Travel With Betsy

…….always my favorite……..they were all so nice……

In addition to the obvious excitement of exploring new places and experiencing what they have to offer, for me, the people I encounter along the way is always my favorite part of a trip. This one was no different. Between the people in the small towns that we visited, the crew on the ship and the other passengers, there was no shortage of interesting observations and stimulating discussions on the subject of just about everything.

As I mentioned, the SilverSea ship that we were on was capable of holding 100 people, but it wasn’t full. There were just 75 of us that shared this experience together. And, because of the small groups that were in each “Zodiac” group, we were able to meet almost everyone. Each time we boarded the small rubber dinghies, it seemed like were traveling with a new group, making it easy to make everyone’s acquaintance.

I felt, on this cruise, as I did with the Antarctic cruise, that I was involved in a kind of summer camp for adults. Because of the small group of people interested in this very focused, specific experience, it seemed that we became friends very quickly. We, the passengers and our well-versed guides were on a great adventure together, which caused us to quickly form a bond that felt a bit like that of an extended family. Our common goal of seeing as much as we could, motivated us to help each other find the land animals that were camouflaged in the flora and fauna and see the beautiful fish that were under the water.

At any point on our explorations, you could hear someone say, “Did you see that?” And, then someone else would say, “No! What is it? Where is it?” Then, you would see one helping the other to find the creature, whatever it was.

After a few days at sea, the group at large divided into smaller sub-groups of people with similar interests and activity skill levels. These smaller groups tended to stay together on the excursions, for drinks and for dinner. At the end of each day’s adventure, we met in the lounge before dinner and, over drinks, and discussed our thoughts about our experiences of the day. We were like children in our wide-eyed wonder as we described the things we witnessed. It was so much fun!

By the end of the week, all of us had a small group of new friends. It was amazing!

The helpful nature of the fast forming group of friends extended to the SilverSea water activities as well. As I mentioned, there were several of us who had not snorkeled before. As each of us beginners took our first dip into the water, the more experienced people encouraged us and coached us so that we would be able to have the best possible experience. It was the same with my kayaking experience.

I wanted to try kayaking. Again, non-outdoorsy gal that I am, I had never done this before. So, I was looking for another passenger who was a beginner to go with me. No need to hold back a more seasoned person. After some questioning, I found another beginner to go with me! Sue, another novice, was willing to give it a try! Great! We would be a team, paddling our way through the wavy waters, helping each other to learn. We were set.

But, when one of the guides caught wind of our partnership, he let us know that it was not a good idea for 2 beginners to try this. It was really better to have someone in the kayak with some experience. I was disappointed, but it did make sense when I gave it further thought. So, I went searching for someone willing to ride with a beginner. That’s when my new friend, Allen, stepped up. He had gone with his wife the day before and was happy to take me out.

So, off we went on the appointed day. The water was a little rough….rougher than the day that he had gone out with his wife. Much to my surprise, I found that I was a “natural” at kayaking! I felt fearless, protected by my life jacket and my new-found swimming abilities! I may have a new career in the water sports arena. HA!

Allen and I did quite well as a team as we bumped our way along and negotiated the waves that came our way. I learned how to go forward, left and right….and how to avoid bumping into other kayakers. I’m happy to report that we didn’t turn the kayak over, fall out or hit any ground, although we had a narrow escape on the latter. What a thrill!

In the end, we both had a great experience! Allen said that I was a little more adventurous than his wife, which made the ride a lot more fun than the day he went with his wife. She would have made him come back to the “Zodiac” after just a few minutes. Too rough! Not, me…..onward! It was a lot of fun!

On the last day, I opted to venture off on my own to do some shopping in San Cristobal, where we found the best shopping of the trip. But, true to form, as I walked along on the street, my new-found friends would see me and call me over to them to view a purchase they were considering. Together, we would evaluate the options and pick the best one. I did the same thing. Two of my fellow passengers, Everett and his wife, were in one of the stores where I was deliberating on the purchase of a bracelet. He said, “Does it make you feel happy?” and “Will you enjoy wearing it?” Yes, I thought it would. “Then you should have it.”, he said. He was right. I appreciated the encouragement, bought it…and, I have already worn it. It did make me happy!

And, then, of course there were the staff members, who were so helpful and kind. From Enrike, our snorkel instructor to Desiree, who’s love of the Galapagos was obvious in the information she shared with us. On our last “Zodiac” ride, Desiree and I had an extensive discussion on Ecuador and the many things to appreciate in the different sections of the country. She said that I should come back and spend a few weeks, travel around the country and experience what she was talking about. I just might do that!

And, of course the townspeople were also interesting and uplifting from the shop keepers to the women in the fish market to the group sitting along the street having a “bake sale”.

I am home now and as I sit here in my living room writing this last post of the trip, I am already missing the people.  I will always remember the things I have seen and done.   But, it’s the people that will hold a special place in my heart and my memory.

It’s always the people……always my favorite…..

Trip of a lifetime……..in so many ways…….

Or, if you are in the Galapagos, a friendly sea lion…

We have seen so many sea lions you would think I would be tired of them by now. But, honestly, I just can’t get enough of them! I love their little puppy-like faces with the long whiskers and sleepy black eyes. I admire the way they doze a little bit, open their eyes to check things out, look around and then settle back in for a few more winks of sleep, indifferent to the things that are happening around them. We should all take a lesson from them. What a way to live!

The sea lions have to be my favorite of all the creatures I have seen on this journey.   As a resident of California, this was certainly not my first encounter with this type of animal. But, here in the Galapagos, it is a different experience. These special creatures are very curious and playful. They have no problem waddling right up to you and greeting you with their unique “honks” or swimming up to you in the water and tickling you with their whiskers. And, honestly, their faces are so cute, that I don’t know how one could not like them. We saw them in the water, on the rocks, and sleeping on benches.

Here’s a photo of a mother and baby.  The baby is nursing.  I thought it was quite special that I would see this.

This is one of my favorite photos.

In the afternoon of the last day, we had free time to walk around the city and do some shopping. Our guide suggested that we take a look at the “fish market”. So, after I did my shopping, I wandered over to the section of the waterfront. It wasn’t as elaborate as some other of the markets I have encountered on my travels. There were 2 women at a long table selling 3 different types of fish, each stacked in a small pile. It was just these 2…no other people….no other fish. But, when I looked under the table, I saw that they had a “sea lion helper”. I watched this comical scene for a long time. The sea lion stood between the 2 women and waited with his nose just under one of the stacks of fish….hoping for something to fall.Every now and then, the sea lion would nudge one of the women and they would push it away. Finally, after several nudges, one of the women would throw it some fish.

The sea lion would savor this delight and then resume his stance, nose pointed at the stack of fish. It was like a little dance. I couldn’t look away! It was so funny!

As much as I loved the sea lions, I have seen some other incredible wildlife as well during our tour of the Galapagos Islands in a variety of different settings. Many of them are “endemic” to the Galapagos (they only live here), so it makes it even more special to be a part of their world here, if only for a short time.

During the course of the cruise, we went out several times on the “Zodiacs” where we have been able to get up close and personal to the water creatures that hug the waterline edges of the craggy lava and rock masses that protrude from the water, as well as the birds that call these outcroppings home.

We also visited, by “Zodiac”, the sea creatures that live in the murky waters of the mangroves.

