Costa Rica Part 2

The plane* that took us from San Jose to Tortuga was small. Actually, that's quite an understatement. You know those planes that Horizon uses to do commuter flights? The ones with the two props? Those are small. This plane was several sizes down, and would best be described as frighteningly tiny. In fact, the only way to find a smaller aircraft would probably be to get an ultra-light or maybe a hang glider.

When we first arrived at the private airfield early in the morning, we saw many small planes around and made all sorts of guesses about which one would be ours. In fact, our plane was nowhere in sight until the last minute when we were asked to walk out onto the runway. There it was in all its four-seater glory, the smallest airplane I'd ever seen up close.

Needless to say, there wasn't any jet way or even a set of roll-away stairs. There was only one small door. The pilot actually had to fold his seat forward to let us get in the back, and we were asked to pitch our luggage in the narrow space behind our seats. It smelled like the inside of a 1968 Dodge Dart.

The pilot climbed in (I could have reached up and tapped him on the shoulder we were so close) and began his pre-flight check. All of a sudden there was a yell, and the pilot opened his door again to admit a last-minute passenger. This person actually climbed over the pilot in order to take the co-pilot's seat. He handed back his backpack for stowage, and we were off.

I know I should have been scared by the whole situation, but sometimes, when I know I can't do anything to impact the things, I just stop worrying. This meant that I was actually able to enjoy the flight quite a bit. It was fun watching the city disappear, giving way to farms, and then nothing but mile upon mile of jungle. We remained low enough to see much more detail than on the average flight.

By the end of the 25 minutes, we could see the island on which we would land including the grass/dirt landing strip. It was truly like something out of Indiana Jones to climb out of that tiny plane and see nothing but jungle and river beyond the airstrip. And the humidity, did I mention the humidity? It slaps you like a wet towel and reminds you once more that you are not, in fact, still in Seattle.

We'd arrived safely on the island of Tortuguero.

*Plane in first pic is obviously not our actual one. How the heck would I take that pic?

Soup Anyone?

Taking a break from my Costa Rica fest, I just had to pass on the link to this incredible article about a trip to a soup kitchen. First of all, the author lives in my hometown, so the experience she's writing about is something I can easily picture. Second, it's just an amazing piece of writing about what it's like to hit bottom and need help. We often assume that those who use social services are somehow not as smart or "together" as the rest of us. However, hard times really can come to anyone.

Costa Rica Part 1

Costa Rica is a place I have always wanted to visit ever since I read about it in my History of Latin America class in college. The country's two claims to fame are unparalleled biodiversity and an incredibly stable and peaceful political system. Of course that second one may not seem like a very romantic reason to visit, but when you consider the history of the region, it really does make a difference. Add in the ease of getting there from the U.S. and the comparatively cheap price for the trip, and you have a package that is hard to resist. We were not remotely disappointed.

The flight from Seattle to Houston, Texas is really no big deal in that it takes only about 3.5 hours. It is sort of scary to land at the George Bush Intercontinental Airport (Intercontinental?!) especially when you come across the life-size statue of the former president. However, it is actually a decent, modern place, and I can't really complain too much. We arrived very early in the morning, and spent about three hours mooching around before boarding our next flight to San Jose. Again, the flight was only about 3.5 hours, and before you know it, you're there in Costa Rica!

San Jose is, well, a city. It is not particularly lovely or exciting as far as we could tell. We did get a certain thrill from driving on the Pan-American Highway (Alaska to Chile), but otherwise there isn't much to tell. We did get to stay in a very nice, historic hotel, Grana del Oro which means "golden grain" this refers to the huge importance of coffee in years past. The best part about the hotel was the restaurant which featured an open central courtyard and the most incredible stained-glass windows. Granted, the food was more French than Costa Rican, but we still enjoyed dinner very much.

Tackling Costa Rica

Well I've been a bad blogger this past week. This is largely due to the mental block associated with describing something as exciting as our Honeymoon. No, no I don't mean the romantic moments. That should remain, I'm sure you'll agree, quite private. The bits I want to share are associated with the incredible people, animals, and places we saw while we were away. I think I will simply transcribe the more interesting bits of my travel journal, and see how that goes. If I can manage to pull down some of our pictures, that will be a bonus. Fingers crossed that it all comes out well.

