Wednesday, March 9, 2016

Con gusto

In Mid November we needed to leave the country to renew our Visas.  We made the border hop over to Puerto Viejo, Costa Rica for a long weekend.  The hotel had a swim up pool bar and our  balcony overlooked the beach.  It was awesome.  We were a bit worn out by that last push to get into our house. We were extremely happy to be in our house but the to-do lists were a bit overwhelming and the lack of electricity made the lists seem more daunting.  Being forced to go do nothing but relax on the beach with the family for 72 hours was truly just what we needed.  




Good Travel Kids




We hit up the Jaguar Rescue Center.  There were no jaguars there but it was still fun.  






I almost cried a few times during our tour.  These owls mate for life and if one dies, the other will starve itself until it also dies.  The rescue center found a female close to death out in the wild because she had lost her mate.  They brought her in and rehabilitated her.  While she was there, they found a male owl who had been injured.  The male will never be able to be released due to his injuries but the female, who is free to fly away whenever she wants, will not leave her new mate.  They just had a baby together.  Tear.  




Then this huge troop of Howler Monkeys came really close to the rescue center.  The volunteers said they had never seen so many, so close.  It turns out one of the mama monkeys had been rehabilitated at the center when she was a baby and was coming back (with her troop of wild monkeys) to show her care takers her new baby.
Tear again. 



Momma and Baby


The monkeys main care giver when she was a baby there. 

There were a lot of boy monkeys with big balls yelling from the trees while the mom and baby came close.  I kept my distance from the baby.  Parents can get crazy when they think their babies are in danger.  

Cutest monkeys there



This guy is a free bird but does not fly away because his friend has a broken beak and he helps him with his food.
 TEAR. AGAIN. 

This tour should come with tissues.  



Oh my goodness was this girl hysterical in her big girl seat.  I was concerned she was too young to ride in her own seat. It was an unfounded concern.  Tohi loved it. She was so at ease and happy.  Just looking around, enjoying the independence of her own seat.  Big Girl.   

"Am I strapped in correctly?  These seem loose.  I'm in charge here, I'll check the straps."

"Everything's cool.  Let's ride."

























Making super hot and super
 slow border crossings look fun!

This guy loves a special treat drink




Most everyone is Costa Rica seems to answer "Gracias" with "Con Gusto" 
I love it.  
"With pleasure"
Well, Thank you, Puerta Viejo. 
It's been con gusto.