This trip was my birthday present to myself. I turn 60 years old on the first day of summer and I earned my first ever tropical vacation. I was fortunate to travel with a Native Costa Rican and even more fortunate that he is young and adventurous. I posted daily on Facebook but I wanted to memorialize this epic vacation on my personal website. Getting reconnected with another one of my creative art forms, writing, has been eye opening. I gained new fans of my stories on Facebook. Some day I’ll mature enough to leave that platform but it still serves a good purpose in keeping touch with family and friends.

Without further ado….

April 12th,

Landed in Libera, Costa Rica around noon. Sun was super hot, air was sweet smelling and completely different from any air I breathed before. I was excited to see my first palm tree, and the firsts that followed were a multitude of squeeeeeee’s and squeeks and giggles.

The view from the plane and lunch in Liberia was soup at a Soda (Mom and Pop food stand or shop) and fresh Papaya sold outside someone’s home for 2000 Colonnes which is about $5 Canadian. Look at the size of them!

It’s about a 40 minute drive from Liberia to Tilaran, where we would be staying with Mickey’s Father and Step-Mom, Orlando and Flori (I’ve probably spelled her name wrong but that’s how you pronounce it) . Tilaran is super windy and for that reason, it is one of the most important wind farms in Costa Rica. It was my first taste of the winding and steep roads of Costa Rica. Some of the sheer drops as you look out your car window can take your breath away and make you grab onto the “holy shit!” handles of the car. The trees only grow branches on the side of the tree that flows with the wind. Nothing grows on the side that bares the brunt of the wind. Perfect pictoral example of “going with the flow.”

The most gracious tour guide, host and best friend a person could ask for.

Tilaran from lookout hill. My first, but far from my last mountain hike.

PURA VIDA