West Coast Winter Break

Glen is enjoying what the university calls an admin year.  It means he can work when he likes, doing what he likes and they still pay him.  He decided to do an exploratory project on microbiomes and a conference in Vancouver, British Columbia, would kick-start this project.  By extending our stay, we'd also have a chance to visit family before going over to Victoria for a couple of weeks.

We arrived Wednesday morning a bit late due to de-icing the plane in Calgary.  It was sunny and warmer than the -20ºC we'd left in Alberta.  Our hotel, Westin Bayshore, sits on the water and close to downtown and Stanley Park.  We even had a room with a view!  Modern skyscrapers with sweeping lines and sparkling windows surround the hotel and nestled at its feet is a marina with sleek yachts and funky 'house' boats.

Glen's meeting began soon after we arrived so I had a quick lunch at Starbucks then headed along the seawall toward Canada Place with its unique roof, reminiscent of sails.  It was the Canada Pavillion during Expo '86 and hosted over 5 million people.  It is now a cruise ship terminal and home to a hotel and several restaurants.

Camera in hand, I wandered the waterfront.  Looming before me, with Canada Place in the background, was the Vancouver Convention Centre.  At this time of year, its 'living' roof (6 acres) is an ugly, shaggy brown but I commend the idea of nurturing 400,000 native grasses and a bee colony in the middle of a bustling downtown.   A striking, Lego-like statue of an Orca whale (see photo) caught my eye so I left the waterfront to check it out.  In doing so, I found Jack Poole Plaza and the site of the Olympic Cauldron.  As the Sochi Winter Olympics were taking place, I thought the cauldron would be lit (Calgary's was) but no, it was too expensive.  Public pressure has since forced PavCo to light the flame and private donations should keep it lit.

Douglas Coupland, an artist whose name I actually recognized, created the pixelated whale statue, entitled the 8-bit Orca for Canadian Videogame Awards in 2010.  It is an unique piece and I enjoyed using it as a focus for my photographs of the harbour.  On the other side of the convention centre was an equally interesting sculpture of an elongated water drop.  Called The Drop, the artistic group who designed it, Inges Idee, felt it an homage to the power of nature but most Vancouverites believe it refers to the fact they have so much rain (160 inches/year).

Upon returning to our hotel, a woman passed close by and said my name.  It was Elma!  She and her husband, Tony, were also at the conference.  We walked and talked our way into Stanley Park until my feet began to hurt.  I had neglected to change into my sneakers before heading out.

That evening we joined them for dinner at Cardero's a pub which sits on the waterfront a couple of minutes from the hotel.  We didn't have reservations but luckily, they one table left.  Glen and I began with a half dozen Kusshi oysters that Glen always describes as tiny flavour buds.  Arctic Char was the special and we enjoyed it with Granville Island Cypress Honey Lager beer.

Final Day

The sun finally returned to Costa Rica on our last day.  Since Glen isn't actually a chair anymore, he decided he could be late for the meeting so we slept in and had a leisurely breakfast.  We did some shopping in the hotel gift shop as it had many unique Costa Rican products then he attended the meeting while I sat on the pool deck and read.  Several friends joined me so we did lots of chatting and relaxing.  Several of us then went to see the presentation for next year's meeting.  Glen and I weren't sure we'd go but wanted to see what was being offered.  St Kitts, so yes, we're signing up for that trip.

The closing banquet that evening was to be on the Pacific Coast with a view to enjoying the sunset.  Of course, there was a bus ride first so we got dressed up and left the hotel at 3pm.  We travelled south through the central valley then made our way to the coast.  At one point, we crossed the famous Crocodile Bridge over the Tarcoles River and saw huge crocodiles lounging in the river mud.  They are American crocodiles and some are supposed to be over 100 years old.  They're well-fed by the river's fish and the odd cow that wanders too close.  You can get down close to them but would you want to?

