Happy hour

Wednesday, January 04, 2012
Montezuma, Province of Puntarenas, Costa Rica
1/3/12

It seems like we've been on vacation for weeks. the days blend together. TRaveling on Friday last week was hectic as we woke to a sleet/snow fall that was coating everything slick and slippery.  spent 45 minutes chasing Stan through the neighborhood... we worried our friend Paul's little Honda Civic wouldn't make it up Main st hill much less MPS airport but once we hit Shakopee we were in the clear, literally. Two flights to San Jose and a taxi to our B&B in Alejuela, we were checked in by 9:30pm. Hungry, we grabbed a map and walked to the central park where we found a restaurante/bar and tried the nachos and cervezas. Back to the hotel early for another long travel day and New Years Eve. 

We woke at 5:30 am, grabbed some fresh fruit for the minibus ride to the ferry at 6 and settled into our seats. We caught the 9 am ferry from Puntarenes and climbed on board, only to be greeted by Tami, Dean and others who had already boarded. We split up on the other side as Gina and I had to get back on our minibus and tookoff for Montezuma arriving before noon. Loading everyones bags into Ylang Ylang's land cruiser, several of us deciced to walk the beach. Six pack in hand, we ventured onto the warm, soft sand, finally feeling like we have arrived at our destination. Reaching YY, our bags had been delivered to our room, which Tami and Dean were so kindly allowing us to crash in, we quickly changed for more drinking by the pool. Needless to say, we contninued to consume alcohol all day until the evening dinner reservation at 7 pm. Tami, having made reservations for  12 was assured prompt service by the staff and we were first in line for the buffet dinner at 8. Gina and I had already enjoyed a caterpiller roll for lunch, but the buffet line was magnificant. I enjoyed fresh mahi mahi and ahi tuna, sashimi style with various sauces and a ton of other fresh side dishes. 

After dinner, the band started to play latin music, the girls tried to salsa and meringue; and the party continued to drink and soak up the atmosphere of being on the beach, palms trees flaying in the wind and people celebrating the new year. At one point the band took a break and a belly dancer came out for several exotic numbers to entertain the audience. More music and we all waited for midnight. unfortunately a lot of our party could not make it to midnight and many went to bed. we told them to come back once the fireworks started but by then most were passed out from a long day of travel and drinking. Those of us who made it to midnight were not disappointed as the fireworks show was incredible. Put on by the father-in-law of the owner of the resort, he reportedly doubles the amount of fireworks every year since he started three years ago. It lasted ten minutes and looked incredible in the sky as we peered up through the coconut palms. As people went back to their rooms or other resorts, Gina and I decided to walk down to the beach, lay down in a hammock and look up into the vast, starry lit sky that sparkled with brightness. Within minutes of getting settled, a night watch guard, with flashlight in hand, came up to say something muy rapido in Spanish. I could only grasp tortuga, but immediately understood what he meant and sprang out of the hammock to follow him. Gina quickly stopped and said she wanted to get others and raced to Tami's room as I followed the guard in the dark down the beach, quietly hoping he was truly a guard and not a plot to rob a drunken, sleep deprived gringo alone out on the beach. A minute later he stopped and flicked on his flashlight to show me a tortuga, about 3.5 feet long, kicking sand with her back feet onto a pile of eggs she was burrying. Gina was quickly back and a minute later Tami arrived. Dean was sleeping she said, but then left to get Tyler and others. Gina and i watched the female continue to kick sand, as the guard also helped cover the eggs. In our limited spanish, we learned she laid about 130-140 eggs and he thought she might be around 80 years old. We knew these tortugas always come back to the same spot to lay their eggs and we stood in awe of natures continued reproduction. Gina had her camera and took a couple of pictures, but we knew it was a problem for her guiding system to get back to the water. Thankfully the hotel guard was responsive and literally picked her up twice to place her in the right direction towards the water. As she headed to the open ocean, she gained speed and waddled into the darkness of the night, leaving all of us speechless with the rare opportunity of watching a nesting turtle in the wild. The next morning we woke up and walked back to the spot on the beach, noticing the guard had placed several upright sticks to mark the nesting site and the shuffling tracks the tortuga left as she made her way back to the water. Gina and I are very appreciative of starting out our New Year with such wonderful experiences and good friends to share them with. Happy New Year to everyone in our lives, and to those we have not yet met...



01/04/12
we spent yesterday wandering the nicoya peninsula first by taking a taxi to the south-western tip to Cabo Blanco Nature preserve, only to drive up to the gate and finding a lock. We circled back to the front entrance and foundout the park is closed on Mondays and tuesdays. so we doubled back to Montezuma, getting a discount from our cab driver who felt bad for the park's closure, having him drop us off at the front of the waterfall trail. unfortunately for us, the entrance literally is 50 meters from Los Mangos, our hotel the last three nights. So we started the hike up the waterfall, first walking along the river rocks, then scrambling up vines and the river bank, back over the river and finally to a clearing with dozens of other locals and tourists who were spending the afternoon lounging at an 80 foot waterfall. Many of them were climbing up a very steep wall that would take them to the top of the falls, where another three smaller falls feed the larger falls. Gina and I are wise enough to save our energy and admire the view from the bottom. We returned to town, showered and walked the beach to Ylang Ylang to join the wedding party for happy hour. We enjoyed some sushi and of course, had a few cocktails before going home. 

today we met everyone early in town to catch a 45 minute bus to Playa Tambor for a fishing, snorkeling, picnic boat ride to Isla Tortuga. When we arrived, a guide met us at the dock to share the sea is high today because of a rare North wind so they had to shuttle us by row boat to the fishing boat. Once on the boat, we layed out four poles and threw them in the water, and headed to the other side of the bay. We actually swam to the shore and lounged around for awhile then headed towards the opening of the bay. the fishing guide kept pointing out schools of fish in the open water, indicative by the birds circling ahead, but once we hit open water, the boat started to sway with the larger waves, sending some nervous vibes through many of us. The captain stated we had to turn back to the shelter of the bay so we decided to snorkel around some rocks on the inside of the bay. After a snorkel we kept trolling for mahi mahi and tuna; enjoying cocktails and pizza, yeah, pizza. I guess this is what you get when you get skunked fishing, other thann the pelican we snagged (no worries, Rovney saved it (no fresh fish for lunch today). Thus no Totuga Island this trip.

Back to Montezuma, we checked back into our room, hit the beach for sunset, then joined everyone for happy hour drinks. Everyone loves the Monkey Business and Montezuma Breeze, which is part of the 2-1 special. We just ordered dinner, grilled mahi mahi (too bad i couldn't catch a fish); Gina ordered sushi, I sure hope she shares.

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Comments

Jodi
2012-01-05

Happy Wedding Day Tami and Dean!!

2025-02-06

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