Our Wedding

Not long after we got engaged, I was talking with our friends, J and T, about their wedding which took place a few years ago. I asked them how the day actually went from their perspective, and I was surprised to hear J (the man no less!) say something like "Oh it was perfect. It was absolutely the best day we could have had. The only problem with it is that it didn't last longer." I thought that was incredibly sweet, but how could a whole day be perfect? Especially with all the million pieces that need to come together for a wedding? Something has got to go wrong. There had to be stresses and difficulties right? Nevertheless, when our day came, I knew exactly what J was saying.

Our day felt perfect too. It really did. From the moment I got up to the moment we went to bed everything seemed to go smoothly. Breakfast with the girls was excellent, our hair and make-up experience was incredible (more on that later), and then there was the actual ceremony and reception. Honestly, I can't think of anything that actually bothered me or caused me to feel anxious. Everyone was so kind to us and so helpful that I really don't think I had a moments worry.

Just a few of the memorable moments were (in no particular order):

--- My little brother staying with me the night before to "protect my honor"
--- Eating tasty sushi lunch with my three lovely bride's maids
--- Seeing those beautiful flowers for the first time
--- Hearing the distant sound of "You Can't Hurry Love" and "Going to the Chapel"
--- Seeing all those handsome boys dressed up so beautifully in their tuxes
--- Walking around the corner with my parents to the sound of "Valkyries"
--- Seeing M at the end of the aisle
--- Two little flower girls with rosebud crowns
--- Seeing not one, but two brothers tearing up
--- The way elder niece read the poem
--- The rings, the words, the look on his face
--- Signing the certificate
--- The sun-washed image of all our family and friends
--- The first peep into the beautiful reception room that so many people helped to create
--- The simple, sweet, green-and-white cake with its serene wedding couple on top
--- Bubbles from all, but especially pesky brothers
--- Oh the toasts
--- Delicious food and everyone seated around us
--- Dancing with my dad, dancing with my brothers, dancing with everyone
--- Dancing the first dance, many middle dances, and the last dance with M
--- The classic British Taxi that took us away
--- The love, the elation, the excitement, the amazement that this was all really real

I would have married M in a courthouse in jeans and t-shirt if needed. I would have been happy just to have him. In the end, married is married no matter how you get there, and that is the part which is really important. However, the fact that we got to have our very own perfect day is something for which I will always be grateful. Reader, I married him. I actually did! Can you believe it?

MARRIED!

Can you believe it?! More on that later. Right now I have to dig myself out of a pile of honeymoon laundry the size of Texas.

Unhappy Hair

We only have a few days left before the wedding, so I was happy to go and get my wedding hair trial done earlier this week. I went over to Seattle one morning with my mom and nieces, and arrived just a little early for my appointment at the Etherea Salon. From the moment I arrived there was trouble.

To start, the stylist seemed harried. He was very concerned about having enough time to get the hair done even though I warned them when I called that I have "challenging" hair. First he told me that he really only does one wedding "do" and that it was the best choice because it would stay put all day. Then he said that I would have to have my hair straightened if he was going to have any chance of putting it up in the time allowed. Then, as if all that weren't enough, he started to use the Aveda products on my hair.

I have never been a huge fan of Aveda products because of their smell, but some are worse than others. The Brilliant Oil is actually very nice. However, some of the products have a distinctive, unpleasant smell. I think it may be things that include Sap Moss, but I'm not completely sure. From the moment he sprayed this smell on my hair, I knew I was in trouble. After a day of smelling my own hair, I decided I couldn't go through my wedding smelling this way. Who wants to associate the day of their wedding with an awful smell?

Therefore, I did something kind of unusual for me. I jumped ship. I called another salon, made appointments with them, and cancelled our time at the smelly place. Now there is not enough time for another trial, so I'm placing all my faith in the new stylist. I guess I'm thinking almost anything would be better than what I had. Wish my hair luck.

Bachelorette!

There is no question about it; my friends are awesome! On a recent day, they took me out for a bachelorette party that I will not soon (ever!) forget. First, three (CC and KD and I) of us started out by meeting up for buffet lunch at one of my favorite Indian Places. Once we were finished filling up on sinfully delicious food, we spent a pleasant hour looking at cars (not for me!) before the next event.

