He has done a tour in Germany the last two years. Last night he offered to give us a private concert since his band had to cancel their practice and we were going to listen to them. He brought his guitars and music. At first he did several soft rock, 70's/8O's music where he played and sang. He is not comfortable singing so he was using us as a practice session. We knew most all of the songs and enjoyed listening to him. But then, he got it his other guitar and played what he does when he performs. He plays "percussive guitar" - using his guitar for both the melody and rhythm. It was extremely impressive. We have never heard anything like it. There is a short clip below but if you want to hear more, look him up on Spotify - Chris Montenegro.Read more

  • Costa Rica
    1Extracting juice from a sugar cane.Coffee plantsJose - he leads the tours because he speaks the best English!Machine that removes the shells which are saved and used for other things.Drying the beansBeans roasting. A dark roast takes about 25 minutes.A cocoa plantThe start of something sweet!Jeff hard at work.Our chocolates!

    Tio Jose Coffee Farm

    January 16 in Costa Rica ⋅ ☁️ 72 °F

    Today we went to the Tio Jose Coffee Farm. It is a small, family run, functioning coffee farm that has been in the family for 3 generations. Most of the coffee farmers here in Costa Rica sell their beans to big corporations that do the processing, packaging, and selling. Tio Jose decided, about 5 years ago to process and sell their own coffee locally. They do all of the work in-house. After being on the tour, I truly appreciate my coffee more. The farm is run by Jose, his brother and sister and their families, and his mom. They recently added tours to supplement the business. We had a tour of the farm, the process, lunch, and made our own chocolate.

    Before we left the building, we had a blind taste test of three kinds of coffee - light, medium, and dark. We tried them again after eating something salty and then sweet. Turns out that eating those things affects what you taste in the coffee. Jose liked to say that there is no bad coffee, just bad ways to make it. The things that affect the taste of coffee are the temperature of the water, the ratio, the ground size, and the speed of brewing.

    The farm is only about 5 acres and while most of it is full of coffee plants, there are many other things growing there alongside the coffee. Jose and his family understand the farming business and how some plants help others plants. They don't use any pesticides but do use smart planting to limit the spread of bugs and fungi. They also grow banana, black beans, sugar cane, cocoa beans, herbs, and other things too. We saw the coffee plants and learned that the beans are handpicked. We saw how the beans are shelled, dried, and then roasted. It takes about 10 days of good, dry conditions for the beans to dry. The harvest season is only about 4 months long, so they work very hard then to make the coffee for the year.

    Upon returning to the house, some tourists left but four of us stayed for a traditional casada lunch - rice, beans, salad, plantains, and meat, in this case, chicken. We also wanted to experience making our own chocolate candy. Cocoa plants are native to Costa Rica but there is little demand for it since there is no major chocolate company in the country. We were given cocoa beans to shell and then crush with a pestle and could add whatever we wanted to it - sugar, dried milk, nuts, salt, pepper, etc . Mixing with a little bit of water, it made a small chocolate bar.

    Jose and his family are always looking for ways to use all of their resources to both increase their profits and to better the environment. Most companies throw away the shells of the coffee beans but they have started using them to make a delicious tea, jam, wine, soap and an after dinner liquor. All of this, along with the roasted coffee beans, are available in their little store. They are continuing the tradition of coffee farming and planning for the next generation to continue in their footsteps.    Read more

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