In both of these settings, we have been so close to them that it would be possible to touch them, if that were allowed. It’s not. So, we just observe…and take pictures. Sometimes the birds flit around as they hear the noise of the “Zodiacs”, but mostly, they just briefly inspect us without moving and then look away. They seem not to have any fear as they watch. It’s as if they saying, “Welcome to my home. Be at your ease.”

We have seen “frigate birds” and “blue footed boobies” everywhere. These 2 birds have something of a symbiotic relationship with each other. The “frigate birds” are scavengers. They are not able to find their own food. So, you often find them near the “blue footed boobies” that are diving into the water for food. Several times, we watched as the “frigate birds” snatched food from the “boobies”. It was quite comical.

The “blue footed boobies” are quite spectacular looking with their blue eyes and blue feet. When they come into land or dive into the water for food, they spread their wings widely and expose their blue feet.   Everyone, including the guides who see this every day hoped, each time we went out to look at these creatures, that we could get a picture of them coming in for a landing. It would be an award-winning shot….if you could get it.

The “frigate birds” are quite large. When in flight, they pick up the thermal currents of the wind and never move their wings. The wings stay outstretched and they just glide in the air. Even though they are a nuisance to the “boobies”, they look quite elegant as they sail along.

We saw all types of birds that I would love to be able to name here, but I am not a “birder” and, so, don’t have all of the names in my head. But, they included the Darwin finch, sea gulls of all types, Galapagos mocking birds, penguins and more.

We also saw many marine iguanas. These prehistoric-looking creatures are endemic to the Galapagos Islands and they are everywhere there is water. Often we would see them together with crabs of all types and colors that scurried along the rocks looking for food and escaping some of the waves. Sadly, there is a real shortage of food for the iguanas and, in addition to those that were alive, we also saw many skeletons and bodies in different stages of decay. That part was very sad. We also saw a few baby sea lions that were not well. We didn’t know why. But, it was sad to see some of them struggle for breath. It brought tears to my eyes.

On the last days, we visited a turtle farm and a ranch where the old turtles roam free. These turtles are also endemic to the Galapagos. Many of them are quite large and very old. We looked at some that were heading towards 100 years. One of them had moss growing on its shell. One of our guides said that the oldest recorded age of one of these turtles was about 200 years. It was incredible to see them slowly moving around with their heavy shells.

We learned that the turtles don’t have any hearing, but they can feel vibrations on the ground. And, they were not as bold as the other animals we saw. They become very frightened when they feel the vibrations of people walking along and see people. At the last farm we visited, we heard something that sounded like a hiss. The guide explained that this was not a hiss, but the sound that the head of the turtle makes as it retracts back into the shell when it is afraid.

I wish I could retract into a shell when I am afraid…..but, I wouldn’t want to carry the shell around. The weight of the turtle is almost all shell, and can weigh several hundred pounds. I think I have a back issue now. Imagine if I had to carry a shell around.

I am again blown away by the amount of information we learned about all of the animals the in the Galapagos and the ability of the guides to point things out that we would never find on our own.   Just amazing!

As I think about it, at the end of the day, I will still take the carefree sea lion above the other animals in the sea. When I get back to California, I will view our local brothers of these sea lions with love……

Happiness is a friendly sea lion.

Dr. Seuss knew what he was talking about when he created this fun children’s story. I wonder if he had the opportunity to visit the Galapagos Islands to see the beautiful and colorful fish here? I hope so. The snorkeling days we have had here in the Galapagos have been some of the best times of the trip so far. Who knew there were so many things living under the water and so much going on there?! It has been a real education for me.

In the last days, I learned that there is a rainbow of fish…and some other things, too…. living in the depths of the waters in and around the Galapagos Islands.   I had no idea what I would find a few days ago when I looked below the surface of the water for the first time. When I took my first dip, I was pleasantly surprised to see a whole palette of color moving around me. It was just incredible!

I have now had several “real” snorkeling experiences in addition to the training day…and, I’m feeling very confident about the technical part. I’m still wearing the “floatee” thing, even on the last snorkel day. But, I’m OK with that if it means I can continue to watch the fish swim and play under the water during my time here in paradise.

The first day of snorkeling was the most interesting for me, probably because it was so new. When I put my head in the water, I immediately saw fish below me. They were curious and started to move towards me, which was, frankly, a bit shocking. But, then, I realized that I was visiting them in their home, and they just wanted to take a look to see who was there. Once they saw me and exchanged a few friendly “hellos”, they were happy to move on. The depth perception in the water is skewed a bit, so I’m not really even sure how close they were to me. But, it looked like I could reach out and touch them, which we were instructed not to do, so I didn’t try. It was quite surreal.

Somewhere at the beginning of this first experience, I bobbed my head up to see where I was. As I looked out over the surface of the water, I saw 2 seals moving through the water together. They were heading right towards me. They came so close that I thought they would knock me over. Again, it was startling to me, but they had no fear, so I didn’t either.   They just came up to check me out and then went on side by side together. I put my head back down into the water and looked as far below as I could.   A seal and a large fish were chasing each other playfully in a circle. It looked like it was close to the bottom. Really, I don’t know if they were playing or if one was chasing the other. But, I choose to think that they were having fun. It was cute to watch!

Before long, I looked up and right in front of me was a flightless Cormoran diving into the water. This bird doesn’t fly because its wings are too small. They simply dive into the water from the surrounding rocks where they sit, swim down to get some food, and then return to their perches along the shore. The guide said that they are very curious birds. They will come right up to you and check you out….and, sometimes touch you. On the second snorkel day, one of them approached me and said his “hellos”. I guess I didn’t look too interesting, and I definitely wasn’t food, so he moved on. Truth be told, though, one of the other cruisers was “attacked” by one of these things and had to push it off a little bit. I didn’t see it, but it sounded quite exciting!

I floated along with the current and before too long, I saw 2 sea turtles swimming along. They were close to the bottom and taking their time as they moved along.

There were more sea lions as I swam through. All just swimming along and sometimes playing with each other.

The second day of snorkeling was more of the same, but there were more of the brightly colored fish than the day before. I wish I knew the names of them. The only one I was able to really identify was the “puffer fish”, but only because David, my cabin neighbor, was swimming near me and knew what it was. It was a kind of white fish with some brown spots on it. David tried to make it puff up by tickling it under the belly, but, alas, he wasn’t able to get it to “puff”. But, I have to say that in its natural state, it was quite attractive.

The fish were truly a rainbow of color. My favorite was one that was mostly bright orange with some black stripes. It was a little bit oblong in shape. I saw lots of them swimming through the schools of smaller fish. They were stunning.

There was a “flavor” of fish for everyone. Sometimes I would look down and see yellow fish with black stripes, or fish of neon blue, or light lilac colored fish. Sometimes the fish were just black or grey….or so it seemed.   They were all shapes and sizes. I saw them traveling alone and sometimes in a group of similarly colored fish. And, sometimes, I saw a mixture of all different kinds and colors of fish floating along with the current.

My favorite experience of the first 2 days was swimming with a school of fish. As the waves crashed on the shoreline and washed back to the ocean, I could just float on the top and move out with the current. As I was moving along, I looked down and saw school after school of fish. They appeared to be very close to the surface. I looked right and then looked left and realized that I was in the middle of the group of fish. How incredible is that? I felt like I was a part of their little fish community. They were very welcoming!

On our last snorkeling day, which was today, I had the experience of actually swimming alongside a sea lion. It came up next to me and looked up at me as if to say, “Let’s go play”, and I did…for a short time until it dipped down into the water and moved on to its next playmate. I wanted to dip down with it, but the “floatee” kept me on the surface. What a thrill to get that close to him!

