GIDDY UP!

It´s been a long time since my last post about Lisa and my progress. So much so that many believe we got lost in the mountains of Jasper, never to be seen again... seeminly devoured by goats! Well, let me allay those fears and send out all that we´ve been soaking in- from the land of our friendly neighbor to the North.Edmonton, Alberta, late spring 2008, was where and when Lisa conceived of, I went about the designing of, and every one of our friends who have been to Costa Rica (through aid of their pictures, memories, and quotes) jointly created the beautifully stunning, fabulous, superb and ever so Informative DISCOVER COSTA RICA brochure. A visually stimulating and multi-fasceted read for all of our Canadian neighbors to further understand WHY it is we love Costa Rica so much.After minor delays due to Canadian shipping laws and some unexpected printing staff contacts who had taken unscheduled vacations (maybe to Costa Rica!) aside, DISCOVER COSTA RICA and its sister website www.2008CostaRica.com have been a hit with everyone we meet. Go ahead. I know you want to click the link. I´ll wait.
Now that Canada has something tangible to read about Costa Rica, we thought it was just the time to delight their other senses as well. At long last, Lisa and I found a company competant and expediant enough to deliver a marketing tool months in the making- something for Canadians to digest with their eyes- THE CR JEEP! As you can see from these pictures, The JEEP has been transformed into a beautiful multicolored traveling billboard complete with monkeys, maps, toucans, treasures, golfers, scuba people, surfers... and last but never least, THE OAKS. A little bit of everything that makes CR great.
Marketing materials a-plenty and summer now upon us, Lisa and I headed South for THE GREATEST OUTDOOR SHOW ON EARTH, The Calgary Stampede. If you have never heard of this incredible event or never been to a rodeo of this caliber or magnitude, you haven´t lived! The Stampede grounds and the atmostphere surrounding it is Canada at its most rowdy and excitable. Canadians and international folks alike are heady from the adrenile, sexuality and sheer spectacle that grips the city of Calagary for two weeks every year... and we were in the heart of it!The first night Lisa and I arrived in Calgary there was an incredible fireworks display right outside our window. No, sadly it wasn´t JUST for us, but for Canada Day. People were wrapped in or painted with red and white with maple leaf adornments to accompany their hoots and hollers which filled the streets. Our new condo, a mere stones´throw (for a New York Yankee) away from The Stampede grounds, has proved a perfect new nerve center in which to begin feeling the pulse of this ¨Little Texas-esque¨ Metropolis.
Everyday at The Stampede was filled with events of all kinds, the likes of which I have never heard of. Then again, I´m no rancher. From cattle roping to chuck wagon pulls (which looked to me like a bulkier, muddier version of the chariot scene from Ben Hur), The Stampede has a little rough-neck fun for all ages. Horse rangling and bull riding not your ¨cup of tea¨? No worries. Go see the many live concerts at the Coca-Cola sponcered amphitheatre, dancing shows near the casio, ride the Fireball or Alpine Climb on the Midway, or feed your shopping need inside the air-conditioned booth arena.This year over 200,000 people walked through the turn-stiles at The Stampede (down by almost 15,000 last year) looking to get their Wild West fix along with the pomp and circumstance of parades, parties, and pub crawls. There´s a saying here in Calgary, perhaps older than the now famous Vegas´ motto, ¨What happens at Stampede, stays at Stampede¨. If nothing else, I believe. As one person Lisa and I met (a Calgarian through and through) stated, ¨This is the time we let it all hang out. We unbundle the cold from our hearts, the stresses of work and say #&$% it, THIS IS STAMPEDE!¨
Listen here cowboys and cowgirls: Next Joo-lie you wanna try something new, STAMPEDE is for you. Come to Calgary, taste the Praire Oysters, then, before the cold snow comes once again off the tower´n majesty of Banff, set your eyes South fer fun in the sun in Costa Rica.Ya´ll come back now, ya hear... for more about Lisa and Ryan´s Excellent (at the momement not so chilly) Adventure!

Got Goat?

Driving into Jasper was like entering a postcard with no paper cuts. My goodness, what an experience! The rough and gorgeous Rockies of the north, jutting straight into the sky without apology, the white effervescent clouds breaking the stratosphere, and an amazing chance for us mere mortals to feel close to creation not to be missed. If you haven’t been, here’s the thing… Go! It’ll be a moment in life you will forever cherish. The cozy hotels and town with a pioneer feel make the elk filled expanse a place you will marvel at from sun up ‘til sun down.

