The new "Mexico"!

In October we were at a friend’s daughter's wedding with Barb and Rich - just casually chatting about our adventure and sail plans to Costa Rica with a mention about them joining us in the Papagayo’s  - low and behold - they did …. What a tremendous seven days we had!

As much as we can, we always try and make the first full day for our guests a “rest and regroup” day - letting them get a feel for “boat life!”  So after settling in - we got right to the “rest” part and walked up to the pool for a swim and happy hour!!  (LOVE that about the Blatchford’s - they LOVE happy hour!)  The Dive Bar at our marina is a great place with half price drinks and a half price menu item daily between 5 and 7pm - perfect for retirees!

Barb and Rich - got right in the groove!

Captain Dale wanted to take Barb and Rich for two day sails  - but first things first - we had a birds nest at the top of the mast so Rich had to hoist Dale up 62' .... he did a fine job as the first mate and didn't let the Captain fall!

Well ... Rich was watching out for the Captain's safety - but of course the photo says it all!!

Our first sail was over to this awesome little bay with swimming, beach walking, lunch and a early happy hour as we headed back to the marina.  This little spot is so quiet and peaceful - one can usually hear the monkey’s howling over the break in the surf.  Perfect spot to just be!

Sitting in the perfect spot - sail away!

Our own little happy hour with umbrellas and all - on the foredeck of Companion

Our second day sail was to Play del Coco Bay - a fun little beach and surf town - we just hung out on the boat to get some more “rays” for Barb - she wanted to go home with a tan!! (Remember they live in Florida!)  Then back to the marina for a swim before we headed over to the Four Season’s Tico Lounge for dinner … a real treat for us - Thanks Rich.

Four Season's Papagayo - Tico Lounge

Just a beautiful location- on the edge of the Papagayo Peninsula - Cheers to friends!

Planning ahead we choose to do our last two full days as land trips - we both had read about the Chorotega Indians and easily found their village - The native people all busy with their ceramic artwork - a real treat for us - and some shopping to boot!

A real craftsman - their pottery tells their story.

Next stop was the Beach at Carrillo - walking for a couple of hours - beach combing, and picking up shells - this beach had the most amazing spiral shells in tact …. Once again Barb was out in the full sun getting her fair share UV rays!

This is one of our favorite beaches - Carrillo

Over to Samara - to Gusto’s at the Beach for lunch and a long happy hour!!  What fun to just people watch right on the beachs’ edge!  Besides being totally relaxed!

One happy guy - good food, cold beer, sitting on the beach - having lunch!

Our last full day was an early one - wanted to take them to the Hanging Bridges of Arenal, it is a 3 hour drive from the marina - but so worth it … now Barb is (was) fearful of heights - but she proved that “she could do it” and was on the bridges - even stopping to enjoy the views … hands free at that!!  We were all so proud!  Once again humbled by the awesomeness of the jungle flora …

Barb is doin' the walk - remember .. Barb is a little nervous - to say the least

It is over 90 degrees - hot and humid -we are about 200 feet above the jungle floor

and she is smiling -  and I will quote her:

"I would not have missed this for the world!"

A first for her!!

The waterfall below the hanging bridges 

After that challenge, we decided that a good lunch was in order - really heading no where but following signs for this restaurant “Fusion” on the edge of the Arenal Lake - we were treated to a delicious lunch and a gorgeous view of the volcano!  Just a fun ride on a dirt/rock rode!!

Barb and Rich introduced us to a new card game - really got the hang of it quickly - enjoyed our evenings playing.

The best surprise for Barb and Rich, is that they think they discovered their “new Mexico” -
Costa Rica is gorgeous - safe - environmentally sound, great locals, super food and cold beer!  …
 They are sure they will be back!

Thanks for sharing time, family stories, and life with us on Companion!!
Now you just have to come to the Pacific NW to see the orcas!

Maxwell's are in our house!

Of course being close to the international airport - Liberia, CR is a great thing when we are lucky enough to have friends just able to “pop in!”

Buddy and Paula arrived for a very fast four night stay on Companion … they have “history” on this boat - it is with them that we first set sail in Belize on Companion … so it was absolutely a thrill to have them back on board …

Chillin' on the front deck!

It was good to see them both relax and enjoy the local flavor and countryside with us - enjoying the cuisine is easy for Paula - I don’t think she ever fills up!

A day of relaxation at the pool and "wind down" time from their busy schedules and flights...

Quiet time ....

Then off for a day sail - Captain Dale made sure Buddy was able to put the fishing pole in the water and we girls just got caught up on everything!  Non stop chatting!!  It was like we were never apart - I love that about friendships!! We talked so much we didn’t even have time for a game of Rummicube and we had always played that at home in Glen Ellyn together - oh well - next time!