When the bus reached the coast, it began a long climb up a coastal mountain (350 feet) to reach the Zephyr Palace straddling its top.  We stepped through the banquet hall into a scene from a Greek play.  Columns topped with plants soared above an infinity pool overlooking the Nicoya Gulf of the Pacific coast.  Warm shadows cast by the setting sun and the hotel's golden facade lit the night.  A guitar duo entertained us as we stood awestruck by the beauty of the scene.

Did I bring my big camera to the banquet?  No.  But, I had my iPhone and I've been impressed with the quality of its photos so I didn't hesitate.  Perhaps with better equipment I would have captured the nuances of the light and setting but I was very happy to photograph what I could.  And take pleasure in a lovely night spent with friends.

After the sunset, we entered the banquet hall and began to hear the wonderful notes of an operatic tenor.  What with choosing our meal and being served, his song was lost to the crowd but gradually we came to hear his voice.  As dinner progressed, we were serenaded by classic opera sung by a trio, soprano and baritone complementing the tenor.  It was an amazing experience.  They lightened the fare with songs from the Phantom of the Opera but most were short arias from famous operas.  The singers waltzed among our tables and at one point, the baritone and tenor did a duet over ours.  I swear I could feel the music surging through my chest as they sang.  It actually moved me to tears which is something I thought would never happen.  What a magical evening!

The dinner was exquisite as well.  It began with chilled cucumber and avocado cream with chunks of blackberry aspic.  What a taste sensation!  I had mahi-mahi with plantain and jasmine rice while Glen had chicken with spinach mousseline.  Dessert was a chocolate terrine which was too rich for my blood so Glen devoured two.  We all wanted the night to last forever but of course, we had a bus ride back to the hotel.  Most had early morning flights home so no one lingered at this magnificent hotel.

We didn't leave until noon the next day so could pack at our leisure.  Just as well since the voyage back to realty was rough.  We had plenty of time in the San José airport to go through security but then as we began to board, they decided to a hand-check of all our bags.  That was everyone on the plane!  Being a little late leaving didn't have me overly concerned as we had a 2 hour connection between our flights in Houston.  Little did I know what awaited us in Texas.  Not only did we have to go through Customs (very confusing as apparently we are US citizens), pick up our bags, and go through security, we also had to take a train from one terminal to another.  One and a half hours later, we arrived at our destination with 20 minutes to spare.  That's when we learned our plane would be an hour late.  This was a good thing as I needed food!  We ate at Fuddruckers and enjoyed a beer before going to the gate.  We'd had met up with a woman from Red Deer in Costa Rica and had helped her when her Visa card had failed so passed the time chatting with her.  It was about 2am (our time) when we finally crawled into bed in Calgary.

Travel is not for the weak but it is usually well worth the effort.

Another Eco-Tour? It must be Costa Rica

Due to a full day eco-tour, the chair's meeting (remember, this is a conference) was to be held Friday evening.  We ate an early breakfast then headed to the Caribbean coast for a day of boating, hiking, and gondola riding.  Glen and I were the last on the 'big' bus so stragglers drove in less comfy ones or joined the hikers.

The tour was organized by La Selva Biological Station developed in the 1950s, by Dr. Leslie Holdridge who wanted to encourage sustainable use of the rainforest.  It was the first private nature preserve in the country featuring a combination of old growth and disturbed rainforest.  In 1968, UNESCO recognized the area as a Biosphere Reserve.

The tour aspect of the station primarily educates the newcomer to the biodiversity of the landscape within its 4000 acres.  There are workshops, lectures, and bird watching adventures to be enjoyed, taught by knowledgeable individuals. One can stay in the lodge,  do nature walks, or take a class or do as we did and partake of nature excursions.

Our boat ride began near Puerto Viejo de Sarapiquí or the Old Port.  The Sarapiqui River was once the lifeblood of the region due to its being a tributary of the San Juan River which connects Nicaragua and Costa Rica but its days as a bustling trade route died until it became a centre for eco-tourism.  It is a quaint place and would be worth exploring.

