TravelStream™ news feed for member ouradventures on TravelPod's free travel blogs service http://www.travelpod.com/syndication/rss/ouradventures en-us Copyright ©2010 TravelPod.com Fri, 30 Nov 2007 09:30:23 -0500 http://www.travelpod.com http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/ouradventures/costarica2007/1196387280/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/ouradventures/costarica2007/1196387280/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/ouradventures/costarica2007/1196387280/tpod.html Fri, 30 Nov 2007 09:30:23 -0500 Spending two weeks in Costa Rica to learn Spanish and relax.

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La Fortuna, Costa Rica

La Fortuna is a small town close to Volcan Arenal (Arenal Volcano). It is one of several small towns that thrive on the tourist life attracted by the volcano, the lake, and the hot springs.

Arenal is on the Pacific side of Costa Rica, near the top of the mountain ranges, and the climate is essentially a rain forest.

The drive from Monteverde to Arenal was yet another few hours through rough dirt roads, though not at bad as the one up to Monteverde.

We´re staying at a resort called Tabacon Grand Spa (http://www.tabacon.com/). The hot springs, part of the resort, are located in this amazingly large and well design rain forest with the natural hot spring water flowing through its many natural looking pools at different temperatres. And of course, there are cold water pools where you can cool off and grab a drink or a bite to eat at the swim-up bar.

We had been trying to arrange to go to Panama and see the Canal at the last part of our trip. But it turned out that between the travel time and tour schedules it just would not have worked out. So we decided to continue our stay here at Tabacon.

Today we visited the La Fortuna watterfall. It takes a 600m (about 2000ft) steep hike on a quarter-of-a-mile trail down the side of the mountain to get to the bottom of the waterfall, but certainly a worthwhile hike. The waterfall itself is fed from the La Fortuna river, and falls about 700m to reach the bottom.

Once at the bottom, we decided to walk through the rocks to the other side of the pool formed by the waterfall. Well, that was a mistake! I (Babak) slipped, fell into the water, and my sunglasses flew out into the river!!! Of course, most of you know that I have a habit of losing sunglasses, so this one was at least added to the list in an honorable way!!!! Shirin has promised not to tease me about this one!!! :-)

We´re driving towards San Jose (Costa Rica) Saturday morning to catch the evening flight. We´re scheduled to arrive in San Francisco around midnight. We´ll talk to you all then.

Love,
Shirin & Babak
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/ouradventures/costarica2007/1196038680/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/ouradventures/costarica2007/1196038680/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/ouradventures/costarica2007/1196038680/tpod.html Sun, 25 Nov 2007 20:14:08 -0500 Spending two weeks in Costa Rica to learn Spanish and relax.

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Monteverde, Costa Rica

We set off from the Flamingo area around noon yesterday and made great time to the bottom of the mountains. But getting up the mountain was a whole different ball game.

We have never seen roads so rough. If you can imagine steep (we're talking 15%+ incline) with dips as deep as the tires and rocks dispersed across! It took us about 2 hours to drive the 15 miles up the mountain. Thank god for the 4-wheel drive!!!

Monteverde is considered a "cloud forest" as opposed to rain forest that are more common. This morning we took a 4-hour tour of the preserved park with amazing vegitation and animals (you'll see in the pictures.

Not much more time to elaborate here.

We'll keep you posted.

Love,
Shirin & Babak
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Playa Flamingo, Costa Rica

Batchaha Aziz

We have had a wonderful week here in Flamingo. Our house has been great-modern & clean with all the amenities. Beautiful pool in the backyard. Our driver referred us to this little shack with awsome seafood so we have frequented it-Some of the best ceviche & sea bass we've have had.

Lats night we went to another restaurant-again had some excellent seafood & desert. Owned by a french chef with exquisite cuisine! Babak had lobster cooked on wood burning oven-it was terriffic. Certainly very memorable food.

We have been going to different beaches on different days. The weather has been wonderful so far. Not a drop of rain & not so hot. Of course we have been serving the mosquitos nicely for the past week. I (Shirin) have about 50 bites on me alone.