Gettin' ready to toss in the line!

You may not know this about Paula - but she likes to try new handwork projects and once in a great while she might get one finished.  I am proud to say that she in now a member of the “Companion Embroidery and Knitting Guild” … she started determined and did complete her first embroidery project … I think she even like doing it … so with great pride I honoring her with “The Most Improved Guild Member Award!”  

(Remember once a coach’s wife; always a coach’s wife!)

Working diligently ... with a smile on her face!

Completed!!!  That's my girl!!

Buddy refreshed and reinvigorated ...

Looks like an "Old Salt" to me!

After spending two winters and many months on board Companion it is great that we are able to share "her" with our friends who saw the process from “the dream to reality” ! 
Thanks Buddy and Paula for supporting Dale’s dream and sharing the expereince ... see you in the NW!  
Just remember to bring your fleece!

Just a little warning of loads of fun to come

Usually I like to keep our blogs within reason - but the next two entries really deserve so much more than I can even describe ...  The experiences we had with Dawn and Paul were nothing short of simply incredible - so with that in mind - grab yourself something to eat or drink .... and enjoy what we saw in Costa Rica!!  This will take a while!

Always having fun and a little sassy - that is what we love about these two!

I am not kidding about preparing yourself for the next two blogs!!  

Volcano Arenal

“The Springs” in the Arenal Volcano area - another breathtaking resort - a view from the hotel room that was amazing - we had just kind of hunkered down before dinner - sitting on the veranda of our room when out of no where a couple of toucans flew right past us and landed in the tree within eye shot - what a treat we had - it had just rained and there they were drinking water from the center of the epiphyte (basically it is a bromeliad that just grew on a limb) - happy as any toucan can be - what a sight! I don’t know who jumped out of their seat faster - Paul or Dawn … it was so much fun to share that sight with them!

Amazing sight no matter how many times we get to see toucans

Not to mention that the volcano was right there - centered in the middle of the patio opening - oh I forgot to mention the rocking chairs on the veranda - Costa Rican wood with leather seat and back - it fit me perfect - wish I could take it home with me - I moved it from the patio inside to the room … love it!!  It even folds up for easy transport!!  Gonna keep my eyes open for it!! To bad it couldn’t fit in my suitcase!!

A lovely evening buffet and we were ready for sleep - the morning will come soon enough and we better be ready because Dawn had us on the move with a “hanging bridge” tour - starting at 8:30 ….  To say the least - another jaw dropping experience … we had a “guided tour” for the Arenal Hanging Bridges - a 2 mile loop with 6 suspension bridges - some as long as 325 feet about 150 feet off the ground with 12 other bridges allowing us birds eye views of the jungle canopy!! 

Walking on the top of the jungle!

I had two heart stopping moments - the blue butterflies were swooping in the canopy up to the waterfall and it was as if they were just gliding along - teasing us to follow them!!  Their wings are my “color” blue!!  A person can’t even describe what they see when they see that insect!  Breathtaking!

The other moment that is etched in my memory - the “blue jean” frog - bright red with huge black eyes and all four legs the color of denim. This little critter was the size of my thumbnail … from all of the photos that I have seen of them I just couldn’t believe that this frog was so small - yet has such an impact on the jungle floor.  Lucky us to get to see him in his backyard!

Such a fabulous little critter - The Blue Jean Frog!

The bridges were all quite spectacular - loads of different species of flowers, ferns, trees, palms … my eyes never stopped … both Dawn and I appreciated everything we were seeing … the guys did too!  Palm nuts looked like as if they were “dread locks” cascading out of the side of the tree …

 Graceful cascade ...

Orchids bursting from the bark …. Ginger and Helaconia’s tucked into such a tiny space; they just had a few feet of sun everyday …the ferns that grew along the cliff sides … viewed a tarantula’s home …

Yep - The Tarantula is in there!

walking on the trail we were shaded with the different levels of the jungle … truly an amazing experience!

One of the fun things driving allows  us to do (and we don’t get these opportunities in the boat) is just to stop by a roadside artist shack - we were treated to a real exhibit of local talent and art - purchasing a beautiful mahogany bowl for our new home - Dawn and Paul a fabulous ironwood vase … once again totally spontaneous and so lucky to get to speak with the artist. 

