Monday, Feb. 20 (week 5 / day 29) Uvita, CR

Lunch in Quepos

After a morning of school we left about noon for lunch in Quepos about 15 minutes away. We found the "Soda Come Bien" as suggested in our guide book for big portions for backpackers. We all ate for about $16, which is an unusually good price. It did, however, leave room for dessert across the plaza at a fairly decent bakery:  ..., dulce de leche-filled canole, oatmeal cookie, 1 coconut & 2 chocolate drops, custard-filled donut & 2 cups of Tres Leches.

lunch at "Soda Come Bien" in Quepos

Carley's pic of our desserts at the bakery

Waterfall Slide!

 After being well fed we drove south to Uvita & found the waterfall slide (Cascada Verde) & had a blast sliding down & playing in the water.

here we are at Cascada Verde near Uvita



Sydney about to take the plunge

Good bye to Costa Rica.
Some thoughts by Stacia:
1.  I wondered the whole time if my dishes actually ever got clean when washing them with cold water, but I tried not to think of it.
2.  It seems like it would be a luxury to have someone doing your laundry but I much preferred to do it on my own.  I'm a little picky and I like to know what gets put in the dryer and what doesn't.
3.  Don't want to forget the night we spent looking up our Chinese horoscopes.  It wasn't so much the horoscopes that were important but what was significant to me was the family didn't rush off after dinner.  We had the time to just sit around and look them up and read about each other's horoscope and laugh.  To me that is what this trip is about.  Having time to spend just doing nothing but enjoying each other.
4.  We lived without many of our conveniences and luxuries.  Guess what, I like them and am glad to have them.  One thing I learned I really don't want to live without is hair conditioner!  I thought it may be one of those things I discovered I really don't need- wrong!  It is necessary!
5.  Running in Costa Rica was generally eventful.  You don't know what you are going to see.. iguanas scurrying away, a bull in the road, barking dogs, or monkeys in trees- usually an experience. I didn't love the dirt in my face as a car drove by but the rolling hills were tough and my destination was usually the beach making the end of the run a great reward.
6.  One of my favorite times was at the Playa Bisanz near Manuel Antonio.  It was a beautiful beach in a bay with calm water.  Sydney and Carley and I spent and hour or so just floating in the water talking about their futures.  Sydney where she will go to college?  mission? travel? and Carley thinking of dancing on a Disney cruise.  It was just so relaxing and nice visiting with my daughters.
7.  I will not miss the crazy driving!
8.  Looking forward to flushing toilet paper down the toilet, good wifi, and not being hot and stinky.
9.  Cannon wants to know "When do we go somewhere they will speak English??"
10.  He also said, "I want to go home, I just want to build something!"  I think we will look for some legos in New Zealand.

 

 

Costa Rica is:

 

Playa Avellanas (or Avellenos per Mom), Tronaditas, Cremes, Yippys, "Pica, Pica", Que Linda, "Purra Verda", hummingbirds, the beach, Casa Nirvana, Bugs.... big bugs, locusts, beans and rice and eggs and tortillas, Ceda, the Toyota Prada, Enterprise, 6 inch trunk space, Roasty Pollos, freeze dried meals, French toast, juice, chillin' in the hammock, Rob (the famous surfer), the Thelins, Pipas, waterfall slide, and fresh pinas & watermelons, mean stores with overpriced legos and body parts, parking lot tips (grrrrr!)and sunsets.