Mexico Airport

Guess who is on her way home! Keep checking in as I'll be posting all of my final adventures in the next couple of days!

Patrick's life without me...

So Patrick had a wonderful adventure last week. Sharon came and kidnapped him on Thursday for an overnight visit. He spent time with the Hall family and then was able to see a few Ashlock's and Juron! Here are picks from his secret life without me. Of course I made a few edits. 

In case my "Dulce" is reading (you know who you are)...I had those pants first! Love you and miss you! A big thanks to Sharon for giving Patrick a little taste of home. 

Love me some Halls and Ashlocks

Seriously belongs to me...

Love this family especially the one in the bottom left

I'm sure this is what he is thinking...

He looks excited to be making this face doesn't he! 

Legit Cooking Class

Legit cooking class...

Well I'm a little frustrated because I typed this entire post and it didn't save so now I have to type it again. Ugh. Oh well. 

What I was going to say is that Spanish Aimee and I were stoked to finally be doing some legit Costa Rican cooking. The class was taught by the same fast talking lady as the first class. There were  people in the class that didn't speak at all so she said she would speak slower...eh. It worked out. I understood a lot of what was said. More than the German and Dutch girl because the teacher was talking about cheese with worms in it and they thought she was talking about Swiss cheese, fondue and then string cheese before I finally asked if the worms lived in the cheese and she confirmed my suspicion. 

This cooking class we made enyucados. These are little bundles of deliciousness made with yuca and in this instance queso and sometimes carne. They said in the class usually carne that is like taco meat but Aimee and I are thinking brisket and all kinds of Texas meat. Yum! 

In this class there was a girl each from Japan, Germany andHolland. There were also two boys that I think were from Estados Unidos, which Aimee says I pronounce weird and is giving me a complex. I'm just going to tell people I'm from Texas, it's big enough to be a country right?

To make this little piece of yummy, you boil the yuca in salt water and mash them before making them into little tortillas that the cheese nestles into. We came in at the mashing part which the two dudes handled quite intensely as you can see in the picture. Funny. They also ended up doing the dishes which was charming. 

After making a little cocoon for the cheese you fry the enyucados in oil. I think she said normally you use more oil but she lightly fried them for us. So so so yummy!! I bought a traditional Costa Rican cookbook so I hope you are excited to eat this! 

Random Costa Rica Picture Post II

Monteverde - Don Juan Coffee Tour

Oh I have so many posts that are sitting in draft status waiting to be finished and published!! Here I thought I would have all of this time to blog every single day. This post is actually from two weekends ago. Spanish Aimee and I went to Monteverde and had an amazing time. I could come back and spend probably two more weeks in Monteverde alone. Apparently when I make these posts in draft status they don't post in the order published but in the order created, so if you are reading to follow my journey you might flip back through my posts to see if you missed any. 

So coffee tour

As of this moment I have officially been to two different coffee tours. I feel a little schooled in the art of coffee creation with the exception that one of the employees at the second plantation negated one of the facts that I learned...I think that's the correct word, I've always wanted to use it.

The Don Juan coffee plantation was really neat. It is a smaller plantation that also handles cocoa and sugar cane. They don't grow the sugar cane or the cocoa beans in this plantation but they process them. It was interesting to know that the cocoa is actually Costa Rican grown and Don Juan purchases it to help support Costa Rican cocoa growers. Muy interesante. I don't remember where the sugar cane is from but I don't think it's from Costa Rica. When we did the tour the lady took us to a little area with cocoa beans drying and pointed to these two plants and said here is the coffee plantation. We laughed. 

The Don Juan plantation offers a 3 in 1 tour, which includes information about the coffee plantation, the cocoa and sugar cane processes. It started off with a little introduction about the ox carts. Previous to this outing we read in class a text about the tradition behind the ox carts so it was neat to finally see one. We also rode on the back of it, which was painful due to the canyoning trip earlier that day. I haven't uploaded the pictures or videos from Canyoning yet.  We also met Don Juan himself. 

With the tour you learn about the process of how the coffee beans are grown, which is really interesting. They use a portion of the seed to fertilize the plants. The other plantation said they use another part for coffee paper. Then you walk through the plantation to see the plants that are currently growing. We also saw the old school machines that were originally used as opposed to the current machines. There is a picture of me using the mortar and pestle that was used to remove a layer of the bean a long time ago. It was the women's job apparently. Then you go to the roasting area and learn about the different levels of beans. It was here that I fell in love with dark roast. Yum! 