Lisa, C.J., the Aroma Muchacho and I (‘say cheese, A.M.!’) had the most incredible time seeing the sights and the natural wildlife standing and grazing at the road’s edge. Elk, deer, long-horned goat, coyote, and bear continually appeared as we followed paved and discovered paths through the mountains. See Pyramid Mountain with its phenomenal island of great fame, as well as Lake Maligne and all the wonders it provides. (SEE OUR GOAT FILM FOR MORE)

The residents of Jasper, obviously comfortable with travelers for more than a hundred years, offer visitors a multitude of restaurants and shops to engage the hearty of spirit, while the national park that surrounds the town leaves you breathless.

Take the day and see the Whistlers Mountain gondola and get to the "top of the world" or trek on one of the "best driving highways in the world" to see Athabasca Glacier where you can wind your way up the time-worn paths or take the tram right onto the icy expanse itself!

Stay at the beautiful Maligne Lodge (take a look at room 200 for the best views and remodeling!), and you won’t want to go home if you don’t have to. If that is the case, we are told by the locals, you would join hundreds who have felt the same way and done the same thing.

Coming back to Edmonton after this incredible destination may seem a let down for some, but for Lisa and I it meant a great chance to start more connections with those wishing to come to beautiful Costa Rica… it’s all about the weather and places one has never seen before. If you are reading this blog and thinking, "You’re right, Ryan, maybe I should see the goats of Jasper or THE OAKS in Costa Rica." Do it. Get out, get active, see it all… the world affords us so many gifts. Enjoy them!

A Regal Experience

Last you left Lisa and I, we were traveling from the beautiful possibilities of Thunder Bay for another road trip, this time making our way toward the city of Winnipeg (anyone hear a bear?) We got into the city (early for a change) and found the Marlborough hotel where we would be spending time in one of those attractive turn of the century palaces with all the modern conveniences Lisa and I craved…like wireless internet. Moved in and worn out, we located ourselves in the Regal Beagle (attracting me of course because of its THREE’S COMPANY reference) and enjoyed the company of Robyn- hostess, bartendress, and server goddess…needless to say, she did it all and took care of us. On top of that, she fell madly in love with the Aroma Muchacho, who was so enamored with the place that he stayed over that night. I had the chance to go out and meet some of the locals of Winnipeg as well and found they couldn’t be friendlier, asking me to join them in a karaoke competition (no, I didn’t need to compete and yet roused some more uncertain people to take the stage) while they listened to a bit of my Costa Rica rants- i.e. The Oaks.

The next day it was time for Lisa and I to again “shove off”, move on, even farther west to the province of Saskatchewan where we met some friendly young men who work for the ever present Oil Fields. They talked about all the great places they had journeyed to in Mexico but were thirsty for something different…and The Oaks in Guanacaste seemed just the drink to make their mouth water. In the end they couldn’t be more pleased or excited by the information we had to bring them and awaited their travel in the near future to the province…hopefully joining Lisa and I at The Oaks for their next adventurous visit.

Though Regina and Loydminster of Saskatchewan may not have been the most exciting places we have visited, with multiple oil wells and obviously newly purchased SUVs and HUGE trucks (signs of economic growth), the people and the conversations we had were some of the most positive and excited encountered since Thunder Bay.

Soon enough it was time we came to a familiar destination, Edmonton (only two hours or so from Loydminster), a place Lisa and I felt fairly comfortable (and better since the last time we saw it in February…brrr). All we can say is that in less time than it takes to say “do you think I will thaw” we were deep in the heart of the city at a place we knew would be great for future, potential meetings or focus groups…Hudson’s Public House. This place had it all, with beautifully designed wood-work walls and floors, including a back room that seemed to echo Independence Hall itself, we quickly realized it would be a phenomenal location for bringing people together to learn more about Costa Rica …and of course, The Oaks.

After meeting with two of our favorite Oaks Owners turned great friends, Sol and Judy F., for an incredible dinner in South Western Edmonton, we knew that we had truly made the rounds and had come full circle. It was nice to hear that “the dynamic duo” (this time I mean Sol and Judy) couldn’t be more pleased with their Oaks purchase and on top of that they couldn’t wait to get back! After being away from Costa Rica for nearly a month and a half, Lisa and I couldn’t be more understanding of that growing need but, as we broke bread and passed the potatoes, we said we would all be back soon.

