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"The dying process begins the minute we are born." -- Carol Matthau

Episode 1: Pura Vida--Pure Life @ Where`s Cherie?     Aug 06 2002 - 03:45 PST Cherie and Kristi traversing a river in Costa Rica (in the latest exlporation fashions) Kristi and Cherie on horseback. The volcano graciously decided to erupt at the very moment we were having our photo snapped! How sweet! Kristi smiling, completely unaware that behind her a dangerous monkey is poised for attack! Kristi stuck. Really stuck. I am not sure why she is laughing, but it might have something to do with the placement of the guy's hand who is trying to push her through. Is the Costa Rican guide (not pictured) "feeling Kristi up" or "trying to push her through." You decide. An airport in Costa Rica. Yes, we were surprised to realize that the entire airport consisted of a slab of tarmac. You just waited for your plan, and hopped in. I mean, what else do you really need? Doesn't everyone secretely want to become Tarzan. Here's Kristi's attempt as she swung through the rain forest canopy. cherie writes: November 1998 I am in paradise in a little town called Dominical where the ocean meets the sea. Kristi and I are renting a beach house here and are taking private Spanish Lessons from a local girl. The town has about 500 people in it and I have met them all. The food here is amazingly delicious. I have a local baker who comes to my door with fresh baked bread, and a local farmer who brings me fresh fruit and veggies. Not that I need to cook in, because a gourmet breakfast costs a buck or two (with tip) and dinner is a more expensive 3 bones. Every night the whole town goes to the same place for dancing, and when that place shuts down the whole town walks together to the next place. The other day I was soaking in some local hot springs (heated by and active volcano) when I saw it explode its' guts of fire in an amazing display of light. I also rode a horse into the rainforest and then pulled myself up this system of ropes and pulleys into the air above the rainforest. From a little thatched platform in the trees you can see the rainforest canopy below. Then you swing like Tarzan through the trees to other platforms, and finally repel to the bottom. The next day we talked out way onto a boat full of missionaries that were traveling up the Rio De San Carlos which separates Costa Rica from Nicaragua. On this boat we saw sloths, monkeys, rare birds, prehistoric fish, Cayman (like Crocodiles) and Jesus Lizards. (That probably is not the scientific name, but they did walk on water.) Kristi has been quite the trooper except for the cave thing. We paid a local to take us through these amazing caves I read about. Darned in large rubber boots, helmets and flashlights we traversed through the jungle, a river, and into the cave. After being wet and muddy and being pushed and pulled through crevices Kristi had enough. The straw that broke the camel's back was when I saw a giant spider that rivalled the one on Giligan's Island and our guide spoke his first English words. "Dat un is jus a baby." Kristi headed back, which left me alone with the guide for another two hours of climbing up waterfalls and sliding down muddy cliffs. I was fairly courageous until we got to a 10 foot ravine with rushing water and he said "Jump." If you can imagine, the next scene is a 5 foot tall non-english speaking Costa Rican, straddled in neck high with water rushing about his shoulders in the middle of the ravine. I am on his shoulders being waded across the river. I wasn't very valiant, but at least I am alive. I have to head off to the beach to do a little "boogie surfing" on the best beach in Costa Rica. . I just traveled to the Caribbean side of the Island where it is a completely different world. There is a strong Jamaican influence and Reggae music is everywhere. "Pura Vida" that means pure life and is a common saying here and seems like an appropriate way to end this letter. Click on each picture to see it full size. read comments (0) | write comment| views: 6736    | rated: 3.0    printer-friendly version