I will never forget these last few days in the water.  I am absolutely blown away by the movement, the colors and the fact that you can get so close to these animals and they don’t bother you. Many of them never move. They simply look at you and then just go on about their business.

As I looked for the last time down through the clear water, I realized that the fish, sea lions, birds and other creatures of the Galapagos were living together in what appeared to be “perfect harmony”. They all have a place in their world and seemed to accept each other for what they were. I had a fleeting thought that it would be nice if we, as a human race, could just move along in peace with each other. But, we don’t do that. And, I guess, neither do the sea creatures all of the time. But, it’s a nice thought.

I will end by telling you that today, on our last snorkel day, I was actually able to instruct a fellow passenger on the fine art of snorkeling. Jaima, whom we met on one of the earlier days, was a beginning snorkeler, too, and she was a little nervous about going out. She was doing the same thing I was doing on the first day. Chatting along nervously…wondering when she should put on fins, how to prepare her mask, etc. Her husband wasn’t going today, so she needed a buddy. I offered to go with her and so we went. I found myself doing the same thing that Enrike did with us on the very first day. Taking her through the process of using the equipment and how to position herself in the water, and then pointing out some of the sights as we went along. Before too long, we were pointing things out to each other. It was a nice feeling think that I was able to help her. Sadly, I lost track of her in the water, but there is literally no way that one can get lost, so I felt OK about that. The Zodiac boats surround the snorkel group at all times and watch for people in distress. When we regrouped on the Zodiac at the end of our time, Jaima and I were both happy with our respective experiences. Who knew that I could get the hang of this snorkeling business well enough to help someone else. If that isn’t success, I don’t know what is!

So, now I really am thinking that I will open a snorkel shop!

Let me know if you want a lesson!

And, other things…….

I just finished my first “real” snorkeling experience. I’m happy to say that I was able to breathe through the tube while swimming, stay afloat and swim along without a mishap. I was even warm enough, usually a problem for me. I owe it all to the fine folks at SilverSea, who provided me a very fine wetsuit, my new zip-up “rash guard”, and a little instruction.  Equipped with these necessities, I can say that I enjoyed every minute of the experience. Maybe I can be a “water baby” after all. We’ll see!

I am also happy to report that my iPhone, that was protected by the “Life-proof” case and the pouch with the lanyard, did not take on water, and that my phone is still functional. It’s a miracle! The good news is that I could have take pictures underwater. The bad news is that I didn’t actually take any.   I realized too late….actually, when I was in the water all geared up and ready to go….that I could get to the screen where one enters the password, but I couldn’t see it well enough to actually put the password in. My sign in screen is white letters on a black background. Between my eye issues and the darkness in the water, it just looked black to me. My random pressing on the screen was not effective. Sigh……..Oh well, tomorrow is another day.

In between fun activities here on SilverSea, I am going to work on a fix. There has to be one. I’ll figure it out, and tomorrow, I might actually be able to show you some pictures of the amazing life that happens under the water,

But, for now, I’m going to go back a few days and fill you in on how I got to the fantastic snorkeling extravaganza!

We boarded the ship on Sunday and had a good part of the day to organize our clothes, get any missing snorkel gear and get to know the ship a little bit so that we would know where things are and how to get to them. Our collection of the snorkeling gear was highly organized which was not my experience in my last attempt at this. The nice staff on board SilverSea called us by floor and we picked up a wet suit, if we wanted one, fins, masks, and snorkels. I also opted to get a “floatee” that would help me to stay up on the top of the water. We all got a bag for our equipment, filled them with our gear and hung them on a hanger with the wet suit. Each day before the activity, we collect our “stuff” and get on the Zodiac and each day at the end, we leave our wet gear there for drying. It makes my organized, systematic mind feel very happy.

On our orientation day, the first day on board, we also had ample opportunity to meet some of the other 75 passengers that would be our companions for the next week as we motor along. In the evening before dinner, we all met together as a group to get a lay of the land on how the activities would run for the next week. We would have a meeting such as this one each evening before dinner to go over the next day’s schedule and the timing of activities so that we could decide what things we wanted to participate in.

For each activity or for transport to the activity, we would be paired with 14 other passengers on the small rubber “Zodiac” boats. Together, we would sit on the rubber sides of the boat, bounce along in the waves and explore the Galapagos by land and by sea.   Each of the small boats would be assigned a guide who was filled with interesting information about the Galapagos and the things we would see.

My favorite guide, so far, is Enrike (I’m not sure how to spell his name, so you can use your own imagination on the pronunciation) and here’s why. Yesterday, (our second day) was supposed to be our first snorkeling experience. We were going to snorkel off the beach. Lee and I thought this was so that people could get used to the snorkel gear and practice a little bit. It would be great for those of us who had never snorkeled before…(much to my surprise there were more than just me) ….great practice in a safe setting.

However, there were a lot of waves and the water was too murky to be able to see much near the beach, so the SilverSea crew decided that deep-water snorkeling would be a better experience. Those that weren’t comfortable could go to the beach. Hmm…..what does deep-water mean? So, I asked around and learned that we would be in deep water….still floating on the top….but, we wouldn’t be able to stand up. Hmm……..

After some deliberation with myself, I decided that I would try it. Why not, I’m here to see things, I have a wet suit that would provide some buoyancy and I had a “floatee” thing that was supposed to keep me up. When I told Lee that I was going to try this she suggested that it might not be the best idea because of the rough seas.   So, I sought out the advice of Enrike. He agreed with Lee. He said that my first snorkeling experience needed to be a good one. Otherwise, I wouldn’t want to do it again. The waters today were too rough today for beginners to have a really good experience. So, he suggested that I go to the beach and practice using the snorkel gear so that I would be ready for the next day, which would be calmer. OK.

This is where I met up with Drew and David, who turned out to be our neighbors on the ship. They were sick and unable to do the snorkeling. So, they were going to the beach as well. I looked at them and said,

“I’m with you today.”

They were fine with that….and so it began.

We boarded the Zodiac and off we went with the other people who had never snorkeled before. I was surprised at how many there were. In fact, there were so many of us that Enrike gave us all a lesson, which is not really part of his job. This is part of where I think SilverSea excels. The customer services is exceptional all around, but especially on things like this. He took the initiative to see a need and fill it. What more could one want!

When we got to the beach, I pulled on my wet suit and went out with the others to learn how to do this. After a few minutes, we were all swimming along on the surface of the water. No problem. After I felt I had sufficient practice, I went back to shore to share my story of success with Drew and David. David started to look at my chest. I didn’t know why, but I didn’t really care.

Finally, he said to me, “Turn around.” So, I did. He said, “Did you know that you have your wetsuit on inside out?”

What?! How is that possible?! But, he was right. The words across my chest were backwards and the zipper of the wet suit was on the inside instead of the outside. You would think I would have noticed that the zipper was in the wrong place at least….but, no! This threw me into one of those nonstop laughing fits that I occasionally write about in my blog stories….can’t talk, can’t breathe, can’t stop laughing. We all had a good chuckle….more than a chuckle… about that one.

I was so glad that I waited to do the snorkeling until the 2^nd day. The training on the gear and the wetsuit were instrumental in my snorkeling success. I’ll tell you all about it on the next post…..just beautiful!

When I get back to California, I am thinking about opening a snorkel shop. I can do instruction on the basics….and training on the fine art of donning a wet suit!

