Sunny Portugal

After a challenging quarter of school, a week in Portugal was a fantastic way to unwind and recharge. The sun and blue skies were a welcome change from the rainy and windy weather of Delft. A classmate and I spent 3 nights in Porto and 4 nights in Lisbon, where we met up with one of my Canadian friend for a couple of days.

Picturesque Porto
Situated next to a wide river with steep slopes, Porto offers magnificent views and atmosphere. The town center has many monuments, historical buildings and churches, most of which have elaborate and beautiful designs. We toured Porto by foot. It turned out to be quite a lot of work to make it up and down the endless hills. The hard work was worth it.

For those who prefer chilling out on the beach, you should head west along the river. During our trip the weather wasn't quite hot enough for sun bathing, but I'm sure in the summer its a fantastic place to lay out a beach towel and soak up some vitamin D. Even without sunbathing we were able to enjoy the sun on the patio of one of the many cafes.

  

One of my favorite parts of our time in Porto was when we crossed the river into Gaia where the Port Cellars are found. After randomly walking great distances trying to find our own way, getting lost and then asking for help, we found what we were looking for. We toured a few of the cellars, after which we got to sample some great Port for free. I came home with a few bottles ;).

 

One of the biggest challenges in Porto was that I don't know Portugese and most of the people there don't know English. For my first meal, I made an educated guess on what to order. My guess was half right: I got Bacalhau (cod). What went wrong was that it was steamed, which was definitely not what I was expecting. I was envious of my friend who got the fried variety. We had more success communicating with waiters along the river, which is a popular place for tourists to eat.

Lovely Lisbon
The capital of Portugal is much bigger and busier than Porto. City center is filled with cafes, restaurants, hotels and historical beauty. While still hilly, Lisbon is flatter than Porto. The distance between many monuments is far enough that we opted to both use public transport and hitch a ride on the tourist buses.

Situated on top a hill overlooking the city, Saint George's Castle is the perfect place to view Lisbon from above. Visitors can walk through almost all parts of this ancient structure. It has a small museum with some old artifacts, a lovely courtyard, small cafe and an archeological site. Reserve at least a couple of hours (plus the time it takes to get up and down the hill), because it is worth it to wander around all of the walkways and see the city and water from many different angles.

On our second day we opted to take the tourist buses to see the city. The company we chose had two routes. Between the two of them, we got a nice overview of city. After a few days of walking and climbing hills it was very nice to give our aching feet a rest. Also, the bus was double decker and open on the top, so we got a chance to enjoy the sun some more. The tours start at south side of Parque Eduardo VII, which stretches up a green hill with manicured shrubbery. At the top you can see all of the way down through the park, down Av. da Liberdad to the city and the water.

The next day we headed to the west of the city. Here you can see two very impressive monuments. My favorite was the Padrao dos Descobrimentos, which is a tribute to the great explorers of the 15th and 16th centuries. I highly recommend going to the top for some great views. 

The second great monument on the west side of town is the famous Torre de Belem. King John II built it as both a defensive structure and a gateway to Lisbon. You can also climb to the top and visit a few floors in between. On our trip up and down the stairs we encountered many traffic jams, because of the popularity of this site. I can't even imagine how busy it would be in high season! Of course, its worth it.

While on the west side, you should stop into a cafe and try a pastel of Belem. This egg tart pastry was invented by the nuns of Mosteiro dos Jeronimos before the 18th century.

On the east side of the city you can find many newer structures. The Expo 98 was held here, and many of the structures there today were built specifically for the expo. We visited the Oceanarium. If you like aquariums, I recommend you see it.

On our last day we took a fairy across the water into Almada to see Christo Rei, a giant monument of Jesus Christ. Its huge! Like at Padrao dos Descobrimentos and Belem, the view from the top of the structure is wonderful. 

All in all, my trip to Portugal was great! There were many new things to see and experience. We definitely go our exercise and some sunshine. And now that I have returned to Delft, its time to get back to work!

One Month Later

Looking at the date, I realize that it has been a full month since I left Canada. I'd say "time flies when your having fun", but that's only half of the case. This month has been full of both extremely fun and very unpleasant times.