We boarded a flat-bottomed boat on the river with our guide and so began a leisurely trip on the slow moving river.  For two hours we hunted the banks for birds, monkeys, sloths, and crocodiles.  We never saw the latter but we observed many creatures living their lives along the banks.  I was glad to have my new camera with a long telephoto lens so I could snap pictures of the howler monkeys and sloths.  They loved the higher branches.  It was a serene place where the cares of life seemed to slip away.

We travelled back to La Selva for lunch and after a brief walk around the station enjoyed a great buffet with salads, rice and beans (of course), some delicious Italian-style dishes and meatloaf.  Trés leche cake was dessert and was tasty.  Like the rice and beans, each cake recipe seems to be different and depends on the nature of its creator.  

We then piled onto the bus and it slowly sank into the roadside mud (it's wet in a rainforest).  The bus driver said we ate too much!  So we disembarked.  Rocking the bus did not solve the problem but Costa Ricans are friendly, helpful people so the driver had no end of offers to pull the bus out.  With each attempt, the vehicle and method of tow (rope/chain) increased in size until it was a Dole semi that extracted us amid much cheering.  

The next excursion was an aerial tram ride through the rainforest.  The gondola system was set up so one could observe the lower forest on the ride up the mountain and then see the upper canopy on the way down.  It was a fascinating experience being close to so many birds and animals and getting a real feel for life in this environment.  There were long breaks where no one spoke as we all enjoyed the calm from such a living, breathing biomass.  In a way, I felt more connected to the earth than I had and am sure I was not alone experiencing this.  

The rough reality of our bus ride home ended our bliss but life must go on.  We arrived back at the hotel and the chairs had their dinner meeting.  I was invited to join my friends for burgers at the bar but my tooth was causing me so much pain I opted for sushi in my room and beer from the minibar.  I spent the evening reading trying to distract myself from my discomfort.  

Sushi in Costa Rica?

One thing attending the AMSMIC meetings does is open your eyes to different ideas and who would have thought learning how to make sushi would be something to do in Costa Rica.

While the chairs had their formal meeting, the spouses were invited to learn this Japanese culinary style.  I know the fundamentals of sushi-making and even have a cookbook to help me but I figured you can always learn new cooking techniques so decided to attend.  I wasn't the only one with this positive attitude so there was a great crowd having fun playing with rice balls and rolling sushi.

The chef began the class in a traditional manner of teaching from a raised dais but he soon threw that to the wind and began wandering the room, helping where he could.  He had a bevy of sous-chefs who were enthusiastic and helpful.  I finally learned how to do a roll with the rice on the outside and covered it with black sesamé seeds which I love.  We also learned how to make an 'ice cream cone' type roll using tuna drenched in Sriracha.  I ate my rejects so no one knew of my mistakes except my partner in crime, Susan.  Sherry, from New York, also sat next to me.  She was an expert but still enjoyed chatting and creating good food.  There was lots of laughter and the chefs themselves had as much fun as we did.

It was while eating my sushi I realized I had a toothache.  I've injured this tooth before and had the crack filled so knew what to expect pain-wise so began taking Advil.  I must have crushed down on it while rafting and that had aggravated my previous injury.

I was glad I'd eaten while rolling sushi as lunch was late (what else is new?).  There were three tours after the morning meetings.  We went to La Paz Waterfall Gardens while others toured a coffee plantation or did a volcano site (this was Jay's, Sherry's husband, second attempt seeing a volcano and it failed due to heavy clouds).  Again, we endured a two hour bus drive through the city and countryside.  We saw coffee plantations, banana and berry farms, and the dairy region before reaching the rainforest refuge.

This area of Costa Rica experiences heavy rainfall so was not suitable for early farming techniques.  Dairy farms were established in the 1960s when roads created by the American government during the Second World War reached the area.  Japan had cut Indonesian quinine exports to the US and it was believed that the Costa Rican cinchona tree would be a good substitute.  This proved a failure but it opened the area to people with vision.  Lee and Cindy Banks saw the potential to build a nature persevere in this cloud/rain forest area.  They began their project in 2000 as a series of trails that connected five waterfalls then added a wild animal refuge.  The aviary is home to rescue birds caught by poachers or donated by their owners.

