Percy

Hi shillmac and all the rest of the gang.

Shillmac: keeps those reports coming in.
We are all enjoying in the sharing of your experience.

It sounds like you are sleeping as cozy as a bug in a rug.!!!!
When are you coming home (to OK)

tully:

My Baltic trip is all under control.
I will be two full days in St.Pertersburg with private guides...so I am making sure I see all the major spots and then some.

I have a private tour guide in Tallinn Estonia , in fact when I am in Helsinki ,he is going to take the ferry across the gulf of Finland from Tallin and meet me in Helsinki... how cool!

Oslo , Stockholm and Poland,I may just do on my own since I know all the places and what I want to see.

I am in Copenhagen for 3 full days, one of those days will be with a private tour guide to go into the Country side to visit Elsinor ( Kronborg Castle) and then on the way back I stop off at Hillerod to see the Frederiksborg Castle ..and have lunch there also.

greenfieldhunter : it is nice to have to back and reading your comments again.

And hipvirgochick and Molly2 and gannetmusic:

I also enjoy reading all your postings.
I do not comment much but I am reading and enjoying all your comments comments.

gannetmusic, I think you are from Toronto( gulp, I hope I am correct!)

Percy

faithie

Hi All..... Great reports Shillmac, boo-hoo, wanna be there!!

tully

jill you are just causing havoc all over the place! Pelting young ticas with water bottles, causing a commotion on the side walk... Glad to hear you are okay.

I completely understand about the cheap/luxe thing, trust me. I will nickel & dime some things and then turn around say, and book a room at La Paz. It's all about give & take!

Btw, no Barcelona.....I just booked at Morgan's Rock today (last bungalow available eek!). They seem to have plenty of congos there so I will be a happy camper

gannetmusic

Percy,

Yes, I'm in the GTA [ Scarborough actually ....3 minutes from the Toronto Zoo]

Jerry

shillmac

Percy--sounds good,keep us informed! What a great trip you have to look forward to. .

Tully, yes, chica just you wait. Though I´ve always been a clumsy one (bull in a china closet), old age doesn´t help! Draws a lot of unwanted attention!

Morgan´s Rock sounds very nice. . .since opening in 2004, October, they have had a lot of success, I think. Anxious to see how it compares with Bosque del Cabo, of course! Good choice!

Just a couple of extra tidbits that I found interesting in the past few days. . .

My profesora en la escuela lives just outside Heredia in Santo Domingo. She also has another casa just to the side of San Joaquin in Santa Barbara. Interesting story of the two houses. . .when she was first teaching at CPI, there were a lot of problems at home--with the husband, lots of drinking and such. Unbeknownst to anyone but herself and those she employed, she began to build another house, in Ste. Barbara, bit by bit, little by little. When the situation came to a head she moved there for a time. Eventually, he became ill with cancer (he survived) and changed his ways a bit. She moved back, but now offers the house (not advertised, but she mentions it now and again to a few) as a rental property. I am excited to know this because for some time my husband and I have thought we´d like to find a little place to rent for a month at a time and travel out from there--in the nice cool part of the country. Seems perfect and I am hoping it will work out maybe next year--and also when we are finally retired (not dead, just no longer in the Texas public school system!).

Also, yesterday, my driver was waiting with me for the bus--there at kilometro marker 81 high on the Cerro de la Muerte where it is freezing cold all the time. Standing nearby was a little old woman from Nica. The driver got out and offered her the back seat so she could be warm. He stayed out to visit with a couple of guys. She and I visited a bit; then one of my favorite songs came on the radio--Air That I Breathe, Hall and Oates. I began to sing along and soon, from the back seat, came this humming. Doubt she knew the song, but she was joining the fun anyway!

As I mentioned, I stood in the aisle during that long bus ride. Up front, right in front of those huge windows that threatened to smash me to bit should I be launched forward with any force! Soon I noticed that the driver (as we barreled along) wasn´t watching the road, but counting his money. Yep, driving with his forearms, looking down, counting el dinero. There on the Cerro de la Muerte, amidst the fog and rain, with steep sides dropping to invisible valleys, meeting one huge truck after another, counting his money. Never have I felt so unsafe. . .I thought I was going to have to step down and slap him upside la cabeza! Finally he got it squared away and settled in for the drive. . .until I noticed he was beginning to yawn! Ah yi yi. . .at least we all survived! Gracias a dios!