The good news is that Delft is just as charming as ever, I keep making new friends and, when I have the time, there is always the opportunity for fun. Whether it be strolling the streets of city center with some good friends and a camera, grabbing a beer at a pub, dancing at a club or hanging out at a party, there are plenty of great times to be had.

There are interesting events that go on in city center. Last weekend I was pleasantly surprised to find a carnival in the square in front of the New Church. After dinner and some drinks, my friends and I payed 5 euro each to ride the "Booster" (the tall ride in the picture). While this seems a bit expensive, it was worth it. I got a night view of Delft and surrounding area, and also an upside-down view as the seat flipped.

From August 30th to September 2nd, my faculty took the new masters students to Bunnik, which is out in the countryside near Utrecht. The location was great, and the weather turned out to be quite nice. As usual, I met people and had a lot of fun. However, it is in Bunnik that I got my first indication that things were going to get very difficult. Part of the program was to have our first few lectures for our core classes.... wow, that was a shocker! As it turns out, these classes are meant for people with a bachelor's in math, which I am don't have. After telling a couple of professors about my limited math background, one of them actually said "Well, you are going to have a lot of difficulties."

Luckily, my schedule is quite open. On Monday I have one two hour class, on Thursday there is a one hour class, Wednesday is the day of hell with four two hour classes, and then every other day is free. After my first full-day Wednesday, I truly grasped how much I need that "free time" to study. That was 8 hours of "Oh #$&*, I don't know anything! I am going to fail..." That Wednesday made me extremely homesick. It was the worst day I have had since I got here.

I am pleased to say that, even though I still have a long way to go, I feel much better already. I am grasping some of the concepts. That being said, I'm sure that my days will mostly be full of studying for the entire semester. I am hoping that the other semesters won't be as bad.

Other than classes being hard, there are a few things about being an international student that are difficult. For one, it wasn't until late last week that I was able to open my bank account. A bank card is required for many things, like getting a drink from coffee machines and reloading my printer balance at school. I got by with cash, but every time I need more cash from my Canadian bank account, its costs five Canadian dollars in bank fees. Of course, I also needed my Dutch bank account to be able to receive my scholarship money. The form is in, I'm crossing my fingers that I'll get the money by next week.

The other annoyance is that new students still have not received campus cards. Given that most of us are lacking some of the background knowledge for our math courses, sometimes we need library books to study from. Without a campus card, we cannot take them out. Also, without a campus card I can't get into my faculty building on the weekends, where I have an office. Luckily, with some help, I was able to retrieve my books from my office on a Saturday, even though the security guard didn't want to let me in the building.

So, to summarize, I definitely have mixed feelings right now. But, I can still say that I am happy to be here. As time goes on, things will get easier in many ways, and I'll always have great friends around.

Finally! I'm in Delft!

Technically speaking, I arrived in Delft 5 days ago, but the last few days have been so busy that I haven't had time to post anything. So, as I sit here sipping wine and waiting for my dinner to cook, I finally have a chance to summarize my trip, arrival and first few days of settling in.

The week before I left was BUSY. From the time I came back from a trip to visit extended family to the time I left, I ended up meeting up with friends for every single lunch and dinner. There was last minute preparations, packing and shopping for necessary gear. All in all, I didn't get much sleep.

My flight was in the afternoon on a Friday. The check-in counter was less than pleasant. The lady at the counter first weighed my carry-on, then informed me I'd have to reduce the weight by 2kg. Fair enough... Once I repacked my bags, she then asked me to measure its dimensions in the device they had. It was very very close, only one of my wheels got caught on the top rail. Because of this she made me pack as much as I could into my backpack and check the bag. I was not pleased, to say the least.

Once I got though security, however, things got significantly better. I was called to the flight desk, where I was informed that I was randomly chosen to be upgraded to first class for free! Needless to say, this was the most pleasant flight I've ever been on. To top it off, I had some great conversations with the Dutch guy in the seat next to me.

After I arrived, collected my luggage and went through customs, I was greeted by TUD volunteers who brought me to the Welcome desk where I was given important documents. Shortly after I was taken by shuttle to my residence in Delft, where another volunteer was waiting to guide me to my apartment.