By late afternoon, we arrived at the salon, and began our nail treatments. I have recently discovered a fondness for pedicures, so it was quite fun to choose a new nail color and get my feet bathed and massaged. It was during the pedicure when something very exciting happened. KM arrived! From all the way across the country! It was SO good to see her after three months away. At that point, our little gang of four was all set.

Once our nails were beautified, we all set off for the big city for the rest of our adventure. The 520 bridge was closed, so we did hit some traffic getting over, but that didn't matter to me because I got to use the time catching up with KM. A lot can happen in three months, so we had plenty to chat about as the cars crept along. Eventually we did reach Seattle, check into our hotel (the 31st floor with a fabulous view of the water!), put on our fancy clothes, and run to our dinner reservation.

Lola restaurant has been one of my favorite Seattle landmarks for a few years now. That was where we had dinner the night before M proposed. Besides being sentimental about it, the food there is absolutely fantastic. Greek food is usually good, but this place takes it to high art. The menu is constantly changing, so it is impossible to state a favorite. However, every single time I've gone in, I have had an excellent meal. This visit was no exception, and the cherry and Haloumi cheese skewers cooked in ouzo vied with the eggplant (which I usually don't like) tagine as the most delicious things on my plate. More and more ladies joined us until we had a table of eight enjoying the food.

As if tasty food and friendly company were not enough, there was a bonus. Two of my sneaky friends saw the locally famous owner of Lola, Tom Douglas, heading through the restaurant. Without my knowing, they arranged to have him come to our table! He was very friendly and congratulated me, posed for pictures, told us the story of Lola, and gave M and me a signed copy of his new cookbook. It was quite exciting for the food geeks in the group, and I think maybe M was impressed when I got home and told the story. We always see a celebrity when we do bachelorettes, and this one was no exception.

After leaving Lola, we returned to the hotel, and my incredibly kind friends gave me a lingerie shower. It was lovely and thoughtful and incredibly generous of them, and I got some beautiful things. M is going to have quite a show on our honeymoon, and that is all I'm going to say about that!

Next we headed out for drinks and dessert at a place called The Purple Cafe. We often go there after the symphony, so we were prepared for the extensive menu of two and three bite desserts. We ordered all 14 items from the menu, and I got a lovely, fizzy glass of champagne. There was much trading of plates and conversation. The party only broke up as it got too late for many people to leave their cars parked any longer.

It was quite late when the original four girls got back to the hotel. We changed into our PJ's, had a brief pillow fight just so we could say we did, and then settled in to tell bedtime stories about the handsome and successful man, CC, was going to meet. It was hilarious, and a great way to end such a memorable day.

Thanks a million times to my kind and wonderful friends for giving me such a remarkable time. It will certainly go down in my personal history as a much-cherished event.

Wedding Countdown

This morning M and I went out to our local city hall and got... drum roll please... A MARRIAGE LISENCE!!! It was a VERY trippy feeling to fill out the papers and swear we weren't fibbing. We had to promise that everything on the form was true and also that we were not diseased or related. It's getting more and more real all the time. After nearly six years together, it's about time :)

One Day Sale

A few days ago, when I went to get the mail, I noticed a flyer for a major department store. In large, cheerful letters, the flyer announced a "One-Day-Only" sale event! Then, in slightly smaller text it said something like: Saturday, July 9th from 9am to 11pm and Sunday, July 10th from 11am to 6pm. I guess the definition of "one day" has changed slightly since I last checked.

Wall-E

What a cute, funny, interesting little movie! M and I went to the late show the other night, and I was amazed to see a theater full of adults going to see an animated movie. Pixar has really built up a reputation for making "cartoons" into something worth seeing. Wall-E did not disappoint. The first half was mostly just there to be cute, but there were some good funny moments. However it was the second half that I found really entertaining. The most surprising part was the edge of social commentary about certain human tendencies. The credits at the end were almost worth the price of admission on their own. My only complaint about the experience was the fact that one robot was obviously made to look like an I-Mac. Ugh! I guess you would have to expect that from a bunch of Apple people.