The portion of the sugar cane has two people attempting to crank the juice from the sugar cane. Then you get to drink it. I think they said that you can make moonshine from this. Next is the cocoa part. Here the tour guide made fresh brownies and hot coco from the cocoa beans. She said that milk chocolate is not as healthy for you as straight cocoa chocolate. Interesting. 

There are a lot of interesting coffee and cocoa facts that I learned, but you need to try the tour yourself so I won't spoil the ending. I will say that my favorite fact is that they plant the coffee plants in plastic bags in pairs because they will compete with each other to grow faster and taller. 

Random Costa Rica picture post

1. Skyping with Patrick
2. Laundry on the line
3. View in the morning
4. View of the barrio

Cabinas El Pueblo - Monteverde

When Aimee and I arrived in Monteverde we didn't really know where we were going to stay for the weekend. We had looked at a couple different hostels in the information books available at the school and spoke to Los Solos about different hostel options. So far this time in Costa Rica has been the most adventurous that I've ever been in my entire life. Heading out into the unknown without solid plans of where I will be laying my head down at night. Tengo miedo!

So getting off the bus, I was concerned with locating el bano (see previous post about bus ride) while Aimee was apparently bombarded with hotel vultures trying to entice her to their establishments. There was one really nice lady though that swooped in and asked if we had reservations and offered to give us directions. Then she showed us on a map where her mother's soda was. So we asked her if we could look at the rooms available at her location. We were so glad we did! The rate was awesome and so were the rooms. 

The first picture is of our room. Usually they have bird shaped towels on the beds as in the bottom half of the picture but I guess we checked in too soon. Oh well the room was awesome. It had a sort of vaulted ceiling which made the room seem bigger. The room could actually be split between four people. The rooms on the top floor were rooms with private baths and the bottom floor was rooms with shared bath. The hostel or cabinas included breakfast in the morning. We only partook of this once because you had to sign up for your choice by 8pm & we forgot. 

Second picture is the front of the hostel. From what I hear, hostels in Costa Rica are a lot cleaner and nicer than in Europe. Which was beneficial to us. The name of this place was Cabinas el Pueblo. It was run by a very nice married couple, both Ticos. The lady helped us to decide which adventures to go on , the time and what order. It worked out perfectly with the weather. 

100% Aventura Zip Line Tour Monteverde

Zip lining. For the girl who has a moderate fear of heights, this has always been a desire of mine. By moderate I mean any time we have been hiking & coming back down, I'm afraid to jump the two feet to the next rock or section. Maybe its more a fear of slipping & breaking something.

Assuming there are people reading that might be considering this aventura I'll break down the pros & cons. Giving the cons first only with the advance understanding that this was AMAZING & I will forever recommend it.

-CONS-
- There is quite a bit of hiking between the last zip line & the Superman; the Tarzan & the reception area at the end. Why I didn't think there would be any form of hiking as I zip lined through a forest, I don't know; but this round girl had a seriously difficult time. My calves were burning! I'm assuming it was two miles but in actuality it was probably less than half but up hill so it felt like more. Recommendation: if you are slow at walking/hiking or round like me, go first on the zip line before the Superman so you don't feel like a bum as everyone passes you or so they can't see your striped undies through your pants as you are hunched over trying to breath...but that last one could just be me :)
- Adding this one just so there are two cons. The harness is a little awkward. Especially on the Superman. Just remember no one looks sexy in the harness.

+PROS+
+ The views are amazing! As you come off the platform into the trees, it is breath taking.
+ Its great exercise! That should counter my con right? Seriously though, I was exhausted but energized afterword...if that makes sense.
+ It is an amazing experience to tell your friends, kids, grand kids, great grand kids, random people on the bus...you get the point. To be able to say that you zip lined 1590 meters! In Costa Rica!
+ You will feel amazing afterwords! Like you could conquer the world or bungee jump. Ok maybe not that. But we were so excited after doing the Tarzan Swing!

