Beacon Escazu

... the people I met here. They are wonderful people.<br> I have to "leave my mark" at the home base tonight. Before volunteers leave, they leave their handprint and if desired, a quote, on the wall of the home base. Hopefully, my lack of artistic ability will not be apparent!<br> Tomorrow I am getting up at 4 to go on a day trip to Tortuga Island. I am hoping for a relaxing day before I make my journey home!<br>

... played tag in the back yard, which is huge. I always thought I could run really fast when I wanted to, but these boys taught me that I am wrong about that. They ran so fast!! I could barely catch them! I took some of my rubber stamps to teach the boys to stamp. They loved it! I think we stamped for a good hour. One down side of the stamping was that I forgot to bring kid friendly ink so the boys got ink all over their ...

... Museo Nacional, as far west as Mercado Central, and as far east as Parque Nacional. <br><br>The city and it's sights are surprisingly "walkable." Each block seems shorter than I know it to be compared to home, as well as, narrow and congested, which is why we found ourselves nearly passing a sight or two. But the biggest reason why we walked on for miles on end was simply because not all the streets are labeled. Although we ...

... guys threw a tear gas bomb into the club causing total mayhem among the drunken tourists there. A lot of people had to be treated for burnt retinas or whatever happens to your eyes when they come into contaqct with tear gas for too long, and Paddy jumped out of the second toilet window onto a car windscreen beneath, shattering the windscreen and his leg and ankle in the process. Poor guy has had to fly home for surgery. He went to a hospital in Bolivia and got an ex'ray, they didnt ...

... successfully from the airport for less than a dollar and then wandered around until we found a great hostel, complete with pool (since when do hostels have pools?). We just came back from a yummy dinner and are both ready the hit the nice double bed that awaits us! ciao!

... the Super Bowl. We enjoyed looking at some of the action on a 60" projection TV screen. But it was only a week after my surgery and unfortunately, we had to leave before the 'cliff-hanging' 4th quarter to start our trip home on public transportation. But Michael was great about making this opportunity available to us. There are about eight teachers connected with his company, mostly in their twenties, scattered ...

... just as sweet but shyer. She has decided she will teach me how to knit, and I've tried all week with her, but keep on making a mess of the yarn. In the evenings after school and before doing homework, I am taking day trips and tours around the area. On our first evening, Joanie (another student) and I went into San Jose to the Museo de los Ninos where there was a "festival." Costa Ricans LOVE festivals and there is always something going on. This ...

... piece of watermelon, pineapple and mango. I had a piece of plain bread and a hard boiled egg. I came back and had a gronola bar. At 8:15 I went to the computer to talk to the family they all logged on as Bill on Facebook and we chatted. Susie even logged in as herself. It is amazing that we can all chat together even though we are miles apart. I came back and packed my bags and now I will rest before Fedrico picks me up at noon. Amy I ready - I guess as ready as I will ever be.

... with more bedrooms, or a place to relax, read or what have you. The back courtyard is loaded with plants and flower, no less than 7 tables, and an awesome view of the Orinoca River cascading 200 feet below this place. The ravine out back which drops into the river gives you the impression you are in the middle of the Rainforest. Onsite, there are a few other Characters as well, Lucy the White Faced ...

My last day at the beach was really nice. I went out for Christmas Eve dinner with a bunch of people that I had met from the US. Everyone pigged out on lobster! Goodbye to Puerto Viejo -- it's so relaxing here, I could stay for a long time and not mind one bit. Christmas morning at 7am, I was on the public bus for the first time. Some say they would never ...