My first weekend involved some pre-organized evening activities and unpacking my bags. The was a daytime city rally organized, but my cell battery died, and so I ended up sleeping through it. It was just as well, since the extra sleep likely helped me to be more energetic at the welcome party that evening.

This week is introduction week. I've attended some lectures, met up with and worked with a project group, met a tonne of people and bought many things for my apartment. Today I (finally) found a bike. Now, I need to get a local cell phone, buy a few more items for my apartment and take care of a few more things.

Tomorrow (Thursday) is my last day for this week. Next week my faculty has organized a four day camp in a "secret location". All in all, I'll say that my trip to Delft has been great so far. I've met some wonderful people, seen some of the beauty of the city and I am becoming more organized. I am almost ready to begin my studies. I am so happy to be here, and I'm sure the next year will be great!

Great Wine and Tan Lines

Before my departure for Europe, I really needed some quality RnR time with one of my closest girl friends. The solution? A road trip to the beautiful Okanagan of British Columbia, Canada. The hot sun, crystal clear lakes, orchards, wineries, food and many other attractions was a perfect way to fill five days of quality girl time. Of course, this region is great for guys, couples and families as well. We spent most of our time in and around Kelowna.

Our most frequent activity was cruising around the side roads looking for wineries and fresh fruit. Most wineries have free tastings. The ones with a fee (three to five dollars)  allow you to apply the cost of the tasting towards the purchase of a bottle of wine. One mistake I made was buying too many bottles from the first winery we visited. With my flight to the Netherlands approaching, I had to limit the amount of wine I bought to what I will be able to polish off before the flight. Another worthwhile liquor tasting is the Raven Ridge Cidery, which features iced ciders. These are similar to ice wine, but for a fraction of the price. 

Rainier cherries and peaches were the main fruits in season. Both were very flavorful. Also an awesome find were strawberry-rhubarb and blueberry-rhubarb-apple pies. We were sad to discover that the grapes were nowhere near ripe... I love wine grapes. 

Most of the restaurants we visited were good, other than a couple of breakfast locations. Of note is the last place we went for dinner, RauDZ. It is somewhat pricey, but worth it. The stuffed calamari appetizer (in the picture) was fantastic. The filling was perfectly moist. It was a nice change from the typical battered and fried varieties that are found at most restaurants. We loved the fresh fruit sangria. I had the blue cheese new york steak and my friend had the arctic char. For desert, we shared the featured cherry mousse, which was just a taster size.... perfect considering we were already stuffed! Overall, RauDZ was a very good food find. 

Also of note:

Moo-Lix Icecream Shop: many fantastic flavors of ice cream on freshly made waffle cones.

Blenz Coffee: We had many shaken iced-teas from here. Their baked items were also good.

Siam Orchid Thai Restaurant: I loved my greed curry and the atmosphere.

Momo Sushi Cafe: Very fresh and tasty sushi for a decent price and friendly staff.

Marmalade Cat Cafe: Awesome Sunday brunch. I got the Eggs Benedict with sweet potato and regular potato hashbrowns. Yum.

If you like goat cheese, check out Carmelis Goat Cheese Artisan. They offer a free tasting of all of their cheeses. There was a nice variety of flavors. Some are quite strong in taste, but worth trying at least once. We ended up buying a softer cheese and ate most of it for dinner along with some French bread, fruit and, of course, wine. If you make it out to the farm, definitely try the gelato. I found it to be slightly creamier than the cow's milk variety. The flavor of the goat's milk was noticeable, but overall pleasant for most flavors.

This post wouldn't be complete without mentioning the lake. The water was clear, the sun was hot, the atmosphere was wonderful. I would have loved to cruise the water on a motorboat, but that will have to wait for a future trip. While we were there, unfortunately there were some nearby forest fires that added a haze to the lake, so in some places it was difficult to see across the lake. On the upside the smoke wasn't too thick and we couldn't smell it.

  

While the food and lounging in the sun took up most of our time in the Kelowna, I should also mention some of the other things we enjoyed. Downtown Kelowna is beautiful. We loved the flowers, street performers and Japanese gardens. Our visit to Croc Talk, a Crocodilian conservation facility, was surprisingly fun. We did not expect to get so close to crocodiles, aligators, wild cats and tortoises. 

