I´ve Had The Time Of My Life

No, the title of this blogspot installment isn't just a catchy tune from the smash American film, Dirty Dancing, it is the theme to all the amazing adventures we are enjoying in Costa Rica with all our new found friends... starting with Ms. Tara Cruz.

Lovely Tara made her first ever-so-graceful entrance into our lives when she took a look out at the sea from her balcony at La Colina. Lisa and I were "clickity clacking away" on our computers (as we are known to do), enjoying the soundtrack of our lives (especially the title song of this blog), and there was Ms. Tara dancing away on her terrace. Yes, Tara on a terrace (todas formas) in the room next to ours. As it seems to go, Lisa and I persuded our new New York friend to meet more incrdible Costa Rican inhabiltants. So...that evening, after a phenominal dinner at Bistro Langosta with our friends Melanie Frei of The Oaks (aka. Number One), her hubby Nick, kick'n Ken Shew, buddy Duff, and serenaded by the lovely song stylings of the Bistro's Erin, Brian and Brad, Tara felt right at home, and was assured by Number One that we would book her all the best tours in the morning. The next day, The Oaks' beautiful and talented Ms. Ana Lorena arranged all of Tara's Tours, tout d'suite, and emailed her an itinerary! Who knew Tara was going to be so intrigal to our adveture!

Oh joy, oh rapture! Guess who is coming to dinner? No, not Sidney Poitie, but Sol and Judy Froese from Edmonton. I guess Lisa and my alluring bananas and sparkling wit were just what these two fancy free Loonies needed to make a new lifestyle decision. They made arrangements the day after meting us at the RENOvation show (you have read our OTHER blogs, yes?) and next thing you know, here they are! Lisa and I hopped in our new BeGo (a perfectly compact SUV that is all the rage down here) and dropped by the Liberia International Airport to meet our new Canadian friends.

They told us their trip was quick and easy, finding themselves in Costa Rica lickity split... and BOY were they glad to get out of the cold! Before you could say VAMANOS these two were "Pura Vida, eh?"ing their way from restaurant, to beach, to poolside as if they were newlywed Tico and Tica. Yes, it's amazing what a little sun can do.

Sol, Judy, Lisa, and I scoped out some of the finer places to dine in downtown Tamarindo and decided that sea-side Nougies was just the right atmostphere for our newbie travelers. We payed our watching man (with watching dog to boot) and made our way into the restaurant to find... none other than Tara, seated alone at a table for four or more, offering us companionship and some steller choices from the menu. A few serenades from the local mariachi style performers later, Judy and I had finished our amazing coconut incrusted Talapia, Sol had his first (but never last) taste of Imperial, Lisa manned the camera, and Tara fell MADLY in love with the banana cream pie. When you get back, Tara, we will get you a whole one!

Thanks again to The Oaks, Sol, Judy, Tara and I made our date to travel to Hacienda Guachipelin where one can experience THE ADVENTURE TOUR (you see how when I write ADVENTURE in all caps how EXCITING it becomes? Todas Formas)! THE ADVENTURE TOUR is a remarkable experience for anyone young or Young at Heart, ready to try new things. If horseback riding, "tubing" down a fast flowing river ("Take Me To The River" is now endellably marked in my mind thanks to Ms. Cruz), zip-lining through the lush Costa Rican rain forest canopy, and dipping in natural hot spring tubs sounds like a good time to you, read the next paragraph. Go ahead, I dare you!

THE ADVENTURE TOUR begins...

Sol, Judy, Tara and I awoke early to meet a beautiful Tamarindo morning to the symphany of parrots and howler monkeys. Greeted at La Colina's reception desk by Liberia Tour's Greivin Reyes and our expert driver Minor, we hopped into the luxurious Tourismo (ok, maybe "hopped" is a tad more energetic than what we gringos ACTUALLY did that early in the morning but...) we traveled on toward Liberia, home to our trusty new companaros. The drive was filled with excited chatter about what we were going to see and do, until Ms. Tara filled me in that we were tubing on the river (there's that song again!), and at that time I was wearing jeans! Thanks to our industrious tour guides, the La Colina Four (yes, Marvel comics has opted to buy the rights) pulled into what can only be described as the SUPERest of Super Mercados this side of Wal-Mart. We scurried in and found all the worldy items consumeristic North Americans could want, including "Frappucinos" made with CR's perfect 1820 coffee (named for the year the Costa Rican coffee bean first hit the world market) and, of all things, bathing suits! Ok, maybe they were soccer pants but they were going to work just fine.

