Hi Percy and everyone,
Heck yes, I hiked back up. And Baldi Springs took all the soreness out before it even got started!
Cano Negro tour today was excellent. Saw lots of new birds!
Lesson of the day. . . socks make great toilet paper when necessary!
Happy summer travels everyone!

Hi Jill! and Percy! and everyone else... Jill I was joking at BdC with the big marine toads that I would kiss one & see if it was my prince, til they explained it would make me hallucinate for days! Sounds like you're having a great time, can't wait to hear about it when you get back....and I may just finish my trip report by then!

Well, yeah, Tully, we´re all still waiting for your ¨full report¨!

Good to hear from you. I´ve thought of you more than once and how we both love it here so much.

Just spent a couple nights at La Carolina. Loved the place. No English, no electricity, lots of r&r, horseback, hammock time, hiking. It was a great little retreat for a short time! Playa Hermosa now. . .boy has this area ever changed! Had to see it to believe it! We´re looking forward to a few beach days. . .

Hi Percy--weather great--thanks!

Hi shillmac

Glad you are having fun in Playa Hermosa.

You say things have really changed a lot.
You mean more buildings and condos and hotel places.!?

That is the trouble with a beach area, everyone wants to be at or near the water.

I hope the Costa Rica Government follows their strict guidelines about new building AND enforces their own rules !!

Your welcome about the weather..I am sending more hot days for you.
let me know when I have spoiled you enough !!!!!

Take Care
Percy

Hi Percy,
Yeah, just way too much development. Especially in Tamarindo-Langosta area. Can you picture a 7 story building in Tamarindo or anywhere on this coast? Those weren´t supposed to be allowed. . .but hey. .somebody´s letting the $$ talk. And the roads are worse now than they have ever been. Ever. Couldn´t believe the road to Flamingo to day. And to Playa Grande. Driving in the ditches to avoid the road if you can imagine! Constantly, not part of the time! Still enjoying ourselves, though. Still a great place. Time will tell how it all turns out. . .weather great. Just a few sprinkles today to cool things down. Thanks! I may give Ricardo and Lupita a call tomorrow.

Hi shillmac

If you talk to Ricardo and Luptia,then for sure say a BIG hello from me.

Lupita is contemplating opening up a dress shop in Liberia. I hope she does.

I might even buy one and waer it !!!...like yeah sure !!

I recall vividly the road driving back from Playa Grande from the Turtle Egg Laying Tour and the road was terrible then......
you could get picked up for impaired driving ..just trying to dodge the potholes.

A 7 storey building in Tamarindo...just great ( Grrr!!)

All this was not suppose to happen.

Ricardo explained to me all the rules the Government had in place... I guess it will go the way that Barcelo did in Playa Tambor !

Have a sip of Imperial for me !

Ricardo and Lupita's boy's name is Andre.

Take Care
Percy

Got an email recently from a friend in Tamarindo -especially lamenting about the roads. Seems that more than $250 million that should have gone to road maintenance /repair has just vanished....

How many years will it be before greed and corruption have ruined that beautiful place?

Jerry

Yeah, that´s what my husband and I were discussing just yesterday (over a cold Imperial, Percy)--all the money coming in--where the heck is it going? Surely not for the roads! We actually drove Monkey Trail (or Congo Trail) from near Playa Hermosa (Sardinal) to Playa Potrero this afternoon. It was a dirt road through the country, not half bad. Took us 30 minutes, 18 km. The middle was a little rough, but nothing compared to the ¨paved¨ road between Brasilito and Flamingo and that road to Playa Grande. Wish we had taken it yesterday, but I didn´t remember it until today.

You know that Hyatt Regency is putting in at Brasilito? Scheduled for 2007 or 2008, more likely. I´m thinking it will wipe out the town. How could it not? Looking ahead 10 years. . .I just wonder how it will be. . .