Until next time, I’m happily floating along in the Galapagos….on the zodiac, in my wet suit and “floatee”, or on the ship.

It’s all good!

Or, trying to, anyway….”

Lee and I spent the last day with our heads in the clouds, huffing and puffing in the thin air of Quito, Ecuador while we visited the sights at the highest of heights.

Actually, in the scope of places you can visit in South America, Quito isn’t the highest place you can go. But, the 10,000-14,000 foot elevations that we were exposed to here are high enough for me…..at least for this trip.   Lee and I both live at sea level in our respective hometowns, so it was a bit of an adjustment. But, truth be told, we both did pretty well with the elevation until the end of our touring day yesterday when I developed a blinding headache, and both of were so fatigued that we went to bed at 8:00 pm, not that we did much sleeping, which is a common complaint of those trying to newly adjust to a high altitude. But, I took a nap (and did sleep) at 6:00 pm, in between touring and bedtime. So, I felt somewhat rested at 5:00 am this morning when we got up to get our luggage out for pick up for our journey to the Galapagos. We were pooped! Still are, a little bit!

When the nice people at SilverSea picked us up at the airport, we were instructed on the finer points of altitude sickness…headache, fatigue, shortness of breath, lack of sleep…. I am adding puffiness to the mix, although I’m not sure whether that’s altitude or something else. My body seems to be taking on water as it tries to adapt to its new surrounding, as evidenced by the tight fit of my shoes this morning. I guess it doesn’t help that we are drinking copious amounts of water, which is the antidote to altitude sickness. Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate…water, no alcohol. No fun!

But, despite it all, we had a great day in Quito and the surrounding area. In the planning process, Lee and I agreed that we wanted to visit the old, colonial town of Quito and some of the old churches as well as a few sights that are outside of town. We had planned to take a taxi, but SilverSea had some other ideas. They offered some fairly priced guided tours to the places we wanted to see. We would get an English speaking tour guide and a chance to meet some of our fellow cruisers. My experience in Costa Rica told me that having a guide was often the best way to see things and get a good explanation of what you are looking at. So, we opted to take one of the SilverSea tours. It was well worth the money and the time. What a great day!

Antonio, our guide, was a former journalist with many interests. So, his commentary was spot on and very interesting and included some extra tidbits of information about the area and Quito besides what we were seeing on the tour. He seemed to know a little bit about everything. And, Pablo, our driver, deserved a medal for his superb driving skills on the narrow and steeply winding streets of colonial Quito.

Our first stop was at TeleferiQo, on the lower slopes of Volcan Pinchincha, one of the 4 volcanos that surround the city. From our perch on the peak of Cruz Loma, at around 14, 000 feet, one could get a look at the city from afar and from on high.

We reached our vantage point by gliding along the side of the volcano high above the ground in a 6-passenger cable car. It reminded me of some of my visits to the Swiss Alps where we did something similar and listened to the music of the cowbells as we sailed along. No cowbells here, though…..just the spectacular scenery and the nice company of some of our fellow cruisers and some friendly locals. We were lucky to do this on a clear day.   We could see all of the nearby volcanoes, including one that had a small stream of smoke curling out of it.

When we reached the top, Antonio provided a lot of information. We learned that Quito was highly influenced by the Spanish and the art and architecture has many Muslim characteristics. The architecture incorporated more geometric figures rather than figures of nature like flowers and animals. We saw this later as we toured one of the old churches in colonial Quito. From our vantage point, we could see greenhouses on the far side of the city and learned that they are used to grow roses, for which Quito is famous. The roses have long stems and are beautiful, but have no odor because of the position of the sun in Quito.

Next, we went to stand on the north and south side of the equator…..at the same time! We visited the information center, Museo Inti Nan, where we learned about the quirkiness of events in and around the equator. Our guide talked to us about some of the customs of the indigenous people such as how they killed their food. They used huge, long blow darts that were quite heavy and spears that were equally as daunting. I can honestly say that if I would have to use one of those to secure my dinner, I would go hungry. I wouldn’t be able to lift it! Getting enough air to actually blow a dart through the hollow tube with enough force, while holding the blowgun would be a feat in and of itself!

We also saw a demonstration of how head shrinking is done. No. Not the psychological kind, but the kind where the head is physically removed from the body, emptied and shrunk in a vat of hot water.   We saw several real live examples!   Here’s a fun fact, if you were to have your head shrunk, it would be just the size of your fist. They don’t call it shrinkage for nothing! Don’t worry…..Lee and I both came back with our heads in tact! But, it was a close call! Whew!!

We also saw some guinea pigs that were being raised for someone’s dinner. Guinea pig is a staple here. Sadly…..or maybe not……we didn’t actually get to experience this delicacy. But, we hear it tastes like pork and is served with the head and legs attached. So, you can become very intimate with your meal.

We straddled the equator line and, thus, stood on both the north and south side at the same time. That was fun!   And, we experienced the great challenge of walking toe to toe on a line drawn on the ground where the equator is located. There is a definite pull on both sides, making it very difficult to “walk the line”. We were drunk….but, not with alchohol. We also got a “stamp” on a dollar bill to prove that we had been to the equator. We could have had our passports stamped. But, even though Lee and I both read about this, we forgot to take our passports with us….memory loss…the effects of a high altitude…..maybe.

We also visited one of the old churches in colonial Quito that was completely done in gold filigree. My favorite part of the church was an organ that was added years ago and a spiral staircase leading to the organ. The powers that be thought that the symmetry of the interior design was off and had another spiral staircase painted on the wall on the other side of the organ to even it out a bit. The perspective from a distance was interesting, and we agreed that the painted stairs did, indeed, provide the needed symmetry.

We did a good bit of walking in the colonial part of Quito, making me think that I need to come back and do some more exploring. Lee had some empanadas from a street vendor that I was not adventurous enough to try. He was selling them out of a plastic bin. But, she is still alive and kicking so next time, I will follow her lead.

Early this morning, we boarded our flight to go to the Galapagos and several hours later we met our ship in the Galapagos. I am now at sea level on the ship, my headache is gone, and I am grateful. I am on to my next challenge….the water sports! We met a very nice couple that will be a good complement to Lee and I.   The woman is at my level of outdoorsiness and the man is at Lee’s. I think we will switch partners. I’ll let you know how it goes.

Signing off headache free and happy!

….By the way,  as I suspected, the internet here is extremely challenging.   I’m working on how to get some pictures up on the blog.  I’ll do the best I can, but I will post some on Facebook.  Email me if you want to friend me and I will hook you up.

I am now in Quito, Ecuador waiting for my friend Lee to arrive.  You may remember her from my great Antarctic cruise adventure last year.   At the end of that trip, we looked at each other and said,

“Hey. That was fun. Let’s do it again.”

So, here we are. Doing it again. Only this time we are not going to the Antarctic, we are heading to Ecuador and its famed Galapagos Islands. We will be cruising around the islands and dipping our toes…and more….into the waters to see the varied and colorful life that happens underneath the surface. Then, we will make our way to land to see what’s on the topside. In between, the kind people at SilverSea Cruises will be taking good care of us. (So far, I am impressed.  They retrieved me from the plane, got me to the hotel and even provided me with a refreshing fruit drink without a hitch.  So far, so good.)  I hear from the few people I know who have done this voyage that it will be “the trip of a lifetime”. I’m guessing and hoping they are right.

