Sexto

Today’s big deal was a zipline activity, known here as a canopy tour. We drove to the Baru Wildlife Preserve north of Uvita where we had visited the butterfly garden yesterday. Armed with water bottles, bug repellent, helmets, camera, gloves and zipline harnesses(picture) ,we headed up a mountainside with our guides Olman and Victor (picture, with Sarah), and another family from Quebec, Canada..

We were a little nervous about Samuel’s participation, but the proprietors assured us that he would do well. Sarah has been looking forward to this since I put up the zipline in our back yard in January. She was very excited and insisted on being the first of our group to ride the first of 8 different trips. She squealed with joy as she shot 240 feet over a mountain gorge. We let the children from the Canadian family go next, and Samuel was reassured as their youngest boy got into place and rode confidently over. When it was Samuel’s turn, he stepped right up and followed the other children without any coaxing. (picture). He was all grins at the end and said it was a lot of fun.

Amy enjoyed the rides too. She says she had her eyes closed most of the time (picture). Our guide took a picture of us on the tallest ledge before the last 2 segments of the ride. You’ll notice we are all safety strapped to the big tree. He said they hardly ever lose anybody off the ledge. I have video of the kids riding that I will try to post tomorrow using the wi-fi at the coffeeshop.

After we finished and hiked back down, we drove to the surfer town of Domenical for lunch. It’s defined in the guidebooks as “scruffy”, and that’s an apt description. Lots of Americans in their 20s (our waitress was from Atlanta), and local teenagers who try to surf the very rough and dangerous waves, mix with tourists, iguanas (picture), retirees, and locals who sell their crafts and souvenirs right on the beach. We ate fish tacos and carne asada at the San Clemente Bar and Grill (pictures) and window-shopped (minus the windows) until it got cloudy and windy. We’ll go back again to this cool hangout.

On the way home we pulled over and Amy took some pictures of the unspoiled rocky coastline. There are magnificent views in every direction from right off the road. When we got back, we taught Sarah (and Samuel somewhat) how to play Monopoly, and had a light supper of French Toast and salsichiya (Costa Rican breakfast sausage) before retiring, exhausted and a little sore, but happy.

Tomorrow we hope to visit a beach to the south of us with caves for exploring.
Please post a comment so we know you have been here.

Dad- my reply to your questions doesn’t seem to have posted. We are driving a Dihatsu Terios 5 speed (slow, slower, really slow, crawling, and stopped) SUV with 4 wheel drive we haven’t needed yet. It gets about 35 mpg, which is good when gas is $5 a gallon. Our nearest neighbors are about ½ mile below us on the mountain, although they are never at home. There is also a single guy living at the end of our road, about ¼ mile away. We haven’t met him, but we hear his motorcycle go by regularly. Sarah and Samuel are adapting well to the environment here. They are learning to try new foods and new challenges (like no TV or computer games). Samuel has become the pool maintenance guy, skimming bugs, filling with the hose, and swimming to the bottom (8 feet!) to get dead leaves out. Sarah helps with laundry, and with setting and clearing the table, and occupies herself reading and writing in her Costa Rica journal. So far everybody is doing well!