Wow very cool Rich!
What did you think of Costa Rica? Working on planning a trip there for next March with wife and daughter. It looks like a really spectacular place.
It is. Kinda like paradise on earth. For instance on the afternoons we went horse back riding or just walking on the beach we had an entire stretch of beach to ourselves. Totally unspoiled. Now that I know the country the next time we go were going to wing it instead of going thru a travel agent, "tho I had a great travel agent". He made sure everything went off like clock work
http://www.vacationscostarica.com/staff/justindeboom/ They even have an in country concierge that I was able to call when I spaced out my house keys at our first Hotel and they were able to get them back to me.
We started off at the Arenal volcano, which we were even able to see one afternoon and morning. From there we did the rain forest thing and went zip lining thru it. I wouldnt recommend that Hotel and Spa cause they really stick it to you for food except for a free breakfast. But the volcano was beautiful. Next we went to the quaint mountain town of Monteverde, via a lake ride that was spectacular, which was really nice. Best of all our Hotel was right off the main drag so we could go into town to eat and shop. We were up about 5,000' both places so there were no bugs and lotsa wild life. We went on more nature tours, white water rafting...ect
Then we spent 4 days at The Westin resort at Playa Concha which is all inclusive and just paradise on earth. Eat and drink all you want, lotsa restaurants and a cool little surfer town called Tamarindo. We went fishing for a day and horseback riding there but mostly chilled.
http://www.westinplayaconchal.com/ Oh and the place has a great golf course if you play. May is a great time to go cause its the start of the rain season and past prime season. The weather was mostly very good except in the rain forest where your obviously going to get rain any time of the year.
The Costa Rican people I found dignified, very friendly, and totally committed to tourism. 60% of their visitors are Americans and most of them speak English, some English, and with my limited Spanish there were no problems. PM me before making any commitments cause I asked a whole lot of questions down there. 9 days down there and I met only a few jerks and those were Americans. I thought the Costa Rican people were very fine people.
And man Im still on a high from that Marlin. My entire life I wanted to hook up a Blue and finally did it.