From the Rim of Fire to the Swinging Bridges of Monteverde Blues: Friday, January 19th!

On stage, I make love to 25,000 different people, then I go home alone. -Janis Joplin, singer-songwriter (19 Jan 1943-1970) 

Here we are enjoying a fun 3 hr. snowshoeing day up to Cartwright Mtn. going up 3 ridges. Hi! Bavaria Patrizzio ............ I'm sure glad to hear that you are staying well hydrated. Sure love that Costa Rican beer!! Another wonderful meal .............. you are like me .......... I LOVE foodie pics - yummy!! Pomegranates are a great antioxidant & I LOVE eating them too. You sure are a friendly guy making friends all over the world. Keep on enjoying life to its fullest each day.
Cheers!! Mary Lee :-)

El Bosque

Hello holiday man, If not for so much fun we have playing pickleball, snowshoeing, and socializing with friends here we would be jealous seeing all of that greenery around you. So, thanks for the nice report, keep enjoying yourselves, and see you soon. Meantime a few photos not to forget the home area. :-))


Hi Snow-Shoe Superwoman! Thanks so much for the wonderful snap of explorers on Cartwright Mountain! I have been showing it to various locals and fellow tourists to let them know what we left behind. Pomegranates were one of my very favourite fruits when I lived in Cyprus as a boy. Such a colourful fruit when sliced open, a bit like a scarlet-red honeycomb! Love the juice as well! Fondestos from Lady Dar to you and Paolo. Cheers, Patrizzio!

Hi Patrick, glad you are having a good time away. I am most interested in the Polish trip. I will contact Katarina to see if there are any spots still available. Continue to enjoy. Matt Dear Katarina, I am a friend of Patrick Dunn’s, I was thinking about joining your group bicycle tour to Poland. Is there still a place in this tour. Please let me know. Take care, from matthew garrey Dear Matthew,

Yes, there is still a place in the bicycle tour to Poland. If you are interested, the only thing I will need to check is a room availability in the hotels where we are staying. If Patrick agrees, you could share a room with him. Katarina That would be great Katarina. Take care

Hello Katarina and Glasgow! Wonderful news that you will join us on the Polish trip, Matt! I'm delighted to share a room with him, Katarina. Having travelled in California with him and and another friend, Whirlygig, a number of years ago now, I know that he doesn't snore quite as loudly as Lady Dar so being in the same room with him will be a piece of cake!

Arrived here in Monteverde, about 1:00 pm. After leaving Fortuna, by small van, for an hour or so, we then took a pontoon boat across Lago Arenal, for another hour or so, to be collected by another van. Drive, through quite steep hills/mountainsides, [Reminded us very much of the hill country in India with tea plantations everywhere, only coffee is crop here.], was most pleasant. Met an English couple, (Nicky and Patrick!), on their honeymoon, and chatted most amiably all the way to our hotel, Hotel El Bosque.

After we had unpacked, met back at Reception to take a cab into town for a bit of reconnoitering and shopping. Our lodge is about three kilometres from town but some of the hills are quite steep and towards the lodge, road is fairly muddy, what with all the heavy rainfall of late. [Plan to walk it at some point, however.]. Pleasant enough town with a small, simple, though lovely church near the centre. After we had loaded up on a few supplies, (i.e.. hootch and hootch!), we took another cab back. Made plans to have drinks in our room at 6:00 pm, [Reading and naps for everyone!], before walking the short distance to an Italian restaurant, Tramonti, close to the lodge. We were all very pleasantly surprised by the place as we imagined it was but a pizza joint. Not so and food was simply wonderful with a bustling, warm atmosphere. Home by 9:00 pm as it had been a long day for both couples. Fondestos from Lady Dar to you  and to Catherine. Cheers, Patrizzio! Pics: Boat trip; some of masks we saw and church in Monteverde; Nicky and Patrick before dinner; Lady Dar and Nicky at restaurant. Local hootch!

Dear Patrick, Even with a grand trip and all that fun, please make sure Lady Dar is okay. You had said that she had taken a fall and bruised her face and that her belly was badly bruised. Please make sure that she has not injured herself internally. If there is bruising there is also internal bleeding. Love Jean xx 
 
Hi Jean! Trust you are both well. Thank you for your concern over Lady Dar but am pleased to report that her "injuries", such as they were, were not nearly as serious as you might have inferred from my message. She is back on her feet and her back isn't bothering her anymore. Onward! Fight!!! Fondestos from Lady Dar, snoring gently, to you and John! Cheers, Patrizzio!

Buenas Adios mes amigos, Good to hear from from you again. Love your pics and they do bring back memories. If I remember correctly the bus ride through the cloud forest was quite an experience as we drove higher and higher into the clouds over these narrow bridge and looked way, way down into the valleys. I heart goes out to Corrine if she does care for heights. Poor Corrine...

The town of Monteverde was beautiful and great to walk around...the gardens, old church and good eats too.Good luck and enjoy! All is well here...went downhill skiing with Aart and Jos on Monday and the snowshoeing in the Apex area yesterday with them, Killian, Bill, Marian and Tim. What a gorgeous
winter wonderland and lovely warm day!!!

