A crazy drive home!

Adios, Montezuma

Tricky bit on the hike to the waterfall

Waterfall + jumpers

Iguana

We stopped at Florblanca Resort in Santa Teresa for lunch and a swim

Beach drive...

...and river drive!

Today we woke up, got packed, brought our luggage downstairs and went and got fruit smoothies. At the smoothie place the lady got my order wrong and she made another for me after my first one to say sorry. So I ended up having two smoothies!!! Next we went hiking on a trail that goes to a waterfall. When we got to the trail we walked on it. The trail is very crazy! You have to jump from rock to rock on rivers.  When we got to the waterfalls there were some crazy people jumping off the top of the waterfall and doing backflips. I thought that would be me when I’m older. After the waterfall we went back to our place, grabbed our luggage and went on a drive home. We decided to take the back road to Nosara. Terrible mistake! First we go and there is no road so we have to drive on the beach. Next there were rocks that you have to drive over and a different car did it and smashed the bottom of their car!! They didn’t look too happy.  But we made it successfully. Phewf! Then we got to a huge, deep flowing river so we turned around and found a little path to drive on. After a little bit on the little path there was another huge river but we thought it was safe so we drove through it and we were right. Phewf! Then I fell asleep. When I was sleeping there was the biggest river yet, the Rio Bongo, and we thought that it was safe and we were right. Phewf! Then I woke up and we took a wrong turn into the mountains. So we turned around and by the time we got home it took 5 hours instead of 3 hours. I was happy to be back at our home in Costa Rica.

Cool fact : the waterfall jumpers went up a little path to the very top and people have died going up it!?!?!

Snorkeling around Isla Tortuga

Capuchin monkey

These guys were getting fish ready for our lunch

On the open water

Rainbow Rock

Let's go snorkeling!

Today we woke up and a huge group of capuchin monkeys came to our house and started running around like maniacs. After they left we went down to the lobby and a guy picked us up and we followed him to the beach. When we got to the beach we went in a little boat (not a big sailboat?) with some other people including two French kids from Montreal who spoke a little English because their dad’s American. The boat trip took one hour in rough and choppy water. It was kind of horrible. When we got to our destination we stopped the boat, put on our snorkel equipment, and went snorkeling. When Mom and I were heading back to the boat I spotted a manta ray! I screamed when I saw it and Dad and Mia swam over to see it too. It was huge and had a long tail that was bigger than its body. It was really fascinating! After some snorkeling we boated over to the beach on Isla Tortuga and had some lunch. On the beach the French kid, Caeleb, and I made a castle. Also on the beach there was a cool squirrel that let you touch him. After snorkeling we boated back to Montezuma and went to the park with the French kids and played infection (infection is tag but if you get tagged you’re it with the person). After a while a girl name Cassidy and a boy named Sabado asked if they could play. We said yes. Cassidy was born in Los Angeles and lived in Africa for 5 years. Sabado is a boy who was born in Costa Rica and has lived here his whole life. We played with them until it was dark and we had to go to dinner on the beach at Cocolores. Then we went home and went to bed.

Cool fact: Sabado means Saturday in Spanish.

Montezuma

Montezuma from the hammock at the top of the hill

I got in trouble for jumping off the top level into the lower pool :(

Vultures guarding the cemetery on Isla Cabuya

Beautiful shells 

How am I going to get all these shells back to Kelowna?!?!?

Fishing boat

Today we woke up and drove to Montezuma. It took about four hours to get there. When we got there we checked in at the front desk and went to our cabin at the Hotel Jardin. Our cabin is made of wood and there’s a big bed downstairs and a big bed and a mattress upstairs. Also upstairs there’s a balcony with a hammock where you can sit and see the little beach town below. Then we went down to the pool to cool off after the long drive. After the pool we drove to Cabo Blanco, a national park, to go for a hike, but when we got there they were closing. So we drove to a different place and walked on a little rock path that went to Isla Cabuya. You can only get to the island during low tide when the rock path isn’t covered by water. When we got to the island there were a lot of cool shells. Also on the island there is a little cemetery so we checked it out. The cemetery was beautiful but it made me feel sad. Then we went back to the hotel and ordered pizza and watched over Lenox while our parents went out for dinner.

