The Hard Life of a Costa Rica Retiree

The life of a semi-retiree is not easy, no matter what you may have heard. First of all, there are all those books to read. And don't think reading is just a luxury of time on your hands. Hardly. For instance, it was important for me to read Isaac's Storm by Erik Larson in advance of our trip to Galveston with my mother later this month. How else to understand and really appreciate what that city went through in September of 1900 when a massive hurricane struck the totally unprepared island?

And then there are the dinner parties to prepare for or attend. Last night, for instance, with Darlene and Glynn coming over, there was chicken to marinate, cucumber salad to prep and garlic toasts to cook for dipping in hummus. Then tonight we'll be entertaining Marcial and Seidy, as we do most every Friday night. So today I face preparing a salad, working on a new baked French Fried Potato dish and shaping the hamburger "steaks" not to mention frying the bacon to go on top. But even then, I'm not done, for tomorrow is another big Santa Eulalia gang aka "10:27 Club" bash, a Labor Day BBQ at Chris and Sue's house. For that, I have to cook enough baked beans for 14 people. I'm thinking of offering my services to "Iron Chef" on the Food Network!

What a thrill to see a humpback breach!
(Photo courtesy of NPS.gov.)

Keep in mind I'm not a completely retired individual. I still work hard at my travel writing, especially taking those great mostly-free trips that Layne and I enjoy so much. A few days after our friend Brittany left, Layne and I headed out to Dominical, one of our favorite beach towns here in Costa Rica, to stay again at one of our favorite hotels, Villas Rio Mar, a comfortable and affordable eco-lodge. It was Villas Rio Mar that invited us back, this time to take a complimentary whale and dolphin watching tour. It seems they got such a good response from my last story on their hotel in The Costa Rica News (TCRN) that they wanted me to write another piece, this time focused on the upcoming whale season, when hundreds of humpback whales visit the shores of Marino Ballena National Park just down the road from Dominical. Watch for my story on that trip in this Sunday's edition of TCRN.

Then there's our puppy Winston. Yes, he is indeed a great source of joy and his antics make for some funny scenes, but raising a young Lab is not all fun and games. There's his training, for example, which I'm happy to report is now going very well since the addition of "treats" to our curriculum. Boy, does he pay attention to me NOW when I say "heel." He's improved so much we even felt comfortable taking him out with the gang for a hike last weekend, him in a borrowed harness and extendable leash. He loved it! 

Hiking through El Pueblo

Sniff, sniff. And what is THIS?

So many good sniffs to be had, so many new sights to see and so much trouble to try and get into. But with Layne and I heading to the US in a couple of weeks, we have been desperate to figure out the best place for him to stay while we're gone for two months.

"The gang" at lunch after the hike
L to R: Kat, Darlene, Layne, Sue, Chris, Glynn, Bonnie & Stephen (is he asleep?!)

In a major test of one such option, we took Winston up to Chris and Sue's last Monday for a trial run to see how he would get along with the two dogs, Turley and Lola, who live next door. They actually belong to Carmen and Roberto but with them out of the country, Chris and Sue are providing foster care. Another reason for the visit was to try out some of Chef Chris' fabulous homemade pizza. I even got a turn at "working" that dough, per Chris' instructions. And the end result was oh so good.

Yours Truly "doughing" it

Might not be pretty but sure was good! 

Winston seemed to have a great time, too, once Turley stopped "attacking" him as the interloper he was. But they soon discovered how much fun it could be to have a playmate and they spent the rest of the afternoon running and playing all over the large property. 

Those blurs are dogs, Winston the dark one

We are cautiously optimistic that Winnie will be happy there with our good friends and his new doggie pals. Layne and I have been majorly stressed over this issue. Well, Layne doesn't "stress" about much; I do the stressing for both of us. We are so grateful to our friends Darlene and Glynn who cared for him when we went to Dominical, although there were a few problems in his house-training. Now we feel pretty good about him staying with Chris and Sue while we're away.

So if you think we're just hanging out down here in Costa Rica, laying on the beach, reading books, enjoying good dinner parties and hikes... well, you're right. But it ain't easy having so much fun! 

