We made it!!!

We arrived safely! After waiting in the Chicago airport for our flight to leave (with hopeful/worried thoughts that it would leave) we were finally able to board at about 6am. After the plane was de-iced (there was a minor blizzard occuring before and during our departure) we left 20 minutes after we boarded. In Ft. Lauderdale we got our last flight to Costa Rica - yay!!! When we got through customs we went out into a warm sunny day with a strong breeze. Observation 1) the wind was blowing something like sand into our eyes. We found the bus stop and we were told by a few people to be careful because people like to "take you" for what you have, "hide your money", etc. That was nice of them to tell us.

We took the bus into town and quickly realized that we didn't know when to stop. We went "all tourist" and pulled out a Lonely Planet tour guide book that had a street map of Alajeula. We saw the cathedral that was on the map and pulled the line to tell the bus driver to "Alto" (stop). Sure enough, our hotel was right around the corner. American tourists: 1 (maybe we know what we are doing afterall!)

After a quick nap we walked around and got some food. The Parque Central was beautiful with tall trees, green grasses and bushes. After we got some ice cream and tried to call home two times each (sorry Dad Riordan - they won't let me through to you because you have a cellular number, and Dad/Mom Kufahl - they put Josh through to the wrong number. She was elderly and did not seem to know what was going at all. She still seemed to enjoy the call.)

Saturday, January 9

We woke up early - Josh got up at 7:30! and we walked through downtown to the Saturday Market. It was huge! Shockingly enough, with rows of the exact same thing. Competition is stiff here. We picked up two mangos and something that we still don't know the name of that tastes like grass or peas. I asked Que es eso? (What's that?) but I had no idea what he said in response. So I just asked cuanto cuestas (how much?) and it was only 50 colones or 10 cents.

After the market we took a taxi to Doka Estate - a coffee plantation tour. Our taxi driver said he knew where that was. Ok in America when you say you know where something is, you do. Here in Costa Rica when you say you know where something is, you kinda have an idea of the area it is. The taxi driver spoke no English and we speak borken Spanish so our drive was filled with Madonna, Men at Work and Depeche Mode until we drove around for a bit and Meg using hand signs, English/Spanish tried to say "go back down the road you came in on, turn left, and take the next left you see." Right. We still got there on time!

Doka Estate was beautiful! Our guide was full of knowledge of the coffee plantation that began with the Germans (were the name Doka is from) in 1908. It has now been in a Costa Rican family for three generations. We saw a coffee plant at 8 weeks, 3 months and 1 year old. You are not able to get coffee berries from the plant until it is 3 years old. A coffee harvester carries two baskets on their hips so both hands are free. The pick 1 entire plant from top to bottom and then move on. The harvester gets 25 pounds in each basket before bringing the baskets to a truck where it is weighed. The picker can make up to $50 a day. Very good!

After we saw the plants our tour guide showed us the water process, shedding of the berry parchment/sugar, fermentation and roasting. Then we moved onto sampling coffee! Oh - when we arrived we received a welcome cocktail: iced coffee blended with chocolate milk. Muy bien!

We met a couple from Colorado that we at lunch with on the Estate. They drove us back into Alajeula and got a beer with them.

Shortly after this - we walked to find the bus station that would take us to San Carols/Ciudad Quesada and onto La Fortuna. Observation: 36 (we actually have a list)Costa Ricans ( Ticos) are extremly nice. They give long-drawn out descriptions - with hand signals - for directions. They are giving you and "idea" of where to go. There are about 12 directional signs in all of Costa Rica. Even though it took us asking 5 Ticos on the street for directions and 20 minutes of random walking back and forth over where we just were and saying out loud "We were just here and didn't see what they were talking about. Seriously - how did we miss the bus station!

We were on the other side of the building the other time and never saw the HUGE sign.Oh well. We got there.

After a 4 hour bus ride on tiny roads (they honk when approaching another vehicle) that curve constantly, rain and one bus change, we arrived in La Fortuna. Along the way though, we had to stop and change buses in San Carlos. We drove into the town but had no idea when we were to get off. We saw other passengers pull a cord above our heads to make the bus stop. We were some of the last people on the bus so we started to freak out a bit. It was really dark out! What else would you do when you freak out but get off the bus? Josh grabbed the cord and pulled. The horn honked. This was actually the cord for the curtain (and the horn honk was just a weird occurence)He pulled a different cord and the bus slowed to a stop. We walked to the front to get off. The gentlemen that collected money for the tickets was at the bottom of the steps and when he saw us he simply says, "No, no,no, no." Shakes his finger and walks back up the step forcing us to sit down. He was right, of course. Our stop (the bus station) was right ahead. He didn't know how to say that in English but knew where we needed to go. Again, Ticos are really, really nice.

j y m