Walk Like a Man

So in the past six weeks I have taken up walking - to boost fitness, to lose weight, to get me out of the apartment - to fill the time when Lisle is enjoying the south.

Work is a block away, so my walk to work now includes passing it by and going down to the Royal York Hotel and back - about 5 km. A great way to start the day - 45 minutes through downtown Toronto.  Weekends are a walk to the Distillery or through the University - 8 - 10 km.

Here walking takes on a different meaning - nothing in flat, and a distance of .5 km can have the same change in height.  My routine is now to walk from our house to the green house (one of the neighbors) - maybe .25 km direct distance, but on the road 1 - 1.5 km but the first 1/2 is downhill and the second 1/2 is uphill - - including up "killer hill"  - some cars struggle on killer hill, so the walk is a challenge.  So far I need to stop halfway to catch my breathe.

Once there - turn around and head back - great downhill walk - oh ya - the last half is all uphill to home - S#*T!  There and back in 30 minutes at 6:30 am - - - too hot after that!

I have a long way to go to catch up to our neighbors who walk all over the phase - several km every day - I think it is only because they have a dog - - at least a good excuse for me!

Today - another sunny one so far - 36C - you can really feel the heat - time for a swim!!

Speedy!

We got new internet!

Yes, I know that comment is so 1995, but you have no idea!

Yes, there is cable internet or DSL or broadband in Costa Rica - but not down here in Ojochal - they have some coverage in the village, but not beyond and not further south - the population centres are just too small and the topography is ever changing making line of sight placement of towers useful for only a few homes.

So, we have struggled with various versions of satellite or cellular - never able to get about 512K download (despite claims and promises).  Blogging, Facebook, banking - all painfully slow.

All that changed yesterday - SKYFIBER !!  They installed a repeater across the valley and we can get service - - - 6MB download (well 4.5 when you really measure it but hey).  I feel like I am driving a Ferrari on the autobahn.

Not without a cost - $125 a month!  Never thought I would miss Rogers service 50MB for $90.

So along with the internet came a nice sunny day - a gentle rain a few times, but beautiful!

In the Sunny South - - well the South

Actually little sun since I arrived yesterday.

Flight was uneventful except for the fact there were only 60 passengers on the plane.  Landed about 11:20 am

Immigration at San Jose airport was a zoo - about 1,000 people zigzagging the maze - - took an hour - grabbed the luggage and Lisle was there to scoop me from the curb.  12:40 and on our way home.

Drive was fine except for a delay from the slide on the highway

By the time we were heading home they had cleared one lane - about a 30 minute delay as they switched traffic back and forth.

Not long after it started to rain - on and off all the way home and most of the evening.  Oh well, nothing stops a welcome home swim!

Indonesian dinner - cooked by Lisle - yes he is taking lessons here! YUM YUM YUM!!

Today was a slow day - settling in - sun this morning disappeared by about 11  - overcast by no real rain.  

All the neighbors have been by to say hello - all the stuff unpacked - all the sights on the property seen - - - all seems right with the world - - time for beer and a swim!

When life is that simple it is ok if the sun takes a break!

Spring Ahead

So, for the last couple days it seems possible that spring may actually return to Toronto - still grey and overcast but +5C and the snow is melting.

May be time for this bear to stop hibernating.

Yep - that is basically what we have been doing through January - March.  Too cold to do much else!

So thinking about warm weather and outdoors, I booked my flight south - June 5 - 25.  I know it is short, but work is taking my attention this year - - then I can be done with it.

Flying High

January 6, 2015 - Left the house for San Jose at 9:00.  A beautiful day.  Too bad I need to head home.  Drive is fine.  No real traffic. At the airport by 12:45.   15 minutes for departure tax.  Change to winter clothes in the bathroom and check in.   Off to the business lounge.  Nice to have a beer and some food to relax. 

Down to the boarding gate about 3:30.  Sebastian (Liz Duncan's partner) is there.  He was supposed to leave on Avianca in the morning but they were over booked.  Good chance to visit.

On the plane and waiting to leave. So, the winds are too strong for the normal takeoff.  They need to use a different runway and a steep climb over the mountains.  Therefore they can't fly as heavy.  So they either bump 25 passengers or carry less fuel.   As you an imaging, they opt for ore passengers and less fuel.  That means we can't get to Toronto.  Therefore we are flying to Nassau in the Bahamas instead.  Apparently it is just a stop for fuel but will add an hour to the flight.  Plan is landing after midnight.  Guess we will see how it al works out.  

Should have known something was up when I checked flight status online and it said AC1807 was destined for Nassau and a search of flights SJO to YYZ said the were none scheduled.

A good start - they closed the door 10 minutes early.  But I think we just sat for 15 minutes going no where.   Hmmm

5:08 takeoff into a 50 mph headwind. Usual runway.  But just keep going straight and climbing fast.  Then a 270 right turn to give us a chance to clear the mountains.   Now really rough. Flying towards a wall of cloud  on the east of the valley. Cleared the mountains and the clouds.  Pretty smooth but just a sea of fluffy white below.  That was a new experience!

Oh, I did mention Sebastian is on the flight.  He doesn't like flying.  Would be great if we we're seated together but I am on business and he couldn't upgrade as it is full. Hope he is surviving.

Watched "In Bruges" an interesting film.  Lisle would like it.   Think it is on the media drive.

7:30 Costa Rica time.  8:30 Nassau/Toronto.  Coming in for landing in Nassau.  Full moon is beautiful over the island.

They have just spent 5 minutes trying to close he door. Now just sitting.  Windows are all dogged up so can't see anything outside.

Captain just advise there is a malfunction with systems in Toronto and they can't leave until fuel and weight is confirmed - hopefully soon!

9:30 in Nassau.  Doors closed and pushing away.  Off the ground at 9:45.  Maybe land Toronto at 12:30. 

Seems my iPad is messed up - the button doesn't work so getting out of an app means rebooting the whole thing and staring over.

More wine please!!

Too much wine.  Need water!

There is this family - mom dad and two kids under 8. Asked if we could switch rows so they could be back to back.   Sure.  Part way through the flight the dad and son in row one switched with the nice older couple in row two opposite.  Much commotion.  The kid was sleeping and not feeling well so everyone needed to move to make them all feel better.   Dunno!

Landed 12:37 - it is -10c

Home - 1:45 2:30 by the time I hit bed - wont be a pretty morning!

Scope It Out - Part 2

This is really neat

Photo with Nikon J2

Zoom Photo with Nikon J2

Photo through sighting scope

Very cool!!

Let's Scope It Out!

Really, spending the holidays in Ojochal is present enough for any Christmas - but this year we bought a Sighting Scope - or Birding Scope - or Monocular.

It is a Nikon with a wide field of vision and a 20 - 60x optical zoom.

We can see the waterfall raging on the far mountain, try to figure out what that strange light is in the distance, or watch the birds and monkey in the tree across the valley.

These are from our terrace to a tree about 300 metres away - - sorry, still trying to figure out how to keep the focus of the camera through the scope.