We began our tour having toucans 'buzz' us as we wandered through this aviary then we wandered through the butterfly house.  Butterflies have become a big industry in Costa Rica and their pupa are exported to be used in schools and ceremonies such as weddings (they breed over 25 different species).  Hundreds flitted about the house and posed for pictures as if on cue.  The next exhibit housed the amphibians.  The red-eye tree frog made my day but the blue jean frogs were cute, too.  The hummingbird garden was amazing.  All the birds were wild but drawn to the freeders and foliage planted to attack them.  There were about 25 species and identifying them from my photos will be an on-going task.  After viewing the snake exhibit, we had lunch in a wonderful open cafeteria.  A coati came to mooch and I identified it before our guide told us its name.  You see, you do learn something by going to university.

The food was very good with the usual fare of beans and rice, chicken and plantains but they also had a great salad bar and served an excellent pizza.  Italian farmers settled in Costa Rica so their cuisine is often reflected in buffet choices.  I actually had dessert here as it was a creamy rice pudding that was delicious.

After lunch we wandered down the trails to the waterfalls.  I had wanted to try a new photography technique my sister, Lynda, uses when filming waterfalls.  Unfortunately, I forgot my unipod which is an essential piece of equipment but I tried bracing myself and holding my breath to keep my hand steady.  I had my old camera with me as it lets me play with the F stops to create the effect of smoothing water.  I actually had 4 cameras on this trip and used each one so I guess I'm more of a photographer than I thought.

The rainforest was chilly so I was glad I had worn my raincoat but it didn't actually rain.  The refuge is high in the mountains so be prepared for inclement weather.  Our group was slowly learning that a southern holiday didn't necessarily mean warm.

The bus ride back was long -- what can I say? so it was late when we got back to the hotel.  We decided to forego supper and have a couple of drinks before bed.  It was Glen's birthday so I humoured him.  Not so the friends we agreed to meet.  Kathy and Susan descended upon the bar with their bags of sushi and proceeded to divide it among us.  The chef had added some of his creations to their bags so we had quite a feast.  Good beer and good company--a great way to end the day!!

Whitewater Rafting

As I said in a previous post, we really couldn't wrap our minds around this Costa Rican trip so I signed us up for tours then promptly forgot about them.  I wanted Glen to go whitewater rafting for his birthday but I was nervous so didn't really embrace the idea.  We did no homework on what to expect or how to prepare.  We learned a few ideas from Sheilah Tuesday afternoon but had to compromise on our choices.  For one thing, we decided to wear our sneakers but when I saw others with sandals, I ran back for mine.  Glen's rarely wears sandals so I'd left them at home.  We did bring a dry change of clothes but wore our swim suits and a T-shirt.  I left my camera, rings, bracelets in the hotel safe and decided against wearing my glasses when rafting (a good call).

We began the morning early leaving the hotel at 6:00 am.  This was the first of many long bus rides.  Rush hour traffic in San José is bad so if you have to cross the city to reach your destination, you need to leave early.  We were promised breakfast along the way, but I've learned this could happen later rather than sooner so we had a granola bar when we woke up.

Our rafting guide, Cristian, kept us entertained as the bus wound its way through the city, into the moist cloud forest of the moutnains, and through a very wet, rain forest.  It was a dreary ride but we learned a lot.

First, Costa Rica has no standing army.  It was disbanded in 1949 and the country has been a democracy ever since.  However, the police force is strong as crime in the city is high.  You see many homes behind barred walls but even the poorest houses have satellite dishes.  There are 4 million Costa Ricans and the poverty rate is about 23% (Canada sits at around 10%) so most Costa Ricans are living well.

