Thanksgiving Day in Lush Costa Rica
What an enchanting day we spent, Thanksgiving Day, in Costa Rica. A beautifully jungly country. Jan R. and Al arranged for a van, to take us around for the full day. All eight of us fit very comfortably, along with Doris Carvajal (our tour guide) and Jose (her driver). We made Gary sit up front, since he's the one with the runniest nose. So far no one else has caught Gary and Steve's cold, which is good news. Doris was an outstanding guide. She is a native of Costa Rica, but spent a number of years living in Minnesota when her children were young. Picture moving from the warm weather of Costa Rica to Minnesota. She did finally get fed up with it, and got a divorce. Her English was excellent, and as a teacher by trade, she also was very articulate and connected with us like an old friend. We would highly recommend her to anyone visiting Costa Rica in the future. Costa Rica is a democracy, with no army (the US Coast Guard patrols the shores to prevent drug traffic). The country has a high standard of living, no welfare, and a strong focus on education. More and more Americans are choosing to retire there.
We traveled from the warmth of Puntarenas, where the ship docked, to the mountains, a couple of hours inland. There the weather was at least 20 degrees cooler. Several in the group didn't bring jackets, so they used their Princess beach towels to keep warm outside. Doris decided to call us the "Towel People" (she names all of her groups). Costa Rica is a rain forest, and up in the mountains it was very foggy and misty yesterday. The rain forest is also known as the "Cloud Forest". The drive was extremely picturesque, and we marveled at the LIVE fences. The people put various limbs and branches in the ground for fence posts, and then they sprout and grow. It's amazing. I got a great shot of the live fence, in the thick mist, with a horse in the pasture.
The primary exports of Costa Rica are bananas and coffee. We had a tasty mid-morning coffee stop along the way, and I, of course, managed to buy some local crafts there. Including a rustic wood crafted cat. Doris named him Misingo, which is apparently Cat in Spanish (Misi for Kitty). Ernie doesn't think Sniglet will like Misingo. We'll see.
Lunch was in San Ramon at Mi Choza, truly a locals favorite. No English on the menu, which is how we like it. The nachos were probably the best I've ever tasted. The fajitas were delicious as well. The beer drinkers enjoyed the local beers.
We had a very informative tour of the coffee coop, which supplies all of the coffee that Starbuck's purchases from Costa Rica. The coop is called Coopepalmares. We learned a great deal about the complexity of processing the coffee beans, and even learned how to smell and taste for high quality versus substandard quality.
We will hold fond memories of Costa Rica, that's for sure. And since we were the only cruise ship in port, we didn't see another Princess passenger all day (most tend to go on organized tours, not out on their own).
Today we are at sea, traveling north along Nicaragua and El Salvador. Tomorrow we'll spend the day in Guatemala. Our plan is to visit the colonial city of Anitgua. We've had lovely 82+ degree temperatures today, so Jan R. and I have soaked up plenty more Vitamin D.
We were not disappointed in Thanksgiving dinner. I asked our waiter, wonderful Damien, to substitute mashed potatoes for the polenta on the turkey menu. He and Ruben fulfilled that wish. Some of us had many helpings of outstanding dressing with gravy. The pumpkin creme brulee was much better than the pumpkin pie, which didn't have enough sugar.
A big ROUND of APPLAUSE to Gary B., Elizabeth W. and Bev T. because I know these three sent the PanCAN awareness email to their legislators and senators. Elizabeth has already received a response that she was impressed with. I know they sent their messages because they posted comments on the blog... if others of you have done as well, THANK YOU to you, too.
In the Library Corner. Now that I can read again (due to a return of my attention span), I've read several books. The first one, which I finished in 24 hours was "Cocktails for Three", by a British author (don't recall the name, and gave the book to Annie M.). A quick little read about three girlfriends who meet monthly for drinks and the course of their lives in London over a four month period. Anna R. loaned me "Bel Canto" by Ann Patchett. Lovely reading. She had told me it was one of her favorites, and I can see why. You fall in love with the cast of international characters, and end up wishing them all well (hostages and terrorists alike). Thanks to Stacey S., who sent me "The Glass Castle" by Jeanette Walls. I've started it, and it is definitely a book that grabs you. But, I also decided I was ready for some trash, so I'm now halfway through "Blue Smoke" by Nora Roberts. I can always manage to sink myself in a Nora Roberts novel, as long as she doesn't bring in supernatural aspects.
