tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11019860642886217462024-03-19T01:47:21.915-07:00High-Five AdventuresSince their first trip together Erin & Craig have used a high-five and synchronized cheer of "Adventure!" to help keep their spirits up when the travel gods throw them a curve-ball. Now they will put it to the ultimate test as they embark on world-wide travel with an added team member: their baby!Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger290125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1101986064288621746.post-78691711550501052552024-01-13T15:25:00.000-08:002024-01-13T15:25:00.136-08:00Costa Rica Days 15-18: Arenal Attractions<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzFlcqKKtp2wsUE9CMKbrlNFrAbspp-6uqnk3VQ4gDJNDq0d-sBtOW-mdnfXo8EttF1xBSc7LCorDxC2OZPn4qPTiAmiAxa6yDN2xQn9MP3DOBSuXwbMsxyGO47yImIUqfiGP69ucRx4ImkcGx7h_z9FhT3-W5amgkJPaT7wR8KUd6F2YOFBWmJpCWMhM/s4032/PXL_20240109_142414061-EFFECTS.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzFlcqKKtp2wsUE9CMKbrlNFrAbspp-6uqnk3VQ4gDJNDq0d-sBtOW-mdnfXo8EttF1xBSc7LCorDxC2OZPn4qPTiAmiAxa6yDN2xQn9MP3DOBSuXwbMsxyGO47yImIUqfiGP69ucRx4ImkcGx7h_z9FhT3-W5amgkJPaT7wR8KUd6F2YOFBWmJpCWMhM/w640-h480/PXL_20240109_142414061-EFFECTS.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div>We left the coast behind and headed inland towards the Arenal Vocano. The drive estimated to be about four and a half hours so we departed early with lots of snacks and high spirits. <div><br /></div><div>Erin picked out a lunch spot that promised gluten-free and vegan desserts most of the way through the drive, along the narrow hairpin turn filled mountain route we had selected. Things were going smoothly and we hit the 15 minute warning that we were approaching the restaurant so we started gathering our things and putting on shoes. Moments later, we were brought to a stop by a line of cars on the road ahead of us. </div><div><br /></div><div>We were stuck for about 15 minutes before we saw someone walk by. We asked them if they knew the situation and they informed us that a bus and truck had collided. It was anticipated to take hours for the road to be cleared. Word started to spread and cars began turning around. We joined in and had to retrace our steps all the way back to the previous town. We had just lost two hours. </div><div><br /></div><div>It was dinnertime when we pulled in to our next rental property, in the town of La Fortuna, close to Arenal and all its attractions. Our accommodation was a rustic a-frame cabin. Super cute...but, definitely rustic. There were many windows with only a large mesh screen and we began to have a bit of a panic about mosquitoes. Some spots in the house didn't have a screen at all, only a big gap between the logs. we plugged these with towels as the wooden beams seemed like perfect bat habitat.</div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDu_mWJ9qbJ5Y6xbl0kgyEZQd3C5vE_wqe3COJRLo0mRDdN7iphllClBiceZM3LPjzLkYlsn3eFFwKCL0b4RlJO7KKyOzClBD3TMyqRTt3KHSOb4AJOhYWZriDJomAF_EoPWWjoWd-Q7QCiD1iaDT8TD56XlNtuj0Gijzu-DWcZgid9EvOiP1YjxQmZN8/s4032/PXL_20240109_220215965.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDu_mWJ9qbJ5Y6xbl0kgyEZQd3C5vE_wqe3COJRLo0mRDdN7iphllClBiceZM3LPjzLkYlsn3eFFwKCL0b4RlJO7KKyOzClBD3TMyqRTt3KHSOb4AJOhYWZriDJomAF_EoPWWjoWd-Q7QCiD1iaDT8TD56XlNtuj0Gijzu-DWcZgid9EvOiP1YjxQmZN8/w200-h150/PXL_20240109_220215965.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>Craig and Erin looked at each other, a little down-and-out, but too exhausted to make a Plan B. They kept their reservations quiet and Adventure Girl settled right in to picking a room and making it her home. In the end, the property was fine; it just led to a couple of sleepless nights with all the trucks decelerating into town at the end of the property's road. </div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqdk_Y-vYUK60eZo5Ed_ZT4mHbuBz3v_YOb9tBqQ4hyac6wH95dkwNI6XV9fr1LsSzR6tk2zSQm-lHESwyrZihtXniEmkmEsgA5cz9v5DHUcMDfeK7zl0HcmQseMrB15Z-73irtbwqlOuooU8oFk14RU04JXSjK9RNsHmSy_csvddjA_DvUXN2Mt7-Td4/s2040/IMG-20240112-WA0012.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1530" data-original-width="2040" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqdk_Y-vYUK60eZo5Ed_ZT4mHbuBz3v_YOb9tBqQ4hyac6wH95dkwNI6XV9fr1LsSzR6tk2zSQm-lHESwyrZihtXniEmkmEsgA5cz9v5DHUcMDfeK7zl0HcmQseMrB15Z-73irtbwqlOuooU8oFk14RU04JXSjK9RNsHmSy_csvddjA_DvUXN2Mt7-Td4/s320/IMG-20240112-WA0012.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The view from our window (volcano in behind)</td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div><div>During the two days that followed; however, we made the most of our location and the amazing weather that continued for us. We were fortunate to get unobstructed views of the volcano on both days and we spent some time in the surrounding jungle. </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiImAr34NJRlmTcMAa1zBKoRYDFGlg5_oBTgk0lnJOqbRXE4jZf8xK8ye0tWhZXqrqyXkfvCjalk2P5Zqm3Ilu6KHQU_ZbcuhDFcCwF5vpKg_UVVBfzIPyyPcdNeUh0Ni3tPqLptrUN3gqSQXOiufexGXS0E1Oli-M5rSYTcrM5YMpOMDN0w3i7F4ndlPY/s4032/PXL_20240110_175855046.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiImAr34NJRlmTcMAa1zBKoRYDFGlg5_oBTgk0lnJOqbRXE4jZf8xK8ye0tWhZXqrqyXkfvCjalk2P5Zqm3Ilu6KHQU_ZbcuhDFcCwF5vpKg_UVVBfzIPyyPcdNeUh0Ni3tPqLptrUN3gqSQXOiufexGXS0E1Oli-M5rSYTcrM5YMpOMDN0w3i7F4ndlPY/s320/PXL_20240110_175855046.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-zUfFroJOv-3uTNEkp1FqQbCCm6Nd51VV3B-c6iGTSjqE1ugl_tq0tB3JYHidvQwlwbQkJ_NkX6On-M7Ng5V0Qv4am0-x85ksYVmF7nj-kIxGj8TwIDnwlu7oU3hoO2-QRYe_FM0oSl0VZaWtnC1YNOnL6sTIS4LvCqzqjA4BGMybJjKCpOMtM9I12Hk/s4032/PXL_20240110_172446272.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-zUfFroJOv-3uTNEkp1FqQbCCm6Nd51VV3B-c6iGTSjqE1ugl_tq0tB3JYHidvQwlwbQkJ_NkX6On-M7Ng5V0Qv4am0-x85ksYVmF7nj-kIxGj8TwIDnwlu7oU3hoO2-QRYe_FM0oSl0VZaWtnC1YNOnL6sTIS4LvCqzqjA4BGMybJjKCpOMtM9I12Hk/s320/PXL_20240110_172446272.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoiI5lN0E1sNXBKAuQ_9go1jkEUcivtYxcx5fDf7Iu73gvarccVZxNuZVRnjleKgqQPFsLBwrdo8UdVgQbQOJZiUz7iX4QYXK2dvampj-KuqdHIEEcgbWZ_a-ZpnFUYpfNHENkYZC5sywLDtfUOtX7Se7NbeO0CuQD_cKcvpDwRERJ6Mt-8XNBglJx_g4/s2040/IMG-20240112-WA0013.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1530" data-original-width="2040" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoiI5lN0E1sNXBKAuQ_9go1jkEUcivtYxcx5fDf7Iu73gvarccVZxNuZVRnjleKgqQPFsLBwrdo8UdVgQbQOJZiUz7iX4QYXK2dvampj-KuqdHIEEcgbWZ_a-ZpnFUYpfNHENkYZC5sywLDtfUOtX7Se7NbeO0CuQD_cKcvpDwRERJ6Mt-8XNBglJx_g4/s320/IMG-20240112-WA0013.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0yUelnFi3J_wuraTAgrKNtFDl4Fs0uyb7yRncM3fS_YL60yvKY9WzPPhlpyua1zHLIBkANnEvtpYKFyDp1b5AtbhY08kGcmGEmakpA9LWMwD6WjCaqgT7p7HZL_H46MbN6qvL1YtESFGz8f72hkQCgxMKt4Qw-wXBuxnNVgq4oahPssgZz2imBiXdSDs/s3264/PXL_20240109_152459364.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3264" data-original-width="2448" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0yUelnFi3J_wuraTAgrKNtFDl4Fs0uyb7yRncM3fS_YL60yvKY9WzPPhlpyua1zHLIBkANnEvtpYKFyDp1b5AtbhY08kGcmGEmakpA9LWMwD6WjCaqgT7p7HZL_H46MbN6qvL1YtESFGz8f72hkQCgxMKt4Qw-wXBuxnNVgq4oahPssgZz2imBiXdSDs/w150-h200/PXL_20240109_152459364.jpg" width="150" /></a></div>We went on another hike with hanging bridges (these ones looked much more up-to-standard than our wobbly, more adventurous ones in Quepos!). We were treated to spottings of a pit viper camoflagued on the trunk of a tree (at a safe distance!), a sloth, and....a troupe of Spider Monkeys!!! That's four for four of Costa Rica's monkey species for us! Woohoo!</div><div><br /></div><div>Not only did we see them, but we were lucky enough to get a great viewing! They swung from tree to tree and even climbed up and down a vine directly above us. We found a little offshoot trail where there was no one else around and enjoyed every minute of it. </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5wdkrwJUlrKwzobKbO_te0jpFVPxfLtywlLDDqZhGOMnODebooQ3sixn5LtEdOHRb1ybfZhv-oq8RlDW_viNWZs7kg_sxwL1Px23Jvpe7XfsXs1SUw-qPquW0u2hP6Te_bs-UrnWhrd4x05aqIKaVHzyFtU__bx9fC478UOY0d_aG6koIA7CTbKycQ3M/s1600/IMG-20240112-WA0008.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5wdkrwJUlrKwzobKbO_te0jpFVPxfLtywlLDDqZhGOMnODebooQ3sixn5LtEdOHRb1ybfZhv-oq8RlDW_viNWZs7kg_sxwL1Px23Jvpe7XfsXs1SUw-qPquW0u2hP6Te_bs-UrnWhrd4x05aqIKaVHzyFtU__bx9fC478UOY0d_aG6koIA7CTbKycQ3M/w400-h300/IMG-20240112-WA0008.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHsOVRxu_fmpFFh2EbuEfpDTWVTTPpyl-4n7gL8vA8zTz_V8IaIfrryaBKj13P6AJs5Jin_uZbFYq-p6EY0JJGi27ruxQB8L2vHsGW8GL-qdQPKIxTDSCxifRuIrGVeiGabyVC7OpFJUN3dYCX6D98Z_ZzI9jWKE4m2BDP09YLIPRyJAgx_kbe9spnsh4/s2040/IMG-20240112-WA0009.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2040" data-original-width="1530" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHsOVRxu_fmpFFh2EbuEfpDTWVTTPpyl-4n7gL8vA8zTz_V8IaIfrryaBKj13P6AJs5Jin_uZbFYq-p6EY0JJGi27ruxQB8L2vHsGW8GL-qdQPKIxTDSCxifRuIrGVeiGabyVC7OpFJUN3dYCX6D98Z_ZzI9jWKE4m2BDP09YLIPRyJAgx_kbe9spnsh4/w480-h640/IMG-20240112-WA0009.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO6I0Ml05KVkFVEWBsmvLNxq07FpXl09nVAywaZlwpwUvHKCyRDq8A3xSEymxkNSHznZJzzSXRv7qzqNle1M9uSnEEGoyVE8zCah3DYcg6vVi5NEfyfUXnT2wv7xe5R8_ChbUpAN5vcANawj1HUnqgWwHn00Q-HoRAe15GykimTEZkHenLYRoEvOlp_uM/s4032/PXL_20240109_150057033~2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO6I0Ml05KVkFVEWBsmvLNxq07FpXl09nVAywaZlwpwUvHKCyRDq8A3xSEymxkNSHznZJzzSXRv7qzqNle1M9uSnEEGoyVE8zCah3DYcg6vVi5NEfyfUXnT2wv7xe5R8_ChbUpAN5vcANawj1HUnqgWwHn00Q-HoRAe15GykimTEZkHenLYRoEvOlp_uM/w400-h300/PXL_20240109_150057033~2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>At the end of another hike in the jungle, we caught a glimpse of a new mammal crossing the road. After some research, we discovered that it was a tayra. We also saw many, many coati on and beside the road. </div><div><br /></div><div>Our time in Costa Rica ended with an uneventful drive back to Liberia and a very smooth experience at the car rental place and airport. One more stop was ahead before this trip would come to a close.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijszpgPTQ1viG4ewhXJC1obcpIuJgClKBWy2Wnu7fy40PPB1slW9mid5ajjT6M5t-QwOAaNoxjYBM2JNC2L_IipSODsUZOQnRYF7HBJu6afosTe3Q75m8BhSGUKHgBgvYDG-ptxaaGRrIAA7O8GtwQYwitrW4ezhOFYfwUEz7shyphenhyphenujcVzDWWRlS5xib-g/s4032/PXL_20240109_182533340.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijszpgPTQ1viG4ewhXJC1obcpIuJgClKBWy2Wnu7fy40PPB1slW9mid5ajjT6M5t-QwOAaNoxjYBM2JNC2L_IipSODsUZOQnRYF7HBJu6afosTe3Q75m8BhSGUKHgBgvYDG-ptxaaGRrIAA7O8GtwQYwitrW4ezhOFYfwUEz7shyphenhyphenujcVzDWWRlS5xib-g/s320/PXL_20240109_182533340.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7UmahMeRIpUAmqJbt4JSuRQQ8cQOzVJn_oFhTTLedOsSdkh9R31JQ5NqEWLMJ3g56I_lK2IGILnomKgmID76lxIJGL9Uhvux_zu-JEx5kFEFTYF5BE-dLtYG299ViUYL4ECtidV9myXbuTE8bGGZk963Sdc57WMbf8fspIMneR0w2pgJzHpAbR6yqyS0/s2040/IMG-20240112-WA0010.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2040" data-original-width="1530" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7UmahMeRIpUAmqJbt4JSuRQQ8cQOzVJn_oFhTTLedOsSdkh9R31JQ5NqEWLMJ3g56I_lK2IGILnomKgmID76lxIJGL9Uhvux_zu-JEx5kFEFTYF5BE-dLtYG299ViUYL4ECtidV9myXbuTE8bGGZk963Sdc57WMbf8fspIMneR0w2pgJzHpAbR6yqyS0/w300-h400/IMG-20240112-WA0010.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1101986064288621746.post-15906035288081462024-01-11T13:30:00.000-08:002024-01-12T14:22:01.433-08:00Costa Rica Days 11-14: Manuel Antonio Part Two: Hanging Around<p style="text-align: left;"><span face="sans-serif">Outside of Manuel Antonio Park, we had lots of fun, too. </span><span face="sans-serif">We ate at several spectacular restaurants with incredible views of the ocean, coastline, and jungle in between. Most notable was La Luna, where we went for a sunset dinner after our first day in the park. </span>We'd highly recommend a stop here! We had checked out the menu online and thought the photos looked nice. When we arrived, we were a bit surprised by just how fancy it was (like, a golf cart picks you up from the parking lot and drives you up to the resort fancy). The meal was oustanding, complete with a complimentary bread plate (they brought grilled zucchini with a balsamic drizzle for Erin), and a homemade passionfruit sorbet palate cleanser. Yum! And the views? Well, we think they speak for themselves. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzKnM6DTPYnQPhGl5NA2BMKQS6xtmTgxCqhCxF-dP7kIXitzJtkm2Eex7ikOnEKW6SA7Am6N_ddMvFh2zz8yOp43pa3qI3n34-XvvVf4hs9A4iSqo5ewdguFOus4fbvJBSZtXAUw_15840wOoJX7JOTjk_Ds6g0-PWb5m-LEvpJ1ZCZ1JmBpkkNhQiIRI/s4032/PXL_20240104_231515045~2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: black;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzKnM6DTPYnQPhGl5NA2BMKQS6xtmTgxCqhCxF-dP7kIXitzJtkm2Eex7ikOnEKW6SA7Am6N_ddMvFh2zz8yOp43pa3qI3n34-XvvVf4hs9A4iSqo5ewdguFOus4fbvJBSZtXAUw_15840wOoJX7JOTjk_Ds6g0-PWb5m-LEvpJ1ZCZ1JmBpkkNhQiIRI/s320/PXL_20240104_231515045~2.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLSQfTsnGwEr0L7TuwVdBVPIUQShRq0K9LmT8mRSgAMylh4bik0pR8rro77rDxYh7_nX4EiIbgxgq53rKqDLbqg1aCE0pPwfc6LT8AZ_AwPYZXzN7LkZNHRljSwsTYBO1DtCtB6apm2txa5htVc3ZInyKDk1-wEj1ldIJL-KKQraTNegc4ePOmjCV8T-c/s4032/PXL_20240104_232327893.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: black;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLSQfTsnGwEr0L7TuwVdBVPIUQShRq0K9LmT8mRSgAMylh4bik0pR8rro77rDxYh7_nX4EiIbgxgq53rKqDLbqg1aCE0pPwfc6LT8AZ_AwPYZXzN7LkZNHRljSwsTYBO1DtCtB6apm2txa5htVc3ZInyKDk1-wEj1ldIJL-KKQraTNegc4ePOmjCV8T-c/s320/PXL_20240104_232327893.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbn_0bPiMHN1NXRZ__Pg6ujxEqMYhk0Leo2d6AlkGCn6EoxdXjOyp3qmOy3Rlg2ifiibDhUTV43GLcbew9KvB4-cdyMe00b15K54ckcC-wiMhRqHkz7s0dFa_eKEBtwk83xlzVAdCvxn7YatI_XdOb_E5icMFWD-xmMSakfkOMtLiEGF3D4_Qzr-4G_Mw/s320/PXL_20240104_230001816.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="240" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo courtesy of Adventure Girl :)</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbn_0bPiMHN1NXRZ__Pg6ujxEqMYhk0Leo2d6AlkGCn6EoxdXjOyp3qmOy3Rlg2ifiibDhUTV43GLcbew9KvB4-cdyMe00b15K54ckcC-wiMhRqHkz7s0dFa_eKEBtwk83xlzVAdCvxn7YatI_XdOb_E5icMFWD-xmMSakfkOMtLiEGF3D4_Qzr-4G_Mw/s4032/PXL_20240104_230001816.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: black;"></span></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdYlJtDrZDdz9YouApuK9wBtF_k-yfQsLkJ9ycid4wT6nNzl2v0RdQffRarbmjB0eJIN24Xu6uq8D4NzmxagL-aiQdpqPgEprgbKDCZ5Iw5O02uUjx3qpPX9GuWOVTAztrelSP9TpT5IhEhfQL79Ol-vTwGodiQ8BFagUInIBPHcQgoKk44MlQzU0q2s8/s4032/PXL_20240104_232330325.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: black;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdYlJtDrZDdz9YouApuK9wBtF_k-yfQsLkJ9ycid4wT6nNzl2v0RdQffRarbmjB0eJIN24Xu6uq8D4NzmxagL-aiQdpqPgEprgbKDCZ5Iw5O02uUjx3qpPX9GuWOVTAztrelSP9TpT5IhEhfQL79Ol-vTwGodiQ8BFagUInIBPHcQgoKk44MlQzU0q2s8/s320/PXL_20240104_232330325.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1u34H5DMjsKLjRR8ix6RL21wNOWWNX8UojY9oW3WCz7P9nkG6Jf9HcPY9sqQNn32siIs4e5kciSymX-y_HRrCZwxivJUiPTpccPY8dVm-JbGoF-deR2qz7jTXzCwxOvt9I0hlGPTPqakeIIe8rcZaPU9v9vrWhvYjFDNI3bGcZbO4a1UKiD7l2RiM2uk/s2040/IMG-20240106-WA0000.