As far as accommodations go, our first couple of nights were in the Samesun hostel, and our last three were at the UBC Kelowna campus. They were of comparable price. Samesun had the advantage of being close to downtown. We got a private room, but the washrooms were shared. UBC had the advantage of separate rooms with our own private washroom. It was very new and clean. However, we did notice that noise travels through the vents when our young neighbors above us attempted to have a conversation though the washroom vent. The out-of-town location made it harder to go out at night, but didn't really make a difference otherwise since we had to drive around to get to the wineries and farms. 

This trip to the Okanagan was just what I needed before I fly away to Europe. We didn't have a strict schedule, which made it easy to relax. If you need to unwind, take a trip to the Okanagan.

Stuff: Pack, Store or Discard?

Even though I am not leaving for the Netherlands for another 23 days, I have only five days left in my home town (maybe one or two more). So, for the past two days I've been going through my stuff and deciding what to pack, what to store and what I don't care to keep anymore. My airline includes 23kg of checked baggage (eg- one suitcase) and 10kg of carry-on, plus a purse and a laptop bag. Extra baggage is $10/kg, but only when purchased at least 10 days ahead of time, otherwise its $15. So, space is tight, and expensive. I've opted to spend extra for another bag (15-20kg). So, the mission is to reduce my life's collection of stuff into 43-48kg worth of luggage, including the weight of the bags.

Before I came anywhere close to packing, I had to decide what I'll use for luggage. Well, I do already have some Atlantic Suitcases that I originally purchased to take to Switzerland. They have served me well on many trips. BUT, the downside to suitcases are that they are bulky and relatively heavy. Buying an excursion backpack was another option. While this was not a bad idea, the pack would be bulkier, heavier and more expensive than a simple duffle bag, and I can get a backpack in Europe if/when I need one. I settled on using an Atlantic suitcase and carry-on along with a large MEC duffel bag.

I have the bags, now what should I pack? The question is: what is this worth $10/kg? The duffel bag is already almost full of clothes that had no evidence of being worn out. There is still some room left. My suitcase is currently half-full, including some shoes, jewelry, some good hair products and a few other things. My carry on will be packed later on. I have more clothes and a few other things set aside to pack when the time comes. For anything I don't already own, but will likely need, I've decided that I will buy them when I get there. The only thing left to determine is how much extra baggage to pre-purchase.

Now, what about items to store? About an month ago, I started filling a metal chest full of little treasures I cannot bear to part with. These are mostly keep-sakes: childhood creations, pictures, doodads from special days (like high school graduation), yearbooks and things I've made in recent classes (ceramics, blown glass...). In the past two days, my stored items doubled when I filled a wooden chest, which includes a few more keep-sakes, smaller sport items and other things I won't use now, but don't want to part with just yet. Other than that, my parents garage and house will store some bulkier sports equipment, a few items of clothes and some old vinyl records (thanks Mom and Dad!! You are THE BEST!).

And as for the rest: DISCARDED. The process of discarding technically started a few months ago when I moved back into my parents house. Anything that was glaringly obvious that I wouldn't need (kitchen appliances, for example) I gave away right away. In the past two days I've discarded much more than I thought I would... you know, it actually feels pretty good to realize how much junk you don't really need!

Whew! After some hard work, I'm nearly done converting my life-full-of-stuff into a life-out-of-a-suitcase (well technically, a suitcase, duffel bag and carry on). As always, there are mixed feelings, but the good far outweigh the bad. Feels great!

The Biltmore Estate

Tucked away in the hills of Asheville, North Carolina lies the opulent Biltmore Estate. On Christmas Eve 1895, George W. Vanderbilt opened the house to his friends and family. While it was originally a country escape, once George married Edith Dresser in 1898, they made the estate their family home. With a 175,000 square foot and 250 room house on 125,000 acres of land, it is safe to say that the Vanderbilts most definitely lived a comfortable life. Today, the estate sits on 8000 acres and is one of Asheville's primary tourist attractions. 