I am not typically an outdoorsy type of gal, as some of you may know. So, it took me a little bit of positive self-talk and some encouragement from Lee to decide that I could do this and wouldn’t drown while snorkeling or contract some horrible disease from the mosquito bites that I always seem to end up with in these types of climates.   My concerns were a carry over from my 6-month adventure at the end of 2014 and the beginning of 2015. Those were also “trips of a lifetime”. Don’t get me wrong…..I loved the trips.  Incredible, amazing experiences. And, I’m not going to trade in the memories. Take a look at my previous blog posts. But, I did have a few glitches. I was doing so many different things in different climates at the same time, I didn’t really have time to prepare properly for all of them. In fact, I didn’t exactly know all of the places I was going and what I would do there, as the Costa Rica leg was planned while I was in France. While I felt very prepared for the France leg and somewhat prepared for the Antarctic cruise leg, I didn’t feel at all prepared for the Costa Rica leg. Consequently, I didn’t have all of the clothing I wanted and needed and was sick a lot of the time, which made for periodic discomfort. So, when I decided to visit the Galapagos, I also decided that I would do a proper amount of research and preparation to be sure that I was ready for all of the fun events that were going to come my way. It was full steam ahead!

The ship was very good about providing a list of suggested clothing and gear and an easy way to purchase them from their onboard gift shop. I could spend as much money on the clothing and gear as I am spending on the trip. How nice! I don’t think so. Friendly as they have been, I don’t think I need to contribute any further to their bottom line. I have done enough. I live in a beach area. I was sure I could find these things in my own neck of the woods. So, the search began.

Here’s what I learned.   I could find these things locally for a little bit less money ….not much…..than I would spend on the ship. But, I’m not an outdoorsy kind of gal. We have already established this. So, why would I spend this much for something that I may never use again?   It makes no sense. There must be a better way. Turns out that there is a better way. I introduced myself to the wonderful world of Amazon. I found almost everything I was looking for at a fraction of the cost. Even with joining Amazon Prime (still trying to figure out how that happened). I am way ahead of the game on getting the best deal on this gear by bypassing the first 2 very expensive options.

I started with something I knew. I knew I wanted to take pictures under water. I considered buying an underwater camera for several hundred dollars. This would have been fine, but I go back to the fact that I am not an outdoorsy gal. Should I really spend the money? Then, Debbie, with whom I work at the winery said,

“Oh, don’t get an underwater camera. You can get a case for your phone that is waterproof. No kidding. My daughter-in-law has one and used it in Hawaii. It really works.”

So, thank you Amazon, I now have such a case, and a pouch to put the whole lot in, as suggested by Lee. The pouch has a lanyard on it.  Not only do I have 2 levels of protection, but I can hang it around my neck, too, so that I won’t lose it in the water. Lee knows my clumsy self by now. There’s a tissue test that one does to make sure that both cases are waterproof. I did them both. I’m hopeful that it will work. If not, there will be no pictures on my blog this time. And, don’t try to call me for awhile! I won’t have a phone. I did get one of those underwater disposable cameras, too. Just in case.

The most unusual thing that I purchased was a “rashguard”. Now, those of you who are water people and dip into the cold California waters will know right away about this little gem, but I had never heard of it. One wears this over the swimsuit and underneath the wet suit when swimming in cold water. You can also wear it without the wet suit. It keeps you warm and provides some sunscreen while in the water, 2 things that have always been a deterrent to me in enjoying the whole swimming experience. I’m excited to finally learn about this after about a thousand very bad sunburns and many days acclimating to freezing cold pool water throughout the years.

Now, here’s the value of allowing time for planning and thinking through an issue. The typical “rashguard” is a very tight fitting one-piece cover. As I thought about this, I remembered the day that Jody and I spent in the “hot springs” in Costa Rica. I had a one-piece athletic bathing suit. The day we went there, it was so hot and I was so sweaty that it took me about 20 minutes to pull on my bathing suit. By the time I was done I was swearing and having continuous hot flashes on top of the already stifling heat. How inconvenient and annoying. And, I held the group up while I was pulling and tugging on the thing to get it in place. I already know that the Galapagos will be hot like Costa Rica and I will be sweaty most of the time. Will the “rash guard” do the same thing?! Stick to my skin?! It’s the same material. I think so. UGHHH……So, I did a little more research and found one…on Amazon…that has a zipper. I have outsmarted the sweat gods………at least in theory!

Next, Lee called me one day and we engaged in a discussion about the snorkeling that we know we will be doing. I am not a strong swimmer and something of a germophobe. My one attempt at snorkeling was not a disaster, but also not very pleasant. I remember being on a catamaran somewhere near St. Kitts and not really knowing what I was doing. There was no assistance from the crew, except to pass out the snorkel gear that looked suspect to me in the clean and disinfected category. But, I did it anyway. After about 15 minutes, I decided that this wasn’t my cup of tea and went back to the boat to drink rum punch.

So, Lee suggested that I should get my own snorkel gear. This, she assured me would prevent water from getting under the mask, which will annoy me. I won’t be able to see anything. This purchase would also ensure that things will be clean. Even if I just use it this one time, it will be worth it. But, this was something I couldn’t get on Amazon. It needs to be fitted to the face. And, if I’m getting the mask, I might as well get the snorkel, too. It’s cheaper than the mask, and it will also be clean. OK.

So, I made my way to one of the diving shops in San Luis to make my purchase. The clerk was very helpful, fitted my mask and helped me to choose a snorkel. I tried on several masks. Apparently, the way to test the suction against your face is to breathe in while the mask is on. There is no air in there, as the eyes and the nose are covered in the thick plastic mask. I guess that’s the point. No air. I sucked in and my head started to spin. Was this really necessary? I guess it was. What an interesting test. I didn’t pass out, so I guess I passed the test! No air or water will be getting under this mask. I guarantee it! Thank goodness!

Now, some of you may think that the connection of the mask to the snorkel would be a no-brainer. I never gave it a thought until I talked to my friend, Kathy, on the phone.

“Oh”, she said, “What kind of snorkel did you get? Does it have a flexible tube? Those are the best.”

I had no idea, so I got it out and looked at it while I had her on the phone. It was a flexible tube, but I wondered how it would stay out of the water so that I could breathe. Kathy was the one who told me that it clips onto the mask, which is what makes it stick up. Oh…..very clever…..Try as I might to figure out how to hook this up, I couldn’t get it. So, I made my way back to the dive shop for instruction. After the clerk stopped laughing, he showed me how to do this. I still couldn’t get it. Was this a childproof model? No. So, he changed the clip to the super beginner clip and made me try making the connection a few times before I left. I have it now. Thank you very much.

The rest of my time was spent trying to figure out how I could come back home without a single mosquito bite. The lady at the health department who inoculated me for the flu and tetnus….just in case…also, told me about Promethryn and Deet. Promethryn is sprayed on the clothing and is a repellent for Mosquitos and the Deet is applied to the skin that is exposed. So, I made my way to our local outdoor shop to purchase these. The clerk was happy to help, but warned me not to get the Deet on my clothing. It turns clothing into plastic. But, it’s OK to put on your skin….not to worry. Really?! I have some, and I’m going to use it. So, I may come back looking like a plastic doll. We’ll see.

So, yesterday, I hung my new Amazon purchased convertible pants, 2 long-sleeved, sun block fortified, moisture wicking shirts and some socks against the fence in my backyard and sprayed the living daylights out of them with Promethryn. I also doused my new little $14.00 waterproof backpack….also purchased from Amazon.  I dare a mosquito to get past that. HA!