Wedding Madness

Well it is only about two weeks until the wedding, but don't worry, the pressure isn't starting to get to us or anything. The millions of small tasks that need doing aren't weighing on my mind, and I am absolutely certain that I haven’t forgotten anything important. I'm completely confident that the weather will be perfect, the guests will behave beautifully, my hair will look stunning, and all the vendors will arrive prepared and on time. After all, what could really go wrong? No, no that crazed, maniacal laughter is not me! That's someone else! Really! Like I said, I'm completely relaxed and confident.

No More Garden Box

For the last two years M and I have been re-affirming our yuppy-ness by having a garden box delivered each week. It was like Christmas on a small scale. Each week I got to open the flaps on that plastic crate and see what crispy, sweet, flavorful presents were inside. Fruit actually smelled like fruit, and carrots tasted like carrots. It was really something of a revelation.

Pioneer Organics offered a service where you got to choose your own goodies. I loved going on their very useable website and picking all sorts of tasty, organic, and mostly local items. Not everything was always perfect. Things were occasionally green or bruised, but no more than what you would find in the grocery store. The prices were often high, but since most of the produce was such good quality it seemed worthwhile. We ate so many more fresh things when we had the box coming all the time.

Unfortunately, everything passes, everything changes. Our dear Pioneer was bought out by a rival company called Spud! In many ways Spud! offers the same type of service, but not everything was the same. For example, you could not exactly choose your own items, and when they did arrive they were often not up to the quality standards we were used to getting. Price was also an issue, and the day we received a cauliflower that was the size of a softball and cost $4, we were done. We'll just have to be twice a diligent about getting out to the farmers' markets now.

Hooray for High Gas Prices

Recently, NPR had yet another piece about how high gas prices are changing the behavior of consumers. This time they were discussing the massive shift in priorities when the average person goes to buy a new car. Four years ago it seems that fuel efficiency was, on average, the 28th most important factor considered by purchasers of new cars. Today that has changed quite a bit, and while no one has yet had time to do another survey (that I could find) the proof is in the proverbial pudding. The Toyota Corolla has unseated the Ford F-150 pick-up series to become the best-selling car in America.

I am old enough to remember a time when gas occasionally went down to $.99 per gallon, and certainly older people remember paying even less. In comparison, the $4.41 I paid last week is quite the shock. However, economists have long said that the only true way to change the behavior of the masses is to hit them where it hurts. In that sense the high prices seem to be working wonders. For the first time in more than 20 years, people are driving less than they did at the same time last year. Public transit ridership is up around the country, and there actually seems to be a bike shortage in some parts of the country.

Don't get me wrong, I hate paying those high prices for fuel. My little tank costs more than $40 to fill, and even with my efficient car (about 36-38 mpg) I still feel the pinch. Nevertheless, high gas prices HAVE to be a good thing when they produce results like those above.

4th of July, 2008

Happy 4th of July!

I recently heard a snippet of an interview on NPR that I really enjoyed. I didn't catch the name of the speaker, but the main point he was making at the time was so great I just had to repeat it today. To paraphrase heavily, he said that, traditionally, liberals have criticism of the system down to a science, but they forget or even refuse to think about the positives of our country. Conservatives, on the other hand, are such shouting nationalists that they forget or even refuse to engage in reflection about the negatives. True patriotism, according to this mystery guy, is in remembering to celebrate the good while still addressing the bad. "Yeah, no duh" you may be thinking, but I still think it bears repeating.

Summertime and the Living is Easy

As you may have guessed, the school year did end without incident. I got all my boxes checked on my exit ticket, and the principal sort-of-kind-of-but-not-really apologized for what a tough year it was. Then he checked my final box, and I was free. My teaching partner and I immediately went for lunch and drinks to celebrate. Ever since then I've been wandering around in a happy fog. What day is it? What time? Who knows? Who cares?

I won't go into the nitty gritty details because I don't want to make anyone too jealous. Let's just say that I don't get up at 6am any more. I'm getting some (but not too much) housework done. I'm getting some (but probably not enough) wedding stuff done. I move slowly, and no one cares. I can go a whole day without talking to ANYONE. I'm no longer falling asleep at 8pm, so I can actually go out in the evening and still be reasonably social. May summer last forever.