Second thing we learned was the country has met all five criteria for environmental sustainability and despite being only 0.1% of the world's landmass, it has 5% of its biodiversity.  25% of the country's forests are in protected which make them enticing for ecotourism, a major industry of the country.  Investors are encouraged to protect the land and even if they create areas for tourists, they have to protect the wilderness as well.

Costa Rica is a country of exports.  Their biggest export (at 20%) is microchips.  The Intel factory was close to our hotel and the education system in Costa Rica allows them to hire locally (literacy rate is 94%).  Coffee has always been associated with the country since the first beans were introduced from Africa 200 years ago.  We didn't see a Starbucks shop but they do buy their coffee beans from the region.  Most of the plants grow in the Central Valley around the main cities.

Originally, the coffee was sold to Europe so Costa Rica asked an American to build a railway from the valley to the Caribbean coast.  They rewarded him with land on which he grew bananas that he exported to the US that soon rivalled coffee as the prime export.  Later, the country began growing pineapples which became the third cash crop for the nation.

We were pretty tired when we finally reached the Rios Tropicales Operations Center.  We'd been in the bus for two hours and ready to eat.  We had a hearty breakfast of omelettes, rice and beans (gallo pinto), fruit, juices, and coffee.  Then back on the bus for a ride to the Pacuare River.  We learned some 'survival' techniques should we fall into the river which didn't make me feel any better about the trip.  Cristian said we had to prepare to get very wet but the lifejacket would keep us warm.  We also had helmets and paddles.  Apparently, the best way to keep from falling overboard is to paddle.  We learned Forward (paddle), Back (paddle), Lean In and 'oh Shit' techniques.  Each was used on numerous occasions.  The last term meant everyone slipped into the raft and lifted up their paddles but Glen was too tall so he just leaned in.  Whenever we finished a particularly hard bit of rapids, we'd touch our paddles together and cry "Pura Vida" or "Good Life"!!  This is an important phrase in Costa Rica and can have many meanings.  It's also a great drink made with Guaro syrup (sugar cane distillate).

The rafting experience was 18 miles of whitewater or 3.5 hours of paddling through some wonderful rainforest jungle, canyons and of course, rapids.  We began in a flowing river which allowed us to get a feel for the raft but the calm was short-lived and we were soon bouncing through what I believe were Class II rapids which are said to be of moderate difficulty and in need of a good boat and guide. We had both.  We practised our manoeuvres so when we hit the first Class III rapid, we were as prepared as we could be.  These were rapids with numerous waves, high rocks with eddying waters through narrow passages.  Fortunately, we had a scout kayaking before us to lead the way.  Ours was the first of three rafts so we did see what to expect.  There are 4 Class IV rapids on the Pacuare.  These are described as long rapids, high waves, boiling eddies, and requiring an expert boatman.  Yes!  They were pretty darn scary but once the raft slid through them, it was exhilarating.  You can see the photos the company took of our trip through this river here.

We had several incidents as we traversed the river.  Each boat had a swimmer or someone who falls out.  Glen fell from our boat on a Class IV rapid which was scary.  He hung on while our guide flew down the raft to grab him.  With the help of our friend, Jay, they hauled him out.  Cristian said he'll never forget the sight of Glen's long legs flying into the air.  Another problem with his legs was he couldn't sit well on the front of the boat so kept slipping into me.  Fortunately, he pushed me into the boat rather than out but it wasn't easy scrambling up from the bottom of the raft.  As many of you know, I don't do well with zodiac-type boats (Galapagos) and this was no exception.  My bum hurt for days from the raft's slippery surface.  I thought my arms would suffer from paddling but I didn't have any stiffness.

Would I recommend doing it?  Yes, but please make sure you are dealing with a reputable company who has talented and hard-working guides.  Ensure that safety is foremost in their minds.  Cristian made sure he had me in his boat as I was the most nervous.  He wanted to make sure I would enjoy my trip (maybe I needed a more watchful eye, too).  I think our crew surprised him in our paddling efforts as he did 'tread the needle' of two big rocks which the other rafts avoided.