So, I’m feeling confident and I’m feeling prepared. We’ll see how it goes. Maybe this will be the start of something great for me in the outdoorsy, water sports department. I’ll let you know. I have to say, though, that I’m feeling a little sorry for Lee. She will have to fish me out of the water if I get caught in a current. She says she’s OK with that. The test of friendship!

We’ll see about that, too!

I just finished up a fun visit with friends and family in my old stomping grounds in Virginia after my 6-month travel adventure and before heading back to California. As I sat in the airport in Charlotte, NC yesterday waiting for my connecting flight home, I realized that I forgot to share my last blog post of the trip. What?! Uh oh! Vacation Brain has set in! I know you were all wondering about my last story….or not….HA!! So, whether you want it or not……here it is…..2 weeks late. Oh well, better late than never!

On Monday of our last week in Costa Rica, our private driver, Carlos….aka “Charlie”, came to our house and picked us up for the 5 hour trek to Arenal, one of the famous Costa Rican volcanos. Jody and I decided that a change of pace from the beach was appropriate by now, so we bid “adieu” to our friends in Quepos and started out. We had covered some of the territory between Quepos and Arenal on our ride from San Jose on one of our first days in Costa Rica. But, about halfway through the drive, after we passed the turnoff to San Jose, we began to see some new terrain, which was quite different from other places we had seen on the trip. We traveled up…. and then down…… some very windy roads lined with lush greenery. The combination of this plus the mountain scenery in the background made me feel like we were a part of a grand scene in a movie. What a spectacular ride!

Charlie was a great host! As we have found with all of the guides, he was very knowledgeable about the area and had some interesting opinions…..about almost everything. We had quite an interesting discussion from time to time about tourists, politics…..and, cooking…….

Turns out, Carlos likes to cook…me, too! As we drove along, we learned about some of the food we have been eating and how it’s prepared….the plantains, in particular. We have had them made in all different ways…fried, sautéed, in chips………. and Charlie is an expert. He shared the techniques with us as we drove along. When I get home, I am going to seek out some of those bad boys and try my hand at making them. I’ll let you know how it goes. Maybe the next time you visit there will be plantains on the menu!

On another food note, we had some of the best food of the trip in a touristy, roadside diner where we stopped for lunch on our way. Jody and I both had a fish platter….mine with a delicious garlic sauce and hers with a meuniere sauce.

Who knew we would find something so wonderful in such an unexpected place?! It was really good….and really cheap. We each paid about $10.00 for this treat! I also like that the owner was also the cook and one of the servers. I love getting special attention from the chef!

After our substantial meal, some Peanut M & Ms for dessert (I can’t believe how many Peanut M & Ms I have had on this leg of the trip! Will need some serious gym time after I get back home!) and another few hours on the road, Charlie dropped us off at our hotel in La Fortuna, a nearby town to Arenal with a view of the famed volcano. We picked this particular hotel because it touted spectacular views of the volcano. Really, we just wanted to get a glimpse of this renowned site. And, frankly, that’s about what we got…a glimpse. My room was almost all windows and, as promised, faced the volcano. Jody’s room faced an interior courtyard and had no windows….feast or famine on the views at this hotel! Anyway, I could see Arenal, but only the base. Sadly, on the 2 days we were there, it was quite overcast and cloudy…not too good for spectacular views. On the up side, though, it was much cooler (relatively speaking) than the beach area and it rained every afternoon.  This picture was about the best we could do. But, here it is….

We learned from traveler reviews and also from Charlie that this is quite common.   In the last months, there have only been 2 or 3 days where one could actually see the volcano. Oh well…..we were happy with what we saw of Arenal and, as usual, we saw some other things that were interesting, too.

We spent the first morning at a private park that has a large number of hanging bridges. We decided on this activity too late for a private tour, which was fine with us. So, we did the self-guided tour through the lush rain forested area.

We did get a glimpse of the volcano from here as well, but, again, only a glimpse.

But, it was a pleasant walk with views of some falls and, of course lots of flora and fauna.  I will say that the hanging bridges were lots of fun to traverse, but they were not nearly as death-defying as the one at Los Campesinos.  Still fun!

We had some excellent food at one of the local “Soda” shops, as recommended by Charlie.  These are small restaurants that are common in Costa Rica.  The food is generally good, ample and cheap.  The one in Arenal was exceptional!

On our last morning in Costa Rica, we toured through an animal refuge called the “Asis Project”. This compound takes in animals that are injured or endangered and rehabs them in the hopes that they can be returned into the wild. As you might guess, they are successful with some, but not all. I have a love of animals and found this concept to be very interesting and uplifting…..and, I liked visiting with the animals. We saw the illusive macaw (haven’t seen another on the whole trip),

Parrots,

Parakeets,

an Ocelot (reminded me of my kitty, Lucy…only more fierce),

Porcupines,

and even a Boa Constrictor….

and, of course, lots of monkeys.

One of the more compelling stories for me was one about the monkeys. The Costa Ricans have a history of keeping monkeys in their homes as pets. Our tour guide pointed out that this works just fine until the monkeys mature and start to display their actual instinctual animal behaviors. Then, the owners, in their frustration to control the behaviors, often chain them up or abuse them in other ways. As a response to the abuse, the Costa Rica government has now outlawed private ownership of monkeys as pets. The “Asis Project” has received some of these abused monkeys and has tried to rehab them.

We met Jennifer, who on the surface, was a very friendly monkey. At the prompting of our guide, she reached her little hands out of her cage for us to hold and pat….melt my heart…….

The guide said that she loved to be touched, but is unable to build a relationship either with a human or a monkey.  Sadly, because of her past situation, she would be unable to adjust to life in the wild. She would not be able to live in a group of monkeys, which is how she would need to dwell in the wild. We were told that she and her “house mate” at the refuge have terrible fights periodically and that she attacks women with long hair. So, Jennifer will have a permanent home at the refuge….a sad story, but not too uncommon.

We finished our tour with a “pitch” from the guide to come back again and volunteer to help care for the animals. They have a program where one can spend the morning at the refuge learning Spanish and the afternoon volunteering. Sounds right down my alley. Might have to do that next year! I’ll keep you posted!

We ended our trip at the Marriott Courtyard near the San Jose airport for one night before leaving Costa Rica. We had a final meal, a couple of glasses of wine and of course a few last rounds of “Bananagrams” before heading to bed to get a good night’s sleep before our return to the states the next day.

I will end with this story about the kindness of the Costa Rican people. After our transport dropped us off at the Marriott and left, I realized that I left my new backpack that was filled with souvenirs of the trip in the transport van. One of the staff members at the Marriott was so kind to call the transport company to see if it could be retrieved. She was persistent, but had a lot of trouble reaching them, so I assumed my backpack was gone. It was only stuff….no big deal. But, when I returned to my room at 9:00 pm, I had a call from the transport company to say that they had my backpack and would bring it to the Marriott before 8:00 am the next morning. At 7:30 the next morning, a young woman was in the lobby with my backpack. This gal had gone out of her way to stop at the Marriott on her way to work to be sure that I had gotten it. How kind.

I have many fond memories of my time in Costa Rica…the beauty of the rainforest, the splendor of the beaches, the wonderful food….I could go on and on. But, the thing I will remember the most is the kindness of the people. We found this everywhere we went. They were truly inspiring! We could all take a lesson from them.

