Merry Christmas!

As we settle in for a quiet Christmas eve, Lisle and I want to wish all our family and friends a very Merry Christmas!  Hopefully you are spending this evening and tomorrow in the warmth of love and friendship.

The Weather is on OTTO-Pilot

That means RAIN.

We have been here a week and rain is the constant.  The humidity is at 95+% and we are in a cloud.

Hurricane Otto came and went.  With exception of two communities in the north part of the country, there was little damage.  The winds never materialized and the rain, while persistent, was no worse that typical rainy season.  With all the rain, the ground is soaked and a tree came down in the jungle in the middle of the night - always an unsettling noise to be awoken by.

We had hoped that with the move of the system off into the Pacific we might get a break, but no - early morning was clearer, but by mid morning back to the rain.

Oh well the sun will return soon enough - at least it isn't snow!

Back At It!

Just arrived in Ojochal -really miss this place when we are not here.

We ventured to Italy for a month to celebrate our 30th anniversary - so much fun - great food - great wine - great people - great adventures.

 Pisa

 Lucca

 Porto Venere

 Cinque Terre

 Positano

 Rome

 Rome

 Rome

Venice

Florence, Chianti, Modena, San Marino, San Giminagno as well - 4 weeks eating our way across the country.

So today was settling in - always a chore to set things up and feel like home again. - but it was a great treat and the howlers came to visit - about 3 pm - a male howling in the trees out back - about 30 minutes and then he went quiet and it started to rain - didn't  see others - maybe they will hang about for a bit - really makes you feel like you're home.

Only in Canada EH! Pity!

The past few days I have been struck by the things that are so Costa Rican - I am sure many of them exist elsewhere in the world, but they are 'unique' to our experience here.

Christmas on the Beach   

 Lunch watching the water crash on the rocks

 Offroading in the jungle

 Sunset over the Pacific Ocean

 Beets the size of softballs

 The weekly market

 Watching a rainstorm over the Pacific Ocean

Watching a 7' Iguana climb the fence while you are sipping your wine

Having morning coffee with your pet hummingbird and pet lizard (did you know hummingbirds chirp?  this one does a lot - we call him squeaky)

 Tropical floral arrangements from your own garden

Interesting birds who just stop by - this is an Oropendula

Seinfeld

Sort of feels like this is a story about nothing - just our life as is unfolds.

10 days here have been filled with the bank, ICE for changes to the cell service, some legal stuff with the property taxes, and getting the Riteve (mechanical certification) on the RHINO.  Then there was the sorting of the media files, hooking up the AV stuff ok and such.

Then there is the catching up with friends - Jan and Sonya came by, as did Keith and Karen.  We went to Dean and Michelle's for a glass of wine, and Sebastian invited us for fish dinner (trying to keep his sanity as he is with Mila while Liz and Nolan are in Toronto).

Yesterday we went for a quad ride with Dean and Michelle - this is my first.  Yes I have driven the RHINO around the village, but this was up into the mountain to Pejibaye (a little town in the middle of the mountains).  A beautiful day (the first without rain) but the road was little more than a track, and there are many folks living up there - Ticos on farms and in little clusters of homes, and ex-pats with gated compounds.  Huge tracts of mud and ruts - steep and rocky and slippery.  It was great fun.

You drive a bit - stop and see the vista or a waterfall or interesting vegetation then drive some more.

Pejibaye is a real town - a soccer field, school, many businesses and restaurants, a supermercado etc.  We ate at the pizzeria - great pizza, thin crispy crust and fresh toppings - very yummy.

Then back - over two ridges and through valleys.  Celebrated a great day with beer at Nani's.

They often do this in large groups (16 or so)  Just the 4 of us was nice for a first time.

Good thing we did that yesterday - it was raining heavy before sunrise, and hasn't stopped all day - dropped in intensity this afternoon, but still like sitting in a cloud.  Is just clearing a bit - a hint of orange on the horizon as the sun sets.

The waterfall at Pavon - there is an egg shaped rock sitting in the middle of the crevice - the tree camp down recently in front of everything - great swimming hole!

 You can see our homes on the left side of the photo - just above the one tree that is sticking up

 great waterfall

 Lisle explaining something

Don't I look butch with my Quad!

Cloudy with a chance of . . . power outage

Arrived in Costa Rica on Friday - retirement 1 week and counting. 

We know Costa Rica is becoming ever more popular as a tourist destination, but the immigration hall was full and lines ups were down the passages to the jetways.  An hour and 45 minutes to clear immigration - 2 benefits - the officers were too stressed to ask anything, just stamp and go - no waiting for luggage, it was off the belt and in neat rows waiting for us.

Lisle was out ahead of me as he was in the "residents" line (that only took an hour), so he got the luggage, went through customs and called for the car from the storage lot.  When I got out we were only 10 minutes from being ready to go.  Landed at 12:20 - in the car at 2:30.

The drive was uneventful - not much traffic.  Nice to be in the heat and humidity.

Stopped in Uvita for basic supplies (dinner, wine and beer).  We called ahead and were told all good at the house - lights on as it was getting dark.  And dark it was - there was a power outage.  Unloaded the car with the help of the headlights - moved the groceries to the fridge - found candles with help of the cellphones - tuna and chickpeas for dinner - a glass of wine and bed - nothing else to do.

It had been raining since we arrived and on and off during the night - the morning was overcast - no rain, but heavy sky and heavy air.  Started unpacking.

Market (fish and vegetables), breakfast (omelettes at Sibu) and home for more unpacking, followed by pool, beer, dinner (fabulous tuna and wine), TV and bed - - - day 2 done.

Today is actually sunny - apparently the first sun in 2 weeks.  Friends have been by to welcome us home - more set up (almost done).

Now to figure out what to do with all this time!

Next Chapter

Today is the end of one chapter and the turning of the page to the next.


RETIREMENT!!!


And you know what they say . . .


Life's a Beach!

On our way to Ojochal - the best of life lays ahead!


Just watch!