To-Do List

Completed Items:

about 700,000

Outstanding Items:

about 7

Hours remaining until freedom:

about 22

Patience left:

about 2%

Light

This is the last Friday of the 07/08 school year. Only four more get-ups before we are done, done, done! I am personally very happy to the see end coming so close. I am sick, sick sick, of all the papers, all the book inventories, all the grumpy co-workers, all the stuff that needs stowing, all the computers that need breaking down, all the icky nasty parents, and all the manic kids.

A few nights ago, I had a dream that I was trying to crawl through a tight cave/tunnel full of jagged rocks. Every time I tried to move forward, rocks would catch on my clothes and hair and sometimes skin. I kept having to stop and untangle myself, and it ended up being one of those really frustrating dreams where a lot of time seems to pass but nothing really happens. I could see the light up ahead, but I just couldn't manage to get there. Don't need much deep analysis to understand from where that came.

Vegas Baby

Okay I have to admit that M and my friend C were right, Vegas can be fun. Recently, while M was away on his bachelor weekend, C took me to Vegas for the first time since I was nine. I have vague memories of playing "bop the mole" at Circus/Circus, but that was about it. Thus, this trip was a whole new experience.

We left on Saturday morning which turned out to be a great choice since we breezed through check-in and security. The flight was on-time and without incident, and we even got the luxury of a first class up-grade! It seems as though the airlines are having much more trouble selling full-price first class tickets because they were offering $50 upgrades on all three of our flights going and coming back. With such a short flight, it didn't make that much difference, but I can really see why it's so nice for a longer trip.

We arrived in Vegas in the early afternoon, collected our bags, and caught a cab to our hotel. Did I mention that our hotel was the huge black pyramid that you can see from the airport? Yep, we stayed at the Luxor for our first night. It was thick with kitsch, but absolutely perfect for a first Vegas experience. Once we'd dropped off our bags, we went off in search of food. What we found was a casual lunch place on the strip with the best Mexican food I've had in a very long time.

After a few hours of goggling at all there is to see on the strip, we made our way back to the hotel for spa treatments. It turns out that good spa treatments are wonderful no matter where you find them. Completely relaxed, we headed out to dinner and a survey of some of the more interesting hotels. The Bellagio is quite impressive with its fabulous gardens in the middle, and, while we were leaving, we happened to have our one and only celebrity spotting of the trip. Mini-Me (aka Vern Troyer) was there with a group of average-sized body guards. We were too amazed to snap any pictures, but there can be no doubt that it was him.

Caesar’s Palace went on for miles, but eventually we did come out sort of close to The Venetian. Now this was the place that M stayed last time, and he raved about its more dramatic touches. I have to say, the fake Italian neighborhoods complete with "blue skies" were quite something. We had dinner at a "sidewalk" cafe, and then began the trip back to our hotel. I'm afraid that I cramped C's usual Vegas style with my wimpy internal clock. We were in bed by 1am.

The rest of our trip followed in a similar mold. We relaxed by the pool, had an amazing dinner at Red Square, and C even got hit on by a perfectly nice drunken Californian. We lost about $7 each a nickel slot machines, and our entire gambling session lasted about half an hour. I now believe people who say that Vegas can be fun for those who don't gamble. On the whole, this trip was a great way to forget about everything stressful in life. Next time I want to go with M, and I want to make it to a few of the millions of things we just didn't have time to do on this visit. Thanks very much to C for the opportunity!

The W Word

Several months ago M and I checked with a local restaurant about hosting our rehearsal dinner. They quoted us a nice, reasonable number for 30-40 people. I breathed a sigh of relief. However, a few weeks ago, M called to confirm the number and hash out the details. All of a sudden the dinner would be SIX times more expensive than the original quote! Why so much? I think it was because M used the "wedding" word to describe the event.

The restaurant claims that they have to charge so much because it's a Friday night, and their restaurant would be full without our party. However, I've done the math, and this place would need to turn over these tables at least five times in one evening to make anywhere near as much as they would like to charge us. Given that their dinner service starts at 5:00 and ends at 9:00, that would be quite an impressive feat. The old adage about never using the word "wedding" with vendors really is true. It causes them to get dollar signs for eyes. We will be taking our large party elsewhere.