I think this is a great way to end my tales of the last 6 months of travel.   I’m home now, and…. glad to be home. I will spend the next days catching up and then plug back into my usual routine. But, I’ll be ready to go somewhere again and it won’t be long. It’s in my blood!  Hmmmmm…….How about next week?….or maybe the one after that?! Maybe you will join me again?!  I’ll be in touch!

Pura Vida!

On Thursday, Jody and I spent the evening at “Dos Locos”, the local watering hole, doing some “Thinkin’ and Drinkin”!

Sounds like fun…..right?! Turns out that it was a trivia challenge, which now that I am “thinkin” about it, makes some sense! HMMMM……..Trivia is not my strong suit, Jody’s either. But we actually did pretty well on the first 2 rounds. It could be because we were paired with 2 other people. But, really, I’m not sure. One of the 2 was a guy who had been out on a fishing boat all day and was on his way to drunken bliss and the other was a woman who we think had some kind of mental health issue. I’ll call her “different”, which is putting it mildly.  But she was pretty smart! On round 3, when the leader announced the last half of the questions that included saying the Roman names for about 6 Greek gods, we opted to go home. Was he kidding?!

We found “Dos Locos” on one of our first days in Quepos and liked it. We have been back several times during our stay here. They have good food and cold drinks….and we liked the name….”2 Crazies (people, we assume)”. It seemed to fit our style! They also have live music a couple of times a week….

………and some events in the evenings for those looking for something to do along with their drinking. It seems to be a nice mix of locals and tourists…..but, mostly tourists…… from the United States and Canada. We have now been there so many times that the waitress knows us and waves as we are walking by on our way through town. We’re not sure whether we are still tourists or have graduated to locals. Funny!

We have seen and done a lot of interesting things during our stay here on tours and so forth, but we also have had some great relaxation time and some down time when I was sick. So, we have had some other adventures at our apartment and in the local town of Quepos that I wanted to share. We have definitely not been letting any grass grow under out feet!

I mentioned this in another blog. Jody has introduced me to a game called “bananagrams”, which we both find oddly compelling. It’s kind of like scrabble without the board…..a real “brain-teaser”.  Jody is a pro. I had a slow start, but am getting better! I have won 2 times since we have been here, and I’m feeling pretty good about it! I have to say, though, it sounds better than it is, We play just about every day. So, the 2 wins in the 2-3 weeks we have been here is not that impressive. But, I can report that I have learned some new words and have invented a few, too! Sometimes Jody catches them……but, not always! I have also been known to throw some of the tiles over our balcony railing when Jody points out the non-words! I always find the tiles, though, which is quite a feat! There’s a lot of foliage down there and I definitely do not have “eagle eyes”. HA! Tomorrow morning, we are going to take our “bananagrams” to “Dos Locos” and stay for awhile. It’s that kind of place. Lots of hangin’ around there!

Take a look at this picture. This was one of the first down days we had when I was sick. We were sitting on the deck at our apartment playing “bananagrams”. In between rounds, I looked up and saw some green mangoes hanging on the tree in front of our apartment. Diego, our new friend, told us that green mangoes are really good with some salt and lemon juice. I was thinking about this when I saw the mango. I suggested we try the green mangoes before we leave. Jody suggested that we might find them at the farmer’s market.   Then, I suggested that it would be more fun to try and get one from that tree.  She agreed. So, Jody went to the “forest” below our apartment and pushed the tree towards the deck. I grabbed a branch of the tree and pulled it toward the deck and pulled one off. This could be my “claim to fame” for the trip! Mango thief! Just so you know, we have some of you on speed dial in case we need to be bailed out of jail! Be alert! I would share with you what the new taste treat was all about, but we learned that this was not a mango, but a papaya. Can’t eat those green, so we threw it away! Based on our lack of success with this small task, I’m guessing that we will not be adding “thief” to our long list of qualifications!

I told you about the monkeys that have been visiting us on our deck…they’re everywhere. And, I mean everywhere…and there are lots of them! About 3 of the nights they have provided us an interesting show.   They run from the trees to our roof to our deck. Then, they stop on the table on our deck and roll around together, pull each other’s hair and tails, and chatter with each other.  It’s funny to watch. The other night when we were watching, I saw 2 monkeys together front to back.  How cute….they like each other.   What were they doing……..they are so playful!  Then….I realized what it was!  I’m not going to say it here…..but, you can take a guess!  We had to shield our eyes! Very risqué!

These guys have been busy. Take a look at the baby on the back of the mother. Cute!

This morning, we had a “Peeping Tom”! I was walking out of my room to get some coffee and looked out the window.   Guess who was looking back in at me…..it was “Woody Woodpecker”.   It was startling….but he was stunning! I looked up the superstitious meaning of having a bird on your windowsill. It means you will be getting some news….don’t know if that’s good or bad! I’ll keep you posted!

I will finish with this fine tale. During our visit to “Dos Locos” last night, I of course made my requisite visit to the bathroom. When you are drinking between 8 and 10….and, sometimes more…..bottles of water during the day, there are lots of bathroom breaks. I had my “moomoo” dress on….easy enough. I did my business and came back to my seat. When I sat down and started to organize my dress,  I realized that the corner of it was tucked in my skivvies. UGGGHHHH……The exposure was quite extensive! I don’t think too many people saw it, but I am pretty certain that the drunken fisherman that I mention above was one that did. I believe it’s how we acquired him on our trivia team! HA!

I know what you’re “thinkin”.  I should be doing less “drinkin”.  But, here’s the saddest part of this tale.  I haven’t been “drinkin” since I have been sick.  This is just me……in my natural state of absent-mindedness.   What you see is what you get!  HA!

The last few days were a little slow here, so Jody and I decided to get tattoos!

I thought that might get your attention! HA!

We actually did get tattoos…not real ones….but from a fern plant that grows here in Costa Rica. We learned about it on our tour of Los Campesinos Reserve yesterday. Our guide, Estefan, saw the plants as we driving along and stopped to pick a few for us. Jody and I both applied a tattoo by setting a plant on our respective legs and giving it a good slap. When we removed the plant, we had a tattoo! That’s about as close as I am ever going to get to a tattoo…..don’t like needles…..

We got the tattoo before the sunscreen incident and after the cheese and the “cleavage drip”. Jody and I coined the phrase “cleavage drip” early in the trip….one of the first days….after we bought the sundresses…. when we realized how hot it was going to be here. Although, as I remember the time here in Costa Rica, we have had cleavage drip just about every day.

The “cleavage drip” is an interesting sensation….rivers of sweat flowing in between your boobs all the way down to the waist of your shorts or skivvies, if you have on a dress. (I hope you will forgive my indiscretion at bringing this up, but I really needed to share this with you!) I can honestly say that I have never before been sweaty enough to experience “cleavage drip”…..but, I’m getting used to it now as a daily occurrence. Just in case you were wondering, it’s still hot here.

It’s also still the most direct sunlight I have experienced in quite sometime. My fair skin has taken quite a beating, but I’m happy to say that I have now mastered the cure. It’s called prevention. Here’s how it goes. I spray on the highest SPF sunscreen that I can find (either 50 or 70) before we go out. After about 2 hours, I spray more. And, I spray again if we are out longer. I carry the sunscreen with me every time we leave the house…don’t leave home without it……it’s my new best friend!

Yesterday, I used a particularly insane amount, but not just on myself. After 2 weeks of using the spray on sunscreen, I finally discovered that there is a lock on the sprayer. Well…actually….I knew that, but why pay attention to such details? We are in Costa Rica! The result of my carefree attitude was a good drenching of sunscreen for the new backpack I just bought…… oh, and also my new iPhone. I guarantee that neither will ever experience a sunburn of any type! Lucky them!