The cost to visit the estate is relatively high ($60 the day I went), but it is worth it. You may also pay to use the audio guide when touring the house. Since I had a limited timeline, I opted to simply read the free paper guide. I will spare you the details now. It is best seen in person. I found the indoor garden, billiard room, banquet hall, library, bowling alley, swimming pool, a gym and servants quarters most interesting.

For gardening enthusiasts, the Biltmore Estate has plenty of flowers, bamboo, trees and shrubbery to see. You could spend a day simply wondering the walking paths.

I found the gardens wonderful, but I liked the pond even better. There are turtles, fish and even a small man-made waterfall. And to imagine, this mountain paradise was made for just one family and their guests!

My next stop was Antler Hill. The cool walk through the wine cellars was very welcome on the sweltering summer day. Guests that are over-21 can partake in a free wine tasting and the Biltmore's award winning winery. Those concerned about the $60 entry fee may be able to recoup some of the cost, since it seemed as though there was no limit to the amount of samples you could try. Normally I prefer red wines, but I decided to buy a sweet white desert wine as well as a nice rose.

The child in me really enjoyed visiting the farm. The barnyard is filled with sheep, horses, funny looking chickens, as well as other critters. For families and animal lovers, the farm is worth the short walk from Antler Hill.

Other than what I have included here, there is much more to see and do on the Biltmore Estate. As far as food goes, I loved the chocolate filled croissant, iced latte, black cherry ice cream and my flat-bread lunch. If you are into biking, there are many paths throughout the estate. The Biltmore Estate is also a popular venue for weddings and graduation parties. If you need a place to stay, the estate has an onsite hotel. If you ever find yourself in or near Asheville, North Carolina, be sure to visit the Biltmore Estate. You will not be disappointed.

Last week at work

After a heck of a lot of waiting, my last week of work is here. Thursday is my last day! Knowing that I am THAT much closer to my awesome adventure, I am ecstatic. Though, as this 3 year part of my life comes to an end, I do have some mixed feelings. I have met so many great people, made friends and learned a lot in my first "real" job. So, in some ways, its kind of sad to say goodbye to this life I've known.

On the other hand, I CAN'T WAIT to start my new life as a foreign student in Europe!! As time passes, I only become more excited. What makes this time even better, is that the day after my last day, I leave for a trip to visit my sister and her family in North Carolina. The rest of the month and a bit before I leave for Holland is filled with other trips with family and friends. I predict the time will fly by. :)

To everyone that I met in the past 3 years, it was great getting to know you! We must keep in touch. To everyone I will be visiting before I leave, I can't wait to see you all! To everyone else that I know, I hope we have the chance to get together before I leave.

Under the Hawaiian Sun

Hawaii has been a popular sun destination for ages. Now that I have been there, I understand why. It is hot, sunny, beautiful, there is plenty to do, and it suits a variety of lifestyles. However, it is also very expensive. Fortunately for me, my friend decided to move there to attend med school (tough life, eh?) and invited me to visit her. So, for most of the trip, I had a place to stay and we did not have to rent a car, which made the trip significantly cheaper than it could have been.

First I'll rave about the SUN. There is a lot of it, and it is HOT. If you want a natural tan, you can certainly get one here. Don't forget the sunscreen though! Unfortunately for me, before one snorkeling adventure, I put sunscreen everywhere besides on my behind, assuming I'd remember to finish the job when I stood up. I assumed wrong. After a couple hours of swimming with my back side facing the sun, I was not very happy to discover the tomato red burn covering my bottom.


On the upside, the sunsets are absolutely beautiful! If you are facing west, you are almost guaranteed a sky full of color, whether you are lounging on the beach, filling your face at a luau, above the clouds on top of Haleakala Volcano (Maui) or simply enjoying a drink on a patio. I am sure sunrises are just as nice, but I never got up early enough to find out for sure.



If you are looking for underwater life, you can find it in Hawaii. Fortunately, this can be one of the cheaper activities. On Oahu Island, check out the coral reefs in Hanauma Bay. This is a national park, so there is a small entrance fee, but it is well worth it. In Maui, we swam out to Turtle Town. We did spot a couple of sea turtles (sorry, forgot my camera), but if you go at the right time of the day, you can see many more. It is a relatively long swim, but well worth it. Alternately, you can go on a tour, which is expensive, but eliminates the need to swim all the way there.

