Like all weak men he laid an exaggerated stress on not changing one's mind. -William Somerset Maugham, writer (25 Jan 1874-1965)
Hello Intrepid Ski Patrol Man! Trust you are well and zooming down the slopes! I gather there is plenty of snow!! Thank you for the New Year's wishes. Must apologize for not being in touch sooner but has been a busy time ever since before Christmas! This morning, didn't open my eyes until 7:41 am so all the trekking in the sand of turtle beach, plus uphill/downhill trek to get there must have tired out my little used hiking/biking muscles.
[Torch-bearing Hymen, in the center, holds Psyche’s hand as Cupid places a ring on her finger Detail from The Marriage of Cupid and Psyche
Art: Pompeo Batoni, 1756]
Hi Nicolina and Padraic! Trust you are both well. Have had a wonderful time ever since saying goodbye, even though we miss your marvellous company, at least Nicky's! Hope you credit card business was resolved. Again, it was terrific to meet you both. Thanks of all the fun in Monteverde. We thought that the tour at The Bat Jungle was one of best we'd had in Costa Rica. Toasted you both, at Tramonti, on our last night there. The Gnocchetti I ordered, were divine, although, technically, from their shape, I don't actually think they were that specific type of pasta, [Shaped like a curved shell with ridges on the outer surface], as ones served were shaped more like mini-gnocchi. Nevertheless, delish.
Yes we had bridge last night and it was fun. Both of you are missed. Chloe and I had dinner together and a movie last week. She is great! Continue to enjoy and be safe! I am off snow shoeing today and a naturalist meeting tonight. Scotties start on Friday and I am working every day. I am excited that we are having such a great event here. The trade and convention centre is going to be the entertainment hub with food drinks and entertainment. Looking forward to seeing you soon Judy Xox
Our waitress was a lovely young woman, Zana Van Dorp, from New Zealand, from 90 Mile Beach, on the North Island, so we had fun chatting with her about that as we'd been there in 1992. As well, she is as concerned as we are about the seeming lack of recycling. We told her about the paper straws and wooden forks at The SHrimp Hole and she said she had asked the owners to change from the plastic straws that are used at The Green Papaya. No movement, as yet, unfortunately. [Hi Zana! Lovely to meet you. You work at a fabulous, fabulous restaurant, as I'm sure I need not tell you! Trust we'll see you again, before we leave Tamarindo, but if not, as mentioned earlier, you are always welcome to stay should your travels take you to Canada and The Okanagan, wine-country, where we live. Cheers for now, Patrizzio! Pics: Beet salad and tuna taco; Zana and Lady Dar, aka Corinne! Well aren’t you two just a delight!! Thank you soo much and i will most definitely be in contact when i come to Canada! (not sure when but will definitely) Best wishes, Zana]
Hi Guys, It sounds like you are having a good time enjoying the good life. Are they saving the chickens for croc bait? Cheers, Tim and Marian Greetings to you, Patrick and Corinne, What a wonderful letter and what a wonderful time you are having! I don't know about Tim, but it makes me want to take a trip to Costa Rica. Must admit, I had not had a hankering to go there before, but the food alone almost makes the trip seem worthwhile.
Life is good here as well. The sun is actually out ( we aren't even above the clouds on a hiking trip right now ). Kaitlinn had her four wisdom teeth extracted at 8:00 a.m. this morning, so we are kind of on chauffeur and nurse duty for the day. Tim is outside right now catching a few rays while Kaitlinn is sleeping off the sedatives and Tylenol 3 she took half an hour ago. We do hope that she is feeling better by Saturday so we can attend the Met with Aart and Jos. Come February 4th, I'll be taking my life in my hands as I fly Flair Air to Vancouver to babysit grandson Andrew for a week, leaving Tim at home to keep Kaitlinn moving ahead with schooling.
Back in our room to shower and change and toast each other, white wine and Cacique, [You can guess, Dear Reader, who had what!], and then we made for the Night Market, about three blocks up the street from our hotel. Had never walked this stretch of the road before and were quite interested to note all the many hotels and restaurants that lined the avenue. The market is held in a large open space, about half the size of a soccer field and it was in full swing when we arrived. Divided into about three or four sections by the stalls of the various vendors set up there. Think there were just as many food and beverage sellers as there were jewelry and other craft artisans.
We started off with a PiƱa Colada, (I wanted a Mojito but was over-ruled!), and were pleased to see they were served in small mason jars with a paper straw. (All the drinks vendors served their various products this way so there is a definite Eco-consciousness here.) From then on it was just like a cocktail party and we walked around, sipping contentedly, examining wares of all sorts and chatting with vendors, all of whom were extremely friendly and welcoming, much like those at The Farmers' Market in Penticton, per esempio. Only real difference, other than location and wares, of course, is that one is able to stroll around with one's booze of choice! Food was phenomenal, everything from bbq'd chicken and brisket, grilling away, to pizza, with various toppings, to focaccia, stuffed with all sorts of different sliced meats, to endless arrays of buns, both sweet and savoury, and breads and tacos and humous and chocolate dips and even craft beer! I bought a six pack, three of a Brown Ale and three of Stout. I wanted an IPA but they didn't have any left!
Lady Dar was ready to leave after about an hour, having scored her corn empanadas and finished her drink, but I was keen to try a Caipirinha, [For those of you not in the know, Brazil's national cocktail, made with cachaƧa, sugar and lime, the latter my favourite ingrediente, other than the hootch, of course!], so I kissed her goodbye and waited for Dali, the vendor, to whip one up as I waited. I learned that he is actually from Argentina but, as a diver, found the water there too cold so he moved here! Wonderful concoction so after I had finished my first, wandering and chatting aplenty, I returned for un otro, glad that Lady Dar wasn't around to reprove me!