Have a great week everyone!
Be safe!

shillmac

Oops--Hi Faithie! Wish you were!

cmerrell

I sure hope your wrist is holding up okay after the unfortunate spill, Jill! It totally sounds like something I would do while on vacation!

Aside from some very minor 'incidents' it sounds like you are having some fine adventures! Looking forward to hearing more...

It also sounds like some of the other folks here have some exciting travel plans for this year. Tully's Nicaragua trip will be fun to read about and Percy sounds like a bonafide world traveler. It's quite fascinating to hear about the destinations others choose; gets the wheels spinning in my mind for possible future trips of my own. There's a whole big, wide world out there...

tully

Oh boy, don't know if I could've done that bus trip! I have such a fear of driving on mountains, and especially with the rare guard rails you see in CR! Sounds like a great opportunity with the house, it's great that after visits & making friends things like that open up & present themselves.

Where are you off to next?

Percy your trip sounds fantastic. Whats the weather like when you will be traveling? I always just think cold, cold, cold

cmerrell yes it's a big world out there! Now I've got 4 months of waiting! I'm excited to finally get to Nicaragua, been thinking about it for years now and finally decided to take the plunge. I'm also excited about taking my rolling luggage, no pound limit for the first time in 4 years, lol!

Jill I'll drop you an email soon. Looks like you'll be getting to BdC just as Kim & Phil are getting back as well.

Percy

tully

The weather in August will be quite hot and the temperatures should be about 80 F in some places.

They say that St.Petersburg will be very warm yet and the daylight is also still longer.

You will love Nicaragua, they have better roads than Costa Rica .

Take Care
Percy

shillmac

Hello Tully, Percy, cmerrell, and everyone.. .

Nothing much to report today. . .just an interesting tidbit from last week.. .for those of you who are language students!

I was standing under an awning on the main road through town the other day (waiting for the rain to dissipate a bit) when a gentleman next to me asked me (in English) where I was from.

It started up a 30 minute conversation. Long story short, he was a director of a school near San Joaquin and had visited the U.S. 3 times. He wanted to tell me all about his visits and where all he had been (many places). After visiting for several minutes, I noticed that HE was speaking entirely in English and I was speaking entirely in Spanish and we were just rolling along, neither of us really realizing what we were doing. Totally comprehending one another, of course. It was amusing to me once I realized. . both of us practicing our second language.

Off to buy groceries at the supermercado. I am cooking tomorrow night for mi familia Tica. Pollo. . .

Thanks for staying in touch. . . Pura Vida!

hipvirgochick

shillmac -- I love reading about all of your mini-adventures! Just think, you won't even have to write a trip report when you get home now

Sounds like your having a tremendous time, and like your Spanish is getting fluent. Very cool

Can't wait for the next installment...

Dyer

I hope your wrist and hip are back to functioning well for you - YOU ARE BRAVE Ms. J!!!!!!!! Thanks for your posts. My husband asked what we should do for our 30th Ann. in about a yr. Oh, I would love to come to the Osa but... our friends aren't as adventurous, so we are thinking of taking the two day mule ride (oh, the pain!!!) and the river rafting down the Grande Canyon. If our friends don't bite on the invitation - then to CR we will come. I am impressed with your continuation of your language skills. My first cousin has taught in El Paso for many yrs. and still speaks little Spanish. Have a great week and safe travels.

cmerrell

Hi Jill,

Great story about your spanish/english conversation with the man under the awning.

shillmac

Hi Dyer, cmerrell, hvc,

Nothing much to report today, but yes, I thought it much easier this way than trying to report this stuff after the fact! Every now and then something pretty interesting pops up. I have a ¨bus story¨to report, but it will have to wait until later! I have fixed dinner for mi familia Tica and it is in the fridge right now. Need to get home and put it in the oven. Took just a little time for the internet cafe to catch up with what my family is up to!

Funny story though, so remind me if I forget!

I have fixed a chicken recipe (flattened breast)--no funny remarks, you guys. . .in butter then in bread crumbs with parmesan cheese, garlic, parsley, salt pepper. . .roll it up and put a little butter and limon on top. The family was interested in the way I was beating the hell out of the chicken breasts with a hammer. We have now named that recipe. . .¨Pollo Pobrocito¨. . .

hvc, am enjoying your report as well. . .you had a lot of great adventures!

Dyer, fine line between brave and stupid. I´m probably more often on the latter side!