The good news is that I can wash the backpack and my iPhone still works. (Can you believe that?) The bad news is that the screen on my iPhone is oddly dark and shadowed now. Oh well! I can still take pictures. Isn’t that the most important thing?!

Oh……and we now have 1 kilo of homemade cheese that we will be eating for every meal from now until we leave Costa Rica. We were a little off on our calculations of how much a kilo was when we decided this would be a good amount for the 2 of us. HA!

I will say that I am glad the iPhone incident happened at the end of the day, so that I could take some pictures of Los Campesinos for you to see. It’s beautiful and we had a spectacular day there.

Los Campesinos is a good hour and a half from Quepos down one of the bumpiest dirt roads I have ever been on. (I’m not kidding, we had our arms outside the windows holding onto the roof of the van in order to just stay on the seat!)

Los Campesinos is a reserve operated by the people in the surrounding villages….a cooperative of a type with an interesting concept. The reserve is focused on tourism, which is about the only source of real income here.

All of the people in the surrounding towns have a job at the reserve and are required to put in a requisite number of hours there during each pay period. At the end of the period, they receive their pay from the money that is generated from the people who come through to tour. The members of the cooperative meet at a community center each month to discuss important issues and reinforce the importance of each person putting in their requisite number of hours (although, surprisingly, they don’t seem to have any trouble with that part). Many of the people have other jobs or run their own small businesses on the side as well. And, they seem to do just fine!

The property is quite extensive and includes numerous hiking trails; some waterfalls where one can do rappelling (or just enjoy the ambiance);

a few rooms for those who want to stay overnight; a small store; and a restaurant that makes most of the food using things that are grown on the reserve or by the townspeople.

They sell the eggs from the chickens that are on site and make their own cheese. (This is how we ended up with the kilo. We were so compelled by their story that we had to have the cheese. We had to have the eggs, too.)

The reserve also has a hanging bridge that goes over the biggest waterfall in the area. It is 127 meters high and 40 meters long.   We opted to walk across, and I have to say it was one of the more thrilling things I have done lately. But, it’s not for those who are afraid of heights.

We also did one of the easier hikes and had lunch in the restaurant. Our tour was private and we had 2 guides. And, I will say, again, that I was beyond impressed with the ability of the guides to point out animals…big and small….and the different types of plants.  We saw tiny frogs that were just a few inches long.  We would have never found them on our own.  I am astounded at the things they were able to see. Unbelievable!

Lunch was one of the best meals we have had on the trip….fish cooked over an open wood fire, rice and beans, cooked squash, cabbage salad, and a homemade tortilla. We also had pineapple/lemon juice to drink, which was delicious.

We ended the day at the store of Estefan’s family where we met his mother. The family owns the store and sells spices and essential oils.

Our day at Los Campesinos was definitely one of the highlights of the trip. The scenery was beautiful, the food was good, and the people were so kind (which we have found everywhere we have gone in Costa Rica).

Again, time well spent. As we recap our time here, we agree that we have done some amazing things on this trip that are a little off the beaten track.  And, many of our days have included rubbing elbows with the locals, which we both love.   So, despite the heat, sweating, and the sunscreen incident, we are having a great time and will be sorry when our time here is over. We are already thinking about when we might come back!

Pura vida! (pure life)

Bolt your doors!  Seriously……….

On Sunday, our new friend, Diego, suggested that we visit Villa Vanilla, a small,  local farm that grows and processes a variety of different kinds of spices.  We thought it was a great idea.  We are all about education!  So, early on Tuesday morning, we climbed aboard a 6 passenger van with 4 other people to make the journey to the farm down the tooth-clattering unpaved road just outside of town.  (By the time we got there, we needed some of the soothing herbs they grow there to realign our insides!  WOW!)    It is on the ride to the farm that one of the women in the van told us a hair raising tale about her experience the day before with a “monster monkey”.

It seems that the sliding glass door in the apartment where she and her husband were staying didn’t have a good latch on it and a very clever monkey opened the door and came into the apartment. They got it out and decided they would put a barricade up at the door so the monkey couldn’t get in again. (I might have called the owner to see if a better latch could be put on the door.  But, that’s me…and, we are in Costa Rica!)

Anyway, the next day, the monkeys were so incensed at their inability to enter, that one of them picked up a propane tank from the porch and began to shake it at the 2 who were gazing out the door.  The monkeys here are bold enough to do this, but I can’t imagine how big the monkey would have to be in order for it to pick up a propane tank.   The ones we have seen have all been pretty small. HMMMMMM…..maybe this is one of those “fish tales”. You know the ones….”I caught a fish this big!  I guess we’ll never know.  But, it was an interesting way to start the day.

The tour was definitely worth the bumpy ride!   What a great learning experience…..and tasty, too.  We learned about how vanilla, cacao, white and black pepper, and cinnamon are grown on the farm and processed had some fun tastes of things as we went!  Fun!

We learned that vanilla grows on a vine that wraps itself around a tree to grow. It doesn’t damage the tree, but just uses it for support. Here’s another fun fact for those of you who like to use vanilla beans. The reason the vanilla beans we see in our stores are so expensive is because it is harvested and processed all by hand…here, and everywhere else. There’s no other way to do it. It’s the most expensive spice to purchase…just behind saffron! I also learned that vanilla contains alcohol. The cheaper vanilla that you find from time to time has the most. I was surprised that I didn’t know this. I like to cook!

We also learned that cinnamon can be great for you.  But, the type we see in our stores in the United States is not great for you and can be toxic if you get too much. The cinnamon here in Costa Rica is a different type and is much better for you…good for inflammation. (I might check that out for my back issue, along with some turmeric, which also has an anti-inflammatory effect!) We also learned that cinnamon is actually a tree, and one has to peel the first layer or 2 of the tree bark in order to get to the cinnamon. The guide demonstrated this with her trusty knife, and gave us a piece to taste. It was like dentine.  It lasted in your mouth like chewing gum, but without the sticky stuff….

Of course, we also learned about cacao and how it grows and is processed. The fruit in which the beans grow looked like a short, fat gourd. It was soft. The guide easily broke it open with her hands, and inside the shell we found the beans surrounded by some flesh….looked like the inside of a pomegranate, only with bigger seeds.  We each ate a bean. The flesh tasted like citrus and was a nice counterpoint to the cocoa flavor of the bean. Then, we tasted some chocolate nibs and a small piece of their dark chocolate candy. Yum!

After the demonstration, we toured the farm, which is really like a small forest where all of the plants grow together in harmony.

As we walked, the guide pointed out the different plants and talked to us about some of the flowers we were seeing as well.

The guide then led us to a small reception center that overlooked the farm. The view was just beautiful with the forest in front and the mountain in the background.

As we were enjoying the ambiance, the guide appeared with some treats!  I love treats!  We had a taste of some items that are made on site with ingredients from the farm. We had a professional baker in our group and she deemed the snacks to be top notch!

Of course, there was a stop at the gift shop as we were leaving as well, where we were able to buy some of the items. And, of course, we all bought some.

On the way back to Quepos, our tummies full of goodies, our group all agreed that it was a morning well spent……very entertaining and educational.

Vanilla, chocolate, cinnamon, pepper…all the things that make our food taste so good. Who knew some of them can also have medicinal qualities?! Finally, something that tastes good and is good for you, too! HA!

Spice up your lives, people. You will be better for it!