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: black;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2040" data-original-width="1530" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1u34H5DMjsKLjRR8ix6RL21wNOWWNX8UojY9oW3WCz7P9nkG6Jf9HcPY9sqQNn32siIs4e5kciSymX-y_HRrCZwxivJUiPTpccPY8dVm-JbGoF-deR2qz7jTXzCwxOvt9I0hlGPTPqakeIIe8rcZaPU9v9vrWhvYjFDNI3bGcZbO4a1UKiD7l2RiM2uk/s320/IMG-20240106-WA0000.jpg" width="240" /></span></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfQzJAaINsmf8wjv7h7uVBMae82n_LsNclGi9YyfRHHS38D82WEL9oO74mLT8vwT-dizKUvOlGMok5mW4Cid9IOZ9ozQ_1q3XRruvRu04d_3pijmVWqwwtrcFScuit12K8nhlB3E3J9AlL0xFHb4aVaXXB4_fxK3-lTWjUIl_KNg5Ji0eWiIiM1GrIWfA/s4032/PXL_20240104_235654291.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: black;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfQzJAaINsmf8wjv7h7uVBMae82n_LsNclGi9YyfRHHS38D82WEL9oO74mLT8vwT-dizKUvOlGMok5mW4Cid9IOZ9ozQ_1q3XRruvRu04d_3pijmVWqwwtrcFScuit12K8nhlB3E3J9AlL0xFHb4aVaXXB4_fxK3-lTWjUIl_KNg5Ji0eWiIiM1GrIWfA/w400-h300/PXL_20240104_235654291.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><div><br /></div><div>There was another amazing moment when a group of scarlett macaws flew by, only this time, we were actually above them, looking down on their spectacular colours. </div><div><br /></div><div>We also had some fun at the public beach, and lots of time by the pool at our place. <div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyT0ugYUmwjqyB0B4EdtlWs6kDTAwSMmMmV-MLvLwVMifOtnMg4XeQ2qXr39uP7L9L0UKP7SQb6NUEsbrcRgHqmGiZ8qHrWgM-gt6hwwIXspSN1X_xzgrU7J0alFwZPRKPSSCKue6syJGmBK-GgpXxHFq6gE83ALPchUoruk_m0-PXktggWbfXGTeB8Rg/s4032/PXL_20240104_174750044.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: black;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyT0ugYUmwjqyB0B4EdtlWs6kDTAwSMmMmV-MLvLwVMifOtnMg4XeQ2qXr39uP7L9L0UKP7SQb6NUEsbrcRgHqmGiZ8qHrWgM-gt6hwwIXspSN1X_xzgrU7J0alFwZPRKPSSCKue6syJGmBK-GgpXxHFq6gE83ALPchUoruk_m0-PXktggWbfXGTeB8Rg/s320/PXL_20240104_174750044.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Building a sand taxi</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkdUYZI2RaRSRN6cmpCE_qMJBIll4OFEuVQrXyD46DoadfcM1C78kYtgUeN3rUKOGU5LyLhgWdFmF1RcbbkzgaU8gU12_oKm08vfZO9a4xhEX7PcNoyFWwvaiuX3Yym6o-FqKn5pNvb0juNt_O93l26B8ZDHVJ5POCRvnpoWPWFf0aGvDHSBBCBlQv4L8/s4032/PXL_20240101_233853307.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: black;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkdUYZI2RaRSRN6cmpCE_qMJBIll4OFEuVQrXyD46DoadfcM1C78kYtgUeN3rUKOGU5LyLhgWdFmF1RcbbkzgaU8gU12_oKm08vfZO9a4xhEX7PcNoyFWwvaiuX3Yym6o-FqKn5pNvb0juNt_O93l26B8ZDHVJ5POCRvnpoWPWFf0aGvDHSBBCBlQv4L8/s320/PXL_20240101_233853307.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our typical homemade dinner: taco bowl</td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div></div></div><div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;"><br /></div></div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: sans-serif;"><div dir="auto">We considered going zip lining but Adventure Girl had her hesitations and we knew from experience that you have to be ready to step off that platform or else it could be a pretty unsuccessful outing! </div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto">Instead, we opted for something that's more difficult to change your mind on at the last moment: parasailing! We had watched many people take off and land, while we were lounging on the public beach. It looked so smooth and relaxing, and Adventure Girl was game! So we signed up for a sunset ride and before we knew it, we were getting strapped into the wet harnesses. </div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto">We were given a quick run-down on the steps: walk quickly forwards, hold up the bar, then drop our hands to the straps and sit back. It all happened so fast - one moment we were standing on the beach; the next, we were flying up, up, up! </div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto">Craig had paraglided a few times previously and he was right in his description - it was more like floating than flying because it was so effortless. It almost felt like we were sitting on a couch in front of a green screen, it was so relaxing and surreal!</div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQKV0nU0n6-Cnxft8qVsmMgmxzZxYNVQz5wkAhIeyeWw_kp7u8W-AZpmV9g1jLHaYhF3XdTb3ogEyW8BMYXAGeK3uTeADB8VqzdmCp5xvPjtuN-Pwl1hsOotW5jq_CLcPXoW3VxnY3XG_4kFtGjmGWundCuVwxo8wqbJ2rh1Vbs-NMnzgCt5e6TnJNvIY/s3000/GOPR1912.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2250" data-original-width="3000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQKV0nU0n6-Cnxft8qVsmMgmxzZxYNVQz5wkAhIeyeWw_kp7u8W-AZpmV9g1jLHaYhF3XdTb3ogEyW8BMYXAGeK3uTeADB8VqzdmCp5xvPjtuN-Pwl1hsOotW5jq_CLcPXoW3VxnY3XG_4kFtGjmGWundCuVwxo8wqbJ2rh1Vbs-NMnzgCt5e6TnJNvIY/w640-h480/GOPR1912.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto">We flew along the coast of the National Park, where we got to see the three beaches clearly, and the spots where we'd seen the capuchins, then the three troupes of monkeys earlier that day. We floated above a V of pelicans, and watched our own shadow dance along the treetops. We filmed the whole experience on our go-pro and will be re-watching it many times, for sure. </div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto">Then, we prepared ourselves for the landing, which didn't end up being all too stressful. Lots of frantic unclipping of carabiners but all heads stayed above water. Note that our go-pro footage is way more harrowing because it was strapped to Craig's chest which did go under water! </div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto">The next moment we were on the back of a jet ski, hanging on, being shuttled back to shore. </div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto">It was an incredibly expensive 15 minutes but such an amazing experience. And, Adventure Girl? She was joyful throughout and immediately wanted to go again, quoting that the take off and landing (ie: the most thrilling parts) were her favourite! </div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><p style="text-align: left;">2024 sure has been off to an exhilerating start!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieyhx_lT5bHzvs-RPFjiKd_MZQkNn-Z-8dRvkrj2KCe7vR_8-kAqZELMD8X2Vf8z-9FGEQbUfcHYbdbRf9B87H9ZClAG8s9KtecJJS08QAu9yJXb2z9Ev5Mv380C8xHtNxLZl_dGuT6A-zNIVo9MVToEFRZzVoEKrDTVuMDvHgGQFRBt9EdXtCqBu2jBE/s2456/PXL_20240107_142708332~2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1765" data-original-width="2456" height="288" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieyhx_lT5bHzvs-RPFjiKd_MZQkNn-Z-8dRvkrj2KCe7vR_8-kAqZELMD8X2Vf8z-9FGEQbUfcHYbdbRf9B87H9ZClAG8s9KtecJJS08QAu9yJXb2z9Ev5Mv380C8xHtNxLZl_dGuT6A-zNIVo9MVToEFRZzVoEKrDTVuMDvHgGQFRBt9EdXtCqBu2jBE/w400-h288/PXL_20240107_142708332~2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">To follow along with Adventure Girl's recount of Costa Rica, visit: http://www.highfiveadventures.com/p/adventure-girl-costa-rica.html</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1101986064288621746.post-55303530245641841612024-01-10T15:30:00.000-08:002024-01-10T15:30:32.285-08:00Costa Rica Days 11-14: Manuel Antonio Part One: Monkeying Around<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH69Cf-Kz9nlaP0Di3zcfZVqVdikpAH9m4spBl_GhHyJCAICyyxQrvdSTVnrw8N2nRELiCO-jsTE4Wp2gdlTr6PZsopjqp6XpgxrMjYdUbBDDfUPc_OVn_13BkLudvCL_2M6zRqla7stWe8Gl6H5qOcTGsi-CgHe6f75mDAOSB4ba_rjR1EZCqzBnU4V4/s4032/PXL_20240105_145525453.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH69Cf-Kz9nlaP0Di3zcfZVqVdikpAH9m4spBl_GhHyJCAICyyxQrvdSTVnrw8N2nRELiCO-jsTE4Wp2gdlTr6PZsopjqp6XpgxrMjYdUbBDDfUPc_OVn_13BkLudvCL_2M6zRqla7stWe8Gl6H5qOcTGsi-CgHe6f75mDAOSB4ba_rjR1EZCqzBnU4V4/w640-h480/PXL_20240105_145525453.jpg" width="640" /></a> </td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Manuel Antonio beach </td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div>Why return to Costa Rica? Craig and Erin travelled here 12 years ago (pre-blog days) and the allure of venturing someplace new is always hard to resist. However, we loved it so much last time. We knew there would be amazing wildlife viewing, the flight wasn't too far, and we appreciate the stance Costa Rica is taking on sustainable tourism and environmental protection. Plus, there were parts we hadn't gotten to last time on our "travel-like-a-local, hike-our-butts-off backpacking trip" from our late twenties. Manuel Antonio was the main one.<div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSpq_H0oaEzImkgtnR7jDYSITbP886X4pP4D13uA_2_q9BpXo_Nuz3TNxoQ57DDMay3qMJyn9p9GfNbherkeKa-zhDlUE6Eb2ImxDSgLvNe1FzEbT68eVvSQ7GVkayP9b3lBPffnejorfTWIMsT6rpWYn-x3q_v86VxRPGCn-Kd_kT3qvxPlWOt7Cg8GM/s4032/PXL_20240105_221811880.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSpq_H0oaEzImkgtnR7jDYSITbP886X4pP4D13uA_2_q9BpXo_Nuz3TNxoQ57DDMay3qMJyn9p9GfNbherkeKa-zhDlUE6Eb2ImxDSgLvNe1FzEbT68eVvSQ7GVkayP9b3lBPffnejorfTWIMsT6rpWYn-x3q_v86VxRPGCn-Kd_kT3qvxPlWOt7Cg8GM/s320/PXL_20240105_221811880.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxEJFQMN52V45CHdIh1-iFO5kOv1m8Nc5T6k0hEHJw8kR_1uhOhvRvXN1wzKL21oLnO7FQRfUIufPUbqS3mLEUyKJ216smosqvvVs4wGC4aB-XgD9RglVsTNlWBM6bfOm2-L6GaMQDTwGQ5KoPrz1ATg3MU6ZKstg3ilAXtdbW4TSWl3wPPMfmGNNeDIE/s4032/PXL_20240105_214918753.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxEJFQMN52V45CHdIh1-iFO5kOv1m8Nc5T6k0hEHJw8kR_1uhOhvRvXN1wzKL21oLnO7FQRfUIufPUbqS3mLEUyKJ216smosqvvVs4wGC4aB-XgD9RglVsTNlWBM6bfOm2-L6GaMQDTwGQ5KoPrz1ATg3MU6ZKstg3ilAXtdbW4TSWl3wPPMfmGNNeDIE/w200-h150/PXL_20240105_214918753.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>At the top of our lists for what we hoped to see this trip were macaws and squirrel monkeys. Having checked both off over the past week, we now focused on finding the big names for F to see: Sloths and Capuchins. </div><div><br /></div><div>We decided to join a guided tour for our first visit to the park. Andrew was fantastic - great sense of humour and a wealth of animal knowledge! He led us (very slowly) through the park trail system (from the Main Gate, along Sloth Trail to Manuel Antonio beach). Along the way, he showed us a huge variety of animals through his scope. There were 9 of us in the group; everyone was very kind and quiet, and we got lots of viewing opportunities. Here are some of our top pics: </div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif4iubv22_EBsF9Txm_whX4OE_YqQE1d6KyGEJnxXnJVG2uY8qmCyYZB3kF4z-Qe5YhyphenhyphenzGMxcnF4pLEoT1WLj9s1nMNszp8qLcn9tQN74OXa-cNLiUe67QPyWuLPLuKCSkYerhOuW_-sXHEk4wQrEzaOx2PRLKwB0L7n4XBCa8Cl9v6I9s-an4hUgQEL4/s3840/PXL_20240105_142946927.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3840" data-original-width="2160" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif4iubv22_EBsF9Txm_whX4OE_YqQE1d6KyGEJnxXnJVG2uY8qmCyYZB3kF4z-Qe5YhyphenhyphenzGMxcnF4pLEoT1WLj9s1nMNszp8qLcn9tQN74OXa-cNLiUe67QPyWuLPLuKCSkYerhOuW_-sXHEk4wQrEzaOx2PRLKwB0L7n4XBCa8Cl9v6I9s-an4hUgQEL4/s320/PXL_20240105_142946927.jpg" width="180" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A mother hummingbird on her nest</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH7dNvxr0jK_ZjUqm_YisVNkQOO0tUfxPiiKNPZeH_kmipouEVrI6WQ7rU6sUK-AmnFD40dnd1I3qhPViY-46nW43LQ2o3Gsa6l9A_iFqgIfq5K9Ol1Tn3PSjsXCaiLh5EcvQW4V_ohS1FEWoop3oN-GIqPjGNYujvHCISqakNPw5Cm783VUVDZf31BSQ/s4032/PXL_20240105_143825904.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH7dNvxr0jK_ZjUqm_YisVNkQOO0tUfxPiiKNPZeH_kmipouEVrI6WQ7rU6sUK-AmnFD40dnd1I3qhPViY-46nW43LQ2o3Gsa6l9A_iFqgIfq5K9Ol1Tn3PSjsXCaiLh5EcvQW4V_ohS1FEWoop3oN-GIqPjGNYujvHCISqakNPw5Cm783VUVDZf31BSQ/s320/PXL_20240105_143825904.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A rainbow grasshopper </td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkxISe-IAy2cbgoIAFnvGtUd-CXV8lu1EAokr1ejH8SHUC7xK12IR8gFxV58F9gztfsKWdUcjXw50PMsDwlFuD-haeFFH7qAfq6K2NZw_mtoQpabypCizVZkepsz0dXsQuBjiEj6mKECMrXHFKp7RRG43Jn61BikKlA67K-BjS-6v1bdnYwW_TRP9vr5w/s4032/PXL_20240105_140541165.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkxISe-IAy2cbgoIAFnvGtUd-CXV8lu1EAokr1ejH8SHUC7xK12IR8gFxV58F9gztfsKWdUcjXw50PMsDwlFuD-haeFFH7qAfq6K2NZw_mtoQpabypCizVZkepsz0dXsQuBjiEj6mKECMrXHFKp7RRG43Jn61BikKlA67K-BjS-6v1bdnYwW_TRP9vr5w/s320/PXL_20240105_140541165.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A patriot crab</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAmXWwicnrawVU_3IFIJdfS82A09TV2NmHCIMXM8bcZeZlx8nP7D_QeM_kHEF-BOASZ1u6fBFXaj8CAUkpGmo8RQHNii7kL_ZrZB4Qapua62LgYgULi3UaVG25IYxubNuvfcLEZLKqNl-Miak7LZNp-qgRJxoFJWJU6bLPoItNk13m9hyphenhyphenXRMQKvF0lldw/s2976/PXL_20240105_150348150~2.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2495" data-original-width="2976" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAmXWwicnrawVU_3IFIJdfS82A09TV2NmHCIMXM8bcZeZlx8nP7D_QeM_kHEF-BOASZ1u6fBFXaj8CAUkpGmo8RQHNii7kL_ZrZB4Qapua62LgYgULi3UaVG25IYxubNuvfcLEZLKqNl-Miak7LZNp-qgRJxoFJWJU6bLPoItNk13m9hyphenhyphenXRMQKvF0lldw/s320/PXL_20240105_150348150~2.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A two-fingered sloth</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRdMpZfgscRfgpmBiWCdiCTI7yNYmTL0F55p5t3qQhtSK6E-B1-WeMXN1UJl8pzJktoFVGKA8V9LfKIprn-iOIlPo67Y5Df1gL0sGysC_XdqVgrI-2qOK6jJm5JYe3G3oGhkTghh-pE3zK-gMDqxe_Lf3odaXTjpjdOpjMmQkHUpe9o-bJFPzqoy_YYIQ/s4032/PXL_20240105_135330280.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRdMpZfgscRfgpmBiWCdiCTI7yNYmTL0F55p5t3qQhtSK6E-B1-WeMXN1UJl8pzJktoFVGKA8V9LfKIprn-iOIlPo67Y5Df1gL0sGysC_XdqVgrI-2qOK6jJm5JYe3G3oGhkTghh-pE3zK-gMDqxe_Lf3odaXTjpjdOpjMmQkHUpe9o-bJFPzqoy_YYIQ/s320/PXL_20240105_135330280.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A sleeping bat</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJPWJHHYQ-4pwvct2P0vraiIYUcQ1Wa0s1XINueccujqekxiODPGuPCpARNmPXBi8Fhruy47ZgHhaKoCAQKPVuoBX0-T_BOKENBNqcYyQPeKxWVbdJ9KAVieSzKlCh78oUTOzev0mdcP-dxt9QbM8bNG4AN49WpJ9BqwaiUnAyqrtQCHjThJTdWXxHXF0/s4032/PXL_20240105_134824665.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJPWJHHYQ-4pwvct2P0vraiIYUcQ1Wa0s1XINueccujqekxiODPGuPCpARNmPXBi8Fhruy47ZgHhaKoCAQKPVuoBX0-T_BOKENBNqcYyQPeKxWVbdJ9KAVieSzKlCh78oUTOzev0mdcP-dxt9QbM8bNG4AN49WpJ9BqwaiUnAyqrtQCHjThJTdWXxHXF0/s320/PXL_20240105_134824665.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A demon spider</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL03sInrYYlfGAmQno1EndkHbPkcHFxjMQqcrexXHQq8-PUQhlI4ILPFrLl7fow-1V7b3Z3EDSCBLEWM0pYPP7WdCL_2ds5mzXLAZTmnRrEWHtqH-tUU3S5sI7WxuWLKn8jvTO08nE_IUwikbTG8CS5jMn1VnCrbpd18428i9UYNekYINHqWZyHmB0ZZ0/s2659/PXL_20240105_144451947~2.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2066" data-original-width="2659" height="249" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL03sInrYYlfGAmQno1EndkHbPkcHFxjMQqcrexXHQq8-PUQhlI4ILPFrLl7fow-1V7b3Z3EDSCBLEWM0pYPP7WdCL_2ds5mzXLAZTmnRrEWHtqH-tUU3S5sI7WxuWLKn8jvTO08nE_IUwikbTG8CS5jMn1VnCrbpd18428i9UYNekYINHqWZyHmB0ZZ0/s320/PXL_20240105_144451947~2.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A three-fingered sloth</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAKpq-sbjPRjwAKOi9jI_9W_SmemAr5Q-H013TSe2T_NfogH6StCVmg5RWPVmVDL10CiJc0Li3p1usKsNFuPGZaMg00gQGBACaBK3I0KOX6CA59ZJenURSCzoKgwkVPw_e5Lfhu9uHFN7twH2lbWL8YYdhxBD1Yo70_0FgvZ1D-vjx5xhObF6KXC2TZN4/s2532/PXL_20240105_142316857~2.