A Fabulista Farewell

Four days ago was an anniversary of sorts for Layne and me. February 9th marked four years since we set out for Costa Rica and a new life as expats. And it's been four very exciting and fun years as my blog archives reveal. Our good friends here number in the dozens as do the parties and holidays we've enjoyed together. My work as a travel writer and blogger, and for a while as a Retirement columnist and freelancer for The Costa Rica News, has allowed us to see more than our fair share of this beautiful country. For his part as a retiree, Layne completed his excellent novel, Moral Turpitude, and it is now available in Kindle format on Amazon.com where it's receiving 5 star reviews. For an exciting fun read, check it out. I'm very proud of him and am urging him on to the second book in the series.

My mom in younger years as an
1880's schoolmarm at For Concho

Yet the one thing you can count on in life is Change. And change we must, as we begin to close down our life here in Pura Vida-land and head for West Texas to live with my elderly mom. She lives alone but she still has a job at the Visitor's Center one day a week and volunteers at the hospital and Fort Concho, driving herself around town as needed. Still, she's had us fooled for a long time, I think, with her busy life and independent ways. After a six-week visit with her last fall, we began to see how everyday things are hard for her and that she could definitely use our help. So about a month from now, we'll pack up our last bags and bundle up our beloved dog Winston and take off for San Angelo. But to paraphrase an old song, "Don't Cry for Us, Costa Rica." Our love affair with this small country won't end with our departure; we will undoubtedly return for visits with friends. But this blog will end, unfortunately, and I expect this will be my final post.

Out the airport waiting room window

But let's not part, dear readers, before a report on one of my latest adventures. I recently returned to Texas for a two-week visit with my mom, where the weather was beyond nuts! Sunny and almost hot one day and then a drop overnight to 17 degrees! How the heck do you dress for such a climate? We're going to miss "el clima mejor del mundo," that's for sure! And to top it off, the day I was to depart for Costa Rica, it was colder than Antarctica and started snowing. Yes, SNOW. Little tiny dry flakes that were just beginning to fill in the dark spots in the yard when it was time to leave for the airport.

As we drove along the thoroughfare leading to the airfield, the snow blew across the road in curtains of powder, little whirlwinds of white, skidding and drifting along the side of the road. I was beginning to get nervous thinking of Mother having to drive back home in such a storm.

But my indomitable mother assured me she would be fine, so I off loaded my bags and bid her a tearful adieu. I made it through security and had just sat down in the gate area, when an agent came through saying our flight had been cancelled. Indeed, ALL flights that day were cancelled because Dallas-Forth Worth airport was shut down by the storm. They re-booked me for the following day and I called my mom with the news. Needless to say, she was overjoyed and undaunted at having to drive back to pick up me and my bags.

I finally made it home just fine and as you can see, was soon enjoying a glass of wine with my sweetheart and my adorable doggie. Which one was happier to see me would be hard to say!

So with mixed emotions, I bid farewell to all my wonderful readers; at last count, you've logged more than 66,000 page views originating from countries around the world. I hope I have brought some good cheer into your life and shared some good times with you. It is my fondest wish that by writing of my experiences here in beautiful Costa Rica, your worldview has been expanded and enriched.

Hasta luego, amigos! May you always be blessed with Pura Vida!! And now for a little look back....

Turkey and Tequila with The 10:27 Club

Merry Christmas! I hope everyone is having a joyful observance of whatever you celebrate during this season with family, friends, pets and any others near and dear to you. After a party-filled weekend, Layne and I have chosen to spend today muy tranquilo. We took a nice walk this morning but otherwise, it's all quiet on the home front.

Our big celebration was Friday night when we hosted a holiday dinner with turkey, cornbread dressing and all the trimmings. And just to be sure we had enough food for the crowd of 14 or so that we expected, Marc and Eroca added a ham and sweet potatoes, plus gift cookies for all. 

Marc strings lights with "supervision" from Layne 

Merry Christmas to the Santa Eulalia "gang"

"Very successful!"