Cool fact: all the graves in the cemetery were decorated with cool shells.

I work out!

Time to work out at home

We were the only people at the whole resort (except the workers)!

Resort with great wifi

Today we woke up and did a workout with Uncle Jeff. After the workout we went a resort near our house because our wifi sucks. When we got to the L’Acqua Viva Spa and Resort we skyped our friends and then swam in the four pools at the resort.  Also at the resort there is a workout room with a lot of equipment. So of course I had to do a workout! We also made a movie at the resort and had lunch. After about four hours at the resort we went home had dinner and went to bed.

Cool fact: Lenox fell into the pool without her jacket on and I saved her.

Tamarindo

Surfer dude

Mmmm....these fries taste just like Patchos!

Lenox helped me out with my shoe while I was showing her how to surf

Today we woke up and drove on the back route along the beaches on dusty, unpaved roads to a place called Tamarindo to go shopping and surfing. When we got town the girls went shopping and the boys and Lenox went to find surfboards. Something about the beach was that the waves were so small there were no waves. So we really couldn't do that much actual surfing. While we were trying to surf my dad hung out with Lenox on the beach. After a while we went for lunch at a brand new Belgian restaurant. At the restaurant I got French fries, not Belgian fries. Then we went to the huge Auto Mercado in Tamarindo to get groceries. We got so many groceries they hardly fit in the car!!! We also got lots and lots of….fireworks! We even got one huge one that is like the ones on Canada Day. Then we went home, ate some of the food we got at the Auto Mercado for dinner and went to bed.

Cool fact: the French fries at the restaurant were just like the patchos at Kelly O’Brien’s!

Gone fishin'

Sunrise turtle hunt

Heading out to the point at Playa San Juanillo

NO, NO, NO, NO, NO, NO MARINA!

Organizing the fishing trip

I'm super excited to go fishing!!!

Iguana in the tree

Today we woke up at 6 o'clock in the morning and drove to Ostional Beach to see the Olive Ridley turtles. When we got there there were no turtles but a big group of vultures and some dogs and a old man. After we went to a different beach called Playa San Juanillo, a little further up the coast. The beach was really white and had loads of shells. At the beach Uncle Jeff, Dad and I went fishing with Henry, a fisherman. The fishing trip wasn't very fun because we didn't catch any fish and just sat there in the little boat. When we got back to shore there was a really cool iguana on the tree. Then we drove to get some fish but all the fish stores were closed. Then since we were super duper hungry we drove to a little soda and had eggs and gallo pinto (rice and beans). Then we went home chilled and then played Word on the Street, a word game. My team won because I picked the word fifty! Then we went to bed. 

Cool fact: at the soda there was a cat and it scratched Lenox.

Hanging out in Nosara

Waiting for Dad and Uncle Jeff at Playa Guiones

Sandcastle

Today we woke up to some bad news. First Mom told us that one of the monkeys at the Jaguar Rescue Center, Brad Pitt, had died of natural causes even though he was only three. Second, Mom told us that at El Verde Misterioso one of the cats, Hazel, died because it got eaten by a fifteen-foot boa constrictor!!! Poor kitty! He just got neutered in the clinic the week before and then he gets swallowed alive by a snake!?!?!? Last, Mom told us that our third favorite monkey, Pipo, died because the parasite in him got too strong. So it was a sad morning. Later that day we hung out with Dad and Uncle Jeff while Mom and Auntie Aimee were at yoga. When they were at yoga I went swimming in our pool. Then Dad drove us to meet Mom and Auntie Aimee and they took us to a café in town, Café de Paris. At the café there was a swimming pool that we played in. Then we hit the streets for a little shopping on the way to the beach. The plan was for Uncle Jeff and Dad to pick us up at Playa Guiones. While we were waiting we played in the water. Luckily, Uncle Jeff and Dad got to the beach just as the sun was setting so we all got to enjoy another beautiful sunset.

Cool fact: at the beach we made a medium-size sandcastle…on my head!

Playa Samara

Ah! There's an iguana in the bush!