Thank-you Canada for all you have taught us about your land of plenty and the people within it. We learn more everyday and, as we do, know that we couldn’t have come at a better time…nor met better people!

Check back in the next few weeks for more of Lisa and Ryan’s Excellent (if not Chilly) Adventure!

POOH COUNTRY: The Transcontinental Canadian Highway

DISCLAIMER: The following is simply an entertaining outline of our Canadian tour thus far. As per our Abagado’s (Costa Rican lawyer’s) instructions (not to be confused with an avocado or abominable snowman), we have left out the hours upon hours worth of travel play-by-play (“Look a tree! Look, another Tree!”), in-depth Canadian research (“Is it ‘Eh?’ or ‘Ehh!’?), and brilliant marketing concepts and meetings, which we will not disclose for reasons of retaining our intellectual property, competitive edge, and secret spices ( Such as the rigorous hunt to discover where Winnie The Pooh really comes from: White River or Winnipeg?) We hope that this edited format will allow the reader to fill any gaps with their own imagination of what Canada must be like. Go ahead, succumb to the fantasy!
-Ryan

Only an hour out of Toronto, toward the Transcontinental Canadian Highway, Lisa and I encountered…snow! And LOTS of it! Those who have lived in large cities understand how drastically weather can change once you leave a town…and this moment was no exception. Driving a car without snow tires and (at this point) window tinting pealing off of the car in huge shiny strips due to the temperature change, The OAKS Travel Team decided to pull off into an outlet mall along the way for some shelter and to get Ms. Lisa a REAL coat!

This place had it all: a leather clothier, sports wear, hip hop apparel…but very little WARM coats. Lisa and I immediately realized that Canadians are much heartier than we, and therefore don’t need coats! It was enough to make the two of us retreat to the warmth and safety of The Oaks! After a great amount of hunting, we found at least one good coat and some very strange pants for me (with glow-in-the-dark, reflective strips at the calves…don’t ask!) After hitting one of Canada’s better chain coffee stops, “Coffee Time”, and with some travel info passed on to us from the very helpful young man attending the place, we were “fueled up” with enough energy to get back on the still snowy road. Little did we know that we wouldn’t be getting too much farther.

As I have mentioned earlier, we had purchased our “chariot”, the JEEP, in Florida and for those who have ever made a car purchase in that area, you know that you don’t get “snow tires” and you DON’T get HEAT! We were freezing cold within an hour, so we consulted our trusty Lonely Planet CANADA guide to learn that not too far ahead was the town of Midland where they were certain to have lodgings, food, and hopefully a place to get the JEEP checked out. Luck was definitely with Lisa and me, as we pulled into the Midland Best Western’s Highland Inn…right across the street from the local JEEP dealership! Huzzah!

Lisa and I took this opportunity to set up “The Oaks Nerve Center” in this very well appointed hotel with wireless connections near an attractive fire-side table in the lounge…entertained for hours by what seems to be the “vocal hero of all Canada”, Rod Stewart! We must have heard Rod’s jazzy duet album in nearly every place we went, as well as in the car! Rock on Rod! With warmth in our veins and some food in our stomachs, as well as the JEEP in the shop, we settled in for more snow and a few days work. Thanks especially to Ms. Tess at the hotel’s restaurant for all her help and good natured spirits, as well as the JEEP dealership’s staff who quickly diagnosed the problem and had it fixed in a timely and cost-effective fashion! A few days’ fast forward, Lisa and I are in our newly warmed JEEP and back on course, heading through the beautiful countryside of Canada along the coast of Lake Huron to our next stop, Sault Saint Marie!

The trip, a mere 5 hours or so, from Midland to Sault Saint Marie was filled with postcard worthy vistas and some unforgettable sights, including the famed Canadian Inookshook- a native creation of piled local granite in the shape of a person to aid weary travelers toward a good path and their destination. Along the way, Lisa and I must have seen over a hundred of these decorative denizens of good tidings, but not ONE moose! We stopped for a delicious breakfast at a roadside cabin styled hotel and restaurant called the Voyaguer’s Lodge and Cook House. The small-town, local atmosphere of this establishment, coupled with some of the most beautiful views of Lake Huron, makes it a must if you make this incredible trip. See the gift shop for music by local artists and postcards to send your less adventurous friends and family.