While I was waiting for Dali to prepare my next rink, I visited with two friends of his who happened to walk by. Loads of fun in this wonderful mix of happy people. Polished off the last few drops of my Caipirinha, returned jar to Dali and waved goodbye, stopping at the Lost Coast Brewery stall for my six-pack, served by one of the owners, an attractive French woman, from Paris, so I plan to stay with her parents when there this April! Left the square and was just on the road when I spied the couple I'd been chatting with at the Caipirinha booth in car so, just for fun, asked them if they were a taxi service! They laughed and said, hop in, the woman deftly clambering into the back seat to allow me to sit up front. Had not far to go of course but it was enjoyable to continue our conversation. Lad was off to play soccer as it is too, too hot, as you can imagine, to play during most of the day.
Thanking them, after they dropped me off at Pasatiempo, I made my way back to ur room and then Lady Dar and I enjoyed our "take-away", she sipping white wine while I cracked an Eight-ball Stout, quite a robust oatmeal stout, in fact, and very thirst quenching indeed! For dessert I had three peanut butter cookies while Lady Dar had a few dollops of the chocolate dip I'd bought for her, from the same vendor. Not at all a bad way to end another day in such extremely pleasant and convivial surroundings. Brushed and flossed and then collapsed in bed, the Caipirinhas finally taking their deadly toll!
Hi Patrick and Corinne Gorgeous photos! Today we fare-welled Mark,Bree, Mya and Jade. The shuttle bus picked them up from Cahilty at 10am and whisked them off to the airport in Kamloops. Unfortunately they will have a 5 hour layover in Vancouver, not really enough time to go into Vancouver proper as with security etc you have to be around up to 2hours before take off. On the last run yesterday Mark twisted his back so he is in a fair amount of pain, we have loaded him up with Panadeine forte and Graham was even able to give him some Endone!! Not good when you have 13 hours flight ahead of you.
After they had left we moved all of our gear from Cahilty into the unit in Snow Creek.
After they had left we moved all of our gear from Cahilty into the unit in Snow Creek.
The weather today is just beautiful! Clear sunny day no clouds, Trevor went out for an hour 90 minutes ago!! My heart is just not in it! A friend from Calgary, Joel, whom I met in Burma, arrived on the mountain yesterday with three of his buddies, we will have dinner with them tonight. Then on Saturday friends from WA arrive, staying for 2 weeks. BTW I have just finished reading a marvellous novel called “The Snow Child” by Eowyn Ivey, set in Alaska based on the Russian fairy tale “Snegurochka” a most enchanting read. Cheers Tina Hi Patrick, Send you send me Clara’s email please? Letter to follow.Tina
Hi Teens! You can reach Rosie-the-Riveter at this address. Wanted to reply to your message about Mark's back as I have nothing but sympathy for him as I know, from painful first hand experience, what he was probably facing during 13 hours worth of flight time! The week before we went to Australia, late November, 1991, with Clara/Dusty and Chloƫ, I twisted something in my back playing squash, the Saturday before we left Vancouver. At any rate, once terrible spasms had subsided, [I literally crawled up our front stairs and was so weak that I knocked on the door on my knees. Dusty came to the door three times as he couldn't see me through small window near top of door! I underwent fairly extensive physiology, over the following week and was on so many pain killers I hardly remember being at work! Even spent an hour in the hot tub at community centre near where we lived at the time, before going to the airport. Doing my stretches in the plane, people kept asking me if I was having a heart attack!
However, in my case, we didn't reach Brisbane for about 37 hours as we stopped in Hawaii, (I spent the couple of hours there on the floor!), Fiji, only enough time to go to Duty Free!), and then for about 11 hours in Auckland, where we spent most of layover. [Took Air New Zealand as we were staying in Raratonga for last eight days of trip.] Once we were at our hotel in Brisbane I went directly to the sauna and did my stomach crunches. Felt like Heaven! Couldn't jog for next three weeks and then only gingerly. Anyway, I hope Mark is on the mend now. Cheers to you and Trevor, Teens. All the best, Patrizzio!
Greetings to the beach bums from Penticton! Wow ! Thanks for the pictorial tour of Costa Rica. It is on my bucket list of places to visit while I can still ride a horse. Now, thanks to your photos, I am even more enticed. I love the colourful artwork on your hotel walls - something to invest in for art's sake !!! Sounds like the 2 of you have been living the good life - great wines and dines. The rest of us have final exams to mark and prepare to endure the last 6 to 8 weeks of winter, depending on the outcome on Groundhog Day. Can we even believe the new guy ? He lacks years of experience. I wish the two of you many more pleasant times during your travels and a safe return to the Okanagan. Let's try to chat in March some time. Ciao for niao!!
Hi Help Desk Woman! Sorry to hear about your new Groundhog! Chloƫ has been whining about the snow ever since we left and have had the pictures to prove it. Friend, Michaelo, from Summerland, sent me a picture of latest snowfall, taken in front of their house, a day or so ago! However, no sympathy from us as we have been here in Tamarindo, luxuriating in the heat and surf! Fondestos from Lady Dar, although she's so engrossed in her latest book, that I hardly think she has even a passing thought for her friends and family! Cheers to you and Amy, Erika. All the best. Cheers, Patrizzio!
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