Shillmac?
 

I wanted to thank you for recommending Hotel Sugar Beach, they're absolutely wonderful and they're helping us plan our wedding. They even respond to my emails right away.

I'd like to ask you a few questions about CR. Let me know if you'd like to be our official CR guide. =)

You know I'd love it! :)

[email protected]

Sorry, that's "gmail.com".

Seriously, there are a lot of things I couldn't tell you--others would know more. But in that area of Guanacaste, I can certainly be of some help. Feel free to e-mail with questions. . .

Would travel gladly in your suitcase for free airfare. . .! LOL

By the way--Congratulations and Happy Honeymooning!

Yeah! Thank you. If I could bring you I definately would. I plan on shipping a box over fedex, want to get in that? Now off to emailing.

Here is an interesting side note on Hotel Sugar Beach. The partners that own this hotel also own Orquideas Inn.

One of the managers that you are probably working with is Erich. He was the long time manager at Orquideas Inn.

Happy Honeymoon!

Pat Hewitt

We're headed to Sugar Beach in April.

Shillmac: Any tips for things to do? Especially cheap things? Fun/out-of-the-way/not in guide book, etc? We'll have an SUV.

Santa Rosa park is a good side trip from Guanacaste. I also did a long hike up Tecorio volcano.

Tenorio is a great idea. Excellent hiking, beautiful trails, and the Rio Celeste especially gorgeous.

Rincon de la Vieja, certainly.

Monkey Park near Huacas might be interesting.

The Monkey Trail from Potrero to Playas Coco, Hermosa, Ocotal a good adventure and a great short cut. . .

The waterfall near Bagaces. . the one the locals know about and enjoy, few tourists. . .never can remember the name! :)

Pat, we met Gary several years ago. Very personable fellos. Assuming he still owns both? Does he have a partner?

Well, he was a fellow, not a fellos!

Yes. His partner is a car dealer from Michigan. Very nice guy. He and Gary share ownership in both hotels. His partner's daughter is the other manager at Sugar Beach.


And I agree, Gary is a really good fellow! He and his wife are good friends of my wife and I. Gary is also a great cook, and they are addicted to andouille sausage from Louisiana. We bring them some whenever we pass through.

Regards,
Pat

Interesting! No question they run a top notch operation, both locations.

You guys probably travel south with more than andouille sausage--dropping all kinds of things to friends and acquaintances. We used to take People and similar entertainment magazines to our friends who ran La Finca Que Ama near Puriscal. We also take special orders, everything from digital cameras and Ipods to Poppycock popcorn mix. And then return with coffee, coffee, coffee! :)

Wow you learn so much from these posts. The lady I'm dealing with at Hotel Sugar Beach is Sarah and I can't say enough good things about her and how much she's helping us. If I could show you the email I would. Being in Florida what do you think I could bring her? I would definately recommend Hotel Sugar Beach for a wedding. We're SO excited to go. I sent everyone the link to the hotel and they love it. I'm trying to plan things for everyone to do while we're there in November.

Hey Tia. Sara is the other partner's daughter, and the general manager.

And yes Shillmac, you know the drill. We all help our friends when we can. Over the years I have brought down dehumidifiers, window a/c units, a boom box, clothes, a digital video camera, tools, small appliances, car parts, etc. It used to be a lot easier, before the airlines tightened up the luggage requirements. When I had my office in Quepos, I used to spend a week there every month. I became the local "mule" for my friends there.

The funniest time was when a local carpenter did some work for me. He asked if I could bring him some tools. I really did not know the guy well, and he had a fairly large order. But I did not want to refuse him. So the following month, I hauled down about seventy five pounds of tools. I got torn down by security everywhere, and had to hand carry them through the airports between terminals. I was very glad to be finally rid of them when I handed them over.

Then the guy asked me to bring him some more the next month. I told him I couldn't, I had other friends that needed things. But he was insistent, and said that I had promised to bring him tools. I indicated the large pile of tools that I had just brought him. He said, "No. Those are for my brother. Now you need to bring me mine!"

I laughed, but still declined. I shouldn't have felt bad, but I did a little. He seemed like a really nice guy. I learned later that he did stuff like this all the time, and was running his own little black market. Live and learn!

Hope this helps other victims! Let me know if I can offer more advice.

Warm Regards,
Pat Hewitt
(Travel professional)

What a nice guy you are! :) There's a fine line between being kind and feeling taken sometimes. .


The father and two grown sons of my homestay family are fabulous carpenters and woodworkers. When I left in July they requested that I send a couple of "revistas" of kitchen cabinetry. I found them at Lowe's--about $15 per. Cost me $30 to mail! They really have no idea of the expense in mailing something like that--or the expense in buying it. I never accept payment from them as they have been so kind to me and mine through the years.

The funniest thing (albeit easy to travel with) was the Poppycock. I had forgotten there was such a thing, but it IS very good. Apparently another student had taken some as a gift and they wanted MORE! I vaguely remembered the stuff and finally located some at Target. They were SO excited! :)

But is has been a true blessing to us to have the friendships that we have cultivated there through the years. Lifelong friends. The sharing is always mutual--they always send us home with love gifts as well. I know you must feel the same, and more so.