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2532" data-original-width="1830" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAKpq-sbjPRjwAKOi9jI_9W_SmemAr5Q-H013TSe2T_NfogH6StCVmg5RWPVmVDL10CiJc0Li3p1usKsNFuPGZaMg00gQGBACaBK3I0KOX6CA59ZJenURSCzoKgwkVPw_e5Lfhu9uHFN7twH2lbWL8YYdhxBD1Yo70_0FgvZ1D-vjx5xhObF6KXC2TZN4/s320/PXL_20240105_142316857~2.jpg" width="231" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A slaty-tailed trogon (cousin to the quetzal)</td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div><div>The following two days, we opted to go without a guide and explore on our own. For each of our visits, we got up at the crack of dawn (thanks, in part, to our friendly bird alarm clock that could not be deterred from a 5 am call out), which meant we were always in the 7 am park opening arrival window (you must pre-book park tickets online). We also would have chosen that time anyways because we hate crowds and love that early morning hour of the day.</div><div><br /></div><div>On Day Two, we were surprised by the lack of crowds. We didn't pass any tour groups as we retraced our steps from the day before. We wondered if it being a Saturday morning actually meant there would be less people (we knew many would be heading back home on the weekend after New Year's). </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9VRQaydxHim1_nDt02zTtsIstjIoGvVFE_Q8IlufObklc8Vh6fJ7TjNDCQAgdCFoh0DFWdktvBlAhudHeucS76d1nYkSsRX3PO4EyfvnGcGkE6g9XFw_PozmkFfBmT1qPWPyZ87P0JLi3yKGKe1XnhES4MZknFZXD_yUxItKpFWDNGcBPAgPNeXmvfPI/s4032/PXL_20240106_143555623.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9VRQaydxHim1_nDt02zTtsIstjIoGvVFE_Q8IlufObklc8Vh6fJ7TjNDCQAgdCFoh0DFWdktvBlAhudHeucS76d1nYkSsRX3PO4EyfvnGcGkE6g9XFw_PozmkFfBmT1qPWPyZ87P0JLi3yKGKe1XnhES4MZknFZXD_yUxItKpFWDNGcBPAgPNeXmvfPI/w400-h300/PXL_20240106_143555623.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>We took a different trail once we reached the main junction and headed towards Playa Gemelas. Craig had read that there was a little connector trail in that area that was popular for monkeys sightings. We paused at the fork in the trail, debating which way to go (Adventure Girl was not keen on taking the "monkey" path because it headed uphill). As we stood there, we suddenly heard loud screeching from the non "monkey" route and without needing to consult each other, we turned right and headed towards the noisy outburst. </div><div><br /></div><div>There was no one else on the path (that was human). We quickly spotted rustling in the leaves and discovered that there were monkeys in the trees on either side of the path - and above! There were both howlers and capuchins. As we stood in one place, twisting our necks back and forth, trying to decide where to look, we spotted another family in the mix - there were squirrel monkeys, too! It was a feast for the eyes! We stood there, entranced, watching all three troupes search for breakfast and interact in their own unique ways. We ended up sitting on the ground and just taking it all in; we were there so long watching. </div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoO3qV9uPAqAD7Vdy99JbDU1yC8wABDfGk30Br7YSdZq0iMr3Li2g4cqXhk8ek_fht5wgXc0V_qrXnulobaxmYTjpMPn65BD38cFwNTGu0F_HJNXkZitYyolM_79E6efuNxQLhyphenhyphenAczpmCukRNhLbdsLz1ROaFQ63rs4AeVKPLO3BKO9MmIIXaC9wyQEQs/s2408/Screenshot_20240110_172106_Photos.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="2408" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoO3qV9uPAqAD7Vdy99JbDU1yC8wABDfGk30Br7YSdZq0iMr3Li2g4cqXhk8ek_fht5wgXc0V_qrXnulobaxmYTjpMPn65BD38cFwNTGu0F_HJNXkZitYyolM_79E6efuNxQLhyphenhyphenAczpmCukRNhLbdsLz1ROaFQ63rs4AeVKPLO3BKO9MmIIXaC9wyQEQs/w400-h180/Screenshot_20240110_172106_Photos.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We have lots of great video footage...sorry for the crummy photo quality</td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div><div>When we finally had our fill, we deemed that a roaring (well, <i>howling</i>) success and continued the short distance left for the Gemelas Beach. We walked down a few steps and were in paradise! </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsBklF5u5tQI1bcKiEKaEIyK2y8lAEMDmXPO4FczeP2_Q8cGxL6BBlPKup5fwclCEXtir2HwNiMNbblkmUrCg5EU2QuHCGBxT4eshITj6665CE55xoyrau-N2qf9gWNd8OWv_okPTJbg3VyTpPqZHFDDPuyy9FcsG_h3NdMY8NRZH0yS-NmJGCDsHg2Og/s4032/PXL_20240106_151822526.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsBklF5u5tQI1bcKiEKaEIyK2y8lAEMDmXPO4FczeP2_Q8cGxL6BBlPKup5fwclCEXtir2HwNiMNbblkmUrCg5EU2QuHCGBxT4eshITj6665CE55xoyrau-N2qf9gWNd8OWv_okPTJbg3VyTpPqZHFDDPuyy9FcsG_h3NdMY8NRZH0yS-NmJGCDsHg2Og/s320/PXL_20240106_151822526.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwTPStIIST_bOg6-or7ntrG0tdEb3cEd-m5Dg0vACc4_x5fhBgF4TRaJ0cTSBWmJB3HCwEfvjl95Q3oHbzKLhXln3KEkxL4MLLV7mum5eNnkGWpnWNeNP3Lqxx-bVtSdLgrE-Dm0R-DBFU5i3hTjqCvOxvVeh1hK5kUdADWdXI7WCkPkgWS17qaisWYiE/s4032/PXL_20240106_144426575.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwTPStIIST_bOg6-or7ntrG0tdEb3cEd-m5Dg0vACc4_x5fhBgF4TRaJ0cTSBWmJB3HCwEfvjl95Q3oHbzKLhXln3KEkxL4MLLV7mum5eNnkGWpnWNeNP3Lqxx-bVtSdLgrE-Dm0R-DBFU5i3hTjqCvOxvVeh1hK5kUdADWdXI7WCkPkgWS17qaisWYiE/s320/PXL_20240106_144426575.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9ISrXL6pQIyP0x99YC-eWzQXWHTWasbTE43_piC8uKS4AsNCH1vfB6oRyMXn-KxXk3veQTsP3LmUGH8vj_60J_rHVy9xSPmVfkwGsCZXdxzoraFdMy91aKO0F2SPuCqMPdgIx4f85TxQsNJ6wZj_MVr6XdlwOS8vjdlqEJyxCB3IYU58qwLNu0M6SgaY/s3000/GOPR1896.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2250" data-original-width="3000" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9ISrXL6pQIyP0x99YC-eWzQXWHTWasbTE43_piC8uKS4AsNCH1vfB6oRyMXn-KxXk3veQTsP3LmUGH8vj_60J_rHVy9xSPmVfkwGsCZXdxzoraFdMy91aKO0F2SPuCqMPdgIx4f85TxQsNJ6wZj_MVr6XdlwOS8vjdlqEJyxCB3IYU58qwLNu0M6SgaY/s320/GOPR1896.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>This private little cove looked out of a movie set. A few people came and went but there were moments when we had it all to ourselves. </div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2IR0QbBtgc9cMctX6zgmb9cLX8boyF4IRkHkYjo7U2lwcztmRc9O43VIbfHwEs3IoVCkCA9Eo0hVTBWtbhJI2L-x7gcDofT93BJmp6KdXrrY8AUOxluYEaOcS0tGnVxoJ3FicjT_D19JeAXFCgkgAK9VedsbYz_mkRzoLIp5f_dXwm_GvO33_ga6CvB0/s3840/PXL_20240106_155417849.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3840" data-original-width="2160" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2IR0QbBtgc9cMctX6zgmb9cLX8boyF4IRkHkYjo7U2lwcztmRc9O43VIbfHwEs3IoVCkCA9Eo0hVTBWtbhJI2L-x7gcDofT93BJmp6KdXrrY8AUOxluYEaOcS0tGnVxoJ3FicjT_D19JeAXFCgkgAK9VedsbYz_mkRzoLIp5f_dXwm_GvO33_ga6CvB0/s320/PXL_20240106_155417849.jpg" width="180" /></a></div>On our walk back out of the park, the atmosphere had changed. There were people EVERYWHERE. Large tour groups completely blocked the paths. We heard many people saying the word "sloth" in numerous languages, and were able to spot what all the fuss was about: there was a mother slot in the tree with a baby. We don't have amazing pictures because we only had our phone cameras with us and we didn't have a guide with a scope this time, but it was pretty cute! </div><div><br /></div><div>On Day Three, we were feeling pretty tired, and also satisfied with the amazing animal viewings we'd had over the trip so far. We opted for the mangrove path to avoid the many tour groups and get ourselves on the other edge of the National Park. Along the way, we did see a new mammal for Adventure Girl - a raccoon. It was sniffing its way along the edge of the boardwalk and looked up at us curiously. </div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>We spent a couple of hours at Espadilla Beach, in the park. It was the sandiest beach so far on this trip. There are rip currents so we stuck close to shore and played a lot in the sand. It is really nice to be at the beaches within the park because they are void of people trying to sell you stuff, dogs, loud music, jet skis...The downside is that you are not allowed to bring any food into the park. There is only so long you can last without nourishment on a hot day with a half hour walk ahead of you to get back out of the park. Something to consider if you're planning a visit here. </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjF5Q7QtkhvR9Nnxv6CqfsH3ZHqXzMtGvg-_p1w_rX6qA2SKZ8G_glj-DjyWgjhQWWUiFzRLMMKgwtBxyPaCFQe4F0u-BskdUBy6tHRlmCRqW-VvIuKW3svMKTaN4ETcYvmZA9Zg_0Z8ronRz2CqsOh1kBpTeKRLf1EGCY7UDekx1yUO7Q8bihW6AFgB0/s2592/PXL_20240107_162231616.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1944" data-original-width="2592" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjF5Q7QtkhvR9Nnxv6CqfsH3ZHqXzMtGvg-_p1w_rX6qA2SKZ8G_glj-DjyWgjhQWWUiFzRLMMKgwtBxyPaCFQe4F0u-BskdUBy6tHRlmCRqW-VvIuKW3svMKTaN4ETcYvmZA9Zg_0Z8ronRz2CqsOh1kBpTeKRLf1EGCY7UDekx1yUO7Q8bihW6AFgB0/s320/PXL_20240107_162231616.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgok1pBEubM7Q1_ULvTTPwW8w0-DOquqgBPBHptPYaZ_QkhZLa85ICOj5HKdW2iOeGybcs0v0QeH_XHghuG2dO9be6eBN1pLJHslxHvGLiii3SfleFA32IWGyMw3xXergPnzL-EoEVotmEobP2quuJqdhcL2o8HgY1m_-IeNb3w7K2B4n43SQvkRsJLa0M/s2592/PXL_20240107_142422206.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1944" data-original-width="2592" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgok1pBEubM7Q1_ULvTTPwW8w0-DOquqgBPBHptPYaZ_QkhZLa85ICOj5HKdW2iOeGybcs0v0QeH_XHghuG2dO9be6eBN1pLJHslxHvGLiii3SfleFA32IWGyMw3xXergPnzL-EoEVotmEobP2quuJqdhcL2o8HgY1m_-IeNb3w7K2B4n43SQvkRsJLa0M/s320/PXL_20240107_142422206.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBogr14UZZSqBKcpl0Wc39tQEpmClLje-TZ1aHVusAjf5W2jmDrHAgggOG7_J1YTgJ-Pm1wzY0vt4FncLKAwAGJhxaijxFBkW4KY_x4pK5aX-UCyYFlJ2Oj5PsQjcF1nwoChEwmOfFmYdfMEy7uuJ1imnSJko8LhyphenhyphenlUq26NBoT0GNTi340a8NzeIZG7E8/s2592/PXL_20240107_140809415.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1944" data-original-width="2592" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBogr14UZZSqBKcpl0Wc39tQEpmClLje-TZ1aHVusAjf5W2jmDrHAgggOG7_J1YTgJ-Pm1wzY0vt4FncLKAwAGJhxaijxFBkW4KY_x4pK5aX-UCyYFlJ2Oj5PsQjcF1nwoChEwmOfFmYdfMEy7uuJ1imnSJko8LhyphenhyphenlUq26NBoT0GNTi340a8NzeIZG7E8/s320/PXL_20240107_140809415.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>We thoroughly enjoyed our time in Manuel Antonio and Quepos area. Stayed tuned for Part Two where we'll share what we got up to outside of the National Park. We can assure you...we were flying high from all the fun we had! :)</div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1101986064288621746.post-21921771546565441492024-01-07T18:15:00.000-08:002024-01-07T18:15:06.517-08:00Costa Rica Days 8-10: Whale WatchingWe moved on to our next accommodation outside of Quepos. It was a small complex with a great-sized pool that was almost always empty. We passed a fair bit of time here, enjoying swimming and bird-watching. A real highlight was watching four scarlett macaws fly just overhead our first evening here. <div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPgqyJri83goyIBK4pBzoRdrkN9MZMg_rwPkf6ax2lXDXjj8bv8fLK_xq_fF8cXAdegBZBlSfuvoMacc-vOYlwiHoHCszXtbPClcGkDBXdoRvbiIHRVw5f0P7hX5HlI0hNbIuKpRggP36sbVDl7kZStnhr4RDl-mfgQTr8VeTrxz2DO7OBVDd8PAXs1pY/s8384/PXL_20240103_183815965.PANO~2.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1422" data-original-width="8384" height="108" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPgqyJri83goyIBK4pBzoRdrkN9MZMg_rwPkf6ax2lXDXjj8bv8fLK_xq_fF8cXAdegBZBlSfuvoMacc-vOYlwiHoHCszXtbPClcGkDBXdoRvbiIHRVw5f0P7hX5HlI0hNbIuKpRggP36sbVDl7kZStnhr4RDl-mfgQTr8VeTrxz2DO7OBVDd8PAXs1pY/w640-h108/PXL_20240103_183815965.PANO~2.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Standing on the whale tail</td></tr></tbody></table><div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUxLb5mBG4iG3ot8EZO70bu1L91RrWE-ODQG79fI90YE30Z_zMKVHYxYS3_WG1aYTcZZdUSN_wGwUlZaiteRSJ1bq77UYTDasbX5YL3A1ILCX4usrzXyZMZSeKNpzcIw9UwIefXQ_jSsYzEDkJNKTnfDtjJyx_ADkZTSsh_g8RtmoMPC20zpiHzGGTBnE/s4032/PXL_20240103_183844374.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUxLb5mBG4iG3ot8EZO70bu1L91RrWE-ODQG79fI90YE30Z_zMKVHYxYS3_WG1aYTcZZdUSN_wGwUlZaiteRSJ1bq77UYTDasbX5YL3A1ILCX4usrzXyZMZSeKNpzcIw9UwIefXQ_jSsYzEDkJNKTnfDtjJyx_ADkZTSsh_g8RtmoMPC20zpiHzGGTBnE/w200-h150/PXL_20240103_183844374.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><br />We also did a day trip to Uvita, home to Ballena National Park and the famous whale tail sand formation. Not only does it look like a whale, but there are many actual whales that migrate by. We hopped aboard a boat and skimmed our way across the water towards a reported spotting.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBu3G5aBuA-a93Wv0_Bb8O9jwLDH-CSA1KM1oblWEmJwSy6AazwlLz5YU2Dpqo2qws3SOmYOWUflP1_jQPhDME2SvQEFSZre1sGSMV-h_XdZ9l1srOwBhYfuUf7d3Xcgy4Jch647tfbZTK_xpbS0dGRCGd8ArXRkavX68-sMskk_iQ_sMc9NqpgevKSh0/s4608/DSCN0745.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBu3G5aBuA-a93Wv0_Bb8O9jwLDH-CSA1KM1oblWEmJwSy6AazwlLz5YU2Dpqo2qws3SOmYOWUflP1_jQPhDME2SvQEFSZre1sGSMV-h_XdZ9l1srOwBhYfuUf7d3Xcgy4Jch647tfbZTK_xpbS0dGRCGd8ArXRkavX68-sMskk_iQ_sMc9NqpgevKSh0/s320/DSCN0745.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>Adventure Girl had been a bit nervous about the idea of going on a boat and wearing a life jacket. But her face spread into a wide grin as we bounced along the waves. Then the boat stopped, solitary amongst the rise and fall of the ocean. We waited patiently where our captain had heard a mother and baby humpack had been seen. We listened intently, hoping to hear that unmistakeable puff of air of a whale clearing its blowhole. There were 14 of us aboard the boat and everyone wanted to be the first to spot a whale. </div><div><br /></div><div>Then, all of a sudden, there they were - mother, then baby, rising to the surface, showing us their backs. We got lots of views of them, since newborns can't hold their breath for long yet. Our guide told us that this mother looked very relaxed with us closeby (that some mothers only rise once, then move on when they see boats). We enjoyed our time watching them, then headed onwards towards a dolphin spotting.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicI7aEaiE8J7DWyLHcK3XKTC3YJoCmke0Bf1PVFTe1McIc7-BvtPX_OBtPNDyt7lpkwnWuKsHX_0kONgi-rG5PYfNnFkDDdFmLsMNnzyKLUbLPZ5tstFsGnrYfo70UYVuKNJ4Rc_6xGd52_8YrOsxMBKwoJjUqvgSAr0-y328GGSdlY8glAmhbptNxw5c/s2291/DSCN0736~2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1773" data-original-width="2291" height="496" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicI7aEaiE8J7DWyLHcK3XKTC3YJoCmke0Bf1PVFTe1McIc7-BvtPX_OBtPNDyt7lpkwnWuKsHX_0kONgi-rG5PYfNnFkDDdFmLsMNnzyKLUbLPZ5tstFsGnrYfo70UYVuKNJ4Rc_6xGd52_8YrOsxMBKwoJjUqvgSAr0-y328GGSdlY8glAmhbptNxw5c/w640-h496/DSCN0736~2.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Our guide had told us that we were unlikely to see dolphins because they live further out in the ocean where they can hunt their favourite fish: tuna. But our luck continued and we got a great show of the spotted dolphins (probably 20 or so) surfacing over and over. There was also a baby with this group - so small and sticking right beside its mama. It was a real treat to see them interact. </div><div><br /></div><div>From here, our boat took us to some nearby caves, then to a swimming spot. There was coral but it was 8 meters down so it was a bit too cloudy to try to snorkel. </div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLmFoXxeCNaKa0ieICSARoLhZstC1Vj7kUol819UkXaBadMEVUuZ6eNUlLgHD9v6wdS0FeItlfrJvgi8e46aeihklSn4ebFK4PZ-azHBFs28IhyphenhyphenVfAs8zNGtXnR3o2JObnoV3R42ai7lebeYyXD3hWrFPzDMdB5Bxzd-5bpCAkVg6ezJn3idUkqLQhnik/s4608/DSCN0773.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLmFoXxeCNaKa0ieICSARoLhZstC1Vj7kUol819UkXaBadMEVUuZ6eNUlLgHD9v6wdS0FeItlfrJvgi8e46aeihklSn4ebFK4PZ-azHBFs28IhyphenhyphenVfAs8zNGtXnR3o2JObnoV3R42ai7lebeYyXD3hWrFPzDMdB5Bxzd-5bpCAkVg6ezJn3idUkqLQhnik/s320/DSCN0773.