Rincon de la Vieja tomorrow! Looking forward to some hiking/exercise. Too much gallo pinto!

Percy, I didn´t call Ricard today and probably won´t. I was going to ask him about Santa Rosa, but I think we´ve decided not to go there this trip. Don´t think we can do that and Rincon in same day, and Santa Rosa (as I understand it) doesn´t have all that much going. . . If I remember, though, I´ll give him a call just to tell him you´re alive and kicking! And arranging weather. . .thanks for the sprinkles this afternoon. . cooled things down quite a bit! That lightening was a little close, however. .!

Ciao!

Meant to say Ricardo. . ..

Hi shillmac
I know the Congo Trail and the area you are in quite well.... so keep having a good time.

There is no use hiking both in Rincon de la Vieja and also Santa Rosa Park.

There is a nice museum replica building in Santa Rosa( that is pretty rustic) with information about the famous battle they had there in 1856.
Then you walk up a hill and visit the Monument to the Lost Heroes..those who lost their lies in the battle.

I do not know which way you are heading after you do Rincon de la Vieja but if you are going down the Inter American Highway from Liberia.... then

maybe this is your time to visit the Bagaces Waterfall..!!

Take Care

Percy

Thanks Percy. Yes, that was the plan. We had already decided not to spend much time at Santa Rosa. But the Rincon hiking fell through also as I awoke with some little bug that absolutely robbed me of every ounce of energy. We attempted to hike Rincon, but after 15 minutes (and one fumarole) I was done for! It was just as well, as torrential rains come right after we left the park. We managed to drive up to La Cruz, then back down, stopped in Liberia for some much needed sopa de polla at Pasa Real (excellent little restaurant overlooking the square/cathedral). Got in on the very end of the France vs. Italy futbol game. What an ending! Then headed back to the hotel where I promptly crashed. It would have been the perfect time for Bagaces falls, and we talked about that driving in last Friday, but its amazing how not feeling so well can take away your desire to do much of anything! Feeling better today!

We are back in Alajuela (didn't dare stop at the falls today with all of our "stuff&quot and preparing to make a run into Clinica Biblica in San Jose where Tico friends are having a baby this afternoon (unplanned c-section). That should provide a little excitement for the evening! We had a message to come join them at the hospital, so we are thinking we will. The baby should be here by now, so I hope all went well. We'll head out within the hour.

Hope all is well with you--how are your trips plans coming? I'm thinking you've got it all whipped into shape by now. . .

shillmac

well I sure you your are feeling better now.

I did not send any bugs down to"bug you"

Isn't Santa Cruz just a lazy sleepy litle place before the Nicaraugua border!!!

So you are go to see the birth of another Tico or Tica.!

Yes,Ihave the trip all booked with private guides at everyplace I visit.

We are flying into Venice 4 days earlier so we can see it all.

Then when I get to Rome I am suppose to have an audience with the Pope...gee I hope he shows up ,but I know he is busy.( ha ha).

I will be in Athens ,Turkey, France and Spain....but this is not until October..

Let me tell you it took some doing to arrangement private tour guides in all these places.!

I told my guide in Florence to purchase my ticket ahead of time to climb the Leaning Tower of Pisa.

I want to climb to top and drop a one pound stone and a 5 pound stone ..just like Galileo did and see which one hits the ground first.!!!!!

Take Care and stay away from those bugs.

Keep me posted of your adventures..I am jealous but you already know that and don't care anyway!!

Percy

Hi Percy,
Yes, it was a fun experience to go to the hospital and see new little Felipe. He is a beautiful little Tico! And his parents so excited and proud!

Arrived Bocos del Toro this a.m. about 11:00. Fight was fine, if a little bumpy. I forgot my "I don't care what happens" pill, so was gripping the seat a time or two. . . Feeling my ornery self again. Too bad for my husband. . .he got a little respite from my harrassment when I was feeling punk!

Your trip sounds fascinating, and I'm sure it will be! A grand tour! Galileo, indeed!

