hey little bat!

January 4, 2010 We woke right before dawn. The howler monkeys were especially vocal this morning (or perhaps we just slept through the loud parts the previous mornings). We got ready then had a super quick breakfast of granola and fruit. The staff packed us some sandwiches for later. I selected avocado; Nick selected the pb&j deluxe. Eric drove us to the small, regional airport in Puerto Jiménez. It was a quiet ride; we were sad to go. We were fortunate to be able to stay 6 days; but even in this amount of time, we didn't do everything we wished to, like hike down to the beaches, hike to the waterfalls and the take the zipline tour. As we continued down the road, we passed the signpost to Lapa Rios, the lodge we had stayed at the previous year. Which was better? I hate to make such comparisons, as each of these places holds a special place in our hearts. Lapa Rios was the climactic end to our very first trip to Costa Rica. It was during the rainy seaso...

January 3, 2010 lizard in our outdoor shower inside of the restaurant at night dinner by candlelight gigantic gecko on the restaurant roof beam katydid on our umbrella pole a sampling of the buffet selections We skipped dessert on our last night so that we could take care of paying our bill, figuring out tips, packing and getting to bed early-ish. We would have loved to say goodbye to everyone individually, but we just didn't have the time. We gave the front desk a tip envelope of cash with a note on how to distribute it. Around bedtime, the power went out and stayed out until some time in the morning. (You are warned that this inevitably happens from time to time. All electricity here is produced via a generator.) Unfortunately that meant we couldn't use the fan. Unfortunately also, the crickets were out in abundance this night, and the 3-sided bed-netting was not helping one bit. My husband had trouble sleeping because the crickets were freaking him out. I had...

January 3, 2010 After the horseback riding, it was time for lunch, so we ate and discussed what to do with the rest of the day. We were muddy, dusty and tired from the horseback riding. We had talked about hiking to the beach this afternoon, but I proposed we take showers, relax and read, and Nick agreed. We said goodbye to the couple from California; they were leaving BDC today, heading to Tortuguero, on the opposite coast. Today, our 5th day here, we had to switch to another room, Palma. (We knew this when we made the reservation.) Palma was also a deluxe bungalow but with stucco construction, and instead of one king bed, it additionally had two more beds in the loft, which would make it ideal for a family. We stayed in Palma two nights. Overall, everything was more spacious. It was nice in a different way. However, it being just the two of us, we preferred Lapa over Palma. (Keep in mind that the staff will do their best to accommodate your room choice, but they can't guarantee ...

January 3, 2010 Today we had planned to go horseback riding at 9 am. We were driven to the Río Piro area, a 20 minute or so (I can't remember how long actually) bumpy and dusty ride. We rode with another couple and their two young daughters in the open back of a 4WD truck with seats along the sides. It enhanced the jungle experience and prepped our behinds for the saddles. We chatted with the family; they were from Long Island. (Actually, it seems that most people who visit Costa Rica are either from Texas or New York/New Jersey.) Our guide Miguel Sánchez was born and raised on the Osa. Aside from a few English words, he spoke only Spanish. He was extremely personable, however. He understood - or I prayed that he understood - that I wanted an old, slow horse. I got the second slowest horse, Rosilla, as he gave the slowest one, Tranquilo, to the woman who was going to be holding her youngest daughter on her lap. I'd have liked a bit of instruction in how to ride a horse, b...