Los Hombres

Chillin' with Leni-bean in the hammock

Hiding in the sign while the grown-ups drink the bucket of beer

Playa Samara

Today we woke up and went in the pool. Lenox has to wear a life jacket because she is only two. When she was in the pool Uncle Jeff let go of her and she swam by herself for the first time and everybody started singing, “SHE DID IT! SHE DID IT! ALL BY HERSELF! ALL BY HERSELF!” She looked really proud of herself. Later there was a pretty cool iguana up in the tree. It was still really early in the morning so Mia did a big work out with Dad, Uncle Jeff and I. When it was done Uncle Jeff drove us to Samara Beach, about an hour away, and Uncle Jeff drove through his first river! At the beach we walked to some tide pools at one end of the beach with Lenox. Playa Samara looked very pretty. Later we went to a restaurant on the beach that had sushi. At the restaurant there was a guy with a really cool dog so Lenox and I went and pet it. When our sushi got to our table we ate it all up and then the ladies went shopping and the boys swam in the ocean. When the ladies finished we went to a bakery called La Princesa. At La Princesa we ordered cinnamon buns for Christmas morning. Yay! Then we went home and went to bed. 

Cool fact: at the bakery there was … some sorta treat that we got in Argentina with Uncle Jeff and Auntie Aimee. Oh ya! Alfajores….mmmmm…..

Playa Pelada

Making Christmas ornaments

Our Christmas tree...so far

Finding a good spot on Playa Pelada (you can see the weird house in the background)

Ridin' the wave all the way in

Sitting in a hole at sunset

Moon

Today we woke up and had school. Even Lenox! After school everybody made Christmas ornaments with the shells we got from the beach yesterday and hung them on a tree. I think our tree looked like…a plant covered in shells. Also the coati came back to the porch again. I think he must be looking for food. Later that morning we drove to a beach called Playa Pelada, another one of the beaches here in Nosara. At the beach there were huge waves and we brought a boogie board so we rode the board from way out in the ocean right up to the shore. When you catch a big wave you feel like you are flying! After a couple rounds Mia lost her face mask in the waves. She was really sad so we decided to stop and go to a beautiful restaurant on the beach called La Luna. At La Luna there were like six dogs: four German shepherds, a poodle and a Chihuahua. And there was a magnificent sunset! After we went home and went to bed.

Cool fact: my dad and I walked all the way to the other side of the beach and there was a big cave but the tide was too high to go into it. 

Playa Guiones

Creepers come for a drink

Playa Guiones and the very strange house

A long and deserted beach

I'm not waiting!

This is what I give Nosara

Today we woke up and some vultures came and drank out of our pool. Imagine that! They were huge, black creepy things that I don’t like! After they left, our rental car got to the house so we drove all the way to the beach. The beach we went to was Playa Guiones, one of three beaches here in Nosara. Playa Guiones was deserted, windy, and super sunny and there was no shade. But it did have the most beautiful shells! After a little while at the beach it was getting too hot so we went back to the house and had a BBQ. After the BBQ we went to bed.

Cool fact: at the beach you could see in the distance a super cool house that looked like something Gaudi (the artist from Spain) had designed. 

Wild kingdom

Little coati comes to visit

Awwwww....baby monkey!

This is not the scorpion, but this strange bug also came to visit today

Then he came on my arm!

This is what relaxing in the hammock looks like!

Today we woke up to a cute little coati walking by our front porch. He came so close to us and kept sniffing the air. After it left Mom called everybody to the side of the house. At the side of the house there was a troop of about 50 monkeys! One even tried to pee on Dad!!! When they were all gone, Dad called us over to the other side of the house. At the other side of the house there was a little scorpion on Mom and Auntie Aimee's yoga mats. Dad had to catch it in a cup and release it in the jungle beside our house. After all that excitement we got a lot of coins and played a game where we threw them into the pool then put on our masks and dove down to see how many coins we could collect in one minute. The person who got the most money won one buck. Later Mom, Mia and Auntie Aimee walked down the huge hill (that's our driveway), and Uncle Jeff, Dad and I stayed home. When the girls got back we made dinner with the food they got at the bottom of the hill and ate it. Then we relaxed in the hammocks and went to bed. 

Cool fact: some of the monkeys were trying to make a big jump to a different branch and when the couldn't make it they saved themselves with their tails.