The Long and Winding Road (to Costa Rica)

Well, final destination? Perhaps, but to get back "home" to THE OAKS one needs get out of the States. And the most popular route? Miami.Now, don't think I have anything against The Sin City of the South, but I will tell you one thing: after the journey Lisa and I have been on, it is an aquired taste.[Honking horns and back to back traffic was soon to greet Lisa and I.] Note to travelers: The La Quinta chain of hotels may be an economical choice but not a good one. Lisa and I had to climb three flights of stairs, heavy bags in hand, to reach our mold infested room with all the ammenities of an outhouse or Law & Order murder scene. Needless to say we peeled the comforters (which in hindsight is an awfully kind word for the potato-pancake flat, possibly flea infested covers on our beds) to lay awake all night in our clothes, breathing in fungi. Yum. But with all of our recent trips, one must make a fall. Onto Miami!

We enjoyed a rainy but pleasurable 80s rock radio serenade toward our Miami hotel, neatly nestled in some of the most terrible construction this side of Boston's Big Dig! I know I may sound negative, but trust me friends this is simply a report from my memory. Finally, we had made it to the Windham Hotel of Miami Airport- checking in, moving in, thanks to the aid of some very helpful Porters (Yes, Virginia, there is a God), and enjoyed some much needed relaxation.

The next morning Lisa and I made the best of our final hours in The States, scurrying hither and thither for gifts for those in CR that would be a bit more pricey otherwise. Thanks to the guys at Radio Shack for aiding us with "the great iPod touch screen hunt of 2008"! We returned to the hotel only to discover that I, yes, I, king of organization had seemingly lost my passport. Now, I am man enough to tell you that I was near the edge of tears thinking how I would have to delay my trip to The Oaks ("The Golden Destination") and stay in my favorite of all U.S. towns, Miami. Well, Irish luck and a bit of hound-dog hunting later, the passport was found and Lisa and I made it to the airport laiden with all we could carry... and then some (ie. a 32 inch television). Luggage loaded and tickets in hand, Lisa and I waited as our "Pura Vida" flight made its way into Miami 2 hours late and set off for The Oaks and the Pacific Northwest of Costa Rica.

If you have never been on "the big planes" into Costa Rica, you will be in for a treat (when you come to see The Oaks, of course!) becuase these flights are larger, more luxurious, and accomdating than any Lisa and I enjoyed the whole trip. They even had TVs! Two hours later we were in final descent into San Jose and I can tell you, as one who has never seen the grandeur of Costa Rica with my own eyes before, it was a pleasure! Lush rolling hills and white clouded volcanoes, shimmering rivers and village rooftops awaited my camera lense as our ears started to pop. Note to travelers: when entering San Jose, which is a beautiful valley metropolis surrounded by mountains, be aware that the winds will give some turbulence and re-entry may feel a bit like a carnival ride, but this is all routine and your landing will be a soft and pleasant one. Lisa and I "deplaned" and made our way expediantly through customs... although with our friend, "the 32 inch beast", Lisa had to [EDITED FOR CONTENT] to get it into the country without reciept in hand and into a "Tourismo" (taxi). This is the fun part!

We enjoyed a leasiurely drive through the Costa Rican countryside, stopping at small stores on the way for sodas and munchies, to see some of the most amazing natural sights my little camera could capture. Five and a half hours* later, we were at La Colina Hotel and truly exhausted, aided by the Tourismo driver and a "helpful local" with our bags, and settled in for a relaxing evening overlooking the sea. Ah, what a trip (and there is more to come)! Wish you were here.

*Why, oh why, Lisa did you have to be so economical to not fly us into Liberia!

Join Lisa and Ryan in a few days for more about their "Awesome (and no longer CHILLY) Adventure"!

Oh Yeah, We Continue!

Ready for the Main Course? Well, Seattle served it up. Sweetly.

