Costa Rica Puerto Viejo Day 16

We have had an exciting few days.

Christmas morning was very fun for the kids as Santa brought them a small sock full of goodies and a number of gifts they were thrilled with.

Our trip to Puerto Viejo took 10.5 hours.  Surprisingly, Jaida, Blake and I were totally fine, the kids not complaining once.  Michele got terribly car sick during the drive.  It got so bad she questionned travelling up to Arenal next week because it is another long, windy drive.

Puerto Viejo is a very special town.  To me, it is something out of a fairy tale.  The town isn't much larger than 16 blocks square and the beach is butt up against the main road without even a sidewalk in between.  There are tons of hippy cyclists (zero helmets) and the town has a very Jamaican feel but is much more touristy than I would have thought.

We have settled into our villa, a two bedroom home with a small kitchen and patio for eating.

The morning after we arrived we heard a deafening roar from the property next door.  The kids ran into our room terrified.  You would have sworn it was a wild boar fight or an air raid siren.  Nadia, the property owner, told is it was a howler monkey.  We now find out they are one of the loudest animals on earth.  I still cannot believe that this sound comes from a relatively small monkey.  Apparently they have a special bone that helps amplify their "roar".

Today was breakfast at Bread and Chocolate, an outstanding cafe with organic foods, a trip to the Chocolate Museum where we cracked cocoa beans and made chocolate, a swim at the Museum's pool, an afternoon lunch on the beach with a few beers and a game of foosball with a local boy about eight.

-- Christian

Christmas morning

Cacao plant

Kids