To
M&M Home
.
7:30am: We arrive at the Air Canada 'Executive Class' (woo, fancy) lounge, on a cold winter morning in January, not knowing where exactly we are going or what this trip will bring.
Morning coffee to keep Mark awake.
Click the map to find out our plans!
Here's where we first ended up!
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The flowers of Costa Rica are striking.
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While Mike attended a conference, Mark toured. This was supposed to be Mark's 'once in a lifetime' trip to an active volcano. See it, there, in the distance? No?? Well, neither did Mark! Ah well, the scenery is beautiful - even in the rain.
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The access road up to the top of Volcan Poas, an active volcano near San Jose. |
Mark in front of the caldera, brrrrr! |
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The beautiful La Paz Waterfall |
San José is high up, encircled by mountains, their tops shrouded in clouds... the same pesky clouds that shrouded that damn volcano!
... and has its share of beautiful old-world buildings.
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Costa Rica is well known for its coffee, grown in massive plantations ...
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A field of coffee... |
| Red beans, ripe and ready for harvest... |  |
... but the big surprise was the crocodiles! |
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After our 'harrowing' ride through the countryside, we arrive at our guesthouse, Big Ruby's, between Puerto Quepos and Manuel Antonio. Here we are, checking out the grounds of our romantic hideaway in the jungle -
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HA HA, just joking...this is
actually a
palm oil processing plant...no, our real place is... |
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We get our own private cabin in the resort at the edge of the jungle ... |
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... thoughtfully
prepared ... |
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... but
dangerous! |
By night and by day, if it wasn't the ocean, life revolved around the pool.
Alex of Miami and Mark...
Mike has a ball in the pool
while Mark reflects on life
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Beach friends were fun ...
Marco, Alex and Mark scope out the action on the 'Boy Beach'
The 'boys' all brown and beautiful after a tough day of lounging
and tanning ... life can be difficult, eh!
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Another chance meeting... this time Cuban American
Paul. Here he is after a hard day on a Costa Rican beach... (Thanks, Paul, for sending us copies of the photos...!) |
A Hercules transport plane, apparently
"forgotten" by Oliver North ...
... is now an interesting little bar ...
(with a killer view out the back loading ramp door, of the ocean, over a
cliff!)
What would a trip to Costa Rica be without a hike
through the jungle?
So, off we went to Parque
Nacional de Manuel Antonio.
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Even though the sign at the
trailhead promised otherwise.... |
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| Manuel Antonio National Park (683 hectares) is Costa Rica's most famous national park. It comprises a small, forested area, heavily populated by monkeys and raccoons, and three exceptionally beautiful beaches. Unfortunately there is no bridge across the river that has to be crossed to reach the park entrance and visitors arriving at high tide will have to wade through chest high water. |  |
 Celebrating our 7th Anniversary with a champagne breakfast catered on our balcony. |
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At our resort's second pool, by the house on the hill, we watch sunsets and enjoy friends and more champagne.
Haig joins us to catch the last of the rays...
Return flight: Quepos to San José and then Toronto via Mexico City
| In Sansa's "Domestic Terminal" at Quepos Airport. Mark checks out the departure schedule. Our oversize baggage charge was more than our airfare!! |  |
[Notice the high tech check-in counter and security screening area.] |
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Preparing for take-off on the jungle runway. |
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Bye bye, Manuel
Antonio. And there it is, our secluded boy-beach (the bay at left,
at the north end) as seen from the air.
The scene of the good times...
| "Turbulence, what turbulence?" |  |
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Approaching San José. |
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Aaah, coming in for a safe landing at San José International. |
Resting up, the night before going home ... 
| Thanks for a nice trip, my love! |  |
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First Class travel is tough! |
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On our way home... an awesome moonshine over the clouds!
