Bahia Del Sol Beach Front Hotel & Suites Playa Flamingo

OUCH! I have really bad sunburn! Yesterday, in the excitement of finally getting to the beach I forgot to put sunscreen on until it was too late. I was in the water maybe 20 minutes before I started to feel a slight tingle on my face and shoulders which served to remind me that I needed to put some sunscreen on FAST! By the time we came in for the day yesterday, it was obvious I was going to be in some serious pain really soon! So before I went to bed I had ...

What a difference a good nights' sleep makes! I woke up and saw that Susie and Isabella were nowhere near being ready to rise and shine, so I proceeded to walk the resort grounds and hit the gym. At my age, even ceviche starts to cling on longer than it should! So even on vacation I must work it!! I was pleasantly surpised to see a beautiful and clear sunny sky upon waking up. It is the rainy season rigth now in Costa Rica, but we seem to ...

After searching high and low for an awesome last-minute deal to a tropical destination we finally decided on Costa Rica. Why TROPICAL destination? Well, you'd have to ask Isabella as she asked, no more like demanded in that sassy yet sweet, only a parent would love kind of way that we stay somewhere with a big pool where she could swim ALL day! Oh no we're becoming those travelers who go places their kids pick because they're kid friendly! NO! What next? Will I ...

Playa Flamingo, Costa Rica THINGS WE LEARNED: 1. The bus schedules in Costa Rica have their own agenda, just ask at least 3 locals, then show up ½ hour early and plan to wait at least 2 hours...patience, you'll get there eventually! 2. Animals of Playa Flamingo are very lucky to have such a passionate advocate to watch out for them. INTERESTING FACT: One of the veterinarians who worked for this organization could do 40 spays/neuters ...

... off from the profits and not the gas companies themselves. Also, the gas stations here do not sell food or cigarettes, very little sell drinks. Then there are the people who make food and sell it in the streets. There are people who sell the chips and drinks on the highways. Ticos are very mobile people. You always see people going from major city to major city, Puntarenas to Liberia, San Jose to Puntarenas, Puntarenas to Monteverde....etc. very ...

JUST GOT TO COSTA RICA THIS MORNING AND TOMORROW I´M GOING HIKING IN A PARK. WELL TODAY I WENT HIKING IN A PARK THAT SURROUNDS A VOLCANO. STARTED OUT AS A NICEWALK AND TURNED INTO A 14 MILE LUNG BUSTER. ONE TRAIL WENT TO SOME FUMEROLES AND BUBBLE POTS WHICH WERE INTERESTING. ALONG THE WAY I SAW SOME SPIDER MONKEYS, GREAT CURRASOWS (TURKEY SIZE BIRDS THAT ROOST WAY UP IN THE TREES), TOUCAN AND SOME LIZARDS. ALSO SOMEWHERE UP ...

... Hut and a bunch of fried chicken places and souvenir shops and we knew we had arrived in Tamarindo. The first place we checked out and the one recommended by lonely planet was an absolute hole. Stinking unsafe dorm rooms with saggy beds and no ventilation. We ditched it and for a little extra, stayed in the Hostel International. A superb place, by any backpacker standard. 10 bucks a night for a 6 bed dorm and air con, a big TV, kitchen, free Internet and clean ...

... meal with friends (for now at least). I think back about the pattern of the last week & how much its simple structure nurtured my spirits. The day usually began between 5am & 6am with a cup of coffee & something sweet. (On one occasion, Nick made it to the water while it was still dark outside!) As the moon slowly started to fade, we'd walk, surfboards in hands, for 5 minutes to the beach. We'd stretch out a bit and ...

For most of you it has been a while since you last heard from me, so basically I just want to let everyone know what's been going on since I left Finland in September. I spent two weeks of organizing and shopping back in Zurich, which was nice, but more stressful than relaxing. I also went for one amazing week to Anwerp in Belgium, where I visited my girlfriend Nora. It's a pretty cool city with lots of restaurants, bars and funky ...

... a dirt road one afternoon, ending at the La Fortuna waterfalls. Just as in Quepos, I was surprised at the park infrastructure. I had been living in Honduras for the year prior to our trip, and to see such an extensive and well-managed national park system was impressive.

While the scenery was wonderful, my favorite moment from this leg of the trip was in the kitchenette ...