Day 11 - A day of travel, reflection and adventure until the end - The End

The church that we would pass daily on the 2.5 mile trek up
the long hilly gravel road from the Villa

The crazy curve and curb at the intersection of the main road
and our gravel road to the Villa

Our GPS as we travelled through the highest mountain range
in Costa Rica on our way to the Airport in San Jose

As we got higher in the mountains, we started to go through the
clouds

Above the clouds

An oasis on the top of the mountain!  Cafeteria style Costa Rican
breakfast!  With fried plantains! YUM

Funny GPS... very accurate

Adios Costa Rica - It was better than we could have ever imagined

 The ride home started about 6am this morning with sleepy 11 yr olds and slap happy 14/15 year olds.  We sang and joked while travelling from 1,500 feet from the Villa to 10,000 feet at the highest point in Costa Rica on the mountain range on the way to the airport.  The terrain was beautiful and ever changing, truly breathtaking at every turn.  We came upon a large restaurant on the top of the mountain side, it had many cars out front, which is usually a good sign.  We took a shot and went inside and to our amazement was a cafeteria style breakfast buffet Tico style!  We had some help from an english speaking patron who helped us decipher what the buffet had to offer and it turned out great!  Onward we headed down the back side of the mountain to more and more civilization and eventually through the rough city of San Jose which was riddled with garbage, squalor and tons of traffic... but with a few prayers, locked doors and a lot of faith in the GPS, we made it to the Hertz office and returned our cars.  We were greeted with lines at the ticket counter, lines at the security and crowds at the gate - the same when we landed in Ft. Lauderdale but with the added delay of our flight to Chicago, it cooled our nerves and we were able to have juicy cheeseburgers and fat greasy fries before boarding.  We all snoozed uncomfortably on the plane and like zombies, went and retrieved our luggage.  The Limo van was prompt and we flew home at 1 in the morning via the empty roads to Naperville.  We said goodbye quickly trying not to get too melancholy, a firm hug said more than words as we all separated for the first time in 11 days.  We share so many wonderful memories from this trip... we are already brainstorming where we should go together next ;)  This was truly our TRIP OF A LIFETIME

Day 10 - The last day... making the most of every minute

A Baruca Mask that was so cool at an EcoLodge
while Geocaching.

Finishing the last of our Rum and Cervezas in the pool at the Villa
on the only day that had total sunshine in the afternoon in the hills!

Hola Mr. Toucan!  He only poses for Viki's camera

Found Geocache in Costa Rica... WAHOOO!

Chuckles after John calls to the Howler Monkeys and the male
returns his call with a vengence!

Trekking up the drive to the Villa after the visit with the monkeys

What... we look good.. is that wrong?

Father's Day pose with Lee and his lovely daughters

Father's Day at Playa Pinuela!

Today we rose to a beautiful sunrise with toucans in the trees... okay, just me (Viki) I am up at 5:30am :)  We got ourselves together and by 9 we were on another beach once again to play in the surf.  We feel as though we are secluded on an uncharted beach... but we are not alone... MONKEYS! As Heather and I chit chat on the beach on a log... CRACK!  A branch cracked and to our amazement above our heads there were at least 5 MONKEYS!  We got some great photos, it helped that they arrived, to get our minds off of the fact that these very moments were few of the last we were to share while in Costa Rica.  We drove for the last time up the windy mountainside to our Villa... we had to finish the cervezas that were left over in the fridge, not to mention the rum that was still calling our names in the bar.  Playing in the pool, pictures of toucans, libations and snacks in the sunshine with great friends was all we could have asked for as a finale to a wonderful day... WAIT... MORE MONKEYS!  Down the path from the Villa we were able to witness the wild call of the Howler Monkeys from just 20+ feet from our heads. John has mastered the call of the Howler, so much so that the male of the troop was inclined to out Holler John as a sign of superiority... it was quite comical... especially when Lee then chimed in as one of our "troop" males!  Dinner once again was "tipical" we picked it, and it was served to us with tablecloths and cloth napkins!  Giggles and smiles abound tonight, reviewing fun that we had throughout the week!  Manana we have to get up super early and leave the Villa by 6am... wish us luck as we again encounter uncharted territory as we travel an all new route to the airport for just the beginning of our travels home... Adios Costa Rica!  Pura Vida!

 

Day 9 - An adventurous birthday Andrew will never forget!

The untouched beach we visited today...
we were waiting for Dinosaurs to come out of the trees!

The fabulous view as we headed down the mountains...
we just can't get enough of the views that ever change

We had to tease John with the keys we DIDN'T lose,
the margaritas were going down smooth as the guys waited
to go meet up with the Hertz guy in Quepos.

White faced monkeys... look closely just above the coconuts
and another on the branch to the left of the nuts ;)

Natives were sighted!

The beautiful dinner celebration!

Our gift for Andrew, wrapped in au naturale wrapping paper :)

All smiles for Andrew's birthday!

