Feeling Low, Flying High

Lots to share today...

1. I think they are not bedbugs, but rather just mosquitos that have a particular taste for my blood. Slept well last night. Thanks for all those who were concerned.

2. Every move overseas--this is my third and Tara's third--has its ups and downs. An almost predictable cycle of "I love this place," "I hate this place", "It's wonderful here," "It sucks here," etc. Yesterday, we hit a crescendo that had been growing for a few days of "It sucks here," an opinion put forth by all three of our wonderful children simultaneously. In unison, they all declared their desire to get home, and get home fast. Even Tae, who to this point has not spoken his opposition to our move--though of late has screamed non-verbally his opposition--said "yes" when asked if wanted to go back to his old pre-school. Suffice it to say, yesterday morning in particular was tough. Tara was extraordinary (as is her ordinary way) in helping the kids through the day. They are facing the challenges and opportunities of new friends, new ways of doing things, a new language, but are seeing and feeling only the challenges. Combined, this is all conspiring to make them wish they were in Alexandria, VA, at their old school, with familiar friends. We've got great kids and we know they'll make it through. Right now, they just need to know that they will make it through and could even enjoy this fantastic place.

3. We had a spectacular flight the other day in a gyrocopter. Check out this photo of Tara in the copter. And, if you've got a few minutes, this video and its second part and its third part that our friend David took during his flight. David and Tara both touched the face of God while airborn, literally coming to the ground with expressions of profound awe and wet eyes. While they were in the air, I had had a similarly profound experience with an top-notch plate of rice, beans and eggs at the soda across the street from the airport. But neither Tara nor David would listen to my praise of a simple gallo pinto con huevos.

Indeed, the flight was extraordinary. Tara and David each went south on their flights from Runway Alpha at Terminal 1 at the Nosara Airport. They saw the kids' school and the lovely homes on the hill in Playa Guiones and Pelada, including David's. They also skimmed low over the water--i can vouch that this is an experience straight from National Geographic, as I did the same. My journey (we each went for 20-25 minutes) took me north to Ostional--where female turtles arrive by the thousands each month to lay their eggs--and on to San Juanillo, a beautiful little beach with a dozen blue and red and white wooden fishing boats moored just offshore. Unfortunately, I did not have a camera with me. I also caught a glimpse of an 8-foot croc, basking in the sun on the banks of the Rio Nosara. Guido, our pilot, said that the crocs while clearly capable of damaging a person, are mostly quite shy and people do in fact swim in the Rio. (More on that later) Leaving the river behind, we zipped just twenty feet above the breakers in Ostional. Just above the whitewater smashing into rocks and the spray spouting upwards. The crystal blue and green water, changing into white was magnificent. Add to it the vision of twenty or more sea turtles headed toward the beach to lay their eggs and a real moment was created. (In the evening, and on the right nights, thousands of turtles come. At other times, it is more scattered landings, such as these twenty.)

The beaches here are set against a backdrop of beautiful green mountains rising upward, dotted with homes and full of monkeys, pizotes, exotic birds and other wildlife. For Tara, the beauty of the flight literally brought tears to her eyes. She commented that in the hustle-bustle of running to a rundown grocery store, driving over rutted dirt roads, chasing stray dogs out of the house, fighting mosquitos, seeing too much trash on the sides of roads, one can forget the natural wonder in which we are living. She and David and I were all reminded of the incredible beauty of this place and our good fortune to be here to enjoy it.

Beautiful Playa Guiones

Rocks on the northwest edge of Guiones

Del Mar Academy - the kids' school - as scene from several hundred feet

Fearless Dave about to take off in the Gyrocopter

Can't help but think of paving paradise--and thinking about the many, many paradises that have been destroyed through our development...Costa Rica has generally done an admirable job of avoiding this, though the financial pressure to develop is extraordinary. I recently began reading The Quetzal and Macaw, by David Rains Wallace, which discusses the history of Costa Rica's world famous national park system and how that system stopped the pillage of Costa Rica's forests (which had declined from something like 75% of national coverage to 25% in the first 50 years of the century.)

The last bit on our flight: David and I are now signed up to learn to fly one of these babies. If you come visit us after Christmas, I expect to be able to take you up for a ride. (Grab a good life insurance policy before you come down...)

Pura vida...