By the way (por cierto), I forgot to mention, and knew that you and Jerry and David (dnc11) would want to know that the "powers that be" have ruled that development can continue in grand scale at Playa Grande. .this after a long hold up because of the endangering of the leatherbacks. Someone has decided that their numbers are already so low that a little development won't do them further harm. . .and also that the real problem to their survival is not what happens on land, but the fishing nets at sea. I think this decision stinks, but it bears out what I mentioned the other day. Money is talking down here big time, and people are listening. Too bad. Playa Grande, of all places. Seems there isn't the 50 meter beach zone in force there (just a few beaches aren't bound by that law) so that make the property there even more exclusive and desirable to develope. There is a group of landowners who have been working hard to get the no building law rescinded, and apparently they have succeeded. Bad deal. . .

Also, La Cruz, yes, is a small town hear the Nica border. SANTA Cruz, on the other hand, is down on highway 21, south toward Nicoya and the Friendship Bridge.

Ciao! Jill

Ooops

I got La Cruz and Santa Cruz mixed up...I meant to say La Cruz.!

Yep, that is the reason I am sure that I would not like to fly in those small planes.... I would have white knuckle from grabbing the side handles.

Keep us all posted of where you are next and what you are doing

Take Care

Percy

Still having fun here on Bocas. . .interesting place. Today we did the group tour experience (not our favorite thing to do, but an inexpensive way to see a few islands). Snorkeled at Crawl Cay, Hospital Point (now that's a name that makes you think twice about snorkeling the area), then spent a couple hours at Red Frog Beach (very nice, but strong currents, so not too swimmable--huge waves), also spent an hour or so watching dolphins. . .that was fun. It was a long day, 9:30 - 4:30.

We've been impressed with the weather (Percy, I know you're taking credit--hope you don't get struck by lightening!). Huge storm during the night last night that was very noisy and disrupted sleep somewhat, also rained during the night before and both mornings.

However, by 9:00 or 10:00, it has cleared off (or at least stopped raining) both days and offered up a very nice, cool, and breezy "rest of the day". Not bad at all. A little sun here and there, although it is intense and we prefer the clouds!

Thanks again, Lisa, for the notes you sent on Bocas. . and also to cmfrog (is that right?) regarding your post back in December that gave a lot of good info.

Returning to CR and Puerto Viejo Saturday. . .

shillmac

Where is Hospital Point and Red frog Beach?

Please don't see everything in Costa Rica, leave something for the rest of us that cannot get there right now.!!!

I will send a bit of rain down to Puerto Viejo..the rain forest segment needs some !!

Take Care

Percy

Oops, sorry, may have forgotten to mention. . .we are in Bocos del Toro Panama for a few days. Had you going thre for awhile didn't I wondering just where were those places in Costa Rica that you hadn't heard of!

Pretty rainy today, but that's okay. . nothing much planned. . .looking for a good masseuse!

Take care. . .

shillmac

Okay now I know where you are at.

Now get back to Costa Rica before you venture any further into Panama!.

Puerto Viejo will be safe enough as you have already been there.

Take Care
Percy

Waiting for our lancha this morning. It has been rainy every night and every morning up until about 9:30 or 10:00 every day that we have been here. We just knew that, no matter what, we were gonna get wet this a.m. Even in a covered lancha, when you're zipping through the water on a 30 minute ride over to Changuinola (the mainland, Panama), you're gonna be drenched before it's all over.

HOWEVER, we awoke this a.m. to the first perfect morning. Beautiful weather outside (means it will be hotter than heck later, probably). So we are looking forward to a pleasant ride here in a few minutes.

This has been a fun place to relax for a few days. It will be crawling with tourist by this time next year. More than it is now.

Ciao!

Hey Girl! I sure wish you could have spent a couple days here in Nosara. I would have loved to meet you in person! Oh well, glad you are having a good time!