If you are willing to spend a wad of cash, there are plenty of great tours. In Maui there is Molokini, a crescent-shaped volcanic crater that is home to a beautiful reef and a resting place for seabirds. You are not allowed to step onto the land because it is a conservation area, but on a tour you can check out the amazing reef. I recommend taking the earliest tour you can find. We went on the second or third tour of the day, which was still before 8am. Although we saw many fish, we heard that the ones earlier in the day have even more. Another great tour is a shark dive. The guides drive a boat out to a cage in the middle of the water. You climb into the cage and watch sharks swim around you. Keep your arms and legs inside the bars!

For good eats and great entertainment, go to a Luau! You can experience some of the Hawaiian culture, including traditional food, music, hula dancing, tahitian dancing, fire dancing... it is an evening full of entertainment. Also, there is plenty of... eye candy... for both sexes ;)

There are some nice short hikes on both Oahu and Maui. Try the Lanikai Pillbox hike. It takes you up high to a great view of the beaches below. Along the way, you will encounter "pillboxes", which are bunkers used during World War II. You can climb into the graffiti-filled cement structures, but watch out for broken liquor bottles. A great hike in Maui is the Iao needle. A guide from our hostel took us off the marked trail and to some great views.

And last, but certainly not least, if you are into the arts, Maui is the place for you. Paintings, sculptures, blown glass.... you can find it all, and much much more. And what's more, everyone in Maui dresses down. So, even if you are not rich, gallery owners can't tell the difference and so will take the time to show their pieces to you. Yes, they will try to sell them to you, but the free information can be quite interesting.

Well, there you have it: a condensed account of my trip to Hawaii in June 2009. I only saw two of the many islands. I'd love to see the rest. Even just between Oahu and Maui, there is something for everyone... so if you can afford it, go to Hawaii!

Costa Rica!

When I graduated from my bachelor's degree, my incredibly generous Godmother took me on a wonderful vacation to the beautiful land of Costa Rica. We spent most of our time on a resort in the dry province of Guanacaste. Guided day trips were a good way of experiencing life outside of the resort. Renting a car and driving south to Manuel Antonio let us leisurely explore the coast without the schedules of the organized tours. Here are the highlights of our adventure.

The Animals

Costa Rica is FULL of all sorts of amazing wildlife. I didn't get pictures of all of the animals we saw, but here are a few decent shots:

Perhaps the most memorable animal was the white-headed capuchin monkey. Dozens of them visited our resort daily. When visitors gave them bananas, the monkeys would roll them on a branch before opening and eating them.

We also saw the capuchin's on our Palo Verde River Ride. They jumped onto the boat to beg for food while the concerned alpha male watched on. We saw an alligator (or crocodile.... I forget which), some bats, many varieties of water birds, and even a shrimp. An interesting fact about shrimp is that their bowels are very close to their brains. In the words of our guide, "Costa Rican women say that Costa Rican men are like shrimp, they've got sh*t in the brain!"

Other sightings include toucans, raccoons, lizards, sloths and howler monkeys. Also note-worthy, but in a disgusting way, were all of the giant insects in the town of Manuel Antonio. At night they come creeping out of the rainforest.... one landed on my hand while we were enjoying drinks on our balcony, which caused us to promptly move indoors.

Beauty and Relaxation

Although Costa Rica is a relatively small country, you don't have to travel far to find a difference in climate and flora. Our resort was in the dry region, but it was still lush and beautiful.  Every day, farmers set fire to their nearby sugarcane fields before they were harvested. This is done to kill deadly snakes so that the workers aren't killed by surprise attacks. The smoke leaves a bit of a haze in the area, which added to the atmosphere and spectacular sunsets, which are equally beautiful farther south in Manuel Antonio.

Travel inland or south and you'll find yourself in the rain forest, where the vegetation becomes even more lush and the climate is considerably wetter. Inland you find Monteverde, where you can explore the rain forest by walking on suspension bridges way up above the treetops. I recommend staying on trails and not touching the plants. Our tour guide informed us of some of the poisonous and otherwise dangerous plants that can give you a rash, or much worse.

