Alajuela, Alajuela Province, Costa Rica
We go to Costa Rica
Where
should we go this winter?
Gine
said where should we go this winter – we have 3 weeks: Thailand –
maybe there we should have more time – how about Hawaii? And Paul
said: why not Costa Rica… and so we decided it’s Costa Rica. Soon
Gine discovered 3 weeks is not enough – but with all t he overtime,
maybe we can get 4 weeks off. As per new IH policy, she will not get
an ok to book until Oct… finally Oct 2 we got the ok and booked the
same day.
It’s
not so easy if you are German?
Canada
Post is on strike – why does this concern us? Because we applied
end of September for a new permanent residence card. So do we need a
backup plan? Paul calls the Immigration office and we learn: you
can’t come into Canada without a permanent resident card via plane
or boat – only by car. We called Air Canada and they told us, they
won’t even let us go on the plane in Costa Rica. Ok we call again –
this time they told us, that the process time is 112 days and we will
have the card by end of January!!!! Really. They came up with the
option to fly to Costa Rica and then apply there for a travel
document which will then go to Mexico City and by the way can take up
to 3 month!!! So what are our options: flying out of the US. There
are flights from Seattle – but that would mean we have to cancel
our main flight (Air Canada will credit), Pacific Coastal… and
drive to Seattle, getting a waiver via, driving all the way down
there, pay for parking and finding a new flight…. Not really
exciting.
The
week before Christmas we get an envelope: and not it is not good news
we get the whole application send back – they miss a birthday on
the back of the pictures!! And as per post office there is no way it
will arrive before Christmas… I mean it has to go all the way to
Sydney in Nova Scotia!!
So the wait game begins and we decide that we will cancel and rebook
the week before… that is called last minute!!
One
week to go and we re-book our flights!!
Today
is Jan 7 and our flights are booked for Jan 14. And as per
Immigration office they don’t know anything regarding the process
so Plan B comes into place:
- Gine books another flight: this time with United Airlines out of Seattle
- We book a room in White Rock – we will now leave on Sunday instead on Monday: ferry on one day – the border on the next
- We look into the Park-Sleep-Fly option and Paul is not convinced about the motels and their safety and cleaniness. So Gine checked on Airbnb and found a place where we will stay at the beginning and end of the trip and for 5$ per day we can park our car.
- Paul cancels Air Canada and Pacific Coastal: both airlines are super nice and give us full credit to use in the next 10 month (guess we can plan the next vacation soon)
what
a stress in the last minute – as I told Paul it is never boring to
be married to a German!!
Good
bye Winter
and
to make us really eager for a vacation in the sun: today Tuesday it
started to snow... and snow... and snow.... and then on Wednesday it
pours down rain... it’s like having a river in front of our place.
To
the Mainland:
all
is packed by Saturday – Paul makes sure the house is set to go on
Sunday. And as soon as Gine came home from work: we change our cloth
– hop in the car – pick up a Tim Hortons coffee and in sunshine
drive to Nanaimo. A Quick stop to buy a sub sandwich and we are at
the Ferry station. Having Supper on the ferry and then a short drive
to our Airbnb in White Rock. Ok – this place is freezing cold and
there is no thermostat anywhere. That means under the blankets and we
cuddle close together.....
Welcome
to the Sunny USA
Ok
it is not so easy to make coffee with that little coffee machine –
but then if Gine puts the coffeepots in the wrong way!!! A hot shower
so we get warm – a coffee and we are ready to go. Or not: because
it is freezing cold outside: the whole car is frozen – the street
is super icy and sleepery... so carefully we make our way across and
then start scratching ice...
we
are very close to the border and not even 5 Min later we are at the
border control and we got our orange sticker... go inside and the guy
there is super nice, telling us that yes he works for free!!! because
of the government shut down – and then 6$ poorer we leave and are
on the way to the US.
And
soon after it’s breakfast time American way at Jack in the box –
Yes now we are really here in the USA.
Sunshine
break stops
we
have lots of time... so we decided to have some spots to soak up some
sun.
Thornton
A Sullivan Park: in Everett is
a park on the lake near Hwy 5 – some soaking up of the warm
sunshine and a little bit exercise and we are ready for the traffic
around Seattle.
Seattle’s
skyline: the weather today is awesome – that means we have perfect
view on downtown Seattle and the space needle
Seahurst
Park in Burien: a park on the
Puget Sound with great views on the Olympic mountains. Here the
breeze is a little fresher, but the view makes it up... and after we
enjoy the view we are ready to do some shopping
Westfield
Southcenter Mall in Tukwila: as
per Gine Paul needs a longsleeve shirt and what better then shopping
in the US... and we find a great deal, as well instead of coffee Paul
got some pop with garlic bread – because it was in the sunshine at
the dining Terrace.
Our
Airbnb in Seatac: is only 5 Min
from here... and inside totally nice redone... so a great spot to
relax a little bit before it is time for supper in the mall.
Better
early than late due to the government shutdown:
to
make things a little bit more interesting: the US government is
partly shut down... and all the TSA security people do not get paid.
We read that leads to delays and in Miami they even shut down a
terminal. So we decided it’s better to be at the airport early!!
Tam drove us at 5 am and all went fast and smootlhy... so we have a
lot of time to wait and slowly wake up!!!
Flying
into the warm
After
a coffee and breakfast we saw the sun coming up and had a great view
on the Olympic mountains. When taking off in sunshine we could see
the fog lingering over the ocean... it was really cool. And then we
flew over some mountains in snow and ice – after a while we saw
some more mountains somewhere over the US.
We
are in Houston Texas!!! and what did we get for getting supper on the
plane: a subway wrap!! Flying through the night and on time we arrive
in warm Costa Rica.
Arriving
in San Jose
ok –
I guess when you only book last minute you get the last seats on the
plane: and yes we were always the last onces leaving... that means
waiting at the customs, where we were so lucky, that we had a couple
in front of us who needed forever... we got our stamps... and yes by
then the luggage was already here. We What’sapped Rosa... and then
followed instructions outside to the right... and we found here.
We
are tired and after a 5 Min drive were at her place – had a quick
drink and a good night sleep!!!
Good
Morning Sunshine
and
that is what we call vacation: we sit out on the balcony in shorts
and T-shirts... having a wonderful breakfast with fresh papaya and
yes freshly grounded and brewed Costa Rican coffee.
2025-05-23