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">La ventana</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD5x-gm0o3dJ3HhozsFst7F1Eykl3boOyoqobAPcKNKj2qo6qFXMTKzMHKAahnq4kKGKq616dJ4_qbtnukbQjhtN6JIdcFu4B7yVuc26SmdLvHJA5fL-lSO-zwWcIi0EDBzmFjbvDD23Jor1us4IASuqNr5X_ZDsVe7MdV-Oj5bi9V0aSU2QP-_KqS8lM/s4032/PXL_20240103_200509733.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD5x-gm0o3dJ3HhozsFst7F1Eykl3boOyoqobAPcKNKj2qo6qFXMTKzMHKAahnq4kKGKq616dJ4_qbtnukbQjhtN6JIdcFu4B7yVuc26SmdLvHJA5fL-lSO-zwWcIi0EDBzmFjbvDD23Jor1us4IASuqNr5X_ZDsVe7MdV-Oj5bi9V0aSU2QP-_KqS8lM/w150-h200/PXL_20240103_200509733.jpg" width="150" /></a></div>Back on land, we headed onwards to a lovely lunch spot up in to the jungle hills. We were pleased to find gluten and lactose-free pizza (as well as an extensive cocktail list), but even more excited when we heard, then spotted, two howler monkeys outside the restaurant. After hearing them so often, it was great to finally get to see them. We got a great view of them munching on some leaves. </div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzvnGmSS1QJW2PJgG2j4rS523GKTe_3s09C61awcSh_J9RCrugn3SMG4gylScMeF55dnmFY8C8aKXPXaLvOE37cDCCJwBk5Vkn3O02uA5-307WC0iXROUcJpJFs7WOrGXuIJASGXjhk873OmsNVMDhT4QAEGEhbPX3auMjbmPZCDDALTW2Y8j4_oSTOK4/s4032/PXL_20240103_203058705.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzvnGmSS1QJW2PJgG2j4rS523GKTe_3s09C61awcSh_J9RCrugn3SMG4gylScMeF55dnmFY8C8aKXPXaLvOE37cDCCJwBk5Vkn3O02uA5-307WC0iXROUcJpJFs7WOrGXuIJASGXjhk873OmsNVMDhT4QAEGEhbPX3auMjbmPZCDDALTW2Y8j4_oSTOK4/s320/PXL_20240103_203058705.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yes, the cocktail is smoking!</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgddqJyc9ADIJS18XcsEbiTppYOABhqyXJ4Q29sEJPbXNvinpbkeyjl4YIfD_hGsYQ2NQ9fgj-03ukMCVpCKOMit3Tt1DEEcoRUeLKHkzvafePHbi7Pmaj7pg1KINFkhgeg8pFNhieDJsUIoYEOxSAHX6YKe30pBbpJN6DZe-PQnTr1lU60V9h76TKpmPE/s3103/PXL_20240103_211556653~2.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2327" data-original-width="3103" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgddqJyc9ADIJS18XcsEbiTppYOABhqyXJ4Q29sEJPbXNvinpbkeyjl4YIfD_hGsYQ2NQ9fgj-03ukMCVpCKOMit3Tt1DEEcoRUeLKHkzvafePHbi7Pmaj7pg1KINFkhgeg8pFNhieDJsUIoYEOxSAHX6YKe30pBbpJN6DZe-PQnTr1lU60V9h76TKpmPE/s320/PXL_20240103_211556653~2.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Howler monkey munching </td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div><div>We crossed our fingers that our luck would continue on our next adventure: into Manuel Antonio National Park.</div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1101986064288621746.post-9621768796278712082024-01-02T13:26:00.000-08:002024-01-07T18:16:42.779-08:00Costa Rica Days 6 & 7: Private Paradise<p>We hopped in the car on Day 6 and headed out early with all our stuff. (We did carry-on only for this trip, which included F's travel booster in one of our bags and we were loving having so little!). Although we were only travelling 300 km, it was scheduled to take 5 hours of driving time plus stops. The road only got up to 80 km/hr for a few short sections; it was mostly 60 or 40 as we wove through small towns and communities built right along the road. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhygcRtKtMw_GeZHjmocxWss1hqy_Wb9YWe8Bk7Siulu0XjWnQL2pj7oBIygm2gb6L_VYbErl9zlMw7hDqEj-uQA-sUXym6pvPUvfeB9yUlWXqTbGhdgqtlRAFWGHdilkgQ8sTNDeldprvYhA8wl3wZufKI3mv2Ai5ZN9AY_wFNdyHPq_YnnV3X1-R-fn8/s4032/PXL_20231230_203630478.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhygcRtKtMw_GeZHjmocxWss1hqy_Wb9YWe8Bk7Siulu0XjWnQL2pj7oBIygm2gb6L_VYbErl9zlMw7hDqEj-uQA-sUXym6pvPUvfeB9yUlWXqTbGhdgqtlRAFWGHdilkgQ8sTNDeldprvYhA8wl3wZufKI3mv2Ai5ZN9AY_wFNdyHPq_YnnV3X1-R-fn8/s320/PXL_20231230_203630478.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We crossed a river with crocodiles...can you spot them on the shore?</td></tr></tbody></table><p>The further we got, the more affluent the houses looked, and the shops and signs started to look more touristy. We kept our eyes peeled along the route but saw no toucans or monkeys. Despite all the howling we had heard in Playa Conchal, we still hadn't had our first monkey spotting and it was highly anticipated. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ8DiE48mYZgJK1-_Bl-cHtM-YPCyojfp8wpDOtBPkir4kdB_aPWRRY4VYq_ppTow6HsecstqOw1vBjhwxGwEodM-1sGmAE1Rg7OxMv7Ck0moqS9P8iGl0mLl2tKJweE-35jXosCFbaMpZCDEnd9ho0gN5l0Y7oabdGNkDNgD8uNxT9zHsfoc4QaMk1bs/s4032/PXL_20231230_180054441.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ8DiE48mYZgJK1-_Bl-cHtM-YPCyojfp8wpDOtBPkir4kdB_aPWRRY4VYq_ppTow6HsecstqOw1vBjhwxGwEodM-1sGmAE1Rg7OxMv7Ck0moqS9P8iGl0mLl2tKJweE-35jXosCFbaMpZCDEnd9ho0gN5l0Y7oabdGNkDNgD8uNxT9zHsfoc4QaMk1bs/s320/PXL_20231230_180054441.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbnDSKCVLIb6tNSTJnd_V7_luK_aKGUS_LrSKNbz9RxpJM8daiL39s4pTm3v1fkWivvKxDk0EC5Rtk_ylyiSiWdmhMgwYlIl2Xl-WZ2pHSI3gb9Or8UytuomF_9AzZYq8Uk84wP_i39h65n9FwvyVxcWiQWjidqMwGqQPYFbpfhEUSzEQDkOUO_dizA2s/s4032/PXL_20231230_180058779.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbnDSKCVLIb6tNSTJnd_V7_luK_aKGUS_LrSKNbz9RxpJM8daiL39s4pTm3v1fkWivvKxDk0EC5Rtk_ylyiSiWdmhMgwYlIl2Xl-WZ2pHSI3gb9Or8UytuomF_9AzZYq8Uk84wP_i39h65n9FwvyVxcWiQWjidqMwGqQPYFbpfhEUSzEQDkOUO_dizA2s/s320/PXL_20231230_180058779.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIWknPAPdWAcF9t5qmkfkNz2NhpF2BBTJqdRRctXAAUzi_MQ_DtmPU69GFuXEVXwiQUe6HZO9AbEmqmzmQs3aO25klqOnKU_MhA0IB3zb-051QioHBbel_C1mc9Tjdtc-WcoiepRtyVDs2PVEpbvzf5H4o6nCzl7oan9ga4U3lB2W_HmXVX_1aoaIWDjs/s4032/PXL_20231230_180115819.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIWknPAPdWAcF9t5qmkfkNz2NhpF2BBTJqdRRctXAAUzi_MQ_DtmPU69GFuXEVXwiQUe6HZO9AbEmqmzmQs3aO25klqOnKU_MhA0IB3zb-051QioHBbel_C1mc9Tjdtc-WcoiepRtyVDs2PVEpbvzf5H4o6nCzl7oan9ga4U3lB2W_HmXVX_1aoaIWDjs/s320/PXL_20231230_180115819.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p>We found a restaurant right along the route to stop at for lunch - El Caballo Blanco. If you're ever in the area, we'd highly recommend stopping there. The portions were huge (we walked away with dinner in our to-go boxes), the service fast, and the food delicious. Erin had the Carribean chicken thigh with rice and beans and fried plantains (yummm!!!), Craig had the breaded fish fillet, and Adventure Girl scarfed down the BBQ ribs and fries. :)</p><p>After what felt like an eternity (an 8.5 hour travel day), we crawled into our rental property in a small, natural oasis amidst the palm plantation monocultures. This was the last-minute place we had to book for two nights when our original host had disappeared. It was a little out of our budget range so we were really hoping it would feel worth it. It took about 20 minutes for it to exceed our expectations. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS7NN9RxowRMyab9_gTmNcSjlMI7-XZrttsZrbkx5tya7owx0nme3_pKnK9VKTJTFh0mqHrnQ3vjIDEdbps-2ucVQsnNUOyXEQGE0-wmHgvHhlX-p-cSEt4Nig2dFqj12XVhoZdSm8mXiAoO26_NpOXYBvrAsO-WbFqPNzGkbNoYvE16QdVdT6lUKyC4U/s2817/DSCN0678~2.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2817" data-original-width="2428" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS7NN9RxowRMyab9_gTmNcSjlMI7-XZrttsZrbkx5tya7owx0nme3_pKnK9VKTJTFh0mqHrnQ3vjIDEdbps-2ucVQsnNUOyXEQGE0-wmHgvHhlX-p-cSEt4Nig2dFqj12XVhoZdSm8mXiAoO26_NpOXYBvrAsO-WbFqPNzGkbNoYvE16QdVdT6lUKyC4U/w173-h200/DSCN0678~2.JPG" width="173" /></a></div>The sun was setting as we lugged our things up to the stitled house. We quickly threw things into the fridge, and stripped down to dip into our private pool. It was serene. As we paddled around the small pool, we spotted a toucan, lots of egrets, and a hummingbird. The grounds of the property were lush and buzzing with life. This promised to be a lovely stay. <div><br /></div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1myDY_-dcICcHhTbvYSJbt-3UOuTIpAdYEo1UnBQ6aMNM3_hvUjr5m5MtyQrFiDORLn4-f-X8SkQmnkJm7zosVKmpIWPycZumFNUR8Pim-Oz81m5cy_pD78sFWGfP7FXeqayRSKR7wGi_hKv1jpZ7hz_Xn433GRpEAOt_I3ah1M41LT4doW8QScM0QWU/s4032/PXL_20231230_230241070.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1myDY_-dcICcHhTbvYSJbt-3UOuTIpAdYEo1UnBQ6aMNM3_hvUjr5m5MtyQrFiDORLn4-f-X8SkQmnkJm7zosVKmpIWPycZumFNUR8Pim-Oz81m5cy_pD78sFWGfP7FXeqayRSKR7wGi_hKv1jpZ7hz_Xn433GRpEAOt_I3ah1M41LT4doW8QScM0QWU/s320/PXL_20231230_230241070.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our own private sanctuary</td></tr></tbody></table><div><p>The next morning we arose to an entre troupe of squirrel monkeys making their way through the trees around the property. We sat there, entranced, as they leapt from branch to branch, playfully pulling leaves down over their faces to peek-a-boo us. They were quiet, with occassional chasing along branches. It was made all the more magicial by the fact that this was the species of monkey that had eluded Craig and Erin on their first trip to Costa Rica. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidofQtUC8tgSzmhlrrgMmIMcBQ7-v1Odu9DO8R394tMwTne7pWQ7vKmZa9amcXl3A_nfWpJj87fv7K_-ipBqCIFLU8Sl-fdBoXFkr4g-m0_ciwdgvOmyRoR_RHtGJaY-B9wZ4EkYdwkPpKHpoIwxECASFFVA_zyYkUDlMkGhBQzpVhUYKJpNwQ-c6IwWQ/s4608/DSCN0704.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidofQtUC8tgSzmhlrrgMmIMcBQ7-v1Odu9DO8R394tMwTne7pWQ7vKmZa9amcXl3A_nfWpJj87fv7K_-ipBqCIFLU8Sl-fdBoXFkr4g-m0_ciwdgvOmyRoR_RHtGJaY-B9wZ4EkYdwkPpKHpoIwxECASFFVA_zyYkUDlMkGhBQzpVhUYKJpNwQ-c6IwWQ/s320/DSCN0704.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEholL5FXvV_9G9yWua_WdyVIuGFWnsNI1rMuH7m78sJTmtBKCttjZuOMGA-NKrdew_89ApvMZ-z5AvQsy4jeFXtGM1d7EncTvCJ06bpKypkjCcj4OOFbL3PET9l9APMD8Jr7tSl9JMIJMUEi_WCLX8GV34Mhyphenhyphen9N5wUN2zIOv0wTA0Y3cczrlQWPStcDZxo/s4608/DSCN0702.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEholL5FXvV_9G9yWua_WdyVIuGFWnsNI1rMuH7m78sJTmtBKCttjZuOMGA-NKrdew_89ApvMZ-z5AvQsy4jeFXtGM1d7EncTvCJ06bpKypkjCcj4OOFbL3PET9l9APMD8Jr7tSl9JMIJMUEi_WCLX8GV34Mhyphenhyphen9N5wUN2zIOv0wTA0Y3cczrlQWPStcDZxo/s320/DSCN0702.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><p>When the family was mostly finished passing, we slipped quietly into the pool and enjoyed watching the last few pass us by. </p><p>A little while later, we readied ourselves and headed out to a nearby hike Craig had found that included canopy rope bridges and natural waterfall swimming holes. We were glad to have arrived early, with only a few others around us in the pools and no one in sight when we crossed the bridges. Adventure Girl lived up to her name as she led the way across one swinging bridge to the next. (You can check out her blog for her own recount of the trip). </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHmO0CwISYsBGzDjzkhLgrf6oPQZDMmhf_o070DAnQaSNfsjnk4LkZjRyCstX9bbMhYEcYhqw-paYk5PXiuCG18eL6LppFpNcJLS3OzEgA9ZEdj5obBG1RcTYHgxkJqgMXjHvlhcShe6qvp1XWGjUTjcS2AqICxDxQpt08yN6MnJVTbRRHp8s4T_A1iRo/s4032/PXL_20231231_160819175.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHmO0CwISYsBGzDjzkhLgrf6oPQZDMmhf_o070DAnQaSNfsjnk4LkZjRyCstX9bbMhYEcYhqw-paYk5PXiuCG18eL6LppFpNcJLS3OzEgA9ZEdj5obBG1RcTYHgxkJqgMXjHvlhcShe6qvp1XWGjUTjcS2AqICxDxQpt08yN6MnJVTbRRHp8s4T_A1iRo/s320/PXL_20231231_160819175.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXF8xhqn-3vYk_6pYgy7e5hz3WCKLOHer_VqxMcm4JrtO9rqEGlNxoYZmc6Z7Vk1W4eRhsfaLWOyUMCGSHtWWojSqctnDgb6078Ut12PvNbj-wIYP1g6GvQdD_PtKJWxnQivlWgcrOWLWhqF3I34zNlTPtfshYsZHmuSGKXSrYoMm4C-CxYtdqDc8w2YY/s4032/PXL_20231231_161031280.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXF8xhqn-3vYk_6pYgy7e5hz3WCKLOHer_VqxMcm4JrtO9rqEGlNxoYZmc6Z7Vk1W4eRhsfaLWOyUMCGSHtWWojSqctnDgb6078Ut12PvNbj-wIYP1g6GvQdD_PtKJWxnQivlWgcrOWLWhqF3I34zNlTPtfshYsZHmuSGKXSrYoMm4C-CxYtdqDc8w2YY/s320/PXL_20231231_161031280.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIlHND96Z9k8Npg5Cc6VJNCI98ib8lt9MqtPF8poNfGUWsJTQb2HwLXS2f4qsn2caM9-bCe-o9YCEATtJhqoW-3ywUTWw2hWDcXCOt6WDgGoL6Up_p6dAh7c1IhN54zDMso7N6JO7XzofB6AEwPQ07fbY1VvOE0KEhNjsg0j6UuC92iexuwRUZzjpmgJI/s4032/PXL_20231231_161750571.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIlHND96Z9k8Npg5Cc6VJNCI98ib8lt9MqtPF8poNfGUWsJTQb2HwLXS2f4qsn2caM9-bCe-o9YCEATtJhqoW-3ywUTWw2hWDcXCOt6WDgGoL6Up_p6dAh7c1IhN54zDMso7N6JO7XzofB6AEwPQ07fbY1VvOE0KEhNjsg0j6UuC92iexuwRUZzjpmgJI/s320/PXL_20231231_161750571.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Juvenile Whiptail</td></tr></tbody></table><p>We were a bit disappointed not to find any poison dart frogs but happy enough to have also avoided any snakes. A blue morpho butterfly, some neat lizards and a millipede were the wildlife highlights. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje-f3gxrKVehWRRIDnXnXKBD6GtJwwvq94u3qayreMARPlMsUKYVRAu6rVNa94awSUOA3vnLpIrW25M71ZSHXnLcSX1v6tVyMOF7yZ2ADY663V4aK2hdtNeKPa60e9J-DVYU9Fi-KGA0_XQDub88eiN6km-5IB3oF_0_9TT-bhoz2mhIQCyEUy4IOaLZw/s4032/PXL_20231231_171732238.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje-f3gxrKVehWRRIDnXnXKBD6GtJwwvq94u3qayreMARPlMsUKYVRAu6rVNa94awSUOA3vnLpIrW25M71ZSHXnLcSX1v6tVyMOF7yZ2ADY663V4aK2hdtNeKPa60e9J-DVYU9Fi-KGA0_XQDub88eiN6km-5IB3oF_0_9TT-bhoz2mhIQCyEUy4IOaLZw/s320/PXL_20231231_171732238.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoOBm0-lKyY4t9oCMFgqEkSL0VqhxYgqWSZ2jWY4RsZwNZiC9nbjtUhteaUV1yt1rk9o5OYzcGsS3crVRltsHO2oHh6yCeJE_IeyCMRoxMV9ntAZFRD-W6ZCvFsoOVhti9WPkhjUZjfaZnIMoOeJPZP87Qbh8fB4TkuEVIdeg2ptM2zmZ5wqPnYT-ezOc/s4608/DSCN0715.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoOBm0-lKyY4t9oCMFgqEkSL0VqhxYgqWSZ2jWY4RsZwNZiC9nbjtUhteaUV1yt1rk9o5OYzcGsS3crVRltsHO2oHh6yCeJE_IeyCMRoxMV9ntAZFRD-W6ZCvFsoOVhti9WPkhjUZjfaZnIMoOeJPZP87Qbh8fB4TkuEVIdeg2ptM2zmZ5wqPnYT-ezOc/s320/DSCN0715.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdr9OBvO-98NxTEGytda2cqA_FfDexgv3EJdsMe9Uot37cUMQN94qjk-BpHGczFirZtQ6EegxVdOGa2m_lj1C9y5Kko5huXXvPzYf8DUBhftW43gf4g0XU1m-5LM54XFgewShHAWb2cLIpPNdEKI1QHMw2pxnmw5gHyP8Cc1ExRdB_hZAV1VUqvl95em0/s4032/PXL_20231231_164633507.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdr9OBvO-98NxTEGytda2cqA_FfDexgv3EJdsMe9Uot37cUMQN94qjk-BpHGczFirZtQ6EegxVdOGa2m_lj1C9y5Kko5huXXvPzYf8DUBhftW43gf4g0XU1m-5LM54XFgewShHAWb2cLIpPNdEKI1QHMw2pxnmw5gHyP8Cc1ExRdB_hZAV1VUqvl95em0/w300-h400/PXL_20231231_164633507.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><p>Back home, Craig got the wood barbeque going and grilled up some sausages for us to eat in the garden. We saw more squirrel monekys as we ate, along with a couple of iguanas, and a green basalisk. It was definitely worth the extra bit of budgetting and was a fabulous way to end a spectacular year for our family. Cheers to 2023!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ1tyOJPHqKhORxsZvYjqW5Y38iH9vCPGl19FRF954upNHHBpsHcLdrSqfrB3lXX5DHwwyD4wrijFZRJOeagIVMs1firaXWkEs0gl2q9BNBStTLiZRqU2resamqXP3DCppwXoEn9Re6PucMmG_ILyRq_9E6wveHoceGgJzdH5YF9RfAyulJAW21lOo_ho/s4032/PXL_20231231_185651786.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ1tyOJPHqKhORxsZvYjqW5Y38iH9vCPGl19FRF954upNHHBpsHcLdrSqfrB3lXX5DHwwyD4wrijFZRJOeagIVMs1firaXWkEs0gl2q9BNBStTLiZRqU2resamqXP3DCppwXoEn9Re6PucMmG_ILyRq_9E6wveHoceGgJzdH5YF9RfAyulJAW21lOo_ho/s320/PXL_20231231_185651786.jpg" width="320" /></a></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEincs9zCX-J12ICk9-G-Q3bUr2UmUosVTY-5Uc-SP_JNOZL2sylTfAC3qLEg3_sPQRO2mOFzuUSbzMt0qxWv-k0nopZFpQ5tmSfYu0zuhldGd7yQ_id_NAzJqHLWPg_ecxtrV7EyQAngAGttDE8LX0cRA6pX4XhXaUzMvCrou3fC66ah37fU8L4ZQOOkfs/s2561/DSCN0670~2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1946" data-original-width="2561" height="243" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEincs9zCX-J12ICk9-G-Q3bUr2UmUosVTY-5Uc-SP_JNOZL2sylTfAC3qLEg3_sPQRO2mOFzuUSbzMt0qxWv-k0nopZFpQ5tmSfYu0zuhldGd7yQ_id_NAzJqHLWPg_ecxtrV7EyQAngAGttDE8LX0cRA6pX4XhXaUzMvCrou3fC66ah37fU8L4ZQOOkfs/s320/DSCN0670~2.