Cara and Gibson make the blog!

Cara and Gibson can now exhale a profound sigh of relief...they have made the blog. Yes, I know, it's taken some time...I've gotten quite behind on keeping you all updated...

So, Cara and Gibson arrived, late, midst a panic session in which Caitlin and Chris debated how we would be walking home from Alajuela late at night if the Auntie and Uncle didn't waltz out of the airport soon. Thankfully, they did saunter out...eventually. We dropped them at Angel's Hotel with María Louisa, transferred allergy meds, girl scout cookies, and tea bags. Then we left the newly arrived to sleep.

Sunday, the intrepid explorers headed off to Manuel Antonio for a whirlwind one day tour. I understand they saw monkeys, drank Imperial, and experienced Coca Cola like never before. Anymore than that, you'll have to ask them. Unfortunately, they were so tired Sunday night that they missed watching an exciting soccer game in a Curridabat bar. I, on the other hand, had chicken fingers with really good honey mustard sauce. Yum!

Monday, all three of us dashed off for another whirlwind tour to Arenal and the Tabacon hot springs. The trip itself was lovely, with the exception of Frank our guide. He told stupid jokes with a plastered-on smile, and we're fairly certain he was making up facts about biodiversity and economic trade in Costa Rica.

Anyway, we stopped in Grecia to see a church, made of metal, given as a gift by the government of Belgium. I pondered why European governments so often gave metal buildings as gifts...the metal high school in San Jose, the church in Grecia, the Statue of Liberty...I wonder how many other French and Belgian metal buildings are out there...

Later, we passed through Sarchí, home of the ox-cart painting for which Costa Rica is so famous. We shopped at the artisans' cooperative - scooping up fun leather and wooden goods and, of course, getting Cara another coke.

We ate a typical lunch - Cara and Gibson professed their love for arroz con pollo (and coke!) - and we chatted with the family of a girl also here doing research for the year.

When we finally arrived at Tabacon, I think we were all ready to wash off the dust from the road - and the slimy-ness of Frank. The hot springs were, well, HOT. Gibson, it turns out, is most comfortable in water that surpasses 40 degrees Celsius. Cara and I do better with the lukewarm water at the swim up bar. Yes, SWIM UP BAR, margaritas, and a water slide.

After dinner (who would have thought that it really would be a great buffet??), we took a swing around the other side of the mountain to see what we could see. Despite all the clouds, we saw some red hazy light and some falling red stones...Then, when we squinted really hard and willed the clouds to move, we did even get to see the red top of the volcano. Wahoo! We saw an eruption. Sweet. I know Costa Ricans who have been to Arenal multiple times and have never seen an eruption! And lucky us, we pop in for one day and see it all.

Tuesday, we checked out the gold museum, pondering which pre-colombian pieces would look nicest on us - all of them really. Then, we did some damage in my favorite artisans' market, headed to the apartment, met Nora and Yadira and did a general Curridabat tour. Then, off to Plaza del Sol to buy coffee and chiky cookies (which never got to their final destination, my mom!), and to have a little cafecito. Then nap time and meeting for dinner at Café Mundo.