Zip-lining in Monte Verde....Ohhhh Yaaaaa!!!!!!!

Hola Amigos!!

Bridge through forest canopy

Famous bird Monte Verde is known for

   This past week flew by! The class as a solo student was great – 3 hours each morning which was all my brain could handle at one shot. My ‘familia Tica’ is awesome! Katia is a fantastic cook and Juan, her husband is a lot of fun. He speaks fairly good English and is able to help me with the Spanish when I get stuck. They’re 12 year old son Jorge like to ‘high-five’ me when I get home in the evening. :-) I usually have coffee (Costa Rican – muy rico) and something small to eat for breakfast and then lunch is on my own. Dinner is a great social time – great food and lots of laughing as they speak Spanish and I try to understand and add my 1 cents to the conversation. I was the only student they had last week. This week, a married couple from Germany moved in as well and started the COSI school today.

Hotel Arco Iris in Monte Verde

getting ready to Zip! :-)

One of the 'gazillion' flowers

   This past weekend I went to Monte Verde (the cloud forest) with 2 of my friends here a COSI – a guy from the US and a girl from Germany. We had a great time walking through the forest canopy on bridges that have been suspended high up in the canopy above the forest floor. We also went zip-lining after that and I think the total was 13 zip-lines linked together like holes on a golf course. The last zip-line was incredible. It was one cable suspended 300-400ft above the canopy floor and went for over a ½ mile (3000ft).

My friend coming in on zip-line.

The average speed was 40mph and the ride lasted for 1 minute (See video of one of my zip-line rides at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DrpwOXFKu2M). There were actually no clouds because the rainy season hasn’t started. Usually, there is a pervasive fog that sits in the tree tops for months on end. The companions I traveled with were so much fun and have a great sense of humor!

   The weekend was filled with lots and lots of laughter and I got to smoke one of the Cuban cigars I picked up at a local store – muy bien!!!

   It’s more class this week through Wednesday and then the country shuts down for the Easter holiday. No classes

Tree branches growing back down to the ground.

Thursday or Friday. So, the school has organized a trip to Nicaragua for 3 days and 2 nights. Many of the students here have opted to take that including me because this little beach town is going to be inundated with Costa Rican families from San Jose to celebrate Easter together and lots of things will be closed. I’m looking forward to Nicaragua because I understand things are very inexpensive and I get another stamp in my passport!! Very cool!!!

   Hope each of you reading this blog is in good health and has a wonderful Easter holiday! For me, as a Christian, it’s a special and very meaningful day! Until next time, ‘Que tenga une buena fin de semana!!

- David