With the holiday lights up in our mandarin orange tree, the back patio was quite festive. We can't get the wonderful free-range turkeys here as we did in California, but the Butterball we had bought (actually, for Thanksgiving, but that's another story) turned out quite good. As our good friend Joel might have said, "Very successful."

After the pumpkin pie and eggnog, the last of us sat around and listened as Daniel serenaded us on Layne's Martin backpacker guitar. It was so wonderful to hear such magical sounds coming out of that miniature guitar with the full-size quality. Daniel has been taking lessons and it showed as he strummed some beautiful classical songs. He has improved so much, it was truly a joy to listen to him.

Enjoying the music and the festive lights 

Daniel serenades

 After a recuperative day on Saturday, we were back to our old tricks on Sunday morning with a hike down to the small rushing stream that runs below the ridge we all live on, then a strenuous climb back up on the other side. It was a beautiful setting but a bit treacherous as Bonnie took a fall while crossing the slippery rocks. But her skill in falling "correctly" (tuck and roll) is phenomenal and she hopped back up with no damage done. Marcial showed his bravado by standing on the edge of the waterfall, Stephen and I cringing at the danger.

A beautiful day for a hike!

Seidy ready to cross the creek

Marcial gives us a heart attack!

With Marcial leading the way, we proceeded along side roads then cut through a sugarcane field, exiting on the other side at a hillside simply bursting with stunning yellow flowers. 

Our Tico guides pointed out Vanilla trees, which also sported yellow blossoms and for which the small Calle Vanilla (Vanilla Road) is named. Although not what vanilla flavoring is made from, the long seedpod is reminiscent of that plant and thus the name.

Vanilla Tree

As a little energy boost, Marcial cut down a stalk of sugarcane, stripped the skin with his machete and gave us each a piece of the sweet, juicy fibrous cane to chew on. Boy, was it delicious! 

"Costa Rica Dundee" and his machete

And as it turned out, we soon needed the extra energy when we realized we were a tad lost. We climbed through a barbed wire fence and while Seidy reconnoitered ahead, Marcial located some cherry tomatoes as another treat. 

A long trek up through the grasses

Seidy's report: dead-end. So it was back through the fence, then through another one at which point Stephen boldly struck out leading the way up a steep hill across a thick cushiony layer of tall grasses. At the top we could see there was a road, but no houses. Where are we? Who knows? It's an adventure!

Undaunted by our momentary confusion and Pura Vida being our motto (plus Marcial and Seidy coming well prepared with a whole pineapple), we stopped for a picnic and the machete again came into play. That thing sure is handy. In fact, we christened Marcial "Costa Rica Dundee," the hero always ready with the right weapon to turn a "crocodile crisis" into a pineapple picnic!

Soon we "found" ourselves again - there was never any doubt! -- and hiked our way on up the main road to Marcial's favorite hangout, Yeyo's Bar, where we arrived at exactly 10:27 a.m. Perfect timing! Well, almost. Cantinas here technically don't open until 11:00 a.m. but Yeyo was willing to make an exception for us, keeping the doors closed and the bottles open. You may recall it was 10:27 a.m. on a Sunday some weeks back when we had our first tequila shots on our trip to Zarcero, thus launching "The 10:27 Club." 

Bonnie & her "new best friend" Tomas

So in keeping with tradition, a few shots of tequila had us dancing behind the bar and laughing with local Ticos as they joined in our antics. Everyone here becomes your friend -- indeed family! -- at the slightest provocation.

Just another fabulous fun day in Pura Vida-land! We count ourselves enormously lucky to have such friends, to be healthy enough to take such hikes and fortunate to be able to enjoy this life in Costa Rica. On this Christmas Day, I feel blessed indeed.

(PS - As a holiday gift to my readers, Layne's novel MORAL TURPITUDE is available for FREE through January 31st. (NC-17 but not erotica.) To download it, click HERE to go directly to the book page; then click Add to Cart. You will have to register but it's very simple and you will get no spam. At the Cart page, enter Coupon Code QN77G, then click Update. The price will change to $0.00. Enjoy!)