Hasta luego!
P.S. School going well. . .have a couple of young ones in my class which often makes it very tedious with their silliness, but I am so far maintaining patience. The loss of learning time is irritating me a bit. Not fluent by a long shot. . probably never will be, but hoping to plug up some holes during these weeks. . . .

tully

Well Jill you could always "accidently" drop another water bottle on them, that might quiet them!

Holas to all!

shillmac

Water bottle idea sounding pretty good right about now. . .grrrr!

So I got on the bus to San Gerardo de Dota last Friday in San Jose. Directly behind me were 2 people, male and female, mid-forties, I´d say. He was all over her, literally laying on top. I peeked back between the seats because I was being knee-ed ferociously in the back--constantly. I thought there was a little child there or something, so peeked back to see.

Laying all over her (she against the window), both obviously drunk. And the giggling begins. They are laughing and talking (couldn´t understand a word, not that I wanted to) and it went on and on and on. She alternated between out of control giggling and saying ¨no no no no no no no¨, in this little high pitched voice. It was a long ride, let me tell you.

At one point they fell asleep, gracias a dios, then soon woke up and started in again. The two young women sitting across the aisle from them were equally disgusted and we exchanged a look or two. . .before anyone suggests it. . .no, not jealous!

Oh, the joys of public buses!

hipvirgochick

Seems like I missed all the action last time...Hmmm...looks like I'm going to need to hop on some public buses next time!

Also, I feel kind of silly, but the reason I made res'v with BDC already is because of it being Spring Break. I have no idea how soon things will book up there.

It seems like you've been gone forever! What's the rest of your itinerary? I can't remember when you get back.

Molly2

Too funny!How do you say "knock it off" in Spanish? Or do you use the trusty knck-them over-the-head-with-a-water-bottle manuever?

Floridafran

Hey, "Shillman", I've been reading, just haven't had time to post. Work, work, work! As cmerrell said, I need to win the lotto or be generously remembered in someone's will. I can't even get my trip report finished.

I'm enjoying all your adventures. But do be careful. No more falls, and I'm tempted to tell you to stay off the bus, as well. For all sorts of reasons!

Loved the bit about the dual language conversation. Sounds like your Spanish is much better than you give yourself credit for. Laughed at the "poor chicken" recipe. And I couldn't help but notice that you spelled lemon as limon. You're definitely getting immersed in the language. I'm jealous.

Take care and keep up the posts. I think we're all loving them.

Fran

shillmac

hvc, not you´re not too early for March reservations! I made mine 11 months in advance because I wanted particular cabinas. . .they told me at the time that people were already booking for Dec. 2007. . .that was in April, 2006! Gives you an idea. . .

I HAVE been gone forever. . .at least that´s the way it seems when I think of how much I miss my granddaughter (and others of course) but especially her as her mother tells me she is whipping out those sentences and conversations better and better everyday, has given up her ¨paci¨, to which she was VERY attached, and is completely potty trained (a work in progress when I left). So I feel as if I´m missing out on a lot!

Will be returning to the states the 10th-16th, then back on the 17th with my husband (whom I also miss!) and granddaughter.

fran, I know. . .the buses a bit risky. . but I don´t make myself much of a target (except when abusing others with the bottles). Very careful. . .no jewelry, very wary, etc. Of course, that doesn´t always get the job done, but it sure helps. I don´t sit in the bus stations having my first casado and taking pictures of the plate of food like a couple of gals I saw doing today. . .screams ¨FIRST TIME TOURIST TO COSTA RICA¨!

Yes, the immersion thing is interesting as I keep wanting to start typing in Spanish, with the English seeming a bit unnatural after so much speaking during the day. I gave a 10 minute speech today (on a few of my favorite places in CR). Thought it would be awful to speak for that long, but it whizzed by and was mostly correct and smooth. Easy to do when you love the topic, no?

Announcement everyone! Molly2 is having a birthday on July 4! But no way will I tell you how old. . .!!!

Just arrived Arenal Paraiso. . .very tired. . .rode the bus most of the afternoon (3 of them). Have a big day planned (at the spa!) tomorrow! Just wanted to tell you that as I was gazing out the window a few miles from La Fortuna noticing the sunset in the west. . .my eyes lazily drifted to the left and there she was! Yep, clear as a bell this evening. Just wish I could get in on some lava flow. . .still on the other side. Hope to get a few photos tomorrow. . .it was nice to arrive on a nice clear evening! Weather is great. . .no problems getting here. . .but tired! More on Monday. . have a great weekend, all!