After an incredible time at Arbutus Cove in Sooke, B.C., Lisa and I were dropped off in Victoria Where we set out to catch the Victoria Clipper, an incredible voyage on which passengers have the chance to see the shores and sights of the Juan de Fuca Strait (no snickering, please) and Pugent Sound on their way into the States. This breathtaking journey took roughly two and a half hours and the trip couldn't have been more enjoyable. From large, comfortable seats to tasty treats and a friendly staff, the Victoria Clipper is a great way to travel. Lisa couldn't help but tell everyone we encountered on the ship about The Oaks, so much in fact that as we made
our way through customs one of the staff members exclaimed, "That's her, that's the woman from Costa Rica!" Thank goodness they simply wanted a few more minutes of our
time, business cards, and website information!

Once we were settled at our Seattle hotel, The Crowne Plaza, it was time to hit the streets and see what makes this town tick. I pulled out my laptop and found where the local Aquarium and Museums were, of course, and Lisa and I made our way to Seattle's fabled seaport and the Pike Place Market. PPM was truly interesting for shops you just don't see everyday. One, filled to the gills with hand-made musical instruments from every corner of the earth, another equally well stocked with every kind of tea imaginable, all packed into the precariously situated hillside building. We would have stayed longer but the Aquarium beckoned. Just before we could cross the street which separated us from our aquatic goal, Lisa spied a vintage Coca-Cola bottle dispenser...it was love. After prying Lisa off the machine and realizing the
airlines would probably not enjoy the excess baggage weight before we could strap it to the top of my truck, we arrived at The Seattle Aquarium!

Ah, what is it about the joys of watching undersea creatures under glass and in glow-in-the-dark tubes that so easily fascinates we humans? Seattle's water world is perfect for the curious mind and young at heart with dress up areas for the kiddies (be like Scuba Steve or Oscar the Orca), "petting zoo" places to touch manta rays and a mad amount of starfish, even an area to watch adorable clam munching otters.

If you are in Seattle, drop on by and visit, it truly is one of the nicest I have ever seen. Our second "tourista" destination was one that both Lisa and I believed only for history geeks like ourselves and maybe we were right, we just didn't figure there would be 200 others at the Billy Spiedel's Underground Seattle Tour, a perfect marketing scheme worthy of the colorful characters that made Seattle the city it is today. Whoever came up with the idea of having anxious tourists meander about dilapidated basements filled with street trash, all leading to a glorious gift store where you can buy founder Bill Spiedel's book (usually 9.99, but say you were on the tour and you get that dollar discount), was brilliant! But truly the tour guides were some of the whitiest and well informed Seattleites EVER and it is worth your time and dime.

And that's not all.

As the title of this blog suggests, there was food, much food, glorious food...but Lisa and I discovered a little secret about Seattle's culinary world- they like their meat sweet. Yes, you read me correctly, sweet meat but not candy confections. First we stopped at the incredibly created FADO near The Underground Tour where one can simultaneously enjoy great pub fare and traditional Irish tunes being played by local Celtic music enthusiasts. Incredible. But... out
came the Sweet Meats, round one. Lisa and I tried the Bangers in Dough, sausage of the finest quality (as we were told) that had the strangest flavor of maple syrup. Weird. Next The Oaks Duo made their way to Marrakesh, a traditional Moroccan restaurant of the highest grade with excellent interiors and a staff to match. Everything was superb, but again, the Meats were Sweet! Oh well, we all need a way to get through the cold and rainy day, if Sweet Meat is the answer Eat on Seattle, Eat on.

Check back in a few more days for the RETURN to Costa Rica installment of LISA and RYAN's Excellent (if not CHILLY) Adventure!

Lisa and Ryan's Excellent (if not CHILLY) Adventure! Continued...

What was on the proverbial menu for Lisa and Ryan while in Edmonton, besides Costa Rica´s best investment, The Oaks?

Come closer and I´ll tell you:

Start with a warm apppetizer of Mexican friends and hot leads looking to learn more about spicy Costa Rica and the luxury garnish The Oaks can provide them.