Now remember this is all the same day:  after a little snack in the car (Paul brought his Deer Jerky with him as a treat) Dawn decided we needed to see a Costa Rican waterfall - and boy she knew how to pick one (Remember we had just finished the bridge loop). The trail to the waterfall - “Catarata Rio Fortuna” was a “short” 480 steps down and I mean steps - irregular pieces of cement or boulders that resembled stairs - pretty much a vertical walk with a hand rail … remembering that I had to walk back up - I just paced myself - knowing that at the end of the walk down we would be treated to a sight ….

Only 480 of these - good thing I had my knees fixed!

The falls were spectacular … the cool mist and pools were lovely to view  …. Now the walk back up …. Just like our backpacking days - I counted my steps and reminded my knees that they could do it!!  And they did …. Late lunch and then the hot springs … we all melted in that warm spring waters - every bone in our body loved it!!

Rio Fortuna Waterfall

Rested we were ready for day seven …we did a self guided walking tour at the Volcano Arenal National Park … about a 5 mile hike - we bouldered our way up to the point where the volcano was a close as we could get …
.

Volcano Arenal stopped erupting just last year.

Again the path held special treats for us - orchids blooming between the volcanic rocks, amazing birds and insects, flower species that we photographed to identify later, jungle and sugar cane fields … pretty amazing sights … back to The Springs we really melted into the hot springs …. Went down to the pools that went along the river ….  Another quite night - I think our bones told us to go to sleep!

so good for the old bones!

Refreshing!

Day eight started out early because once again - we knew that we wouldn’t have enough time to see all … so of course breakfast was a main concern … on our way to The Springs we had stopped off at the German Bakery for a little snack - so with that in mind - we choose that spot for breakfast - a Czech girl’s perfect breakfast of sauerkraut and dumplings for me, Paul and Dale had the traditional German Sausage and eggs combo (Paul’s came with a beer) and Dawn had the very nutritious - 3 pastry combo … (I took a chocolate croissant for the car) ….

So off we headed up the volcano roads to MonteVerde - a very unique spot on the volcano - we stopped at the Orchid Farm … a young woman passion has produced a 270 specimen garden from the tiniest orchids in the world to the beautiful catalayas, wild single day orchids, oncidiums in different colors - a real treat for us florists!!

Apparently one of the tinest orchids in the world!

Next stop was the butterfly garden - so well done - and a perfect place to see the Blue Morph Butterfly in all of her glory!! (I am sure she was a she - so very beautiful!!) 

Also went to a Reptile House for Costa Rican snakes, frogs and spiders plus a stop at the hummingbird garden - all sizes of these little birds … Their wings going a mile a minute!

After all of this “fun” - the drive back to Marina Papagayo was nothing short of spectacular - about 100 miles of dirt and rock roads - thanks to the four wheel drive vehicle we had a “Costa Rican Massage”!  The scenery of the countryside was so diverse … going from the jungle back down to sea level was quite a change - including the temperature - at least a 20 degree difference. 

Often barely a two lane road - once in while had to make room for the cattle to go past us.

Seeing Costa Rica with Dawn and Paul was a blast … during a lot of our driving time - Paul was humming and occasionally singing “Blue Skies - nothing but Blue Skies!” And that is exactly what we had! It was so great to share Costa Rica with them! 

On top of the world - nothing short of incredible...

Thank you “dudes” for one of the great times and experiences in our lives!!

Back at the Marina Papagayo for one last toast to a great trip!

Punta Islita - Tropical Paradise

A road trip was what we really needed - we didn’t know we needed it - but we did!

Reconnecting with Dawn and Paul last year in Antigua was just the beginning of our new re-found friendship - after nearly 15 years, flower shops, children and life stuff we both realize that we still have “stuff” in common - like the love of traveling and adventure.  So here we are in Costa Rica together!!

Dawn and Paul 

Besides a little bit of sailing, Dawn and Paul wanted an inland adventure - so they invited us to join them for an 8 day road trip to a couple of different regions that we could not get to by boat! WOW what a treat we were in for … especially since those two did all the legwork and organized it.

So off we went - traveling to Punta Islita - an absolutely stunning beach point - we could not have ever anchored here due to reefs; so it was perfect to go by car.

Our view from the Punta Islita Terrace - and to think we sailed right past this point!

As Henry David Thoreau once said:  we have to travel the “road less traveled by” and this was certainly the case … thank goodness - it was the dry season - I could only imagine what this riverbed will look like once the rain comes … but for now we had a little adventure finding the other side of the road once we crossed …

Rocky and rugged … thank goodness we have 4-wheel drive!

The Hotel - Punta Islita - our home for the next four nights - a perfect little villa with an amazing coziness to it - welcoming, relaxing and you should have seen the glorious bathtub!!