It was a short bus ride back to the operations center where we could get out of our wet clothes and enjoy a hot lunch.  Cristian said, "Breakfast is rice and beans but lunch is beans and rice".  We also had great chicken and delicious candied plantains.  A Segua beer washed it all down.

Most of us dozed on the long bus ride back to the hotel because the day wasn't over for us.  The conference's opening reception was that evening and we all wanted a long hot shower to warm up before that.  Dinner was served on the pool deck and it was chilly.  I wore a shawl but in the end, Glen got me my jacket as I was shivering so much.  The buffet was everything from yes, rice and beans, to cerviche (a variety of raw seafood dishes).  We sat with Neil and Jennifer, Sharon and Richard, Kathy and Ray (from Québec), and Baghi and his wife from Western Ontario.  It was a fun night but I wasn't the only one who was cold and tired and opted to go to bed early.  Those who didn't do the rafting trip got caught in a deluge while on their Tortuguero Park tour.  They saw lots of wildlife but felt the heavy rain really diminished the trip's enjoyment.

Lazy Day

We had plans to golf on our second day in Costa Rica but ended up socializing instead.  It was a nice way to spend a lazy, cloudy day.  We began by breakfasting with Sue and Henry, friends we snorkelled with in Maui two years ago.  It was good getting caught up with their lives.  They finished before we did so left to walk the nature trail around the hotel.  We moved to another table to drink coffee with Neal and Jennifer as they ate their breakfast.  When they left, we joined Martha and George for a chat and began making plans for dinner.  Glen wanted to return to the Grano de Oro and George was game.

We then hunted down Sue and Henry and invited them to dinner before Glen made the reservations and hired the same cab driver we'd had the previous evening.  After a stroll around the hotel and a brief visit to the gift shop, we ate lunch on the patio.  I had a lovely avocado stuffed with shrimp as I was still full from breakfast.  I learned later that avocados are imported and one could cost close up to $4.00! Glen had a delicious club sandwich.  We washed this down with Segua red ale made by Craft Brewing.  The label was intriguing and we soon learned its meaning.

When Costa Rica was young, the indigenous and Spanish people rarely mingled.   However, a beautiful, black haired Indian woman fell in love with a Spanish soldier and they had a torrid love affair until he abandoned her.  Having betrayed her family with this forbidden affair, she was cursed, turning her into La Segua.  She serves two functions in this legend, she warns woman not to be promiscuous and she saves them from the men who would prey upon them.

Late at night, she sings in the streets luring men to her.  Her beauty attaches them then she tells them she needs a ride home (notice she is hitching on the beer label).  Once inside the car, her head turns into a bloody horse skull with fire in her eyes.  Men are stricken with fear and either die or stop their womanizing ways making the streets of Costa Rica safer.  It is a warning not to drink too much but the beer was so good, it was hard to resist.

After lunch, we were going to sit by the pool but it was chilly so ended up spending an enjoyable afternoon reading in our hotel room.  We then registered for the meeting, see Sheilah and learning a few things about our tour the next day.

Supper at the Grano de Oro was magnificent.  We enjoyed the meal with Sue and Henry, George and Martha and, Alan and Denise (from Cape Cod).  Glen and I shared the rabbit/pork paté then he had roasted rabbit while I enjoyed the Snook.  I knew it was a fish but had never had one before.  It was tasty and I'd eat it again.  Glen ordered the pavlova dessert and it was an unusual version where the meringue was a twist of egg white and the fruit was the feature.  Everyone else's meals were excellent so we were happy we could introduce more diners to this venue.

Costa Rica Bound

Over the last four months, our lives have been in turmoil.  We sold our 'old' house, lived with our daughter and then moved into our new townhouse.  We worked like fiends to get the new place ready for Christmas and somehow booked our trip to Costa Rica to enjoy the annual AMSMIC meeting.  Theoretically, this was our final meeting since Glen stepped down as chair at the end of October and moved out of his office in December.  We made our bookings in a daze and really didn't get excited about the meeting and its tours until we arrived.