Though there were some critics on our final day at the RENOvation Expo, all in all it was a phenomenal melting pot of cultural exchange, as people from all corners of the world came to speak with Lisa and I about the Pros and Cons (and apparent misinformation, aka outright scamming) of living and investing in Costa Rica. Apparently, our in-depth knowledge (mostly Lisa) and laid back technique (both of us) was just what people needed in contrast to ´the OTHER Costa Rican people at the Expo. All fairness to our Expo brethren, they really didn´t have their facts straight and that made The Oaks truly shine at this conference.

Move on to a fresh and delicious, palette cleansing set of informal meetings
with interested parties.

Many of the lovely and excited people Lisa and I met at the Expo felt that a ´taste of The Oaks´ just wasn´t enough (and we can´t blame them), so on to smaller ´get to know us´ meetings with enthusiastic potential investors. Whether at a cafe or in the lobby of the attractive and well-equipped Sutton Place Hotel, Lisa and I continued to tempt the taste for luxury and adventure of many a couple or group. Some made it clear to us that they would be booking their flights to The Oaks as soon as possible, while others approached us with the news that they already had! Wow, Lisa, great work! We predict that Guanacaste will be seeing a few more snow birds than usual this coming year... wait and see!

Enjoy a hearty bowl of local culture.

Once the flood of eager future Oak Owners died down and Lisa and I had a chance to kick up our heels, it was clear the most important thing to do in Edmonton was actually SEE it! Lisa and I put on our ¨I´m a Tourist¨ t-shirts and hit the Must-See sites, such as the awe (or yawn) inspiring West Edmonton Mall fabled for its biggieousity and outright gynormousness. COME ONE, COME ALL see the indoor whale! The Pirate Ship, the Seal Show, Underwater Tour, Water Park, Casino, Skating Rink, Roller Coaster Park, Mt. Olympus Movie House, and... oh, yeah, there´s shopping there too! Yeah, it´s all that and a Segway Testing ground all wrapped in an over hyped package. But go, please go, it´s something to see. Get a clue and drop by The Sherlock Homes Pub in the ¨Bourbon Street Quarter¨ for some tasty traditional Brit pub fare and some fine ales on tap. Too cold to go out of the hotel? Try using the Edmonton Pedway System (that´s walkways for you Yankees), the interconnected indoor route from gleaming shop to hunger satisfying restaurant or go see the Royal Alberta Museum which houses some of the greatest dioramas I have ever seen, plus a truly informative section on the life and fate of Canada´s First Nations. One word of caution though: When someone tells you ¨this is the BEST Chinese Food in Edmonton¨ DON´T take their word for it! You may feel cheated...twice! Yes, Edmonton may not be the Cuisine capital of the world, but it´s definitely worth its metric ton in possibilities.

Cleanse your palette with a bit of fresh and minty relaxation.

Our time in Edmonton had come to a close so it was on to Sooke, British Columbia where friends and proprietors, Mike and Kathy Hicks of the Arbutus Cove Guesthouse and Cottages, eagerly awaited us. What a welcome retreat from the cold and snow to see beautiful pine forests and eye-popping green fields, mossy hills, and cloud peppered sunny skies! Arbutus Cove is a marvel of detail and design, built and managed by our hosts, located on the most relaxing piece of property in the Pacific Northwest. Miles and miles of nature trails and pristine open waters reflecting the majesty of the Sooke area await each visitor who stay at this perfect get-away. Ask Mike for directions to the Best Chinese in Canada...and believe it or not, you'll find it! Much thanks to Kathy for her hospitality, cooking and Scrabble, Beau for the jokes, Billie for the bites, and Mike for the best darn hash browns this side of the U.S. border. Check out their website at Arbutus Cove.

Join us in a few more days for more from Lisa and Ryan's Excellent (if not Chilly) Adventure, where we are off to Seattle, Washington (eh!) !

Oh Canada!

While many of you are spending the end of January falling behind on New Year's resolutions or recouping holiday finances, Lisa and Ryan of Green Seal Realty are traveling North and Central America like Costa Rican Ambassadors (ala Santa Claus' Helpers) spreading the joyful word of the wonder and value of investing in Costa Rica's superior development, The Oaks, to good little Canadians and Americans alike.