Dawn and I headed for the main hall at Punta Islita

Our days were spent kayaking, swimming, hiking, touring the nearby village, beach walking under the full moon, and of course eating …

Kayaking thru the mangrove was so relaxing - we were treated to some wildlife … monkeys, iguanas, many species of birds …

You can see who is doing all of the work!

arriving to this desolate beach with giant driftwood - huge trees that have been washed up from somewhere - absolutely bleached by the sun … wish I could have brought a log or two back for our new backyard.

Dale checking out the size of this giant tree and root system!

The full moon is amazing down here - I think I could almost touch it … as it rose slightly  after sunset for the few days we were at Punta Islita - it was a  perfect way to take a night stroll on the beach!

Even the guys pose for a pic!

Romance is in the air - full moon and all!

Punta Islita has this charming community - it fosters “the arts.” Right up my alley - The buildings have all been resurfaced using glass and ceramic tiles. It is so cool when you stop and really look at all of the detail in their murals - a true work of art!  The locals have been introduced to ceramics, oils, watercolors, mobiles, fabric and hand work … a real treat to get to shop there!!  Their work is evident all thru the hotel’s decor - so it is a win - win situation for the local artisans - their work is being purchased and displayed!!  And lucky us - we get to bring some home!  

The art studio and craft house

Of course, dining is always a must … not just because we need the energy to keep going but to have the experience … dining on the terrace at Punta Islita - a real treat. But for me and I think Dale as well as Dawn and Paul - we found a little local restaurant that was tucked into the forest - outside tables (we sprayed for mosquitoes) - delicious food - so good we went twice … I wish I could remember the name of it - because we would recommend it - hands down!!

One of our days excursions was to head to Playa Samara and Playa Carrillo - two of the most amazing beaches … Carrillo … not one bit of real estate on that beach - just gorgeous water, sand and surf - so much surf that it was “foaming”!  We walked and played in the water. Delightful.

Playa Carrillo - beach walking for hours

Now for Samara - a perfect little beach town - we were treated to soft black volcanic sand, great surf, loads of people - locals as well as tourists, restaurants and shops.We enjoyed a cocktail and knew that we would need to come back their for a late lunch date another day ….

We all needed a drink after that walk! - Gusto's at the Beach - the perfect spot!!

Well … the next day we returned to Gusto’s beach establishment … another round of cocktails, more people watching and a delicious lunch!

Ahhhhhhhh … this is the life! - This is the spot that Dale choose to relax in after lunch - 
Gusto's knows how to treat their patrons!!

Another treat for us was a tour of Diria Coffee Co-op - I now appreciate a cup of java so much more …. From the little farms of 1 acre that holds 1500 coffee trees to the 30 acres plantations (450,000  trees) - every coffee bean picked by hand - workers up at dawn and finish at dusk …. They are almost hanging on the side of a cliff to reach the plants … From the sorting, to the grading, to the drying, to the roasting and then packaging …. so much done by manual labor … I can only imagine what the farms must look like when they are blooming and the fragrance would most like get me going!!  We are bringing home some of their pea berry coffee - premium coffees …. Can’t wait for that cup of "joe" and most likely mine will have a teaspoon of chocolate stirred in!!

Entrance to the coffee company

Dawn - no matter where she is - she is a Master Gardener 
Standing next to the coffee trees

Both, Dale and I truly enjoyed our time in the Nicoya Peninsula - the local people, the amazing scenery, the gorgeous water, delicious cuisine, hanging out with friends ...

There is no doubt that this is might be one of our favorite places in all of Costa Rica - we loved Punta Islita!

Three Florists

What happens when you get three floral designers together?  THEY HAVE FUN!!!

Dawn (the very first person to work at Kimberly’s), Lisa and I went to “The Four Season’s Resort” for a floral design class - one never knows when one might learn a new trick or two!!

We had a ball and yes we learned a few new tips - Costa Ricans are known for their “green” approach to the environment and it is even reflected in their floral designing.

Finished florals - heading back to Companion! 

We had so much fun learning and watching - I shared one of the braiding/weaving techniques that I knew - now I am “signed” up to teach a class to all of their designers on April 23 - they are eager to learn … and gain just a couple of tips from the United States!  Can’t wait!

Once the instructors and interpreter realized that we were florists; we were invited on a “behind the scenes” tour of their studio - such an immaculately clean place and so well organized.  They change the resorts floral arrangements daily and plan all of the events - so we were allowed to view the “event” florals and setup in the golf club for the evening.

They called it the “Tropical Jungle” theme - what a treat for us to see.

Inspired us!  And guess what - we are never to old to learn!

Enjoyed the evening - new friendships formed and old one rekindled - it is good to be florists!!