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1101986064288621746.post-17722648437230689332023-12-29T05:59:00.000-08:002023-12-29T06:03:31.763-08:00Costa Rica Days 2-5: Playa ConchalIf you've read our first Costa Rica entry, then you know that we arrived in the dark. When the sun rose the next morning, we were able to see just how lucky we were. We'd been given a unit on the top floor of a small apartment building perched overlooking the forest. In the distance, we could see the ocean, and our ears quickly filled with the singing of tropical birds and the deep grunts of nearby howler monkeys. <div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIRROYdLE8DXyITCuS04JNx2_qV-lR5m-TLIpcdBhVzS5Bb2EDcJ6ZwkbROh5ao8mRV4n2qdRkedtD0RTwbALLxBHTGT0JyfEau_tGlxJX4W81zBLKUuYn_zVKXO1BByVu__PePIcgGJMQqOgNcqqS1-2BAx4TWl06NF6AckDDRbuc2Bw1rSnWu4BeEhw/s4080/17038057302875198259364933928698.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3060" data-original-width="4080" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIRROYdLE8DXyITCuS04JNx2_qV-lR5m-TLIpcdBhVzS5Bb2EDcJ6ZwkbROh5ao8mRV4n2qdRkedtD0RTwbALLxBHTGT0JyfEau_tGlxJX4W81zBLKUuYn_zVKXO1BByVu__PePIcgGJMQqOgNcqqS1-2BAx4TWl06NF6AckDDRbuc2Bw1rSnWu4BeEhw/s320/17038057302875198259364933928698.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>A 15 minute walk down the dirt road brought us to a sandy beach. We were pleased that it seemed mostly to be filled with locals and as a result we've already used more Spanish than we did over two weeks in Spain. The water was warm and the ocean floor sandy, and there were gentle waves perfect for leisurely splashing in.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh52qwZhG8VLVr3_Hjjh7wAV1eUt_eoNAlb-17wOzk0L_u1r-wMhyG6sFh08DYYh5SJ50fH0JqJwRSCtt6GUzLkuP85dNELiUtX8SRBgm_Md_4EChHjhWyMf_xMbt4U6WD47CsOIiW32Yt1SLwd-dzeRYA2gR47iRZr6vxE9OdH91AcDN2fB5EQf2YbiJk/s4032/PXL_20231226_155029835.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh52qwZhG8VLVr3_Hjjh7wAV1eUt_eoNAlb-17wOzk0L_u1r-wMhyG6sFh08DYYh5SJ50fH0JqJwRSCtt6GUzLkuP85dNELiUtX8SRBgm_Md_4EChHjhWyMf_xMbt4U6WD47CsOIiW32Yt1SLwd-dzeRYA2gR47iRZr6vxE9OdH91AcDN2fB5EQf2YbiJk/s320/PXL_20231226_155029835.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>There was also a pool on the grounds of our hotel with a large deep end and sweeping views of the surrounding forest and hills. A restaurant helped us get through our first full day before we could venture back out on the bumpy roads to secure some groceries. </div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTnrUT4Tcf0IhxC_eiI6Zy7ct445hvshNm_ppVSy8UaIkcyv0W0lr7gkitxU92Ooe56QK50-NucpubGd4vShEWFfRmnYfQuTP66JgATTVn11UkBrDgc318AExR5aKN5d_K7dIMKFZYxao9CNcRfXN5V1tH_jPlkh57pVm98xwb5JgEbaPldNdExQwyWrA/s4032/PXL_20231228_212724603.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTnrUT4Tcf0IhxC_eiI6Zy7ct445hvshNm_ppVSy8UaIkcyv0W0lr7gkitxU92Ooe56QK50-NucpubGd4vShEWFfRmnYfQuTP66JgATTVn11UkBrDgc318AExR5aKN5d_K7dIMKFZYxao9CNcRfXN5V1tH_jPlkh57pVm98xwb5JgEbaPldNdExQwyWrA/s320/PXL_20231228_212724603.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">F working on her dives!</td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div><div>Craig and Erin realized that it had been a long time since we'd ventured to Central America, or anywhere of the like. We'd been to Costa Rica, specifically, for Christmas 13 years ago, but since the arrival of Adventure Girl, travel hadn't included somewhere quite this adventurous. </div><div><br /></div><div>F got her first glimpse of a very different way of life than ours in Canada and is so far handling the change well. This includes things like cold showers, frequent power outages, rundown public bathrooms without toilet paper, etc, and seeing people's homes that look very different from ours. She seems to be understanding some of the benefits of a life different from what she sees in Canada as well as appreciating what she has. </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM390Jleq753Th2PyEfidtAFWVpTAJaa80g0n2RDdZhQ2fhG9aqQOh4y7U-fCvkoFgosm19EVcpJSvvpBGnGK3u67LUosN-6KfI5xRvNkBrh3dtFr5eJME3DDntK2bQbhoPBBzK7FL6keSQws2Yh0iGpqLnpVCsP1MZsu7-e3swT2-0swI9PMuUsB6zBc/s6548/PXL_20231226_155012382.PANO.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1653" data-original-width="6548" height="162" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM390Jleq753Th2PyEfidtAFWVpTAJaa80g0n2RDdZhQ2fhG9aqQOh4y7U-fCvkoFgosm19EVcpJSvvpBGnGK3u67LUosN-6KfI5xRvNkBrh3dtFr5eJME3DDntK2bQbhoPBBzK7FL6keSQws2Yh0iGpqLnpVCsP1MZsu7-e3swT2-0swI9PMuUsB6zBc/w640-h162/PXL_20231226_155012382.PANO.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>It is with great pleasure that we also announce that Adventure Girl has shown a keen interest in continuing her own travel blog (she wrote her first post before we even did!). Her first piece is up on her own page at: <a href="http://www.highfiveadventures.com/p/adventure-girl-costa-rica.html">http://www.highfiveadventures.com/p/adventure-girl-costa-rica.html</a></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1101986064288621746.post-39197926213296515292023-12-27T17:51:00.000-08:002023-12-27T17:51:55.059-08:00Costa Rica Day 1: A True Christmas StoryYou'd think it would be a good thing when you can say that a 7 hour international flight plus arrival through customs and immigration goes smoothly. But buckle up because the beginning of this trip is about to get bumpy! <div><br /></div><div>We're going to skip through the annoyances at the car rental place because really, who has ever had a quick, positive, economical experience at one? (The answer is No One. Ever.) So let's just say we're now two hours (and $700) behind schedule, meaning we're travelling cross-country in the pitch dark on the night of Christmas Day when we can only assume everyone has been consuming. We make it within 5 kilometers of our booked accomodation without any incidents and then we turn off on to the side road. Remember, there are no street lights here. With trees arching over the roadway, it's pitch black. We begin to encounter holes in the road that can only be described as craters deep enough to swim in. Roots entangle the sections that were originally flat. We slow to a crawl as we dip up and down and pray our newly acquired rental car does not get stuck. Adventure Girl is in the back, engrossed in a podcast episode of Chester's Book Club. (Thank you Mom and Chester for this incredible distraction). It takes us half an hour to go these last 4.5 km but we finally make it, hours past when we thought we would arrive. </div><div><br /></div><div>At this point, we realize Craig's SIM card that he pre-ordered is not working and we have to find someone cleaning up at the accommodation's bar to get us on to their WIFI because we still don't have check-in instructions from our VRBO host. Thankfully there is someone there to help us but when we get logged on, there is still no word from our host. Craig tries calling the off-duty bookings office of the complex we're in and they've definitely heard of the person we've rented from. They used to be a renter of one of the units...with an emphasis on "used to." </div><div><br /></div><div>Now, we're pretty well-travelled people. Check our sidebar, if you don't believe us. We've run in to a little scam here and there over the years. But to be preparing your seven year-old for the fact that the three of us might be spending the night in the back of our now not-so-sparkling rental car after a 14 hour travel day is not a place you want to be in.</div><div><br /></div><div>We are incredibly relieved to be able to say that this lovely Costa Rican gentleman saved us. He found us a unit in the complex that was available for the next five nights and he reduced the cost so it was close to what we were paying for the original place. We trucked all our stuff up to the third floor of the building and were able to put an exhausted child to bed in an actual bed. Not the best start to our trip, but here's to hoping that it can only get better from here. </div><div><br /></div><div>Erin's not pregnant and there was space at the inn but this story had a few too many connections to a familiar Christmas story for our liking!</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1101986064288621746.post-36379212161179991072023-08-21T11:34:00.006-07:002023-08-21T11:34:00.173-07:00Portugal Days 20 & 21: Squishing and Swimming Around Terceira<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjf1hKbUhbD07_H5-kQtPnFe2ivrGgb4NWU-JNBt8DwSLFilpXK1UBZID8M4h56NHCZcp1ZDC_gczAzom94jfRuvFBU7IbtzCP_7M1ACEUrJhwj_e1rnlGPG6xOupD-_UYneiEGvsPmrdA7ojqaKBVVuHNgsr6xNt8oG2mCozqypE4UmKaLxt0YIy6mgQ/s4032/PXL_20230728_111711182.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjf1hKbUhbD07_H5-kQtPnFe2ivrGgb4NWU-JNBt8DwSLFilpXK1UBZID8M4h56NHCZcp1ZDC_gczAzom94jfRuvFBU7IbtzCP_7M1ACEUrJhwj_e1rnlGPG6xOupD-_UYneiEGvsPmrdA7ojqaKBVVuHNgsr6xNt8oG2mCozqypE4UmKaLxt0YIy6mgQ/w640-h480/PXL_20230728_111711182.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>We rose on our second to last day in the Azores to a light rain and mist. We climbed into our car and drove back to the Gruto do Natal parking lot. Here, there is also the trailhead for the 5 km loop around the Misterios Negros: the black lava mountains. <div><br /></div><div>The trail started off simple and wide. We quickly entered some tall grass, then a forest. The scenery changed often and the path was fun and adventurous with planks to walk on, then large tree stumps, as well as some bridges to cross. After that, it turned to just mud, mud, mud. We slipped and squished our way along the trail until we saw the 1.5 km marker. We realized that it had taken us a very long time to travel that far due to the wet conditions so we made the hard decision to turn around and not make it to the black lava mountains.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsDTtfrE7pzmvzRu4rOfb7JDMAVhYSfptMGLIh12Ypors2pPSguAAHBG6slBBRuvIw72nfRxHotK1J7Xxyzu7R2-hK1jT6LEnx331ua6v29KFCBp_153g05T97SlYqCAt1BS1Q9bBH1-mLk3LpD829CENK0njCDfE0VoBI2ZLiMfas5AqVXxbXgjRYkw0/s4032/PXL_20230728_105707243.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsDTtfrE7pzmvzRu4rOfb7JDMAVhYSfptMGLIh12Ypors2pPSguAAHBG6slBBRuvIw72nfRxHotK1J7Xxyzu7R2-hK1jT6LEnx331ua6v29KFCBp_153g05T97SlYqCAt1BS1Q9bBH1-mLk3LpD829CENK0njCDfE0VoBI2ZLiMfas5AqVXxbXgjRYkw0/s320/PXL_20230728_105707243.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivfvPt-53O2JYFFU-vBfhluipJmN3-GWqkOAAOf2iQLYVXxXJcUsVh981WtVHMwmxGCoC9LvAM0lmjErhvME_rSrX1R6tyWp4qJ-HK1P-jQhhLE862_cVTu3P6wlVUF9T8WTmbCHtHiRMJtOZ11RqxZ4dALmROFz7t4v-yMRWdbSPWTi6b4Peo_qKcsTo/s4032/PXL_20230728_111227950.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivfvPt-53O2JYFFU-vBfhluipJmN3-GWqkOAAOf2iQLYVXxXJcUsVh981WtVHMwmxGCoC9LvAM0lmjErhvME_rSrX1R6tyWp4qJ-HK1P-jQhhLE862_cVTu3P6wlVUF9T8WTmbCHtHiRMJtOZ11RqxZ4dALmROFz7t4v-yMRWdbSPWTi6b4Peo_qKcsTo/s320/PXL_20230728_111227950.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRn5c2aGy2ugFEaKmEzhzBgkfWX-qpQd6JZEOofL8Wv-RIDJwMJ1clxCqXDB0mbdyEMfcZEH0EWB9RgqL0PtGq8NPXlLnUXZZ3vd0ELFIyPS9Nw7720tP1R55bRLy35SJe-40z6clt4lc65wa3K17NipMSbrBXpcYmYZY4ofVCxtWBLbccuSvSBnxXTvk/s3122/PXL_20230728_110522065.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2969" data-original-width="3122" height="304" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRn5c2aGy2ugFEaKmEzhzBgkfWX-qpQd6JZEOofL8Wv-RIDJwMJ1clxCqXDB0mbdyEMfcZEH0EWB9RgqL0PtGq8NPXlLnUXZZ3vd0ELFIyPS9Nw7720tP1R55bRLy35SJe-40z6clt4lc65wa3K17NipMSbrBXpcYmYZY4ofVCxtWBLbccuSvSBnxXTvk/s320/PXL_20230728_110522065.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0KAQX9D9kTH5wlDjn2HGQkV61ElLqUKv8T38pBMiNoIWAOsSXyNixieVPavfOFVTKsHzepUkE_XBwVcTTmUqsWG6qSaKFT6bDR8S57t5y8MOOtvs33vGPVnhmoqTBUPnRCVFV2T1nz07N2wFmCIYwNDUl5pZQuBczRTVU8FS0l-vgZkJSzybp4ZdimNU/s4032/PXL_20230728_111344618.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0KAQX9D9kTH5wlDjn2HGQkV61ElLqUKv8T38pBMiNoIWAOsSXyNixieVPavfOFVTKsHzepUkE_XBwVcTTmUqsWG6qSaKFT6bDR8S57t5y8MOOtvs33vGPVnhmoqTBUPnRCVFV2T1nz07N2wFmCIYwNDUl5pZQuBczRTVU8FS0l-vgZkJSzybp4ZdimNU/s320/PXL_20230728_111344618.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF-UFjMNKyWDkSMulx5qpFCJnAuzDLqTLInC7Mb4yqPyLvfmon7mOHf9pRJpQXFdBjDArFvZ8QjZ_FbR-AK2oR785fF8C2FbYJsyA4cZrEQjAwsJrKyc_TzHvQdCI68QAp07YI002AeOZ9TJWJwC3eQA0uh2k6IVbafsVGSFIVxQU0V7OuOcNZ-1Jf5lA/s2870/PXL_20230728_111704267.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2264" data-original-width="2870" height="252" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF-UFjMNKyWDkSMulx5qpFCJnAuzDLqTLInC7Mb4yqPyLvfmon7mOHf9pRJpQXFdBjDArFvZ8QjZ_FbR-AK2oR785fF8C2FbYJsyA4cZrEQjAwsJrKyc_TzHvQdCI68QAp07YI002AeOZ9TJWJwC3eQA0uh2k6IVbafsVGSFIVxQU0V7OuOcNZ-1Jf5lA/s320/PXL_20230728_111704267.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div>Feeling a little hungry and grumpy from our "failed" hike, we headed onwards to the Biscoitos natural swimming pools. The breathtaking coastline and unique swimming spot did wonders to improve our moods. It was just so cool to climb in to the volcanic landscape from a pool ladder, let the current take us along while we looked at fish, then climb out at the other side and walk back to do it all again. Craig and F had bought snorkle equipment so they could better see the fish; Erin used her goggles. We all had a great time at this iconic Terceira spot! </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKuTNQS_hpuFwBVm-ORAMJo68Ncj2RxHoZz2VCwM8l0rn28LCcFEq2ZmAYUmnFVkO5SvQAGPPjDmuHSTvTJotIEeocGi95qHAx76OKU63Yk2AKexGQAzRRlOnzzt-03quMMfDYe5XFw76mJr9GtNn0hBcWDNNgxn0FIOzY87_SbY_kUW3Bvzmm-qJ7_Zs/s4032/PXL_20230728_142145668.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKuTNQS_hpuFwBVm-ORAMJo68Ncj2RxHoZz2VCwM8l0rn28LCcFEq2ZmAYUmnFVkO5SvQAGPPjDmuHSTvTJotIEeocGi95qHAx76OKU63Yk2AKexGQAzRRlOnzzt-03quMMfDYe5XFw76mJr9GtNn0hBcWDNNgxn0FIOzY87_SbY_kUW3Bvzmm-qJ7_Zs/s320/PXL_20230728_142145668.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbqyTtsrjMDHFxq4tnOKIaORDYQSas0TRhEiskUn2aOXlxOrmqd-RxoNoptijrMBBXKigPKD1Ep3-UDPs7QtpC9BykodDHBwk3qc3vQp1azwTaEKB9M9BYj8peFRA8TCSIVhvp569gDLe1_l1hP2wL_Vi34eA4joYhh3qz9aQefdQ1CYkljOif7jMLZ0E/s4032/PXL_20230728_150000872.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbqyTtsrjMDHFxq4tnOKIaORDYQSas0TRhEiskUn2aOXlxOrmqd-RxoNoptijrMBBXKigPKD1Ep3-UDPs7QtpC9BykodDHBwk3qc3vQp1azwTaEKB9M9BYj8peFRA8TCSIVhvp569gDLe1_l1hP2wL_Vi34eA4joYhh3qz9aQefdQ1CYkljOif7jMLZ0E/s320/PXL_20230728_150000872.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>We finished off our trip with another relaxing day at the beach and one final photo opp at the Angra sign. :) We were leaving for home rejuvenated after a wonderful family trip.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_g6Ddc7UzUAkNZHaV9QsensgF4pZsKe5LhNqmDU9WRGeCdmWbbSknrdEnokFcWLuj5YrBakcQVD2775O7bWxP3F6vZDHmvS4rD4P0WHdlZq-Mli3o59npec1Dbl24Accsgcq61XwRztMvIcpQZS-5bRlhdiYlofxaAQRZ7GQFittLV_DuL8D0fhG5x6Y/s4032/PXL_20230729_191938567.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_g6Ddc7UzUAkNZHaV9QsensgF4pZsKe5LhNqmDU9WRGeCdmWbbSknrdEnokFcWLuj5YrBakcQVD2775O7bWxP3F6vZDHmvS4rD4P0WHdlZq-Mli3o59npec1Dbl24Accsgcq61XwRztMvIcpQZS-5bRlhdiYlofxaAQRZ7GQFittLV_DuL8D0fhG5x6Y/s320/PXL_20230729_191938567.