We Could Live Here!!!

Gene looks out over lower Arcos from the wall at the park.

Arcos de la Frontera

It only took a day to know that this pueblo blanco would be our home for awhile.

Spanish Cooking School

Almuerzo es listo!
Who Says Spanish cooking lessons are expensive? Francisca & Laurie make dinner.

Mark Visits Costa Rica!

The Best Coffee in This World!!!

For nearly two years my older son Mark has been saying things like "I definitely need a break at the end of this quarter. I'll be down in about two months." And I always knew he meant it, even though every quarter end turned into "next quarter" due to work commitments that always sound way too stressful. What a fabulous treat to finally get to see him again. The visit was way too short, so we did the shortened version of the waterfall gardens tour, which makes an interesting stop at a coffee farm as well as the waterfalls with the butterflies and the hummingbirds and the "tipico" lunch. We both had a great time.

A long climb-and a little wet!

Aunt Mary Comes to Costa Rica!

Last summer when she was supposed to be celebrating her birthday, Gene's Aunt Mary was busy doing hurricane preparedness and recovery routines in Florida (remember Charlie, Frances, Ivan and Jeanne?). So her daughter Barb and Barb's husband Chick decided that February would be a great time to get out of Buffalo, NY, stop off in Florida to meet Aunt Mary and bring her to Costa Rica for a belated birthday celebration! We were soooo excited to have them visit!



At Hotel Bougainvilla, a leisurely walk thru the gardens and then conversation in the bar

Aunt Mary Does the Waterfall Gardens

Busy Week with Aunt Mary, Barb & Chick

Day at Zoo Ave: Monkeys, Birds and All

Dale joined us for lunch at Teatro Nacional

Adios, Aunt Mary - Please Come Again!

Picture below is on our patio. Pic on right is at Bougainvilla.

Try as we did, we couldn't talk them into staying! We're just hoping that all of them will come again. But we may need a few months to recover from trying to keep up with Aunt Mary!

Que mujer!