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Brittany's Costa Rican Birthday Bash

So did you miss me? I have been away awhile, escorting my long-time friend Brittany around the country. She decided she did NOT want to celebrate her 40th birthday in New York City so she hopped on a Jet Blue and spent nearly two weeks with Layne and me and our puppy Winston, who rather fell in love with her. In part, she was checking out Costa Rica as a possible place to relocate where life would be less stressful and less expensive than NYC. Although we spent one morning looking at apartments, mostly she and I made overnight trips to our favorite resorts, such as Bahia Rica on the Nicoya Peninsula and Finca Luna Nueva near La Fortuna.

But we started right here in Atenas with the El Toledo Coffee Tour, guided by our friend Gabriel who sells organic coffee at the feria each Friday. We were joined by part of the Santa Eulalia gang, Chris and Sue and Bonnie, along with Layne who handled wild dog Winston, for the long winding climb up the mountain to the El Toledo farm. Gabriel explained in detail the history of the farm and why and how they switched to organic permaculture farming some twenty years ago after his father realized that pesticides and chemicals were causing his health problems. It was a steep learning curve for them and not immediately profitable. In fact, even now they make less than before the change but as Gabriel said, "Our family's health and the health of the planet are priceless."

Gabriel explains coffee to Bonnie while Winston wanders

Beans fresh from the roaster

After Gabriel's educational talk and a delicious "coffee tasting" experience, we hiked along the steep trails through the farm, learning as we went and enjoying bites of the multitude of fruits that grow unaided among the coffee plants. Brittany really enjoyed the tour and we highly recommend it.

Next on our agenda was a sea kayaking trip to Bahia Rica, a rustic lodge near the Paquera ferry landing run by a friendly Norwegian couple, Vigdis and Thomas, offering tours of all kinds, from sport fishing to snorkeling to whale and dolphin watching. The kayak trip, however, almost did Brittany in as the vigorous paddling aggravated carpel tunnel and tendonitis in her right hand, causing so much pain that for the return trip, Thomas hitched her kayak to his and towed her back to the lodge. Even though Brittany was a bit discomfited to need the help, she did say it allowed her some leisurely sightseeing. And there was plenty to look at because the scenery among the islands there in the Gulf of Nicoya is stunning, although we were saddened to see how terribly polluted the Gulf has become.

On the Paquera Ferry... can she be 40??

Brittany on the porch at the lodge

Lucky for us, Thomas had just snagged a huge corvina or sea bass on a fishing trip the day before and the dinner he prepared with it was fabulous. We enjoyed lively conversation, much of it about food and cooking, with Deborah and Steven, a pleasant couple on vacation from Colorado. Since I had mentioned to Thomas and Vigdis that it was Brittany's birthday trip, he even baked a yummy chocolate cake and served it with ice cream and a candle on top!

Finca Luna Nueva pool

Finca Luna Nueva, a huge organic farm and conference center near La Fortuna, was our next outing and it allowed for some nice relaxation on the veranda of our spacious family bungalow. The afternoon of our arrival, I went for a swim in their big spring-fed, non-chlorine pool while Brittany opted for the hot tub. There she met Joseph who works for FLN as a microbiologist, studying ways to sequester carbon in the soil and plants. When I joined them after my swim, we all had a most fascinating conversation about soil biology and the principles of permaculture. For more information on the biodynamic systems used at FLN, visit Joseph's blog.

The next morning we were up bright and early for a horseback ride to Arenal Volcano.

View from my horse Luna

Brittany in control again

Brittany and Yours Truly enjoy the view

Brittany is not the experienced rider that I am so she had a few rather exciting moments as her mount had different ideas than she did on which way to go. But she managed to coax the beast along the steep and muddy trail to a high point beneath the volcano that offered us a splendid, if slightly cloudy view.

Hands-free! Brittany takes a picture of Cesar, our guide, volcano in the background

Finally, on Tuesday the 14th, it was Brittany's special day and along with Layne we headed to Jacó to celebrate her birthday. The weather cooperated with beautiful sunshine and a few drifting clouds. So with Mojitos and Margaritas in hand, we lazed around for the afternoon, wandering along the sandy beaches and taking a few dips into the powerful surf before heading home for her to pack.

All in all, it was a fun-filled holiday. We hope Brittany enjoyed it all as much as we did. Happy Birthday, honey! 

Check out Layne's novel "Moral Turpitude," Kindle edition now available for only $4.99 at Amazon.com. Five star reviews! High adventure with corporate intrigue, danger and romance; from the exotic jungles of Borneo and Costa Rica to the erotic jungles of San Francisco. A great read! Pick up your copy here -http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00HI25M1K/