First impressions of Colombia

Arrived late on Jan 14 in Pereira to the welcoming open arms of Gloria. Weather is great here, averaging 75 to 80 in days and mid to low 60s at night. The town is about 750,000, so quite a lot to offer. Got settled quick with new phone SIM card (320-623-0421) and am very impressed by the friendliness and politeness of all here. You have the small local stores you expect but also large retail and many malls. Everything is very reasonable. Taxis are 2 to 3 dollars. We went out for breakfast a couple days ago and the total for both was about 4 dollars. I was due for a physical, doctor $26 (includes his cell #, please call anytime), lab $50, electrocardiogram $18. Very happy with results, after losing 40+ pounds this last year my numbers are better than ever. I just asked about cable, just to be curious, it is $30/month including phone and internet and a lot of tv channels, including USA normals. House taxes about $100/year.
Went up into the mountains last weekend to a national park area. Walked the trails in the jungle (they say forest here) and looked for monkeys, only heard them. Lots of birds and beautiful scenery. The ride from town was in a Chiva, a bus with bench seats all across and open on the right side for access. Ours was not too full, but we met some with people in and on top, crammed full.
Pereira is in a valley surrounded by the mountains, not near any beaches, which explains the near perfect climate. Also being very close to the equator, there is almost 12 hours of daylight all year long!
Having computer issues again so no photos at this time, hopefully soon!
Computer works!

Happy New Year and All That It May Bring!

The month in Costa Rica is now over. The country is living up to it's name-rich coast, as the cost of living was way more than I remembered form two years ago. But it was a great time with the kids! The first morning out we stopped at the edge of town to get photos of the scarlet macaws that were in a tree near the beach, 8 of them. Then we saw sloths, toucans, monkeys, snakes, lizards, a 4 inch locust, waterfalls, mountains and beaches, for a start. Carly, alias Tanny the Toucan, (she tans very quick) enjoyed swimming night and day and can now keep up with her dad snorkeling. Very warm Christmas, and for New Years there was a huge celebration on the beach, sending off sky lanterns, fireworks and bonfires with music in the background. We were all in awe, that was the neatest fireworks display I ever saw, covering about 3 miles of beach. Then we went north for the last few days to the Arenal Volcano area, stopping the first day at a resort with about 7 pools, all at a different temperature. They were built along a stream in the jungle. They also had a horseback ride in to the mountain nearby. We got caught in the rain coming out of the Arenal National Park, more monkeys, birds, etc. Now they are back in WI and I took the bus back up to Nicaragua to finish my dental implant. So far, so good, all that is left is for the new tooth to be installed this weekend. Feels like home back in Leon, enjoying visiting friends from here. One more week till I journey to Colombia, after another 10 hour bus ride back to San Jose, CR.
PS. It has been just over a year now into this new adventure, it has been truly awesome. The doors keep opening up to new adventure, and for now, I am quite willing to step through to see what's next.

Headed south for Christmas, Costa Rica.

Can't believe it has been a month since the last update. After Granada, spent a relaxing week in San Juan del Sur. Nice little beach town in southern Nicaragua, quiet bay for great swimming, lots of shops and restaurants. Then a drive and stop in León for a dentist progress check, so far so good, and then a week tour of northern Nicaragua. My favorite place was Somoto, a little mountain town, not far from Honduras. There is a national park nearby with a river canyon, wow, absolutely beautiful!
Stayed for the weekend because of a festival on Sat. and horse parade on Sunday. Also visited cities of Esteli, Matagalpa and a general tour of the coffee country, including a chocolate factory tour, very small time operation but extremely interesting. Finished it off with a couple of days on the coast at Las Peñitas, near León.
Eventually made it back to Managua and hopped on the TicaBus for a 10 hour ride to San Jose in Costa Rica. Actually, 2 or more hours were spent at the border for customs and immigration. Not a bad deal though for a total of $29.00. Sticker shock set in immediately when it cost me $25 for a taxi ride to the hotel. Met Dave Ladick, friend from St Point the next day and headed to my new month long residence at a condo in Jacó, on the Pacific Coast.
Anyone that knows Dave, is aware he does not let any grass grow under his feet. We did ATV rides in the jungle mountains, zip lines in the jungle mountains, horse rides in the ..., visited parks, animal preserves, waterfalls, a cliff-side 2000' high sunset view, beach hopping, etc. It was great to see him again. I even got a photo of him in the hammock, maybe only for 5 minutes, but it happened.
I am still shocked at the prices here, way more than I remember two years ago. This is a great place to visit, but I don't think I would settle here.
Next the kids arrive late Sat nite so I am really excited, and I hear they are too.
Now for a personal update, I have a friend Gloria that has been here with me since the 1st of November. We first met last May when I hired her to clean my condo in Florida. That was all, but she kept my email. She is from Colombia and was in FL chasing the American dream, which didn't really pan out. She returned to Colombia in late May. Sometime in June she emailed, and asked if we could keep in touch, I thought sure. We wrote back and forth as the summer progressed. As I got to know more about her I realized we had a lot in common and she seemed very nice. Then she decided to visit her friend in Orlando in Sept.  I thought this would be a great opportunity to meet,

Christ monument at San Juan del Sur

View of San Juan del Sur from monument

Somoto canyon

Roadside view

Parade in front of our hotel

Somoto sidestreet

Flor de cana, sugar cane flower, also the name of Nicaragua's Rum.

In a mountain waterfall/botanical garden near Jacó

My favorite beach here, at Playa Herradura, just north of Jacó

ATV stop at a cold waterfall!

Feeling zippy.

The summit of our horse ride into the mountains. A welcomed butt break!

Toucan resting, on the horse ride back down.

Scarlet Macaw just outside Quepos, where Dave went rafting (by himself), yes I chickened out.

A friendly fellow offered to take our photo in Granada.

Second volcano trip much easier than first. Drive up most, then horses, then only a little climb.

Smoldering Masaya volcano, erupted last in 2008

Another crater in the Masaya volcano.

so on my way to Nicaragua, I stayed in Orlando for about 10 days. We visited a lot and toured some of the area and got along great. So after my school was over, so was her visit and she came to Nicaragua and we have been travelling together since. She just left last Friday to visit with her family for Christmas in Pereira, Colombia. She has two adult boys, one with a grandson. So after a week back in Nicaragua in Jan to finish my implant, I am headed to Colombia to see her world and family. I haven't written about her because she wanted to tell her parents in person, so there hasn't been anything on Facebook or here till now.
So now, the guy from Wisconsin, that doesn't drink beer is headed to Columbia and still doesn't like coffee.
Merry Christmas everyone, may the blessings you share be enjoyed this season and the whole year through. I am blessed with the visit of Austin, Jennifer, Carly and Patricia for this Christmas and I can't think of a better gift than that.