Can't let a little rain get you down!

The habits of Costa Rican drivers include many of the same ones Americans possess....texting, talking, applying makeup, and cursing. The difference comes in the execution of the drive from point A to point B. Costa Ricans, from birth, believe they are participating in a video game, you know the kind, where if you crash you get another life. Truth be told, they are skilled drivers, they don't fly off into a road rage at the slightest provocation, and they are extremely willing to let you into the traffic flow. But the maddening pace, weaving, maneuvering, and swerving drives me nuts, and I have practiced patience and defensive driving like I've never done it before.

Having said all that, we negotiated the 130 km or so to Volcano Arenal in about 3 hours of white knuckle driving through rain forests and mountains that were hard not to take a peek at.


The weekend at Arenal was a wet one. Intermittent rain ranging from a mist to a downpour welcomed our every move. Los Lagos is a beautiful resort. There are scads of pools and hot springs, a great complimentary Costa Rican breakfast, and wonderful service. There was a great restaurant, Luigi's, that offered sea bass dishes that were second to none. We swam in the rain, walked in the rain, prayed in the rain, and cooled off in the rain.

The humidity was so high in our hotel room that I swear the swim suits were more wet in the morning when we woke up.

We all decided to take a canopy tour on the hotel property. This involved zip lines through stunning rain forest vistas to 13 platforms. The guides were extremely safety conscious and careful with the guests and we had a great time doing this as a family.

All we saw of Volcano Arenal was clouds and a few trees, but I guess it's really there and quite spectacular if you happen to visit at the right time. Here's a shot of where the volcano is

purported to be, directly over the steeple of the local cathedral in La Fortuna, the small tourist mecca at the base of the volcano.

After two weeks in the country working, learning Spanish, and figuring out how to live outside Los Estados Unidos, this was a much needed and a well deserved break for our children and for us.

The kids have worked so hard and have had great attitudes towards work, school, and have grown in their faith in Christ. We are very proud of them. The school staff have spoken highly of the work they have done so far.

Bill