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDqdeFJXYM86q_F5CLSO2s9ThljahhuWf_wFjTSs_eg9DviE0wm8o7vggTbTE6kR7XSBPUFWjus7p39-lFrzA_Pgk2kN9gL1Mf8GhtjGs5B6tLLREy762wLdkJ3Qzj8cwOP9yn0ZLj-rmTGm_8iVYtf4KnCNKihjQO_vGI-yEodtfwR6Jhjl6d0CS0trg/s3128/PXL_20230729_191007420~2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1034" data-original-width="3128" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDqdeFJXYM86q_F5CLSO2s9ThljahhuWf_wFjTSs_eg9DviE0wm8o7vggTbTE6kR7XSBPUFWjus7p39-lFrzA_Pgk2kN9gL1Mf8GhtjGs5B6tLLREy762wLdkJ3Qzj8cwOP9yn0ZLj-rmTGm_8iVYtf4KnCNKihjQO_vGI-yEodtfwR6Jhjl6d0CS0trg/w640-h212/PXL_20230729_191007420~2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb1-aHkGr2e_0nbc70VyATzdGLt73jwOtyC8mPbu1jzd7xBBQjZKSJCVcX0tIyr9I9ySqFFcAi3GC7PwTyJBmzMOlBct779HlsVWnePGkmEJ5ixnXamoLjJRgRYJbN2SloPpBHfhyNbqukxUNvE2wem3YnjcxCHkakwTePaiaJpZhKybRZhxXhyC7p0z4/s4032/PXL_20230728_201747515.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb1-aHkGr2e_0nbc70VyATzdGLt73jwOtyC8mPbu1jzd7xBBQjZKSJCVcX0tIyr9I9ySqFFcAi3GC7PwTyJBmzMOlBct779HlsVWnePGkmEJ5ixnXamoLjJRgRYJbN2SloPpBHfhyNbqukxUNvE2wem3YnjcxCHkakwTePaiaJpZhKybRZhxXhyC7p0z4/s320/PXL_20230728_201747515.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1ODwnFi8xIa9tu7okQQL4DMM6iEQdxaBe9k66PPEd1Ew_iX8KLpWN4eFRVVTJaZYIQOKFVj-KUvvBbUkbTWOcKn52lpsyhUnSupoAQNU2mNSMACw9sUDiSCDqLfijoOonfWswxh_Gi1D0y8FvlOqsiBWhEV481pl2qHQy1aHnChEerxqaUZq6W0LjaCI/s4032/PXL_20230728_213622498.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1ODwnFi8xIa9tu7okQQL4DMM6iEQdxaBe9k66PPEd1Ew_iX8KLpWN4eFRVVTJaZYIQOKFVj-KUvvBbUkbTWOcKn52lpsyhUnSupoAQNU2mNSMACw9sUDiSCDqLfijoOonfWswxh_Gi1D0y8FvlOqsiBWhEV481pl2qHQy1aHnChEerxqaUZq6W0LjaCI/s320/PXL_20230728_213622498.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="http://www.highfiveadventures.com/p/adventure-girl-posts-spain-france-and.html" target="_blank">For those of you wanting more of Adventure Girl's stories, click here for her blog. :)</a></div><div><br /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1101986064288621746.post-45683376001772260592023-08-20T17:40:00.004-07:002023-08-20T17:58:42.704-07:00Tips for Travelling with a Six Year-OldAs you can see from our other posts, we are experienced travellers with a small child. <div>(<a href="http://www.highfiveadventures.com/search/label/xx.%20Baby%20Travel" target="_blank">To scroll through our other tips posts, click here</a>. We have specific posts for <a href="http://www.highfiveadventures.com/2017/04/nzaus-tips-for-travelling-with-baby.html" target="_blank">babies 0-6 months,</a> <a href="http://www.highfiveadventures.com/2017/10/tips-for-travelling-with-baby-6-12.html" target="_blank">6-12 months</a>, <a href="http://www.highfiveadventures.com/2018/04/tips-for-travelling-with-baby-12-18.html" target="_blank">12-18 months</a>, <a href="http://www.highfiveadventures.com/2018/10/tips-for-travelling-with-baby-18-24.html" target="_blank">18-24 months</a>, and <a href="http://www.highfiveadventures.com/2019/07/tips-for-travelling-with-two-year-old.html" target="_blank">2 year old</a> kids). </div><div><br /></div><div>Then, there's a big gap of time that's missing due to COVID-19. That really put a damper on our travel! We did lots of little local getaways but nothing that felt big enough to start our blog back up for. And really, who had the time?</div><div><br /></div><div>So this trip felt like an entire new era of travel for us. We said goodbye to SO much gear (we are notorious over-packers). We strapped a backpack on our kid, and off we went!</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkEbknLuQ7gORzW1-9PujqHD63TspiD28vYL2tWp4TnR4J8WIRhgLlXNj-BPKv8BwfqiLxkNVOPuSMUZsFOmiEXXaBlIKJpl6RRyKvHGZV_MksXaxta9mx-0WEGdd0eGM8Yh8e0xwMuTmVHURrzyoW08h4lAacnuKqPN2DTQjb2SJ3CJdcFVzEg5B27k8/s762/DSC_0501cm%20e.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="762" data-original-width="570" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkEbknLuQ7gORzW1-9PujqHD63TspiD28vYL2tWp4TnR4J8WIRhgLlXNj-BPKv8BwfqiLxkNVOPuSMUZsFOmiEXXaBlIKJpl6RRyKvHGZV_MksXaxta9mx-0WEGdd0eGM8Yh8e0xwMuTmVHURrzyoW08h4lAacnuKqPN2DTQjb2SJ3CJdcFVzEg5B27k8/w299-h400/DSC_0501cm%20e.jpg" width="299" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div style="text-decoration-line: underline;"><u>How to Prepare</u></div><div>We started talking about the trip a few months before we left. We took out books on Spain from the local library and read them together so that Adventure Girl had an idea of what the country would be like and what there was to do there. </div><div><br /></div><div>We involved her in the planning by asking her what she was most interested in seeing and doing. We showed her pictures of places that we were considering going to and got her input. It helped that we had very little itinerary. When F said that she was excited to see a castle, we made sure to put that in our plans. (We also curbed expectations by ensuring she knew it wasn't a working castle like in a book!).</div><div><br /></div><div>We'd been given a MEC backpack that seemed like an appropriate size for her. We made sure it try it on <i>with things inside of it </i>to test for a proper fit. We taught Adventure Girl how to fit the straps properly. She was already used to walking/hiking/biking with a fairly heavy backpack so we weren't too concerned about the weight. It would be ideal to take that backpack for a spin a few times to make sure kiddo feels comfortable. </div><div><br /></div><div>When it got closer to our departure, Adventure Girl and I packed her stuff together. I showed her how to roll her clothes so they'd fit tightly in her bag. We talked about how the more things you brought, they heavier the bag would be. We expected her to carry all of her clothes, her cosmetics (toothbrush, toothpaste, brush, hair elastics) and her small stuffed animal. We would help with the car seat and activities. </div><div><br /></div><div>Our kiddo has lots of experience with airports and plane travel. If yours doesn't, I'd highly recommend showing your child the TSA video on youtube for kids. It prepares them for the different steps you'll need to take: lining up to check bags, going through security, etc. Even with her experience, we review what she should expect before every travel day: we'll take a cab to the airport, then we'll line up to check our bags, then we'll go through security. Next, we'll find a place to fill our water bottles, stop at the bathroom, grab some food, and find our gate. Those reminders really help her feel confident in what to expect. If your child is impatient, those little "check marks" once each task is completed, might help break up the long time there actually is between arriving at the airport and the plane taking off.</div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLOQHFl40xQwnR0C5a8PrD9wSFD8H7pEnn63bpp2oi-TkBIriDskJ0hsJ037UsyhrV1WIv1CjZx_KX-J-vLaqfmeYRqKXllxA6gVcU66HvIrTuocNexznrzd2VZ12uS-bErHt46eZGTFjE-TQm6VUWXU1pxoXK97ec7VJdJ4mLbOOK8NhNMoOd3i1Wo2k/s4032/PXL_20230719_082047171.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLOQHFl40xQwnR0C5a8PrD9wSFD8H7pEnn63bpp2oi-TkBIriDskJ0hsJ037UsyhrV1WIv1CjZx_KX-J-vLaqfmeYRqKXllxA6gVcU66HvIrTuocNexznrzd2VZ12uS-bErHt46eZGTFjE-TQm6VUWXU1pxoXK97ec7VJdJ4mLbOOK8NhNMoOd3i1Wo2k/w640-h480/PXL_20230719_082047171.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Travel Day! (we had a lot of groceries we were bringing onwards)</td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div><div><u>Accommodation</u> </div><div>We continue to like the Air BnB route for our family. It gives us a private space with a kitchen for self-catering. This keeps costs down and ensures we can prepare healthy food that we know we'll all like and will feel like home. We try to find a place with a view whenever possible, or choose a location that's within walking distance of things we'll want to see/do. We don't have to worry about a nap schedule anymore but it is nice to have a balcony to sit out on with a view to admire so that we can enjoy the evening after putting F to bed. </div><div><br /></div><div>At some places, we contacted them ahead of time and were able to get an early check-in, which helped cut down on the length of time for a travel day. At one place, we even booked the night before our arrival so that we could check right in when we arrived (that was after our very long journey to get to Europe and we knew our flight would arrive at 8 am). It was worth it to us to be able to check in right away and start relaxing. Depending on how long your journey is, what the time change is, and your own family's needs, you can decide if any of these tips would work well for you. </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw-GIUsVDJqwNThrllg0VtmeM0uFiSm-ybzRVDymf_TAvcLaChAx9T0fc0mwAiHd0tgGlnXbRXryMRs66gdxmHbsvM78Rm1WArhsdJ3Xjgq3D5Du90eqHFz7lSFIBUuiSwFdjE67p8k3ELeFw6t7e_ZN4_UAYnmLzio72UTW9zpGnDpIBd64Hrn7a4enw/s4032/PXL_20230721_155854681.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw-GIUsVDJqwNThrllg0VtmeM0uFiSm-ybzRVDymf_TAvcLaChAx9T0fc0mwAiHd0tgGlnXbRXryMRs66gdxmHbsvM78Rm1WArhsdJ3Xjgq3D5Du90eqHFz7lSFIBUuiSwFdjE67p8k3ELeFw6t7e_ZN4_UAYnmLzio72UTW9zpGnDpIBd64Hrn7a4enw/w400-h300/PXL_20230721_155854681.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><u>Food</u></div><div>We tend to bring extra snacks because of dietary issues (F can't have lactose; Erin can't have gluten or lactose). It can also be nice to have a taste of home when on the midst of a long hike or travel day. We brought one item for each day of the trip, plus 3 things for each long plane ride). These were things like granola bars, cracker packages, and fruit sticks. All items that F likes, and all light-weight. It was hardly any space in our bags and provided a comfort for her and us. </div><div><br /></div><div>For this trip, our routine became: breakfast and dinner at home, lunch at a restaurant. Adventure Girl is very good at trying new foods. With only one meal out a day, she was very willing to test out new flavours and eat things that maybe weren't her preference. She knew that we'd be making dinner ourselves so I think that helped her be more easy-going with the lunch spots. We made exceptions on long travel days and let her get a hamburger. We didn't feel the need to push it when we were all jet-lagged or starving.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKHVj9KMVF6i0tM78ev5WLXL-863qlc9IkCgy_LPvIe-bFwvfN8OrqfFN-iLjXvMkoE-n7r_rEJhKJxn4bdzKxgOKvuB1cgB1it9IH9pvQeJMFAzjxh6LrnsaR4vDWP2Si4QsuuZOtunv4fbgkQegX2ucU6IeWFnjNf7zhuV11oXdSBH9rwp2nKI42Zb0/s4032/PXL_20230718_131625436.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKHVj9KMVF6i0tM78ev5WLXL-863qlc9IkCgy_LPvIe-bFwvfN8OrqfFN-iLjXvMkoE-n7r_rEJhKJxn4bdzKxgOKvuB1cgB1it9IH9pvQeJMFAzjxh6LrnsaR4vDWP2Si4QsuuZOtunv4fbgkQegX2ucU6IeWFnjNf7zhuV11oXdSBH9rwp2nKI42Zb0/w400-h300/PXL_20230718_131625436.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><u>Toys</u></div><div>Together, we chose a few small books, blank paper, a notebook, and a few writing utensils to bring. I added in a sticker book, an activity book, a Chirp magazine, and some fun pencil crayons that she'd never seen before just in case. It's always nice to have something novel to present when you want a moment of peace like when trying to recover from jet lag. :) We also brought her headphones for the plane and a small tablet that was essentially just for her for on big travel days and to use for Skyping with our families while we were away. Remember to download a few shows ahead of time for the plane ride!</div><div><br /></div><div>When we arrived in San Sebastian, we found a dollar store and bought some basic sand castle building toys. These were used once. ONCE! All she really wanted and needed at the beach was a shovel. At six years-old, Adventure Girl is very into imaginative play. She wanted to dig giant holes, be buried under sand, make a car in the sand and pretend to taxi us around, make a bakery/coffeeshop that sold hot mud drinks...It was a really good reminder for us that with some very basic supplies, her imagination will do the rest. We brought masking tape as a basic emergency item and she used it to make nametags and put on shows for us. We easily could have left almost all of the sticker books and activity books at home. </div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRLScUI0UXnWtyQnxayadnTotedZ5_RgtVgKZOeBKfaORnGkoYzIlaPuho9XyoOMuaZ3wB7QrnAJjXKbjEhyflx-jQs-3zE3U0g3dk9sIsiteSLT_G1HX7D1Eo-5-RDIMHGXKB0otL18O33OxdsHMYu3Uiuy7YDZPZXQ8R8fhEX6-IwEc4DTG6squ4JFw/s2592/20230711_054143.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1944" data-original-width="2592" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRLScUI0UXnWtyQnxayadnTotedZ5_RgtVgKZOeBKfaORnGkoYzIlaPuho9XyoOMuaZ3wB7QrnAJjXKbjEhyflx-jQs-3zE3U0g3dk9sIsiteSLT_G1HX7D1Eo-5-RDIMHGXKB0otL18O33OxdsHMYu3Uiuy7YDZPZXQ8R8fhEX6-IwEc4DTG6squ4JFw/s320/20230711_054143.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Erin's Swimming Report Card LoL</td></tr></tbody></table><u><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUfvdmTycIeGSjww4op3iaespUKFEI4Dh8zZqG7PAUQMjSdPcJqpqA3XUen5zoKkenHNCedPz_uvJG0PqyLfQR3uDr3grAkUTt7-jkUaOn6qD--48zJ1rCZNCirviqXCN9RkRIuThRszkLtp-1xyPCeAviDUeHaPYLjaFYSepdOSq_U5O-_RAxpJ3hmR8/s4032/PXL_20230720_083421271.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUfvdmTycIeGSjww4op3iaespUKFEI4Dh8zZqG7PAUQMjSdPcJqpqA3XUen5zoKkenHNCedPz_uvJG0PqyLfQR3uDr3grAkUTt7-jkUaOn6qD--48zJ1rCZNCirviqXCN9RkRIuThRszkLtp-1xyPCeAviDUeHaPYLjaFYSepdOSq_U5O-_RAxpJ3hmR8/w400-h300/PXL_20230720_083421271.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We got to that castle F wanted to see</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9FliNiefGb0UeuvBsWhnDbTzyPpFdBAnSCqfuTU-vwrLQjac7ac812ldtgDttwkvyr-wcgmAJDxVgPHQyyeyI0cGadKaHsllndG86NBdBfjrJeI398qSB4LBi1mNvPbzw2Ej84jBGrqXopQ1woW8gMK-WhpOwb-PejC919CaKbf0XFA6Ko9ULRYe73Rg/s4032/PXL_20230720_074547441.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9FliNiefGb0UeuvBsWhnDbTzyPpFdBAnSCqfuTU-vwrLQjac7ac812ldtgDttwkvyr-wcgmAJDxVgPHQyyeyI0cGadKaHsllndG86NBdBfjrJeI398qSB4LBi1mNvPbzw2Ej84jBGrqXopQ1woW8gMK-WhpOwb-PejC919CaKbf0XFA6Ko9ULRYe73Rg/s320/PXL_20230720_074547441.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Three bags and lots of groceries!</td></tr></tbody></table>Gear</u><div>The only items we brought that we consider to be kid "gear" was our travel booster seat for the car and a set of inflatable water wings. (We use <a href="https://www.amazon.ca/Cosco-High-Rise-Side-Booster/dp/B07JFCF35K/ref=asc_df_B07JFCF35K/?tag=googleshopc0c-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=335136535395&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=15047391268424198886&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=t&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9001435&hvtargid=pla-797949593717&th=1" target="_blank">this</a> travel booster seat by Cosco). Boy, did it feel good for us all to be hands-free. </div><div><br /></div><div>We also brought along a collapsible snack bag and cooler to use for trips to the beach and in the car. The dollar store sells collapsible hampers that are another non-essential but incredibly helpful item especially when you're going to be travelling by car and can just toss all of your dirty laundry in. </div><div><br /></div><div>Our last item that provides comfort for everyone is laundry detergent. This was essential when Adventure Girl was a baby: things smelling like home makes for a good night's sleep! For this trip, we found that Spanish detergent was very chemical-smelling. We were thankful to keep our clothes unscented!