As you can see from these pictures, if it is pure, unadulterated nature that you want, this is the spot…but don’t expect too many places to stop along the way. One can drive for miles and miles without seeing anything but high mountain views overlooking the Huronic waters and jutting crags of granite…which was fine with Lisa and I. Along the way, don’t miss Sudbury and the world’s largest minted Nickel! A few hours later Lisa and I could see the skyline of Sault Saint Marie, a large and sprawling mini-metropolis a stone’s throw away (no kidding) from the Michigan border where we found lodging at the Holiday Inn. Much to our surprise and joy the hotel was holding a convention for over 200 soon-to-be hockey referees from all over Ontario. Many hours of chatting with these gents gave both Lisa and I a firmer grasp on the ins and outs of that most important of Canadian past times, as well as many opportunities to fill them in on the wonders of Costa Rica and the investment possibilities at The Oaks!

The next morning, Lisa and I found the BEST restaurant in all of SSM, Vincenzo’s with incredible breakfast options and my newly found favorite food of all time… the Canadian Butter Tart. After the morning feed, we set into town with a trusty “what to do in SSM” map, hunting for the must-see tourists traps…and we found them. All ten of them! The local history museum was filled with intriguing information and imagery from the town’s past, as well as trinkets and outfits from days gone by. After a drop by the local music store (where I got a jaw harp and Lisa some drum sticks), we drove over to the famed SSM lochs system which, as you can see, was frozen over but a very nice place to see some wildlife and take a brisk walk. Last but never least, Lisa and I had to try out the SSM casino! With a few dollars in a hand and an equally small amount of time to spend, we sat down at some of the machines, feeding the slots. Low and behold Ms. Lisa was a WINNER and we walked out with nearly double what we came in with. Brilliant!

The next day we said goodbye to our newly made referee friends and Janet Gregorof the Diamond Cut Tribute Band (a Neil Diamond show that was selling out at the SSM theatre) to get back on the road, this time for Thunder Bay! This drive was equally beautiful with must see stops such as the sleepy town of WAWA with its huge goose statues! Just as the sun was about to set, we were within “spitting distance” of Thunder Bay, so we stopped for some dinner at Gus’ Greek Restaurant & Lounge (seeing a pattern in Canadian road-side names?) This may be one of the last places before you meet the shores of Lake Superior where you can get authentic Greek food…mmm.

At days end, we finally made it, all the way along the great expanse of both the Huron and Superior lakes to arrive near the final edge of Ontario in Thunder Bay. We made reservations to stay in the Prince Arthur hotel, historic for being the first of its kind in this area, built by the same men who brought the railway here, around the turn of the century, in the shadow of the famous SLEEPING GIANT- a huge mass of granite hills along Lake Superior that collectively look like a slumbering creature with human features. The story goes that the native peoples’ god of the sea gave them the secret location of Ontario’s gold deposits but informed his faithful that if they divulged this information to the white man, that he would turn to stone and disappear forever from their sight. Well, with the SLEEPING GIANT still in his resting position, you would think the white man succeeded. Actually, at the “foot” of the giant supposedly lies the flooded entrance to the gold mines, forever unavailable to any who wish to seek their fortune there.

Thunder Bay proved to be a beautiful, if not slightly declining, city that reminded me of towns from my youth in Pennsylvania with the young people moving out, along with the businesses, leaving closed store fronts and vacant homes. We discussed “the life” in Thunder Bay with the locals and usually got the same response, “There is so much to do in the summer, this isn’t a really great time to be here.” Well, we will take their word for it because from everything we read in tourist brochures, they are correct. When the snow and ice disappears from this lakeside town, out come the Ontario tourists to enjoy all the natural beauty, camping, hiking, fishing, festivals, parks and all the other things about Thunder Bay Lisa and I will miss out on. Oh well, perhaps we will be back someday. Thanks greatly to our in-town informant and one of the best waitresses EVER, Ms. Megs! Can’t wait to see you in CR!

Check back with us in a few days, as there is so much more to read and see of Ryan and Lisa’s AWESOME (if not once again CHILLY) Adventure!

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!