Jungle and hot pool adventures….

After civic week it was a long weekend, (the kids had Monday off), it was a social, busy one, and ended where Luca ends most evenings here…

How lucky is he to have this space??!!!!!!

Tuesday Rich and I went up to the school to help a new teacher move into her house, which happens to be on the school grounds, it needed a good clean and she is single Mum so appreciated some help.

After, we decided to go for a hike through some of the jungle area around the school. Pica was with us and she LOVES the jungle as do we. Once we got started we just kept going. We had heard that there is a trail from the school to Amigo Hill (see previous post on our climb of that), and we thought we would give it a go.

In hindsight we were not really prepared the “trail” really is non existent. We really needed a machete, it was that overgrown. Luckily Rich has downloaded a map on his phone that allowed us to keep somewhat on track, without that we would have been in a bit of trouble.

just after the below photo, Pica looked back at me with an expression of “are you sure you know where we are going?!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”

We finally found our way and the view from the top of the mountain was AWESOME!!!

Pica found one of her favorite things in the whole world…a bog!!!

she puts her whole body and head under like a hippo! Needless to say the smell was not great 🙂

We were on a time limit as had to be home for the bus, so Rich and I ran the last part coming out by chance, at the top of one of the very posh hotels in the area. We emerged bedraggled, pulling vines off us, and with a very smelly dog. Rich said “just look like we belong”! The property of this hotel is immense, the clients drive around in golf carts and they have their own lagoon with a restaurant, indoor swimming pool, huge pen with peacocks (which by the way Pica took GREAT interest in!!!) etc etc, you get the idea, we certainly got looked at twice as we walked casually through the security gate, by the numerous guards, I smiled, said ‘hola”!, and scurried off 🙂

We got home just in time! Apart from a few moments of, “are we crazy” it was a great adventure, and we aim to do it again and try another path to avoid the hotel part 🙂

The rest of the week flew, Luca was extra social, seemed always to be off somewhere or have kids over, Rich and I did some tutoring, and we were invited to a friends for supper on Friday which was a lovely evening, very relaxing and fun…..then it was the weekend again.

We took a trip with some friends who have a car, ( a coveted thing among us expats!!), to some hot springs, down the mountain about an hour. Super grateful they took us, as so hard to get to otherwise. Everything from the gorgeous surroundings, to the food, to the company was great, so happy we went!!

On the way home the heavens opened as it does here in Costa Rica, and Ethan who was driving, could barely see the road, so we stopped in a little cafe for coffee.

The kids found kittens, and once again I had to talk Luca out of taking one home…

Behind us in the group photo was an incredible view, we caught glimpses of it, but do need to get back there on a clear day to appreciate it properly, the coffee was fantastic!

Sunday was a “closed door” in our home, we needed a day to recoup, we were all in bed and asleep early, happily tired preparing for another week 🙂