Summer Vacation '09 Begins...

Our trip actually started July 1, 2009. Anna and I flew on a grueling 14 hour flight with 5 layovers from Guam to Hawaii. We had layovers in Chuuk, Pohnpei, Kosrae, Kwajelen and Majuro. Most, if not all, of those places sound made up to most Americans, but when you land on them for an hour each you can verify they are indeed real.

Anna on our layover on Kosrae.

We landed in Arizona long enough for me to be mauled by my nieces and nephews, do some shopping, eat good Mexican food, and enjoy a good sunset or two.

Arizona Sunburst

Anna and I also got to eat the top piece of our wedding cake from three years ago. My sister, Wendy, kept it in her deep freeze the whole time. It was hard to cut, but remarkably still good tasting.

Anna cutting our wedding cake for the second and last time.

On July 4 we left early in the morning to jet off to Costa Rica. We arrived just as it was getting dark.



Our resort is called the Papagayo by Occidental. To me the name "Occidental" sounds too much like "accidental" which does not give you the best expectations for a resort.

View of the resort from the bay.

To welcome you to the resort you are greeted with this sign:



At some point at least one member of our party saw every one of the animals listed above, but they oddly left out the one animal we saw the most around the resort compound.

One of the many giant lizards we encountered on this trip.

We woke up on July 5 to choke down the all-you-can-eat buffet. After that we arranged our week of activities and got situated for the rest of the trip. We didn't have any activities planed the first day, so we enjoyed the resort.

First we played in the ocean.

My mom on her own canoe. Although this pic does not illustrate it well, she was zigzagging all over without my dad in back to steer.

Wendy and Rob enjoying the beach chairs on the very black sand beach.

After lunch we moved to the resort's pool.

I really enjoyed the swim-up wetbar.

All drinks were included, so we never stopped drinking.

Although alcoholic drinks were part of the all-inclusive stay, we obviously didn't partake. We would order drinks like Pina Coladas and Strawberry Daquris. If we asked for them "virgin" we ended up getting ones with alcohol in them. We had to say very clearly "no alcohol." One bartender looked at me very confused and asked me, "Why?" "Well, I don't drink alcohol." "But, why?" The though of someone not consuming free booze was a bit too foreign to him.

We also soaked in the jacuzzi some before dinner. After dinner there was free entertainment. We dropped by to witness what they called the "entertainment." It was more like really, really bad acting on a self produced version of High School Musical, but with no music...or plot. At least we knew this meant we'd have the nights free.

All in all, we had a good first day. Tomorrow we are going to see the active Arenal Volcano and enjoy natural hot springs.