Follow our 2018 July build on our blog. Here are some pictures from July 5th, enjoy!

We leave Liberia for our home for the next 2 weeks: Horquetas de Sarapiqui

Each day is a new day, a new experience, a new wonder and a new love.  

Each day we pray for God’s guidance, His peace and His patience.

He has blessed us abundantly.

Each day we see a sparkle of God’s beauty in the tapestry he has painted in our midst.  

Each day we decide what new experience, what new adventure we share with our loved ones back home.

What a day filled with adventures!

Woke up, ate breakfast and packed our bags to get on the bus with Denis, our new best friend and his wife Damaris.  Off we went.

Then, our first stop was at the bank due to some construction payment complications- kids decided to exchange their US dollars to Costarican Colones. With their cash in hand, each grabbed a ticket and waited for their number to be called.

Josie and Frank had exchanged their money and when it was Johnny and West’s turn there was a little problem. The lady looked at their passports and realized they were too young. That meant that Johnny and West weren’t able to exchange money and Josie and Frank had to re exchange their money and get US dollars back. We learned that you are not supposed to exchange money unless you are 18 and older.  Best part was that the women who helped Josie and Frank didn’t know what to do… they had to consult with their “jefe”…classic!   With the help of the bus driver’s wife, they gave her their money and she exchanged it. All was good and Nancy did what she needed to as well. Soon after, the kids were off to spend their new money on costa rican snacks and beverages for our bus ride.

After a short bus ride (3 hours) to Upala, just a hop, skip and a jump for Nicaragua, we stopped for an amazing meal and a priceless cultural experience.  We entered the market in search of a place for lunch.  After walking and observing the different, small business establishments and multiple “sodas” (mini cafe type countertop restaurant), we decided on “soda de Lindo”…

Group favorites were cow tongue, liver, carrot and orange juice, and the atmosphere of sitting around the counter and sharing “casados” our first meal together as a group.

A “casado” is a typical meal with a your choice of a meat, rice, beans, fried plantains, a salad, cheese an some form of potato (in our case, mashed).

We were getting closer and closer to our hotel “Sueño Azul” and we finally arrived! We unpacked our bags from the bus and carried everything over a bridge.

“ohh my gosh”  says Josie.  It’s a wobbly, single person walkway over a flowing river with rapids and rocks.  Green forest surrounds our view and as we approach the other side, a “Bienvenidos” sign greets us.

As we approach the lobby, pulling our bags over cobblestones, and past the swimming pool, we are pleasantly greeted with our welcome drinks of fresh passion fruit juice. YUM!

After a quick dip in the pool for the kids and an Imperial for the adults…

A great end to the day… Pinch us all. We are in paradise.

Highlights of the day:

We decided that at the end of everyday, (or the beginning of the next, depending on how tired we are) we would gather and each share one highlight of the day.  Highlights of Day 2:

• Frank:  The bridge was super cool
• West:  The food, all the food
• Johnny:  Everything!
• Josie:  Manones chinos from the vendor on the roadside
• Paul:  The housing stock.  Homes here are very different than those back home.
• Nancy:  Watching the kids master their Spanish everywhere we went.
• Jeff:  Going to US owned discount store (not to be named) to look for level and all the strange looks from “ticos” as he and Paul walk side-by-side.

Check out some more pictures from day 2:

The boys adventured out on their own in Bagaces to buy last minute building supplies.

Lunch in the mercado in the city of Upala. Frank had liver, Jeff had tongue… thank goodness we have adventurous eaters.

Relaxing at their room, watching and listening to the birds. Also heard howler monkeys in the distance!