A few moments later we were back in the Tourismo with coffee buzzes, ready for ADVENTURE. First stop: the site of one of Liberia largest fiestas, where they were building a rodeo area for the bulls (NOTE: In CR they don't kill the bull, instead they allow the beast to abuse them in the ring once their Tico masters are good and drunk...hillarity insues!) Of course, Tara and I felt compelled to lend a hand. Soon we were back on the road to see another of Liberia's treasures, their Soccer Field. Other than San Jose, I am sure a finer Soccer Field could not be found in the land... and the reverance you could feel from its care-takers? Can you say, "Yankee Stadium"? (Todas Formas!) Now that we had seen some of the beauty of Liberia, it was off to Hacienda Guachipelin... and believe me, it was a Long Winding Road, and a bumpy one at that. This is Costa Rica, people! Pura Vida, eh? Along the way, Minor stopped on the road to show us where Cashews come from (trees!) and Greivin pointed out a huge gorge near the roadside. Incredible!


We made it to the front gates of the Hacienda and the excitement was Electric (boogey woogey woogey). Walking into the Hacienda's lobby was like traveling back in time, as sleepy dogs lie next to wood-carved horses. The only sign of modernity was the neon Imperial sign above the bar and the PC at the reception desk. The La Colina Four got "suited up" in our water-weathering-wear and added a healthy dose of SPF before the next step... horseback riding down to Rio Negra. For those gringos able to interpret the rustic wooden signpost on the horseback trail, Rio Negra sounded like the ADVENTURE we were looking for.

Tubing the BLACK RIVER:

Sol, Judy, Tara, and I, now off our horses and into protective helmuts and lifepreservers, listened intently to our ADVENTURE TOUR tutor, Santos. He made the rules simple and clear- hold on, don't fall out, and if you do, DON'T try to stand up! Easy enough, right? So we all grabbed our personal tube and climbed down the rock face to Rio Negra. Plooping (yes, plooping) into this natural setting in our protective gear must have looked to the white faced monkeys in the trees like some freak show of gringo madness, as we all blobbed our way down the river. Some of the rapids really had "oomph", to the point where I FELL OUT... and one step more, tried to STAND UP! Seconds later, Santos was there at my side aiding me back into my inflatable craft and the rest was smooth sailing... except when I trid to use Judy's sandle as a paddle.

"Where was Lisa this whole time?", you are probably asking yourself. Why she was back at La Colina with a terrible case of the CJ's (more on that later).

After a hike back up the hill with our tubes and lives intact, we made our way back to the Hacienda for a flavorful lunch of Casadas (typical Costa Rican lunches of rice, beans, meats and veggies), native drinks of papaya and tamarind (no, there are no tamarind trees in Tamarindo), and deserts. Yum. Then, BACK TO THE ADVENTURE as we suited up again in repelling gear and helmuts for our zip-line experience. Santos again masterfully explained the rules- one hand is the break, the other holds the rope, and keep your legs up. For some unknown reason I decided to go first as my compatriots looked on. What a rush it is to speed down a tightened wire cable all of twenty feet above the ground! Really, how wonderful.. what? There's more? They get higher? A gorge? How many feet?!

Sol, Judy, Tara, Greivin, and I all continued on through the maze of cables, rock climbs, rope swings, waterfalls, and possibly perilous precipices to much delight. Finally winded and warry, The La Colina Four plus One (Greiven) made our way back to the Hacienda to see some incredible photos and films they provided for a nominal fee, and met with Minor for the trip home. Now some of you may be thinking, "But, Ryan, didn't you say there were Hot Springs to enjoy?" Yes, my friends, there were, but at this point in the day, after all we saw and did, we were ready for one thing only... a nap or a splash in the pool. And that's just what we did. Saying, "hasta luego", to the guys from Liberia Tours was difficult, but we promised to blog about them and so... we have. Thanks again, gentlemen, it was a pleasure!


Last, but never least, Sol, Judy and I made our way to the always taste tempting El Coconut restaurant just below La Colina, where the proprietress Katarina serves up the BEST shrimp in avacado (Lisa's favorite), ceviche (freshly and finely chopped fish cooked in tangy limon juices), and beef carpachio... delicious! Needless to say (but I'm typing it anyway), this was a day to remember!


Join us again in a few more days for another ADVENTUROUS installment of Lisa and Ryan's EXCELLENT (no longer chilly) Adventure!