Another yearly adventure

As 2011 moves into full swing, I try to keep myself in vacation state by looking at the pictures of our latest trip every day.  We decided to go to Costa Rica, a warm destination this time.

San Jose

I am in awe of my husband's ability and willingness to dig deep for the extra push it took to get in a rental car in a strange country and follow me in the cab to the B&B for our first two nights in San Jose. 

It smells different.  Every country, every vacation has its own aroma.  They are aromas that resurface, like the melodies that surround the central theme of a symphony.  The different scents are like the surrounding notes, and then you turn a corner, and there it is again, the central theme returning.  Costa Rica smells like sweet tea, with an undertone of wind and sun and freshness from the breezes.

Animals followed us everywhere.  On the first morning when I opened the door of our room at the B&B, there was the house cat, who did not hesitate a moment before jumping up on the bed to snuggle with Mark.

Downtown San Jose is like big cities everywhere, except with more pot holes, ditches, garbage, exhaust and noise.  All the taxis in this country are red, and most of them are in San Jose.  No wheelchair access here! 

The B&B is a stately old mansion, run down around the edges, and mixed in with all the bric a brac and chachkes is an original Rembrandt and a Lautrec!

There was a great place for dinner just 5 minutes walk from the B&B, and on our second night we discovered the joy of take out cognac.  We wanted a night cap,and when I inquired about a store or bar close buy, I was told we could take it with us.  We wandered "home" in the soft darkness with two styrofoam glasses of cognac to sip on the porch.

The house dogs were part of the fun also, as was the parrot, who was more effective than a guard dog if people decided to wander around the house in places they didn't belong.

Tomorrow, we are going to hit the road in our rented 4-wheel drive.  Watch for the next post.