Hi Ally,
It will happen. We had planned to spend a couple of days with you and ran out of time. Had to choose between Nosara and Hermosa and needed to drop off some things for a friend near Hermosa, so that changed things up a bit.

I hope all is well and that your business is prospering! I´m sure it is. . .hasn´t been all that long ago you ran ¨the poll¨ about what a good hotel needs! I´ve thought about your poll more than once this trip, and a time or two have wished the owners of some of the hotels we´ve stayed had tried that method!

Read about the trouble with the owner of the ¨juice bar¨????? Know what I mean? Any news on that front? Take good care and hope to catch you in few months (as I prefer to think of it)

Things are hopping here in Puerto Viejo. . .been riding bikes and my legs are starting to scream! Loudly. . .

Hello to Rick. . heard from Neta lately or are you still in touch?

shillmac - you sure know how to make someone, who wants to be in CR, feel like they are. I can't follow your lead like I did "faithies" last Jan., I followed her "advice" to Yelapa, Mexico due to going back to work 3/4th + time and needing a vacation prior to "that time in my life" beginning. Thank God, I did as we haven't been on vacation (other than two days in Mpls and two days in the Black Hills of S.D,) since!!! My, and my husbands, heart is till in CR and I think the excursion to Panama is be a nice side tour. We do get to drive from S.D. to Georgia and back next month - moving our 22 yr. old there. BUT, there is water 1 1/2 hrs. away from her - in Georgia and in S.C. and 2 1/2 hrs from Jacksonville, Fl. beaches - so we should get our "fix of beaches" this upcoming yr. visiting her. Then, if the kids stay put, we may get to CR to relax and enjoy the rain forest(s) in 2007. Thanks for sharing. Dyer

Dyer

I thought the drive through the Black Hills in South Dakota was one of the nicest drives I ever took.

From there I went to Deadwood to have a shoot-out with Wild Bill Hickock..but he was already dead!!!

Shillmac is just trying to make us jealous and she is doing a good job !!!

Percy

Hi Dyer,
Well, I'm the "odd man (woman?) out" because we've never been to the Black Hills. My husband has mentioned several times he'd like to go, and I always beg him to head south. We will make it there sometime, however!

We just returned home last evening. Got to experience a taxi strike on Highway 32 between Limon and San Jose on Wednesday. We were in a small van (just finishing up our Tortuguero package) and our (woman!) driver followed a public bus onto a little side road (horrible road). We got ahead of the action and literally raced back onto the highway just as 2 taxis sped up and pulled into place to make up a new front line. We zoomed through them and onto the highway, looked back, and in seconds the highway was blocked again. You should have heard us clapping and cheering! We'd already been stuck for a few hours!

LOVED Tortuguero. . .seeing one of the green turtles laying eggs was a magical experience (and I hope not to intrusive for her, poor girl). Met some interesting people all along our journey these past few weeks and just had a wonderful time with quite a varied itinerary. I'll post one of these days some of our impressions.

Right now we have the pleasure of our granddaughter's company for a few days. She was in CR with us for 10 days, but we'd not seen her since July 1, and Granddad and I were definitely needing a fix!

Making people jealous, Percy. . Really! You're a fine one to talk!
By the way, we had a few moments of rain here and there in Tortuguero, but the one full day we were there, total sun all day. It was amazing. We had some terrific canal and river tours. We couldn't have asked for better weather the entire month--thanks for putting in a good word for us!

You are welcome about the weather shillmac.
Glad to help!!

I am also glad that you got to see the turtles laying eggs because it really is an experiencet that you will remember always...too bad you cannot take pictures...but those good memories will remain.

A taxi strike hmmm ,now who were they striking against!!?

Okay now it is time to spoil Isabelle.

We are in a heat wave here right now...it is 10 minutes after 9 PM and it is still 93 F yet ...whew!!!

Take Care
Percy

Gee Percy, can't believe it is so hot up there--it is as bad here, but you'd expect that.

The taxista were trying to get the governments attention to crack down on the piratas (pirate taxis). It's been a long standing conflict. I'm sure the taxista (legal ones) don't like the others taking a slice of their business. As many people as there are to be hauled around down there these days, looks like there would be enough business for everyone! I know it has never been considered "safe" to use the piratas, but we had to while in Puerto Viejo. Found a very nice young man to take us to Moin to begin our Tortuguero tour. Now Puerto Viejo is a place where you definitely don't see many taxis--just the pirate taxis--or private transfer services, some of them call themselves.. . .

Anyway, it created a little excitement for us. . although it also kept us from arriving at Vista del Valle early enough to enjoy the property before dark--we were very tired and then had to head toward the airport by 9:30 the next morning. We'll definitely go back there--gorgeous place. Sure would like to have one of their properties. . . .

Isabelle was sick all weekend, fever and runny nose (and cutting teeth), not much sleeping went on. . .took her to the Dr. yesterday for an antibiotic (it was her throat) and she seems to be better today. But we had a few good moments!

Yes Vista del Valle is a nice place...maybe next time you can see it in the daytime.

I agree it would be nice to have one of those cabins at Vista del Valle.


Are you on your way home now ?

Taxi trouble !! I guess everyone want a little part of the tourist dollar coming into Costa Rica.
Take Care

Percy

Jill: It was great to hear from you via this forum during your CR travels. And of course, even better to meet all of you here! I wondered if you were "caught up" in the taxi strike. As I understand it, another gripe of the legal taxis is that the piratas are not required to have add'l insurance for passengers and do not pay any licensing fees. Therefore, the piratas are undercutting the legal taxis on price (oh such drama here in CR) Approx. three years ago, I also was caught up in a taxi strike here in Quepos and Parrita. We were stuck on the wrong side of the bridge and had to take refuge at our friend's bar/restaurant for several hours. (Entirely not a bad deal actually.) When it began raining and the striking taxi driver's beer supply ran out, the strike ended! Hugs and kisses to Isabelle! Lisa

LOL! That's one thing about being delayed in Costa Rica--always a nearby bar! It was our pleasure to sit down with you and Harry for awhile. And your tips on Bocas came in very handy as well--we really liked it there; something a little different.

Hugs and kisses will be delivered. . .

Hope all is well with you. Thanks again for the spa recommendation!