</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiny-LUCXJejI5tbp6gHOJetJmWAk2XhDFhu_wlpjQQfolvBAW0u-N6tJSyvwGKczJRPzadrXTK0ZZKn8CpeXRHXptMzVp7lcXOZARbZttuHi-Jb4_k_GS-jgX77k271KDHEZ9DrkxsOEGUB8Wn3Y-jPmO6WCOThJkQWEc_7HTjTAAYlCs3JKZlmYX6Xlc/s3128/PXL_20230729_191007420~2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1034" data-original-width="3128" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiny-LUCXJejI5tbp6gHOJetJmWAk2XhDFhu_wlpjQQfolvBAW0u-N6tJSyvwGKczJRPzadrXTK0ZZKn8CpeXRHXptMzVp7lcXOZARbZttuHi-Jb4_k_GS-jgX77k271KDHEZ9DrkxsOEGUB8Wn3Y-jPmO6WCOThJkQWEc_7HTjTAAYlCs3JKZlmYX6Xlc/w640-h212/PXL_20230729_191007420~2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>The last few trips for us felt like we were building an enjoyment of travel and really catering to what our kiddo liked, while squeezing in some things for ourselves. With Adventure Girl as a six year-old, it felt like all of that hard work had paid off. We felt like a team. We woke up in the morning and each picked something we wanted to do. It was a very liberating and exciting feeling. We had so much family fun!</div><div><br /></div><div>You know your family best so we're sure that you can find the strategies that will be successful for you and ignore the rest! Happy Travelling! </div><div>xoxo the High Five Adventurerers</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWb65WKIl7Fh-ZaGhnL2VbbUmWHKnmFlKo11guXRbSpzY7stfoTIvthF6ctyWWBV0O9VX3n6KvsXsq4sJYsMkwu3cJFmOtO6FHRkoxhtKosPv1IE72s6GtWiHa9cIMRBCLpCDK8zmVYaxaRxo8WzATjKFO8b2_PGotvRbmNoWMYGkSBsowYYi-3IQ3LUQ/s4032/PXL_20230729_191332879.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWb65WKIl7Fh-ZaGhnL2VbbUmWHKnmFlKo11guXRbSpzY7stfoTIvthF6ctyWWBV0O9VX3n6KvsXsq4sJYsMkwu3cJFmOtO6FHRkoxhtKosPv1IE72s6GtWiHa9cIMRBCLpCDK8zmVYaxaRxo8WzATjKFO8b2_PGotvRbmNoWMYGkSBsowYYi-3IQ3LUQ/w400-h300/PXL_20230729_191332879.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1101986064288621746.post-27218113970723552532023-08-19T11:17:00.001-07:002023-08-19T11:17:00.148-07:00Portugal Day 19: Lava Caves and Fairy Tunnels<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkzkktnFU2hppuAE8_6tXiizdeVGdBIGlcTXcYMy4qo_z2Or-RBSZrw-0b68oO26pOENsSb3ayWilKprnAPba42pkWiy8r_6-6iV4UMdDKOzcnDEsIKFug_-2X2oPDKWDImJidFMlCR6EQk3dPgOz-qyNEbagDQzQlx6PuAfPLKmaGwucQohhaf6DPrK0/s3094/PXL_20230727_131723420.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1683" data-original-width="3094" height="348" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkzkktnFU2hppuAE8_6tXiizdeVGdBIGlcTXcYMy4qo_z2Or-RBSZrw-0b68oO26pOENsSb3ayWilKprnAPba42pkWiy8r_6-6iV4UMdDKOzcnDEsIKFug_-2X2oPDKWDImJidFMlCR6EQk3dPgOz-qyNEbagDQzQlx6PuAfPLKmaGwucQohhaf6DPrK0/w640-h348/PXL_20230727_131723420.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXHEVzIOFs4HEH4aYXroSCS2DxhosmOHYCBt6zb2K8obPEUybJnZ7E4CqBTQI-RTGLmt5FWv87XnKqGHin_Pa2b_ICtpHe9cKbbmterE5oJApZ0i8n2o7FE6cJFfslwd1BfZt3K-xKePaw7Rr5yqXbF8ShxVh5wgAtOXE1UJ5DP5qKvQHcOILKnjOBqTY/s4032/PXL_20230727_100931242.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXHEVzIOFs4HEH4aYXroSCS2DxhosmOHYCBt6zb2K8obPEUybJnZ7E4CqBTQI-RTGLmt5FWv87XnKqGHin_Pa2b_ICtpHe9cKbbmterE5oJApZ0i8n2o7FE6cJFfslwd1BfZt3K-xKePaw7Rr5yqXbF8ShxVh5wgAtOXE1UJ5DP5qKvQHcOILKnjOBqTY/w240-h320/PXL_20230727_100931242.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div><br /></div>We rented a car for two days in order to better explore Terceira's sites. Our first stop was the Piscinas Naturais de Porto Martins. They have built platforms on top of the volcanic rock with steps leading down into the water to make for easy entry. You are able to swim right out to the ocean, if you'd like. <p></p><p><br /></p><p>We had a lot of fun looking at fish through our goggles. We saw many fish that were colourful, a flounder shuffling in the sand, and a few sea cucumbers!</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim_3f-UO4uIiyv70VLSZIogjtrhNVExXdydhYcrh6BTSSkZPaLPOoMC7HTp_cO6SZaApjqXyWI-kVXHZbPOtU_u4mcUAPS3M6sCRZkX_UBkoDgrX_dy7Ekty2puSQTIC7s5mOJdatpG_mbYw1HsZXg103I3wUG1mjQiKA5E3Lf6wOtMJTbotAtUENTMfE/s3309/PXL_20230727_130248290.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2299" data-original-width="3309" height="222" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim_3f-UO4uIiyv70VLSZIogjtrhNVExXdydhYcrh6BTSSkZPaLPOoMC7HTp_cO6SZaApjqXyWI-kVXHZbPOtU_u4mcUAPS3M6sCRZkX_UBkoDgrX_dy7Ekty2puSQTIC7s5mOJdatpG_mbYw1HsZXg103I3wUG1mjQiKA5E3Lf6wOtMJTbotAtUENTMfE/s320/PXL_20230727_130248290.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The blue hydrangeas that were everywhere!</td></tr></tbody></table><p>We stopped for lunch in a small town, Fonte do Bastardo (Bastard Fountain in English apparently, though we cannot find the origin of the name). At the restaurant our lack of Portugese was letting us down, and when we were asked a question we assumed was about food we just said yes again assuming that we would be brought menus. Instead we were brought a delicious stew of local meats (deduced from looking at their menu online). Thankfully Erin carries cash because we had neglected to read the large sign on the patio which indicated that they do not accept cards. </p><p>From there, we drove up into the hills to the Furnas do Enxofre, a site with lots of volcanic activity. Walking the path feels like you're in a mystical realm. Smoke from underground wraps up around you, as mist from the clouds blankets you from above. The various types of moss look like nothing you've touched before, all colourful and varied in texture. It all looks like a place that fairies would live in.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioDYgFLVwINRpdvQq-5tsQRXmOHT7Zi8d1DG0kY3NNsug3sIe_Hal5c7CIIr7h6ZIyDfFdSkZ9VercHoY_6m_SrFe12obL3FMi8V-qXIrFOD723s3LTa1ptxAgGJCnUwzD5ejwmNtbDcJ74PedYsIC7t_D5Sl2GIxlSiS45fbQ1-sa4ZajRZzeoDMvsxw/s4032/PXL_20230727_131545460.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioDYgFLVwINRpdvQq-5tsQRXmOHT7Zi8d1DG0kY3NNsug3sIe_Hal5c7CIIr7h6ZIyDfFdSkZ9VercHoY_6m_SrFe12obL3FMi8V-qXIrFOD723s3LTa1ptxAgGJCnUwzD5ejwmNtbDcJ74PedYsIC7t_D5Sl2GIxlSiS45fbQ1-sa4ZajRZzeoDMvsxw/s320/PXL_20230727_131545460.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQFKLcvrBrmSXLC8OhKN4k6_FQOBsIh-MiqvLBJ8UJ2Fe1Amy1J0-lACfQ5AecEAjgMJUgyb-CCCqHSEiUdtZS9LH9ze_C5_-N6JQ7ZTo80oES-uZATJ5l4oSlVH13MYY2ri-TmkqELkUXs-e3n1XSPagkkSmdelaK_omJGqa7hb0x8FN0yQ52N3QVt1U/s4032/PXL_20230727_133239421.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQFKLcvrBrmSXLC8OhKN4k6_FQOBsIh-MiqvLBJ8UJ2Fe1Amy1J0-lACfQ5AecEAjgMJUgyb-CCCqHSEiUdtZS9LH9ze_C5_-N6JQ7ZTo80oES-uZATJ5l4oSlVH13MYY2ri-TmkqELkUXs-e3n1XSPagkkSmdelaK_omJGqa7hb0x8FN0yQ52N3QVt1U/s320/PXL_20230727_133239421.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTTFiqCbe75k9vurbiCDjsQEgXsS4o-t7iJ6tJcP-OCbL-BrIE02tu4EmfDcliedgdStf4xrvkmkWzBGqfLyqZ8VCWHXP5wiu4Mzzc6Hd8uSsJKP50pHNhZ1jGJsfAVz_pnti_5hDaF__jvcknkgbqXVs2Ut-urSnC5h8cYeqt06uIqXwJFGSZFyqB7LA/s4032/PXL_20230727_132510974.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTTFiqCbe75k9vurbiCDjsQEgXsS4o-t7iJ6tJcP-OCbL-BrIE02tu4EmfDcliedgdStf4xrvkmkWzBGqfLyqZ8VCWHXP5wiu4Mzzc6Hd8uSsJKP50pHNhZ1jGJsfAVz_pnti_5hDaF__jvcknkgbqXVs2Ut-urSnC5h8cYeqt06uIqXwJFGSZFyqB7LA/s320/PXL_20230727_132510974.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p>Our next stop was the Algor do Carvao. This is a cave created by the volcano long ago. You first walk through a narrow tunnel down into the earth. It opens to this specatcular cave adorned by moss and small plants. We weren't expecting its impressize size and lush vegetation. We descended further to a natural pool and admired the cave's opening from many angles. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijDdp3dOHuiB9S1EvuV1F5I4GnfvmF-uOcVU0gYog9Z4--MoFZBrusRqpZPNAzLuRZ8NKc_l_OYE7eV78Ke2NRXCfdk12d15zDqn2n0_udWeVCSinXFN_X6UbVPPwySQi4XvCUZhZBT6rdmBCEDj4Vb7NYLaQr8fk3ybSnlLoK5DEugthuY8bcOLbgWDQ/s4032/PXL_20230727_141413561.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijDdp3dOHuiB9S1EvuV1F5I4GnfvmF-uOcVU0gYog9Z4--MoFZBrusRqpZPNAzLuRZ8NKc_l_OYE7eV78Ke2NRXCfdk12d15zDqn2n0_udWeVCSinXFN_X6UbVPPwySQi4XvCUZhZBT6rdmBCEDj4Vb7NYLaQr8fk3ybSnlLoK5DEugthuY8bcOLbgWDQ/w640-h480/PXL_20230727_141413561.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p>Onwards we went to the Gruta do Natal. This time we were given hard hats to wear and shown on a map where the tunnels would lead. There was an "easy" and "difficult" path. Not sure what to expect, we embarked on the easier trail and found ourselves navigating along a (well-signed) path underground in tunnels created long ago by lava. It was fun to feel the sense of adventure once we hit the "difficult" part of the path and needed to crouch down and crawl. Many a "thunk" could be heard echoing through the tunnels as people hit their hard hats on the stalactites above. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisS4aTnHWJKu_GB2U2goi_fh4hyVsf3LuUpVaA1hLmfO0cH-i3OwIeoH4pqLEdgjlW0dhNHV_JbxWzZoEECBGqbtaezNw9t308F0KIDouun5Tvvr0XUh9W6cn23wXd8vAUTBw4Ytrgek7CxcP7JxM8pzMqkdY_ECzSzUdrlBudavpJZEGCr3wBqjTMrQc/s3270/original_ffa814dd-46ce-4125-a179-c9e264e0046f_PXL_20230727_145632085~2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2524" data-original-width="3270" height="247" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisS4aTnHWJKu_GB2U2goi_fh4hyVsf3LuUpVaA1hLmfO0cH-i3OwIeoH4pqLEdgjlW0dhNHV_JbxWzZoEECBGqbtaezNw9t308F0KIDouun5Tvvr0XUh9W6cn23wXd8vAUTBw4Ytrgek7CxcP7JxM8pzMqkdY_ECzSzUdrlBudavpJZEGCr3wBqjTMrQc/s320/original_ffa814dd-46ce-4125-a179-c9e264e0046f_PXL_20230727_145632085~2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p>We finished the day by driving back home along the many hydrangea-lined pastures, back towards the coast and our cosy home.</p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1101986064288621746.post-45988436504277923992023-08-17T14:00:00.019-07:002023-08-17T14:00:00.144-07:00Portugal Days 17 & 18: Arriving in the Azores<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghWCD1ZzzwoM_l2kEdkZjcDCVHXuE1-GDKFTKcjsiRaYdK03egXlDd0qJUZpHlVRylLWZNsCgXHMxLq8oMbiKtxLLywmtVuqEOY58YyBSfIYqUQhLY04-kTsmTGyaC4yhxTmp-myIQmIUShjuiOeObGTUrzT4mlqWF9Vhu7Ovpfvqkqcry_2ZAFozQX4M/s4032/PXL_20230726_210624024.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghWCD1ZzzwoM_l2kEdkZjcDCVHXuE1-GDKFTKcjsiRaYdK03egXlDd0qJUZpHlVRylLWZNsCgXHMxLq8oMbiKtxLLywmtVuqEOY58YyBSfIYqUQhLY04-kTsmTGyaC4yhxTmp-myIQmIUShjuiOeObGTUrzT4mlqWF9Vhu7Ovpfvqkqcry_2ZAFozQX4M/w640-h480/PXL_20230726_210624024.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>The Azores: An autonomous region of Portugal. A volcanic archipelago. A web of hardened lava rising up from the middle of the Atlantic. A legend of lost treasure. The lost city of Atlantis. A great escape from anywhere we'd ever set foot before. </div><div><br /></div><div>Our five days in the Azores were relaxing. We were pleasantly surprised by the easy access we had to the water, the plentiful wildlife viewing opportunities (fish, lizards, birds), and even the sandy beach. </div><div><br /></div><div>Our accomodation in Angra do Heroismo on Terceira Island (the third island discovered, hence named "the third") boasted a goregous view of the Atlantic Ocean, particularly at sunset. Just across the street from our place there was a little swimming spot that had been built with steps leading down right into the Atlantic.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_jUdBAg55kS-Oy3oV1dbGUENk69Eou6bwDF6nbuURA9pwHDeMVF8iYjiz0ktu79ObtzVOxF1QfYfSsG5rxSDahbGHK_kaDowAkiBsMu3pFzLL6Vjj5yH-WKypdk5fQEYbPB3-kCPYcQ0ndiyCsrAttC8TgKt7XtIBx_raSu6mr7T2e32yGjFwQN2m0QI/s4032/PXL_20230726_083720036.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_jUdBAg55kS-Oy3oV1dbGUENk69Eou6bwDF6nbuURA9pwHDeMVF8iYjiz0ktu79ObtzVOxF1QfYfSsG5rxSDahbGHK_kaDowAkiBsMu3pFzLL6Vjj5yH-WKypdk5fQEYbPB3-kCPYcQ0ndiyCsrAttC8TgKt7XtIBx_raSu6mr7T2e32yGjFwQN2m0QI/s320/PXL_20230726_083720036.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlc--E0filUJ2IHpwqzwTUNHc16MiSsxhe5XY0ViCSirF6jv1dC00mvIeWnyNq4VlxcuLVqnQ4N6qdT4y7FAr3BJslhzDnB8WniUuMR6JuL_737cbdjfQz80fCEqZ1bkZ4WBmzYv8yWqyDWjSUaBuMRIkWzaAvdaf9FOnpiDLWgwu-8iZmXQftOm75Hwk/s4032/PXL_20230726_124017684.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlc--E0filUJ2IHpwqzwTUNHc16MiSsxhe5XY0ViCSirF6jv1dC00mvIeWnyNq4VlxcuLVqnQ4N6qdT4y7FAr3BJslhzDnB8WniUuMR6JuL_737cbdjfQz80fCEqZ1bkZ4WBmzYv8yWqyDWjSUaBuMRIkWzaAvdaf9FOnpiDLWgwu-8iZmXQftOm75Hwk/s320/PXL_20230726_124017684.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div>Adventure Girl continued to grow in her confidence and ability in the water. Angra had a lovely sand beach that was hardly busy, and included F's favourite spot: a floating dock. It was just a 20 min walk from our place through the colourful streets of Angra. </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYnhjhmMJC42LmJDHH6H5VeDymBc66aWtPlzSbPKp0hOb50ROjwk5U8XRjeWPbD1zkx4Q24DdnBQb0Bx4sTpmMoQFpuZ13pt4uO9O2707_rVabG5gQ8Siqy5IrmvF1FZo4Bm2knHuIdokGreX4Ecg46pdarVIy1--OOdKNaI97c6rm9Jbam_SOneS4x-c/s4032/PXL_20230726_141305436.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYnhjhmMJC42LmJDHH6H5VeDymBc66aWtPlzSbPKp0hOb50ROjwk5U8XRjeWPbD1zkx4Q24DdnBQb0Bx4sTpmMoQFpuZ13pt4uO9O2707_rVabG5gQ8Siqy5IrmvF1FZo4Bm2knHuIdokGreX4Ecg46pdarVIy1--OOdKNaI97c6rm9Jbam_SOneS4x-c/s320/PXL_20230726_141305436.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEeTJZLdWgtvyWeaBQ2SlS2Q4TtyWeRguZSQ1Ond0w4rPYVLQRxJkHq57kqftX01HXkv49VCQfiKWJ6iTwIxWZIjPORyZm33TGaelY4rQviWpzahTn0KEK9LigAN6hJd4DI_zM-BIpaag33Qv7c_LCx8fJO5b54hG5wApUCFQMJLQ53pH1D-BT-7N1Q_4/s4032/PXL_20230726_084023592.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEeTJZLdWgtvyWeaBQ2SlS2Q4TtyWeRguZSQ1Ond0w4rPYVLQRxJkHq57kqftX01HXkv49VCQfiKWJ6iTwIxWZIjPORyZm33TGaelY4rQviWpzahTn0KEK9LigAN6hJd4DI_zM-BIpaag33Qv7c_LCx8fJO5b54hG5wApUCFQMJLQ53pH1D-BT-7N1Q_4/s320/PXL_20230726_084023592.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>We were all proud when F swam out to the dock by herself, unassisted by us or a flotation device, and subsequently climbed and jumped off of it independently. We had so much fun as a family taking turns doing different jumps and dives.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN_TnBY5hzakY5UC4VI3PBtSG4jpgIk3iIpgDoZ3oBAQqLEWMbGRZ3YgikQudA2bDQi2KF2dm_p-SKlo5zbU85iCLCvU2dT0J6TSKCYkhCPreRBnvv4rMvg9oh4nCQt0V9wLdY-qin8F7S8kYHz_ZXNiqxGhiG2k4-ZapUbPgqYozYE4FC8kKmlam6jSM/s4032/PXL_20230726_105312156.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN_TnBY5hzakY5UC4VI3PBtSG4jpgIk3iIpgDoZ3oBAQqLEWMbGRZ3YgikQudA2bDQi2KF2dm_p-SKlo5zbU85iCLCvU2dT0J6TSKCYkhCPreRBnvv4rMvg9oh4nCQt0V9wLdY-qin8F7S8kYHz_ZXNiqxGhiG2k4-ZapUbPgqYozYE4FC8kKmlam6jSM/s320/PXL_20230726_105312156.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwaBZnt7HfGdWi0cfWAedSDTxazPtRWoUP-Is_a9xiL1suEaTc799UfmELGw3lUH0J6MPnb6ni17xrZbFSQlMjGbIbBeOvYnLVjnzV6ew_Ynh6T-r6NGWNhk5LeuOxPchoeHOycfHmRXKJt52SUGQUTW5ceJk_haThwN5fArpOEHCTGSE0upxw0jf_-gU/s6776/PXL_20230726_101318612.PANO.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1625" data-original-width="6776" height="154" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwaBZnt7HfGdWi0cfWAedSDTxazPtRWoUP-Is_a9xiL1suEaTc799UfmELGw3lUH0J6MPnb6ni17xrZbFSQlMjGbIbBeOvYnLVjnzV6ew_Ynh6T-r6NGWNhk5LeuOxPchoeHOycfHmRXKJt52SUGQUTW5ceJk_haThwN5fArpOEHCTGSE0upxw0jf_-gU/w640-h154/PXL_20230726_101318612.PANO.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-VCdgd_6bIglVDJqrQonkSKK5R4MiFEZxqlZn9q0eJsBZ0dNLy4zugIa5CSL0QveNis94GLlqjNcnijzrxVq6ETpjDlg9FVBiMzVid1q9AxophWZIgzr_0OKkFKrR2Ixn8gJdQyNSZw4IHBews1KUdIEe3p_maNEoSG-7-V2kV4LZywvewytM3OymV74/s1080/Screenshot_2023-08-14-09-33-45~2.