How it was:
Let me start off with I was trying to talk Aimee into bungee jumping. We also wanted to know if we could still zip line in the rain. I hit the internet to see what information I could find. Very, very bad idea. I found a blog by this guy who has an amazing talent for writing & story telling. His blog made zip lining sound so exciting that I was pumped! Then he did this to be continued thing for the Tarazan Swing & I HAD to click the next one to see what happened. It turned out he was like 2 feet from the ground when he jumped! Um...ok... I made the mistake of sharing this with Aimee.
A: Ya no I'm out.
D: ha ha ha. He is alive though
A: barely. Only by 2 feet

To say the least she was a tad nervous to do this. We went with an interesting group. A little family of four with two girls, two couples, & a dude. By the end we were all chatting.

They start you off with an instructional demonstration: how to get on the zip line, how to get off, how to sit, how to break. Breaking was a little scary, but don't over think it. Use two hands if you are going too fast. I forgot this.

The first couple of lines are short to build you up for the long ones. Then you repel down from one platform to go to other set. I was a little nervous on the repelling, mainly because the guy at the bottom was pretty skinny & I imagined him being lifted up when I came off the platform. Hee hee..

There is a really long one that you come out from between the trees into open air! I spun a little on this, by spun I mean I turned. I think my arm wasn't far enough out to keep me straight. This is the one I forgot to use to hands to break on & came into the platform fast.

The Superman: first statement, when they ask if you are doing it superman  then say yes. You will regret not doing it. The harness set up is a little awkward & you feel a but strange as you are laying in the air. The guide tells you to lay down & I'm not kidding, I kinda forgot how! You do two, one with arms closed & one with them open.

Tarzan Swing: don't think twice about this, just do it! By the time I came off the superman Aimee had just gone off & I could hear everyone cheering & clapping for her. There was no time to back out. They hook you in & get you really close to the gate. This is when I panicked a little. Asking if the rope was short enough, where to put my hands, what if I let go of the rope. They tell you to bend your knees. Then they kinda give you a little nudge. And you are falling...and screaming...and still falling...and still screaming. Then the swing catches and you fly out & up. As you come back down you kinda fall again & keep screaming.

It was amazing! This company, 100% Aventura was really great. They pick you up at your hotel. Give great instructions. Have a little souvenir shop & cafeteria at their location. They also take pictures for you & sell them on a disc for $10. It has a little video of you coming in on Superman. The guides are so nice & helpful, even when you are obnoxious & scared. Then they provide transportation back to where you are staying. The guy also said that they are continuously replacing the lines to ensure they are safe. I highly recommend them.

Tip: if you want to take your own pictures, bring a camera with a strap. Don't expect to take pictures on the zip lines because you need your hands. Some people online have great pictures or videos of them on the zipline. I didn't want to risk dropping my phone. We bought the disc. Its cheaper if you split it.

Oh you should watch this video from someone else doing the swing.

Monteverde Weekend Adventure

Quick little post before I start working on my post for the 100% Aventura Zip Lining Tour.

The trip to Monteverde is a four hour bus ride that costs 2500¢ colones...not bad for the comfy seats. The bus leaves at 6:30am or 2:30pm.

We took the bus from our barrio to downtown San Jose & grabbed a little nibble from the same Panaderia as last time, then took a taxi to the bus station. When we were on the bus it seemed like we drove around for bit picking up people at other random stops around town. Then we were on the road.

One tip to any future travelers to Monteverde is when the bus stops for its break, use the bathroom. Don't think about how you don't have to go or that you are concerned you have to pay to use a toilet without a seat, just go. The reason is, the last hour or so of the drive is up a hilly, windy, bumpy, dirt road and the chances are you are going to need to go. Just saying.

Sidebar: the space between the seats was smaller on this bus than the one to Puerto Viejo so we rode with our back packs in our laps. During the break before anyone got back on the bus Aimee leans her seat, "I'm going to lean this back before she realizes it." Talking about the lady behind her. Then she discovered that the seats slide apart & into the aisle a little, so she decides after people are on the bus to slide it out for more room. Apparently she forgot because after the bus started moving & took a corner her seat went sliding! Her face was so funny! Then we both laughed & she said, I thought it was going to slide off into the aisle! Like this button is how they remove the seats. The bus made another turn and her seat clicked back into place.

Pictures:
*Senor Hipopotamo listening to music
*Mountain view from the bus
*Fruit seller on the bus. Usually vendedors (of fruits or bread) just hop on & sell to passengers

Costa Rican Not-Really-Cooking Cooking Class

On Wednesday Spanish Aimee pulled out her inner Phonecian and cut off two otra estudiantes & got our names up on the board for the "cooking class" this week. Turned out only four people signed up anyway.