Not sure if we will have internet access once we get to Monteverde. We will be there for 3 days & then on to Arenal. Not sure if we will be able to go to Panama. The journey through the canal is about 9 hours & the flight schedule between Costa Rica & Panama may not work with our return flight. So we may stay longer in Arenal or got to another resort.


Many booses

Shirin & Babak
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/ouradventures/costarica2007/1195707240/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/ouradventures/costarica2007/1195707240/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/ouradventures/costarica2007/1195707240/tpod.html Thu, 22 Nov 2007 01:02:29 -0500 Spending two weeks in Costa Rica to learn Spanish and relax.

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Playa Flamingo, Costa Rica

Well, we admit it, we've gotten in the swing of things here and used to jelling around the beach and the house to be spending too much time writing journals.

But we still manage to take a few pictures here and there to capture the moments. So here you go....

....and happy Thanksgiving to those in the U.S.

Love,
Shirin & Babak

P.S. Mariscos means Seafood in Spanish, for those who may not know that.
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/ouradventures/costarica2007/1195573260/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/ouradventures/costarica2007/1195573260/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/ouradventures/costarica2007/1195573260/tpod.html Tue, 20 Nov 2007 11:56:31 -0500 Spending two weeks in Costa Rica to learn Spanish and relax.

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Playa Flamingo, Costa Rica

We spent the rest of our first day at Flamingo learning our way around. After eating lunch by the beach, we decided to do some basic grocery shopping. Got some basics from a local supermercado and started on the journey home. We did not realize we had to walk home on the dirt road where with the passing of each car, we had a few pounds of dirt inhaled & settled on our bodies. Of course it was around 85 degrees & at least 50% humidity!!
It is moments like these when you realize how spoiled you are since the locals were doing exactly the same thing & appeared perfectly unscaffed.

Our nice long nap in the afternoon was well deserved. In the evening, we walked around to find a place to have some cervezas and food. We ended up in this bungalo-shaped place with OK food. We needed a car badly. This wasn't going to work!

So we called to arrange for a car to be delivered the next morning. Thank god for cars! Even though the car is a new Nissan Sentra, not exactly a luxury car, it is more than good enough to get around in the dirt roads. We now only inhale a few grams of dirt each mile!

Our third day ended up being pretty laid back, as a vacation is supposed to be. Coming out of the US, it usually takes at least three days to learn to relax again and clear one's head of the useless chores of life. So spent the day reading and  playing cards by the pool, taking naps, and just being!
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/ouradventures/costarica2007/1195429020/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/ouradventures/costarica2007/1195429020/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/ouradventures/costarica2007/1195429020/tpod.html Sun, 18 Nov 2007 19:14:44 -0500 Spending two weeks in Costa Rica to learn Spanish and relax.

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Playa Flamingo, Costa Rica

Hi Batchaha

We arrived in Costa Rica yesterday afternoon, spent the night in San Jose & started the adventure toward Flamingo Beach today.

Arrived here at 1:00pm. I should say that my luggage did not make it to Costa Rica :) What a humbling experience. Shiva has been nice enough to let me borrow some stuff.

Anyhow-we got on a small airplane-true malakhy from San Jose to arrive in Flamingo.They had to weigh each passenger along with their carry-on for proper weight distribution on the plane!!!! That was new experience for everyone. The views from above were breathtaking.

We had a driver (Willie) pick us up from the tiny airport & drive us to the house we are renting. Gorgeous property with a pool & modern and clean. Our room has an outdoor shower where you feel the breeze & warm air from the outside. It is nice & warm in the 80's but not much humidity so my hair is doing ok!! The house is about 100 meters walk from a beautiful beach.

Having fun so far. Just got word that they found my luggage & is supposed to get here tomorrow by noon.

Much love,

Shirin & Babak
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/ouradventures/costarica2007/1195081080/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/ouradventures/costarica2007/1195081080/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/ouradventures/costarica2007/1195081080/tpod.html Wed, 14 Nov 2007 17:59:14 -0500 Spending two weeks in Costa Rica to learn Spanish and relax.

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Redwood City, California, United States

Looking at the weather for Costa Rica, it may be mostly thunderstorms and rain the whole time we're there!

We're praying the weather would be pleasant! :D
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