We took a roadtrip down the west coast to Manuel Antonio National Park. The beaches were beautiful and hot. The water was much better suited for swimming than at the resort, other than potential rip-tides. The rain forest added a fantastic backdrop to the soft sand and rolling waves. There are relatively well maintained walking trails in the forest that lead to breathtaking views.

We didn't visit the east side of the country, but I have heard that it is worthy of a visit. 

Adventure
If you seek adventure, you can definitely find it in Costa Rica! We opted for a one-day organized adventure tour, but there is far more to do than what we were exposed to in a matter of hours.

Our tour began with a horseback ride. This took us on a trail through the trees. The path lead to hiking trail. We hopped from rock to rock to cross a river and arrived at our destination: a nice waterfall! For those not afraid of heights, it was time to JUMP!

The water was surprisingly cold, considering the hot weather. While it was a shock to my system, leaving me gasping for air, it was certainly exhilarating. I'd do it again in a heartbeat... actually, I jumped a few times. To warm up, our next stop was the mud bath. 

This was a different kind of adventure. We started with a sweat-inducing session in the sauna. The next step was to paint volcanic mud all over our bodies. I got to the mud station later than everyone else, so they gave me a helping hand. Once that dried, we showered off and sat in a hot tub for a while. Next stop: the zip-line.

After a short safety demo, we climbed to our first platform and began zooming through the tree-tops. Some of the lines were extremely high in the air, but provided some nice views of the forest and rivers below. We rappelled down to a platform above the water, then climbed back up the other side of the canyon wall. 

The adventure combo was definitely worth the money we paid. It was jam-packed with a variety of interesting activities. Going back to the resort for a delicious dinner and a drink by the water was a nice end to a perfect day.

Day Trip to Nicaragua
When you cross the northern border into Nicaragua, the differences with Costa Rica are easy to see. It is definitely a much poorer country, but it definitely has its charms. One piece of evidence showing the poverty of the nation is the frequency of seeing flee-bitten dogs. On the more charming side are the hand-made trinkets lining the streets of the first town we drove through, the wonderful scenery and our delicious lunch. Being there was a real eye-opener.

It was amazing to watch the talent of a boy making pottery with a foot-powered wheel. In a matter of minutes, he turned a lump of clay into a beautifully shaped piece of art. Now, I've tried pottery before, and I can say from first hand experience that there is a steep learning curve, and my wheel had a motor!

While I had seen the Arenal Volcano in Costa Rica, it was from a distance. This is because the concentration of toxic gases becomes very dense and fatal as you ascend. In Nicaragua, we were able to not only ascend the volcano, but also to stand right up on the edge of the crater! Very Cool! The name of this volcano escapes me, unfortunately, as does the names of the towns we visited.

The marketplace was an experience like no other. Our tourist van pulled up, and was immediately surrounded by school-aged kids, all begging for food. Once we made it through to the market, we were greeted by the older boys, anxious to be our paid guides. Since we weren't planning on buying much, we declined their help. There were hand made goods, clothing, food, cigars, and much much more. 

Upon returning to the van, we pulled out some apples. Prior to our departure a lady at the resort informed us that they would be a hit with the begging children. Boy was she right. We tried to give the treats to the smallest kids, but it was hard when there were arms flooding through the doors. Once we gave out all of the apples, the guide shooed the kids away from the door. Knowing the source of the apples, one child came to the window beside me and made an eating motion towards his mouth with his empty hand. I realized the true poverty of this place.

On the way back across the border we stopped at the duty-free zone, where you could get all sorts of great stuff. All I bought was a few bottles of Flor de Caña slow-aged Nicaraguan rum. At $7 a bottle, you can't go wrong.




All in all, my Costa Rican vacation was fantastic. I had a chance to learn about new cultures, saw beautiful landscapes, experienced mind-blowing adventures, got a tonne of Vitamin D, and so much more. On our last night, we were treated by a rather rare experience: Howler monkeys at the resort. They stayed in the tree-tops, but called down to us. We called back to them. If ever there was a perfect ending to our time in the Costa Rican sun, that was it!