This anxiously awaited cooking class turned out to be what we call the clase de cortar. We told our profesor it wasn't really a cooking class, we really just learned how to cut things. ...then Aimee laughed & elaborated that the things were actually food, not random things.

Lets just start out by saying there was a class ahead of us. One of the "groups" and the kids were walking out with sour faces & talking about the food they didn't like. Snacking on watermelon...ok what food do Ticos eat that you need to have watermelon as a palette cleanser?

When it was our turn we went in & learned that we would be making a traditional Costa Rican dish called frescos frutas...not fruit salad because that is apparently something entirely different. The lady who teaches the classes elaborated on this in depth...in Spanish.

The entire class was in Spanish. (as are most things) Surprisingly I could understand the gist of what she was saying. And by gist I mean select vocabulary words. She was very expressive. She talked to us about the difference between Frescos Frutas & fruit salad. Then she demonstrated how to cut the papaya, pineapples & bananas. The recipe is really these three fruits, a special syrup & water; these sit for about thirty minutes. We then tried some that was already prepared. After we cut the fruit she had us try several different kinds of frutas tropicales. More on this later.

She told an amusing story about a girl who had mistaken a platano for a banano. I don't know if you are familiar with platano but everyone here seems to think its easy to mistake them, its not. Platanos are huge in comparison to bananos & usually darker in color. This is something Aimee & I were laughing about later on the bus. Aimee says, what was this girl thinking. Man I'm so hungry that I think I'll eat this gigantic banana.

The tropical fruits. There were familiar ones that we discussed such as guava, papaya, coconuts & star fruit. We also tried, yes I tried every single thing offered, pejibaye which was an orange fruit with the texture of a potato. Ticos eat it with mayonnaise limon, muy rico! The other really yummy food was mangas con salsa. Surprise but that was muy rico tambien! I'm going to find out if this salsa can come home with me. The only food that was really disgusting were the nancys. Yuck! Very bitter. Turns out they are used for moonshine!

Hope you enjoyed. I'll be making this when I come home if I can find the syrup. Oh & we met some students that I'm calling Los Solos. Read later about what Aimee & I said that slapped a huge nerd sticker on us.

How I conquered the shower

This is la historia of how I conquered the shower

When we had an informational meeting about Costa Rica at WTAMU, the students who went last year told us about the showers. One student said that the showers had these small water heaters located next to the shower and that you had to be careful with it. Careful not to knock it over and careful not to take long showers or the heater would collapse. To me, collapse is a serious word.

The shower was something I was seriously concerned about, why, I don't know. The day I arrived it was the middle of the night so I didn't receive a tutorial on how to use it. (On Monday I over heard other students talking about how their Mama Ticas gave a demonstration of sorts.) The next day, it was just me and the shower.  The first day it was the quickest and the coldest shower of my entire life. That was ok because it was a little warm outside.

After overhearing the other students talking, I figured out that its necessary to turn the water on a little and then as it heats up increase the pressure. The more pressure, the colder the water. Lucky for me, my water heater was actually a part of the shower head. At first I could tell it was heating up because I could smell it...I figured that was not good for the heater. A couple of days into the trip I needed to shave my legs. Leg shaving could take up some serious and precious warm water time. What to do? Hairy legs or cold shower? 

I know this might be getting too intense for you. This is a serious predicament. 

Here is how I managed to conquer the shower. I turned the faucet on at a decent trickle and as the water was warming up, I sacrificed my legs to the cold water. Shaving as fast as I could yet still taking out the dreaded leg hair. The first time I used this method, I'll be honest, only one leg managed to be shaved. Esta bien. It all worked out. Round two, I managed both legs and arm pits. 

Hope this tip helped any future travelers. :)

Playa Negro - Puerto Viejo

Forgot to post these pictures from last weekend. Aimee & I finally were on the beach, five minutes before we left on Sunday. The day we left Puerto Viejo it was beautiful. Fail.

The Playa Negro is given its name from the black sand which is supposed to be magnetic. I brought a little home for Patrick so we'll test it out.

Most of this section of the beach in Puerto Viejo was beautiful. There was a little portion that was dirty, we found a couch section in the sand. The beach extends way past where we were though. And you can see a little of that in the picture on the top right.