PURA VIDA: Windstar Cruise in Costa Rica

Over New Years, 2007 with Steve and Lynne Frazier and Dave and Beverly Harper



"The Blue Butterfly" is a movie filmed in Costa Rica. Indeed, the butterflies are there.



A tradition on Windstar is to play "1492" by Vangelis when raising the sails.



Sailing to San Juan del Sur, Nicaragua



Steve lined up a day at TURU BA RI, where we did Canopy tour with Okey Dokey Tours and Charlie Soto.



The "golden gate bridge" suspension we drove over to get to TURU BA RI wavered under wheels. Wooden slats with a river of crocs below.


The intrepid canopy flyers.



Dave coming in for a landing.



oh help.





A "double" at the end, 5000 ft ride.



Dave H and Steve did Superman. The rest of us visited butterflies and bromiliads.










Nature walk in TURU BA RI. Highlights sprinkled throughout this story.



Scoping our first day of adventure on the map.



Steve got friendly with this toucan, who pecked him on the chest!






New Year's eve.





Rafting on a brand of the Corobici river.








The rafting guide made a treat for us.


Granada, Nicaragua, at the museum.



Beach landing and hike to a waterfall...





...and swim with a small cayman watching from the ledge.



Watching monkeys...howler, spider, and more.



Sunsets from the deck were lovely.

Meltem and Barry visit Mt Gretna

January 10-15, we had the pleasure of a visit during their winter break from professorships in Istanbul. Mt Gretna is a place to rest and rejuvinate, and the weather was good for January. Highlights were...

Lunch with the Culpans, a Turkish couple living in Hershey. There was so much conversation, we forgot to take pictures! The Culpans asked Barry to deliver a package of Hershey chocolate to a friend of theirs at Yetipepe University, where he teaches. The Culpans also gave us a tip on a lovely small hotel in Istanbul - www.uyanhotel.com. Take a look and you'll get an idea of what Istanbul is like.



Turkish dinner with Mt Gretna friends. Barry and Meltem brought the best baklava from Istanbul - www.gulluoglubaklava.com/ - a "dry" baklava, that travels well. A new cafe in Brooklyn imports it! (see website)



Barry gave a virtual tour (through books) of the Jameel Islamic Art Gallery exhibit at the Victoria and Albert Museum, where he was curator until August, 2006.



Menu: Chicken with oranges, spices and onions, served with apple and zuchini salad, couscous with herbs and several bottles of wine. In the picture below, Barry and Meltem sample the hazelnut dressing that Joan Royer made. Baked feta with peppers and olives was a delightful appetizer by Beth.

Meltem and I went to watercolor painting class at Barb Fishman's studio in the woods.

Meltem's mother Sadan sent this lovely tablecloth as a gift!

Jasper loved their visit, as did we. Next blog will be Costa Rica!

Dave and Susan's first blog

Barry and Meltem helped us set up a blog. We begin.