Today we ventured back to the beach... we witnessed white faced spider monkeys travelling on their own tree-top sidewalk jumping and swinging from palm tree to palm tree - quite a sight to see.  The Ocean is so warm and inviting, the natural spring fed waterfalls that are hidden along the tree filled slopes bring the fresh clear water to the sands - it is so majestic.  No, no-one younger than 15 complained at all about the rocky terrain or the bugs or the hot sun that was baking us  - if we may have heard a bit of it, it all ended when we reached the wonderful beach surf at the first picture above ;)  It's Andrew's 15th Birthday today - we are celebrating by having dinner made for us in the Villa's kitchen... Chicken empanadas... ooooh it smells so good!  The people here are so accommodating - the grocery store bags and walks the groceries to the car, the gas stations are FULL SERVICE... they pump it for you!  We had a little mishap at the beach today... you know how wise people say... don't wear/bring anything to the water that you wouldn't want to lose... and that the sea will take it... well it took the Kraus' rental car keys right from John's swim trunk pocket ~ you know, the keys that he forgot to take out and keep safe Before he went into the rough waves... well, after a little brainstorming, we made it to the park ranger station and John called Hertz and then began the 4 hour drive to another town and back with Lee in the Kinder's car (John not being allowed to touch the car keys)... with a few prayers said while the guys were gone they returned with a new set of keys, a lighter wallet and stories of their own adventure including running over a huge snake in the road!  We then were able to sit at the dinner table together to celebrate Andrew's birthday... he had a great day, and all in all - we've got some laughs out of today... and alot of jokes about "John, where are your keys? That's right... IN THE OCEAN" heehee.

Day 8 - Beachy keen!



Beach, mist and low clouds... so cool

LEAF CUTTER ANTS BELOW :)

Mari and Mari

A sunset we can see today from the Villa, most afternoons it has rained - it was a beauty tonight!

We headed to the beach today on the Pacific ocean.  Beautiful shorelines, crabby creatures living in the little holes on the beach.  We arrived at low tide and the beach was 150 feet from the treeline to the shore, by the time we left at 1pm the water was just 20 feet from the palm trees - lots of sea creatures were washed ashore, sand dollars and shells - and kids ;)  Have to keep it brief, the Villa's internet is not working, we are now at an open air restaurant having cerveza frias y almuerzo (beers and lunch)  Adios til tomorrow... maybe

Day 7 - Villa Los Aires... up up and in the clouds!

View of the open air lobby looking back at the house over the pool... OMG!

The view from the pool out toward the rainforest valley

The early rise brought a different view of the landscape of the mini hotel that we have all to ourselves - clouds in the valley, toucans in the trees along with parakeets and hummingbirds to name a few. We took a walk to an amazing waterfall on the property that probably had about 159 steps in the jungle to get down to the pool of it. We felt the effects of the hot and steamy temperature of the forest and made our way back to the house to then take a drive into the town of Dominical. An extremely simple town of huts that is geared toward surfers with a pothole ridden main road, we found a market in the tree line along the shore of the Atlantic where we could purchase anything from Jimmy Hendricks t-shirs to indigenous wooden masks... oye. We went to the extremely rough shore where we witnesse ALOT of surfer dudes young and old. After a cool lunch that we didn't want to end, we headed back to our villa in the hills to chill in the pool... tomorrow brings more beach and exploration...

Day 6 - Over the river and through the jungle to Dominical we go!

Kong

WE ARE HAVING CONNECTION PROBLEMS... We are all okay and having a wonderful time - Bear with us :)

It was easier to leave Villa Encantada today thanks to the morning rain clouds and rain, we all said good-bye to King Kong, the resident watch dog/trail guide/companion. We were delayed a little when a frog jumped into the car just when Dree opened the back door to get in.

Today was a day of uncharted travelling... by us anyway, thanks to our handy dandy GPS... we knew exactly where to go. The terrain changed from winding roads through the rainforest hills to straight aways through towns that we were sure to close our windows and lock the doors. We stopped at a bridge where many cars were pulled over and people were out of their cars looking over the edge... Alligators! They were huge and plentiful... good thing that we were 50 feet above them! We passed through palm plantations which included mini villages of tiny homes for the palm oil plantation workers. Upon our arrival to Dominical we picked up some groceries from a Supermercado... which really is a 20 x 20 room with 2 foot aisles with as much food as a store could possibly fit - all 8 of us made the workers a little nervous :) We found the next house in the afternoon rain - Villa Los Aires... a "hotel like" villa with guest rooms on the second floor, each with their own bathroom, open air lobby and views of the hillsides that words cannot explain. Until tomorrow when we explore the surf town of Dominical!

Day 5 - Breakfast, horsebackriding, monkeys and waterfalls oh my!



The motley crew on the front yard of Villa Encantada

The guys saw monkeys in the trees on the side of a road

Waterfall fun after a hot day of horsebackriding

Our breakfast of rice and beans, eggs and plantains... at a roadside restaurant over a wood stove

The view from on top of a horse as we rode through the hilly rainforest

Today was another for the memory book.  We ate breakfast at the restaurant with the stables.  They made us beans and rice, eggs from their chickens and fried plantains (everybody's new favorite).  Then the kids and moms headed on a 2.5 hour horse ride that took us up through the rainforest mountains - it was a thrill and the views from the top were breathtaking!  While we rode, the men went to LaFortuna for fresh pineapple and other guy stuff and they came across monkeys!  After feeling stinky and hot, we all hit the waterfalls that are on our Villa's property - it was really fun and refreshing!  Tonight we had a cook come to the house and make us dinner... you guessed it, rice and beans, plantains, chicken, salad and flan for dessert.  Since we hadn't eaten substantially since breakfast, everyone swore that this was the best meal yet...;)  Tomorrow brings an all new Costa Rican adventure, we are driving outside of Dominical... should take about 6 hours to get there... who knows what the sights will be this time... until then... PURA VIDA!