GUANACASTE TO SAN JOSE

Tuesday March 20

We left our beautiful resort after breakfast. On our journey Juan told us to look for signs for "Beano de Cajoles". Apparently it is a fruit juice made from certain palm trees. However, if you drink this particular juice and then go out in the sun, you start to ferment and you get drunk. The effect can last up to 3 days. If your drunken state starts to wear off, you just go out into the sun and start to ferment all over again!

We had a stretch break and a lunch break. Anytime Anton leaves the bus without his money pouch, that is the time Frankie sees something she wants to buy. If he would just bring the money pouch every time, she wouldn't want to buy anything!

We took an afternoon crocodile jungle cruise on the Tarcoles River through some mangrove reserves. We saw some macaws, and some really neat birds called yellow-headed caracaras. Our guide could not pronounce the word "yellow", so he called them "jello-headed caracaras". We had several crocodile sightings. The driver hopped out of our boat with some raw chicken and slapped the water until the crocodile came and snatched it out of his hand. Amazing! He did this with three different crocodiles. The last one was named Tyson and was 40 years old. Absolutely huge. He made an iguana go scurrying. This section of the river is ruled by Osama, the largest croc at 16 ft. Crocs can live to be 100 years old.

After the cruise there was a gift shop with live music, we bought some t-shirts.

We arrived in San Jose around 4 and had a few hours to pack everything up. At 6 pm we were all supposed to meet in our finest clothes for a "surprise". That turned out to be dance show, rather Dancing With the Stars-ish. Salsa, cha cha, tango, etc. For the last bit, they grabbed half our group to go up for lessons. We volunteered to take pictures.

There was a group shot on the lobby stairs, and a very nice dinner. Not buffet! It was a little sad to say bye to all our new friends. Anton and I are booked on the 4 am shuttle to get to the airport in the morning. Good night!
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