Exciting Semana Santa Update

Well, after Nick scolded me last night for not updating my blog soon enough after my return, I figured I better put something up here! (Nick, sorry you had to actually pay attention in class instead of reading my musings and enjoying my vacation pics)

So, first up, the pictures are up on webshots under Semana Santa

Instead of writing a huge long narrative on the week and a half (hurray for mom visiting as an excuse to take an extra half-week!), I thought I'd just jot down some highlights...

Semana Santa part I: Cahuita

(Note: I LOVE CAHUITA. It has long been my favorite place in Costa Rica, and it's wonderful-ness was reaffirmed this week...It also took me back to Semana Santa two years ago with the ICADS crew...The crappy hotel in Puerto Viejo - crab in toilet - my first time biking to Punta Uva in the rain, moving up to Cahuita, Becca, Hotel National Park, watermelon, monkeys, snorkeling, the waterfall and horseback riding - and Becca singing to her horse - Coco's and Ricky's, our waiter Michael, Cacique, and then going home and Becca getting cholera...or something. Anyway, nothing could beat that week, although this certainly came close)

That said, here are the highlights:

• Being back in Cahuita, where you are almost guaranteed to have monkeys chase you
• Being chased by monkeys
• Sun! Lots of it, and only one aguacero while we ate dinner Wed. night...we had unbelievable good weather for Cahuita
• Cold showers to quitar some of that Caribbean heat!
• Seeing Michael, the waiter at Restaurant National Park, and having him recognize me and ask about everyone from Becca to my roommate, Ashley, to my Dad (Sorry, Dad, he still likes Iverson - but he remembered that you called him a thug!)
• Eating in Restaurant National Park when the confused sloth started climbing on the restaurant ceiling beams instead of a tree
• When the baby of the owner of Cabinas Palmer was making eyes at me and picking his nose and his dad, in his Caribbean accent, said "Ay, mon, that is not very sexy now!"
• Lots of monkeys
• Finding out that Chris can't swim
• Floating off Punta Cahuita, watching the waves break on the reef
• Breakfast at Sol y Mar, watching CNN en Español with great coffee, just like with Becca 2 years ago
• Dancing at Coco's bar - I even attempted Kumbia!
• Getting a direct bus back to San Jose, and having it be almost empty! (Hello, leg room!)

Semana Santa part II: Tamarindo

So, after a fantastic first half of the week, I came back from Cahuita, showered off the sweat and most of the sand, and headed to the airport, accompanied by Chris to meet my mom! Then, we got up at the crack of dawn to head to the Interbus office for a first-class ride to Tamarindo. While certainly not as buenisimo as Cahuita or Manuel Antonio - we had a lovely girls' week at the beach. Highlights follow:

• Chris waiting with me for 2 hours at the airport, then forgetting his speech to my mom welcoming her to Costa Rica
• Mom's bringing girl scout cookies, Easter candy, books, and dvds
• Interbus - comfy seats, A/C, and door to door service!
• Hotel Luna Llena - the neat painting designs all over the room, the pool, tropical breakfast, and cable TV!
• Ice cream! (Hey we had to do something to alleviate the heat!)
• Hearing howler monkeys every morning
• The beach (and two Russian lawyers trying to hit on mom and me! Yes, my mom's a hottie!)
• Tour of Palo Verde National Park - seeing scarlet macaws, feeding monkeys and holding a baby croc!
• Drinks at sunset on the beach (worth the mosquito bites, I think)
• Returning to San Jose and taking Yadira out to dinner - wine and pizza at Il Pomodoro and making plans for her to visit New Jersey (anyone need a manicure? She's fantastic!)