Our trip, on January 19th, was pretty uneventful except all my meals consisted of sandwiches.  The best one being a chicken panini (Glen had a burger) I ate at Bubba's Grill in the Houston airport.  We enjoyed Fat Tire beers and watched snippets of the Bronco/Patriot's semi-final football game.  We had three hours to kill and actually began to relax.

We landed in Juan Santamaría International Airport near the Costa Rican capital city of San José around 10pm and met up with some others from the meeting.  Juan Santamaría was a drummer boy who died in 1856 fighting for his country against the American, William Walker, a filibuster bent on ruling Central America.

We grabbed a minibus for the 15 minute drive to the Marriott San José (taxies are cheap, take US dollars, and don't expect tips).  I had seen pictures of the hotel so was relieved to recognize it as we drove through an industrial area.  Glen likened it to driving with Mike when he played his game, Grand Theft Auto as the buildings looked pretty scary.

After checking in, we tumbled into bed and slept in the next day with no real plans.  Breakfast was included so we dined in the hotel (turns out there was no other choice as the hotel was isolated).  They served traditional breakfast fare so over the week Glen indulged in eggs, bacon, pancakes, french toast, etc. while I had smoked salmon, potatoes, beans and rice, chicken stock (chicken broth with cilantro), fruit and a mild soft cheese called Turrialba named for a town in the dairy area of Costa Rica.

It was a sunny morning so we decided to warm ourselves by the pool.  We hadn't realized this hotel was not on a beach (remember we didn't do much research before this trip).  This meeting was based on exploring the eco-tourism that has become the focus of Costa Rica's tourism industry.  At the pool, we met several people we knew enjoying the day and ended up having a long chat with Randy and Kay who live in Denver.  They invited us to go to a museum in the afternoon but as with most museums, Costa Rican ones are closed on Mondays.  Instead, we planned to eat supper with them.  The concierge recommended a restaurant and arranged to have a minibus take us there.

After a leisurely lunch on the Antigua's restaurant's deck where Glen had a Cuban sandwich and I had the Marriott burger and a local beer, Imperial, we walked the trail that wanders through the property and past the driving range.  We had brought our golf gear but the closest course was a 20 minute ride so we decided to forego our golfing plans.  I think we just wanted to wind down before the meeting began.

Dinner was amazing.  The Grano de Oro (golden bean--refers to the coffee bean) is a boutique hotel with 40 rooms.  Originally a Victorian mansion, it now offers modern amenities and a fine-dining restaurant.  We were six and had a lovely table set so we could chat.  The booths would also hold six to eight but would not be conducive to conversation.  We ate with Randy and Kay, Jennifer and Neil (from Missouri) and Richard and Sharon (Nebraska).  The menu was extensive so Kay suggested beginning with a cheese platter and a rabbit/pork paté.  Glen discovered another local beer called Segua and I had Imperial while the others enjoyed wine.  I usually order fish when in a country with a coast but since Tilapia with quinoa was on the menu, I ordered this.  The first time I had tilapia was with the Embera Indians in Panama.  Glen had the Costa Rican sea bass coated in Macadamia nuts.  Did you know that Costa Rica produces the most macadamia nuts in the world?  They export them to Hawaii because that state can't meet the demand.

The local dessert is called Trés Leche (three milk) cake and the one served at Grano de Oro was delicious.  I had a bite of Glen's as it was far too sweet for me.  We divided the bill three ways and were amazed at how inexpensive this gourmet meal had been.  A 10% tip is included but we added to this as the service was superb.  Most Costa Ricans in the tourist industry speak English so we didn't have to use our rather bad Spanish.

Our minibus driver was to pick us up at 8:30pm and waited patiently until we finished at 9:00.  We all agreed it had been a wonderful evening.