Time to "post" before I run out of internet time..... talk to you later.
We traveled from the warmth of Puntarenas, where the ship docked, to the mountains, a couple of hours inland. There the weather was at least 20 degrees cooler. Several in the group didn't bring jackets, so they used their Princess beach towels to keep warm outside. Doris decided to call us the "Towel People" (she names all of her groups). Costa Rica is a rain forest, and up in the mountains it was very foggy and misty yesterday. The rain forest is also known as the "Cloud Forest". The drive was extremely picturesque, and we marveled at the LIVE fences. The people put various limbs and branches in the ground for fence posts, and then they sprout and grow. It's amazing. I got a great shot of the live fence, in the thick mist, with a horse in the pasture.
The primary exports of Costa Rica are bananas and coffee. We had a tasty mid-morning coffee stop along the way, and I, of course, managed to buy some local crafts there. Including a rustic wood crafted cat. Doris named him Misingo, which is apparently Cat in Spanish (Misi for Kitty). Ernie doesn't think Sniglet will like Misingo. We'll see.
Lunch was in San Ramon at Mi Choza, truly a locals favorite. No English on the menu, which is how we like it. The nachos were probably the best I've ever tasted. The fajitas were delicious as well. The beer drinkers enjoyed the local beers.
We had a very informative tour of the coffee coop, which supplies all of the coffee that Starbuck's purchases from Costa Rica. The coop is called Coopepalmares. We learned a great deal about the complexity of processing the coffee beans, and even learned how to smell and taste for high quality versus substandard quality.
We will hold fond memories of Costa Rica, that's for sure. And since we were the only cruise ship in port, we didn't see another Princess passenger all day (most tend to go on organized tours, not out on their own).
Today we are at sea, traveling north along Nicaragua and El Salvador. Tomorrow we'll spend the day in Guatemala. Our plan is to visit the colonial city of Anitgua. We've had lovely 82+ degree temperatures today, so Jan R. and I have soaked up plenty more Vitamin D.
We were not disappointed in Thanksgiving dinner. I asked our waiter, wonderful Damien, to substitute mashed potatoes for the polenta on the turkey menu. He and Ruben fulfilled that wish. Some of us had many helpings of outstanding dressing with gravy. The pumpkin creme brulee was much better than the pumpkin pie, which didn't have enough sugar.
A big ROUND of APPLAUSE to Gary B., Elizabeth W. and Bev T. because I know these three sent the PanCAN awareness email to their legislators and senators. Elizabeth has already received a response that she was impressed with. I know they sent their messages because they posted comments on the blog... if others of you have done as well, THANK YOU to you, too.
In the Library Corner. Now that I can read again (due to a return of my attention span), I've read several books. The first one, which I finished in 24 hours was "Cocktails for Three", by a British author (don't recall the name, and gave the book to Annie M.). A quick little read about three girlfriends who meet monthly for drinks and the course of their lives in London over a four month period. Anna R. loaned me "Bel Canto" by Ann Patchett. Lovely reading. She had told me it was one of her favorites, and I can see why. You fall in love with the cast of international characters, and end up wishing them all well (hostages and terrorists alike). Thanks to Stacey S., who sent me "The Glass Castle" by Jeanette Walls. I've started it, and it is definitely a book that grabs you. But, I also decided I was ready for some trash, so I'm now halfway through "Blue Smoke" by Nora Roberts. I can always manage to sink myself in a Nora Roberts novel, as long as she doesn't bring in supernatural aspects.
Time to "post" before I run out of internet time..... talk to you later.
posted by Sniglet's Mom @ 2:39 PM
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