Merry Christmas!

Photog Blog Shout Out!

I know a lot of really great photographers, but I wanted to give a shout-out to a new one I've recently discovered. My sister's good friend, Olya, takes all my sister's pictures for her and her family. She does an incredible job! Here are some samples of her work:(My sister and her husband)(Their two sons...my nephews)(Their newborn daughter...my niece)

(Their whole family)

If you'd like to see more, she has loads of photos on her blog. http://www.endlessmemoriesphoto.blogspot.com/

Check it out! Also, while you're there check out the promotional deal she has going on right now!

COSTA RICA

Right when we landed in Costa Rica we left the airport to wait for our rental car company to pick us up. We were the last ones from our group to leave. When we finally got to the rental place, they informed us that they didn't have a car for us, that we had reserved! So we went through another company instead.
The entire country is covered in green, everything is alive and growing. The only places they had cleared out were "football" fields, a.k.a soccer, which is huge down there.
Instead of building fences, they grow them, and then cut off the branches from the trees. Very interesting concept. Makes for colorful fences.

There were so many one way bridges, one had to be careful not to be crossing at the same time as someone else.

Our first stop was La Fortuna, which is home to the volcano Arenal. This is a picture of our first cabin we stayed in, as well as our rental car.

Breakfast in Costa Rica, consists of eggs, plantains, rice, and beans, and of course fruit.

These were the trees outside our lodgings, where we saw several toucans, and parrots, and hummingbirds.

Inside our cabin, it was so cute.

Volcano Arenal is an active volcano that erupts 2 out of 3 days.When evening came, we made our way to Eco Termales, which are naturally heated springs, they get their heat from the volcano. There was a huge gate that we had to enter through before going to the hot springs. We had to state our names, and they had to verify our reservation.

The resort was beautiful, and after swimming, they fed us a delicious meal.

The next day we ventured to a local waterfall, which was breathtaking and surrounded by jungle.

First we had to climb down 573 steps, or jagged rocks and cement blocks.
Well worth the climb.

Wildlife we encountered on our drive from La Fortuna to Monteverde

A cool tree I saw on the side of the road. I love the roots.

We were told to stop at this little place called Toad's Hall on our drive, and I had no idea why, until we saw that the view from the building was exquisite.

Our cabin in Monteverde was on top of a mountain that overlooked the entire valley.

This was a wasp that flew into our room, and I swatted it out of the air before it could sting us.
One of the most fun adventures we went on was a zipline tour through the jungle. They attired us with harnesses and gloves, and then strapped us to cables that sent us soaring hundreds of feet above the treetops.



Near the end of the zipline tour, they had a bungee jump/tarzan swing set up, which consisted of a freefall, and then the rope would catch you and swing you high above the trees. It was a blast!
Later we ate in this restaurant called the Treehouse, named because the restaurant was built around a tree. It was good food too!
On our drive to Manuel Antonio we saw several fields full of hundreds of palm trees. It was gorgeous.
When we arrived at Quepos, where I had thought we were staying, we were terrified by the city, and all the people, and the gross beach. But as we began asking people for directions, they kept directing us away from the city, and more into the jungle. When we finally came to oue hotel, it was nestled in the heart of the jungle, and yet on the edge of the beach! We were overjoyed!
There was a beautiful swimming pool surounded by trees.
The beach was litterally 20 feet away. This is a view from our hotel of the beach. Sweet!
When I had called to schedule a standard room, they were completely full, so instead they gave us the "honeymoon suit" or the Loft as they called it.
This was the view from our loft.
Since we were on a trial-run of being beach bums, we thought we might as well get tattoes to remember our great time....well henna tattoes:-)



I went fishing in the ocean, well at least on the beach, and asked a guy if i could hold his fish. It was really heavy.
Beach bums!!


Crabs
Monkeys

Most beautiful sunsets


We went horseback riding to some beautiful waterfalls. My horse's name was Santo, and Robert's was Pollo.


Robert showering in the falls.
I climbed the face of the waterfall, and then cliff jumped off.

They fed us breakast and lunch on our adventure.
Macaws!
Robert holding a toucan

On our way to Dominical we drove past these rivers that were full of crocodiles.

In Dominical we stayed in these cool Bungalows.

Our last stop was back in the city of San Jose and the surrounding areas. We saw and talked to several of the people Robert served while on a mission here.
The End