Thus far, sorry to report there has been no Bridge... only Judy, Jos and I available. Maybe this week if Mike's hurt shoulder is well enough to play. Pam W. is on holidays. Craig and I are off to Victoria this afternoon to spend some time with Cody as it's his birthday on Saturday. Then we'll visit with his mom in Abbotsford on our way back on Sunday. By the way, I bumped into Chloe and Judy at the movie " The other side of Hope". Just time for a quick hug as my ride was leaving. Take good care the both of you especially of your back, Corrine. Thinkin' of you and hugs to both, Olly

 
Hi Olga Polga and Craigola! Trust you are both well and that you trip to Victoria and Abbotsford went well. Glad you bumped into Chloë and Judy Blue. How did you enjoy the film? I'm sorry we missed it as it looks interesting indeed. Fondestos from Lady Dar to you, Olly, and Craig! Cheers, Patrizzio!
 

Hi Patrick and Corinne Hope the rain hasn’t curtailed your activities too much? Love the photos of the ginger plants and what an unusual cactus! Your adventures make me really envious as we do much the same thing everyday. Trevor’s up at 8am looks out window to gauge conditions, then out skiing at 9am, I am up at 8, join him at 10am. The girls have now finished their lessons and are skiing with all of us. Morning tea at 11. Then maybe 4 more runs before we decide to come in for lunch or continue skiing until 2:30pm. Then it’s afternoon rest and out for appy’s and drinks at 4:30pm, then the decision to eat in, Mark and I are taking turns to cook for the 6 of us, or to eat out. Their is a wide selection of restaurants now on the mountain ranging from Pizza to Mexican and everything in between.Trevor unfortunately caught my flu, it does not keep him off the slopes, I am at the tail end of it now. I am having a rest day today as some friends from Kamloops are coming up and having lunch with us. Sadly the group is dwindling as they are getting older and are falling off the perch or have serious health issues and are not skiing. Hope Corinnes back is not giving her too much grief? Enjoy your next few days. Cheers Tina. Hi Snowbirds! Trust you are both fully recovered from the flu. Nothing worse than being under the weather when on holiday! Fondestos from Lady Dar, to you, Teens, and Trevor, and rest of gang! Cheers, Patrizzio!

Hello holiday man, If not for so much fun we have playing pickleball, snowshoeing, and socializing with friends here we would be jealous seeing all of that greenery around you. So, thanks for the nice report, keep enjoying yourselves, and see you soon. Meantime a few photos not to forget the home area. :-)) Cheers. Mike Hello Pickleball Man! Thanks for the simply gorgeous pictures! Pleased to hear that your winter fun continues! While I'm delighted to discover Costa Rica, part of me misses the Okanagan at this time of year, pure magic of a different kind and temperature! Fondestos from Lady Dar to you, Michaelo, [I noticed that bridge was conspicuously absent from your list of activities!], and Mariola. Cheers, Patrizzio! 

Gee how is Corinne doing? I know about backs going out. It is hard to walk, but Tequila should work!! Nice pictures!!! My knee is doing well. We are bottling all our 2016 16 Month aged wines this week and next............Dave Hi Dave and Patrizzia! Trust bottling is going well. Please to hear that you knee is doing well. Cheers, Patrizzio!

Hi Patrick aka Patrizzio! Happy not-so-new 2018!! Thank you for your lovely email and for sharing so many great photos! You are the Unofficial Photo Ambassador and we appreciate it. 😊 We sure missed you behind the bar with us for Hal's sendoff party last week, but you would be proud of Robert and (dare I say) moi - we managed to pour every single bottle of wine dedicated to our bar. Thank you again for the fine training provided to us newbies! Hope you and the family had a wonderful Christmas and NY, and that you are enjoying the Pura Vida life down in gorgeous Costa Rica. Lots of sunshine for you! I'm running off to pack for Whistler and hoping that it is snowing on the mountains rather than raining as it is here in the city. Wishing you all the best. Ciao bella! The Pegster 😊 

Hi Peggster, et al! Simply lovely to hear from you. Thank you for your good wishes, as well. Delighted to learn that you and Robertito, [Please forward this to him as I seem to have mislaid his email address. Thanks!], discharged your barkeep duties so splendidly! Bravo!! Bravo!!! (Bye the the bye, you were both on probation until Hal's retirement so now the trainees have passed, with more than flying colours, to carry the corkscrew forward! Onward!! Fight!!! Trust you enjoyed your time at Whistler, Peggster. I've had a number of messages, from friends back in Penticton, with pictures of deep snow and wonderful snowshoe outings.  Fondestos from Lady Dar, to you, Peggster, and to the rest of the fabulous VWF Empty Bottle Gang! Cheers, Patrizzio!

Take Care dear friends, hope Corinne feels better today, and Patrick's massages do wonders! Lovely to read your updates, while we are preparing for Public Hearing concerning Banks Crescent, and having some winterfun in between. Cheers, Jos and Aart. Hello Agents Provocateurs! Trust Banks Crescent meeting went/will go well. [Have lost rack of time, since being away, completely!] Pleased to hear that your winter fun continues! Fondestos from Lady Dar to you both and to rest of winter fun folk! Cheers, Patrizzio!

Great hearing from you and seeing all the wonderful photos. Love the bottle openers. I thought they were kazoos at first. Had a lovely visit with Linda Irvin the other afternoon. She told me you invited her to the book club so I gave her the book title we are now reading. I am almost finished it and think I will then read The Navigator of New York which is another Wayne Johnston novel. Looking forward to lots of reading while in Kauai. Only a few more sleeps and off we go. Well, a week from Sunday. Safe and wonderful travels. Dame Judith

Hello Kazoo Woman! As I understand it, the bottle openers can be played like a kazoo as well! Great that you and Linda had a confab. Terrific that you passed along book title. We both think she'll be a great addition to group. Fondest of

Fondestos from Lady Dar, snoring gently, but regally, to you, Dame Judith, and Sir Kevin. Cheers, Patrizzio!