Our first stop on this Magical Mystery Tour? The Canadian Snowbird Association's Lakeland, Florida Conference- January 29th and 30th.

Armed with a paper arsenal of fantastic (if not weighty) fliers and postcards, Lisa and Ryan arrived in beautiful Lakeland, Florida after an incredible two day stint in lovely Vero Beach, Florida. If you haven't been to Vero Beach (on your way to Costa Rica, of course) we suggest visiting the Ocean Grill overlooking the Atlantic Ocean and Waldo's at the Driftwood Resort (built entirely of...you guessed it) both imagined and engineered by Vero Beach's own Walt Disney, Waldo Sexton.

Once settled into the Lakeland Hyatt Place, Lisa and I ventured out to explore the quaint Central Florida town that seems to have been touched by Mr. Disney himself as well, obviously renovated in many ways and overlooking large and placid Mirror Lake. The first thing visitors to Lakeland will notice (for a few months, at least) is that the inhabitants are rather slow going and patient...wait, they are all statues! Yes, Lakeland is home to some of the most lifelike (and, at times, disturbing) statues you will ever see. Very soon though, the town took on yet another quality as Canadian Snowbirds and Floridians alike descended upon little Lakeland like a warm and friendly blanket. Once set up at the Lakeland Center Convention Hall, Lisa and I realized we were one of the only groups NOT to be handing out great SWAG ('Stuff We All Get' for those not privvy). Lousianna's own Charlotte Venable and Patricia Nicholas of Paragon Casino Resort in Marksville were the Queen's of Mardi Gras with their festive beads and Big Easy welcomes. Not the kind to be 'out done', Lisa and Ryan made a quick trip to WALMART and after aquiring over 480 pounds of ripe Costa Rican bananas, we too made our mark on the convention. Ask Lisa about the 'Banana to Beads' exchange rate.

After a warm welcome and orientation by the CSA's Nevel , our lovely and gracious 'Booth Mates', Ms. Bhitti Patel of Plant City, Florida's Comfort Inn and Wendy Cormie and Kirsten of the Hamilton International Airport of Ontario became our fast friends and made the experience a true delight. Many of the people Lisa and I met couldn't say enough about how beautiful Costa Rica is and how they are sorry they didn't get a chance to see more while cruising around Central America. This desire lead to the creation of THE TREASURE BOX (thanks to SteinMart and a theatrical paint job by myself) in which we collected a great number of our ENTER and WIN postcards- where entrants have a chance to win a 3 night trip to Costa Rica and see what Guanacaste has to offer firsthand. Also, our larger fliers (which I refer to as the 'Adventure Maps') were enjoyed by people of all ages for their colorful design and great information about the benefits of living and investing in Costa Rica. Bananas gone and much info shared, Lisa and I made ready for our flight from Orlando to Edmondton.

A chilly (in hindsight, a hyperbole) morning greeted us in Orlando's gorgeous airport Hyatt where the staff couldn't be more helpful and courteous. Off to Minneapolis and then into Edmondton. A stunning view from the hillside overlooking the wintery city of Edmondton was breathtaking (as was the -35 C temperature) and the sight of The Sutton Inn and its helpful porters (and even more useful fireplaces) was enough to melt the heart (and the hands). The next day, Lisa and I arrived at the AgroCom conference and sports fascility just outside of downtown Edmondton where we set up our booth and settled in for our three day adventure in 'PR for CR'. Thank goodness for our friends from 'South of The Border, Down Mexico Way' Max Page, his sons, Eaax and Adrian, as well as Lucia and Anna Chapa from MP Global Marketing for their last minute come-to-our-rescue effort at the end of the day when not ONE Edmondton taxi could be found. So far, (I write this from our booth on Day 2 of the RENOVATION Expo) everything is going great while we 'take'n names and share'n info' (privately and in public)...

Check in a few days from now as Lisa and Ryan's Excellent (if not CHILLY) Adventure continues!