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="589" data-original-width="1080" height="175" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-VCdgd_6bIglVDJqrQonkSKK5R4MiFEZxqlZn9q0eJsBZ0dNLy4zugIa5CSL0QveNis94GLlqjNcnijzrxVq6ETpjDlg9FVBiMzVid1q9AxophWZIgzr_0OKkFKrR2Ixn8gJdQyNSZw4IHBews1KUdIEe3p_maNEoSG-7-V2kV4LZywvewytM3OymV74/s320/Screenshot_2023-08-14-09-33-45~2.png" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDcu0F6L3CXrbp80sOC7YsMXy80ed_xe0Kr62851WkJWFivqEK0yYyS-i4ZxfoW8-0fPYvF36XNLocEGprfsWIwO51UsSOPjaUf_WNI8RiMEy-jYk-6v9mijQKZzp2WfiwMJ542LlstjnFGQqUvQ0QXkVo6WCH2zoVMUjAFYBq-AsjCwEKu99r3KqJH-Q/s1080/Screenshot_2023-08-14-09-34-20~2.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="583" data-original-width="1080" height="173" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDcu0F6L3CXrbp80sOC7YsMXy80ed_xe0Kr62851WkJWFivqEK0yYyS-i4ZxfoW8-0fPYvF36XNLocEGprfsWIwO51UsSOPjaUf_WNI8RiMEy-jYk-6v9mijQKZzp2WfiwMJ542LlstjnFGQqUvQ0QXkVo6WCH2zoVMUjAFYBq-AsjCwEKu99r3KqJH-Q/s320/Screenshot_2023-08-14-09-34-20~2.png" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx1ID8Zvlvy29ZmfDvC2uweNyTTxTRo2nlY9K8VSyd5owus7lBmMfrvrrcDOq7MR9oWSphL0P3SyhJ-SXxDb2fJcxj1PMHYxZJpjiyhqpGfcNd6WknLSz9hItoSN2J5epEzyCUOSntjQTV1Pc1u_J-D_YvkJ5sAaLqaQOyCZ8uuxn-V_0XTOldD2vZcFE/s1080/Screenshot_2023-08-14-09-34-38~2.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="582" data-original-width="1080" height="172" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx1ID8Zvlvy29ZmfDvC2uweNyTTxTRo2nlY9K8VSyd5owus7lBmMfrvrrcDOq7MR9oWSphL0P3SyhJ-SXxDb2fJcxj1PMHYxZJpjiyhqpGfcNd6WknLSz9hItoSN2J5epEzyCUOSntjQTV1Pc1u_J-D_YvkJ5sAaLqaQOyCZ8uuxn-V_0XTOldD2vZcFE/s320/Screenshot_2023-08-14-09-34-38~2.png" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>We felt relaxed and ready for our retun home. There were just a few more adventures left to be had exploring the island...</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1101986064288621746.post-84755740108803718842023-08-15T14:23:00.013-07:002023-08-15T14:23:00.143-07:00Spain & Portugal Days 14-16: Moving Onwards<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRemwl0D9W6delKlHtZ_5dKappyKKWOpLpJ8R1MMFAcxLRdidoYYXLB9jkFiGwKNoKl4qdekiekW731ddXX_N-lftAb0W-SmqnJK8FuehF3RO0kXmRFUgdCAegK3zvsV693jU2Miz-zkwEXSHXU5U4NbeW5VQyNuiKT-PcRGy0iDp6P1i2y5c0sFOZO7w/s4032/PXL_20230723_085643328.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRemwl0D9W6delKlHtZ_5dKappyKKWOpLpJ8R1MMFAcxLRdidoYYXLB9jkFiGwKNoKl4qdekiekW731ddXX_N-lftAb0W-SmqnJK8FuehF3RO0kXmRFUgdCAegK3zvsV693jU2Miz-zkwEXSHXU5U4NbeW5VQyNuiKT-PcRGy0iDp6P1i2y5c0sFOZO7w/w150-h200/PXL_20230723_085643328.jpg" width="150" /></a></div>The next day we took it easy around Formigal. We did a small waterfall hike, went back to the municipal pool, and got ourselves packed up for our big travel day ahead. <div><br /></div><div>We hit the road early on Day 15 with all of our stuff packed into the car. We drove for two hours across the Spanish countryside, through the mountains and foothills, alongside lakes and cool rock formations reminiscent of the hoodoos in the Alberta badlands, and past hilltop farming towns. We stopped in Pamplona for lunch, eating at the famous Cafe Iruna in the Plaza del Castillo, where Hemmingway liked to imbide. </div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKN-GN8VccLu3LmFwXC0ZMmXacYaXjMILB5mA8994jytcBCG0nCLZpml65VjDEKI48XToZk5h6bCC_1dKnDtZM1y0jlvJgJUma6fzmWBCtTmL6Ju39Auw4NRXhk6nMYl_bnGjsw7djiNJttYhydZpqwq3h6jJmLIHHxcJD9Hw3ZxsHN1mkYzCmV_m8dxI/s4032/PXL_20230724_103106649.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKN-GN8VccLu3LmFwXC0ZMmXacYaXjMILB5mA8994jytcBCG0nCLZpml65VjDEKI48XToZk5h6bCC_1dKnDtZM1y0jlvJgJUma6fzmWBCtTmL6Ju39Auw4NRXhk6nMYl_bnGjsw7djiNJttYhydZpqwq3h6jJmLIHHxcJD9Hw3ZxsHN1mkYzCmV_m8dxI/s320/PXL_20230724_103106649.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cafe Iruna</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div><br /></div><div>We also walked down the road that the bulls run through, and we went past the bull-fighting arena. </div><div><br /></div><div>Back on the road for another hour and a half and we found ourselves in Bilbao. We had debated spending a few nights in the largest Basque city during our original planning stages but had decided to forgo it. The city actually turned out to be quite lovely down at the river and we would have been happy to have more time there. </div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6qW6_zzqK3wSTQHHgP8u00KAie_AWHKK0VSvVlE_uGn6ODK8-PNnytxNXUArprimaL1AsbaXxlas5iSKRJ7BC0uzo3CNo5x56wuuUtua-rwo2sPpL9PN4K9fwhyyThdcxHIVZl3U3zFtUkrwoPUe_1ap5-0QVYDmP-YYZHk2Z1U2gNGTjd_t5Krx06fU/s4160/20230724_161503.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3120" data-original-width="4160" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6qW6_zzqK3wSTQHHgP8u00KAie_AWHKK0VSvVlE_uGn6ODK8-PNnytxNXUArprimaL1AsbaXxlas5iSKRJ7BC0uzo3CNo5x56wuuUtua-rwo2sPpL9PN4K9fwhyyThdcxHIVZl3U3zFtUkrwoPUe_1ap5-0QVYDmP-YYZHk2Z1U2gNGTjd_t5Krx06fU/s320/20230724_161503.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Guggenheim! <br />We drove by it twice just to get a good look at it <br />(not at all because we made a navigational error)</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggARzhlnEYoNgSlluSEDvOaZ08dqJtpyluPYLBJPIs6HTa4Iape6KCKHRXGjumXp8dzvsN0O4wgapTouI_FuRW5Ckg-Xoli0TybRGVWmXMDnBhODn69HlHWA8tErBUSMHZ5q0LJ0jTUTgMvEWCOQMH0ReztYRhX70As_rcLhAdDPIPkfcSdiXeRRmF0RU/s4032/PXL_20230724_135147234.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggARzhlnEYoNgSlluSEDvOaZ08dqJtpyluPYLBJPIs6HTa4Iape6KCKHRXGjumXp8dzvsN0O4wgapTouI_FuRW5Ckg-Xoli0TybRGVWmXMDnBhODn69HlHWA8tErBUSMHZ5q0LJ0jTUTgMvEWCOQMH0ReztYRhX70As_rcLhAdDPIPkfcSdiXeRRmF0RU/s320/PXL_20230724_135147234.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bilbao</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div><br /></div><div>We did a quick stop at the Bilbao Loco Polo (an absolute necessity), then headed to the airport. It was a bit stressful with us running behind schedule (due to how long lunch took in Pamplona - NOT because of the popsicle stop), but we got through security and to our gate with lots of time to spare. </div><div><br /></div><div>We took a short flight to Lisbon, cabbed our way to our apartment for the night, and got up early. We were staying close to the heart of downtown, so we made sure to take a few minutes in the morning to walk out to the Arco do Rua Augusta.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQRrNfkcX-PHtrmAwt-8nYPBAf5rJj1gYKHMnAc7owUMkhKXP5WCSYEgWL_VnFvZrWi-7ffJPgqR2PSzKG5NuTvy8RGxvZ6H2J1UcSc6qJQMLegWR-sG0iuSDLmVu1UW3J84BLe0YsixJKOO4TSp9xurqmivKIOUERkQ9Ux6SJ6Uigm5X8yrnsHQW6rfs/s4032/PXL_20230725_070948958.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQRrNfkcX-PHtrmAwt-8nYPBAf5rJj1gYKHMnAc7owUMkhKXP5WCSYEgWL_VnFvZrWi-7ffJPgqR2PSzKG5NuTvy8RGxvZ6H2J1UcSc6qJQMLegWR-sG0iuSDLmVu1UW3J84BLe0YsixJKOO4TSp9xurqmivKIOUERkQ9Ux6SJ6Uigm5X8yrnsHQW6rfs/s320/PXL_20230725_070948958.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZfXYgZQbjU1pCXJ03GuEWj3OOgIyNiiSlvJ_7OZ2adB4qdXOC7uEWrQHH6e3hKpMVjiey__67p99TyO8GHEauQ6rP7YCPPWukTFfZgBJk5FG60oPY7DvSu-PEQR64AqYMMiPgv0K1lYMherxpi8rvdO2Hmpm0mKlPRUGh08GYRnkMVGfNlLiyP7lnAvY/s4032/PXL_20230725_071407489.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZfXYgZQbjU1pCXJ03GuEWj3OOgIyNiiSlvJ_7OZ2adB4qdXOC7uEWrQHH6e3hKpMVjiey__67p99TyO8GHEauQ6rP7YCPPWukTFfZgBJk5FG60oPY7DvSu-PEQR64AqYMMiPgv0K1lYMherxpi8rvdO2Hmpm0mKlPRUGh08GYRnkMVGfNlLiyP7lnAvY/s320/PXL_20230725_071407489.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">11!</td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div><div>This marked Adventure Girl's 11th country so here's a picture of her counting the countries she's visited using all ten fingers and a toe! :)</div><div><br /></div><div>We grabbed our bags and headed back to the airport to fly onwards over the Atlantic to the Azores! This, ironically, was the cheapest way we found to get home and we loved the fact that it got us two hours closer to mountain time and cut down on our last big travel day. It also felt ritzy to voyage to this archipelago in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean!</div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqSbVAIg9WxBcE33Rm1bHJ9me02cQ6OGSVUZRHJ2fAImeVf-4OyEm0uxqfHn_jf4PFY90l4cyFc4K-rShmXqu7-YqG_I2gA1Fsfh2xLN5Rt6Z6Stw8r8m7lzaIQCGKaqErG8brXRV6KmMNpHESFKyzieENDGygH_pkSMCdvwAr_oX1ame0pRRPbb9qj4s/s4032/PXL_20230725_103151261.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqSbVAIg9WxBcE33Rm1bHJ9me02cQ6OGSVUZRHJ2fAImeVf-4OyEm0uxqfHn_jf4PFY90l4cyFc4K-rShmXqu7-YqG_I2gA1Fsfh2xLN5Rt6Z6Stw8r8m7lzaIQCGKaqErG8brXRV6KmMNpHESFKyzieENDGygH_pkSMCdvwAr_oX1ame0pRRPbb9qj4s/s320/PXL_20230725_103151261.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Flying into Terceira</td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1101986064288621746.post-76534536108351721452023-08-13T10:01:00.005-07:002023-08-13T10:17:25.342-07:00Spain & France Day 13: Artouste<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjueg8tBF9CUvYEFHOEFvBgusNYy5FcJs2CRnif_6BsvIaI5tW2fD56ACJtsTQdDmhGVRWvKmntEN_IAflsUsHjLzRLTD7lVdjCsNQcbG9LnffWHILJGtEEmthqQEgLWDvVS2KkUevC5g3CqDtSkfVmo-kIRwRsMlC-Bn47tOoDxxis4QYyq_FXZjoszNg/s4032/PXL_20230722_071149672.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjueg8tBF9CUvYEFHOEFvBgusNYy5FcJs2CRnif_6BsvIaI5tW2fD56ACJtsTQdDmhGVRWvKmntEN_IAflsUsHjLzRLTD7lVdjCsNQcbG9LnffWHILJGtEEmthqQEgLWDvVS2KkUevC5g3CqDtSkfVmo-kIRwRsMlC-Bn47tOoDxxis4QYyq_FXZjoszNg/w640-h480/PXL_20230722_071149672.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p>The next morning we rose early and jumped in the car, ready for a border crossing. As we drove along the mountain road, there was barely a sign to indicate that we had crossed the border and were now in France, Adventure Girl's tenth country. Shortly after, we pulled into the Artouste gondola station and swung our way up the mountain to board an alpine train. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiNsFPQy6Kb-93F9K43GptQw3XESib6cVEkfuo163tRwWG4x0C0pFtj3Noknbk8D0GkmKlH9RbwB6ZtF7va-onI7k0u8OCyF7dRJsICv7EhCCDK2qLjTSSKlff-1M8pnzQSJP8bhdOmeNHB5Ew3zhmcX8DwVTYwFEY2gpAmrTCTf0P-o_FUqib0CEGpfs/s4032/PXL_20230722_061444477.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiNsFPQy6Kb-93F9K43GptQw3XESib6cVEkfuo163tRwWG4x0C0pFtj3Noknbk8D0GkmKlH9RbwB6ZtF7va-onI7k0u8OCyF7dRJsICv7EhCCDK2qLjTSSKlff-1M8pnzQSJP8bhdOmeNHB5Ew3zhmcX8DwVTYwFEY2gpAmrTCTf0P-o_FUqib0CEGpfs/s320/PXL_20230722_061444477.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The view from the bottom of the gondola</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9BDcrY6UUyQmIPPTLH91DZhG83SZFnDSeQxiRQk0FhIdGMQplnOdYg-6JkluALe0z-4eeOwgNNux3SRHIba3lxXp62dq4DH_fIiZY8n77C0uCaSt6yJqBlRMY7s5YLoYRZg13Hj_6Y1PJU-1-sLqlIyBorBdRpwaIO-7tJ5ngBLcHqBW6a7YCTaTt_GA/s4160/20230722_113117.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4160" data-original-width="3120" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9BDcrY6UUyQmIPPTLH91DZhG83SZFnDSeQxiRQk0FhIdGMQplnOdYg-6JkluALe0z-4eeOwgNNux3SRHIba3lxXp62dq4DH_fIiZY8n77C0uCaSt6yJqBlRMY7s5YLoYRZg13Hj_6Y1PJU-1-sLqlIyBorBdRpwaIO-7tJ5ngBLcHqBW6a7YCTaTt_GA/w150-h200/20230722_113117.jpg" width="150" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yup, we'd fall<br />straight down<br />the mountain!</td></tr></tbody></table>Having looked at picutres of the train online ahead of time, we had thoughtfully planned our seating arrangement. We put F on the mountain side of the car as we'd seen some pictures that showed the train perched right at the edge of a cliff with barely any safety precautions. <p></p><p>To our surprise, the first thing the train did was tunnel through the mountain, coming out on the other side, meaning Adventure Kid was buckled in sitting on the cliff side for the entirety of the ride!</p><p>Were there moments when we thought we might plummet to our deaths? - Not really. But it was exciting and promoted a good cuddle for the ride to ensure everyone stayed inside the tiny open-air train compartment. </p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgennGqSlasc1l1Hwc_m0KrNQCT2YGoSMcnlgad7yW5ZIHVQZNs0tYPBapr8xyx_aHstX1584IhYGPm7J0I1Vxr0miE4eMjodwrfbKrWz3ecbS-5WPxgWtZ_HY6zcKnRhTKvuJ0L3VqpmqOPpoE8D86NCDLEEQuI8bsxbnU6PVxWK9do1eB2qdbHR34AP4/s1920/PXL_20230722_072801624_exported_1929.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgennGqSlasc1l1Hwc_m0KrNQCT2YGoSMcnlgad7yW5ZIHVQZNs0tYPBapr8xyx_aHstX1584IhYGPm7J0I1Vxr0miE4eMjodwrfbKrWz3ecbS-5WPxgWtZ_HY6zcKnRhTKvuJ0L3VqpmqOPpoE8D86NCDLEEQuI8bsxbnU6PVxWK9do1eB2qdbHR34AP4/w640-h360/PXL_20230722_072801624_exported_1929.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p><br /></p><p>The ride was spectacular. Uninterrupted sweeping mountain vistas the entire time. We'll let our pictures speak for themselves. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_BgFCIX07C7S7PSJcY2kp52JBynXS3DIZiybM7b0ri4Q_nuSj_qeO3KHWboQox75McNFfR3Wau0pozodpRxTHKygv5HYRd3Yfbk33XfpIHgFigkXBP2d8KJWkKiN0Dy0T4lMm-cnDSPShu4Z885LNKwcQbf_0pzWOhMx8VfDyGbYJkmtXRi3ycTnS010/s4032/PXL_20230722_072028044.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_BgFCIX07C7S7PSJcY2kp52JBynXS3DIZiybM7b0ri4Q_nuSj_qeO3KHWboQox75McNFfR3Wau0pozodpRxTHKygv5HYRd3Yfbk33XfpIHgFigkXBP2d8KJWkKiN0Dy0T4lMm-cnDSPShu4Z885LNKwcQbf_0pzWOhMx8VfDyGbYJkmtXRi3ycTnS010/s320/PXL_20230722_072028044.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNvNfx1F6bTpZXp4sYgZShobXBGKaCbQ3-k0ZYciS6t3_315pbGOHGNF9uX-IcNsLmdXpjDIu5T8ZFKIKYAnfBXPEOvXXhfQDvYPeT7Ejydy5JxHgYgBm6__sUbsh2sqYhp-aGVjwBSewv2z8BbbCqu7m9EFWV5Zr1quhcpwBOAucm6ObCy4b6w7JIJBE/s4032/PXL_20230722_073050569.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNvNfx1F6bTpZXp4sYgZShobXBGKaCbQ3-k0ZYciS6t3_315pbGOHGNF9uX-IcNsLmdXpjDIu5T8ZFKIKYAnfBXPEOvXXhfQDvYPeT7Ejydy5JxHgYgBm6__sUbsh2sqYhp-aGVjwBSewv2z8BbbCqu7m9EFWV5Zr1quhcpwBOAucm6ObCy4b6w7JIJBE/s320/PXL_20230722_073050569.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8I2IrBUPANuKxOckuuX7SYGTbZZSv9vFMLw0wt3bvjFfXBPnxkj88TSylon5stB4COmFPjo8hWbyOQnv7dUebvuVZ7AyNKXCIbj0tqhNKymjY43mdOQg5or-ytVhSHSSLFIR681MhBKnJNF-2rTnm3OpWUBLrk4ScL0xpZRKA2oD_qoXQOzCWD31MEvc/s3264/PXL_20230722_073127593.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2448" data-original-width="3264" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8I2IrBUPANuKxOckuuX7SYGTbZZSv9vFMLw0wt3bvjFfXBPnxkj88TSylon5stB4COmFPjo8hWbyOQnv7dUebvuVZ7AyNKXCIbj0tqhNKymjY43mdOQg5or-ytVhSHSSLFIR681MhBKnJNF-2rTnm3OpWUBLrk4ScL0xpZRKA2oD_qoXQOzCWD31MEvc/s320/PXL_20230722_073127593.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp5Dk5liy5rHUBtWZJIQiXl50fc9dRbYq0z1kus6n32E1OnLTtqnC4tNB92NLLQ8Epo1Su_tLqOOv6zandAosM4MNhXSm7mKeZ-X0MpLkaZVeg8GypNg14VUk185cBaYV-IdwMvbQIBgtYA8FwcmE9jnz_sAtEQ_Ncz9jlbX41i_Z2nHxUDBx0G_7AE1k/s4032/PXL_20230722_074015342.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp5Dk5liy5rHUBtWZJIQiXl50fc9dRbYq0z1kus6n32E1OnLTtqnC4tNB92NLLQ8Epo1Su_tLqOOv6zandAosM4MNhXSm7mKeZ-X0MpLkaZVeg8GypNg14VUk185cBaYV-IdwMvbQIBgtYA8FwcmE9jnz_sAtEQ_Ncz9jlbX41i_Z2nHxUDBx0G_7AE1k/s320/PXL_20230722_074015342.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv-S4KmLn_Qu8j-fHD5OJo06W88sVMq0mrxv8eLURmAMkW0ki4TP-gXR2MZhM9kEwiWmFhIJtsMbO0TpjbrRK2ZJSCkPweHFjJvPJ5EwfEJ33XWu1cYyCcyBZNLQ4y8BUpl35fvf8RDQbLf-DtUaZ59tl5AuQKHc36ic9qUHrlQht4bM2X85pbPSB1iHw/s4032/PXL_20230722_074214889.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv-S4KmLn_Qu8j-fHD5OJo06W88sVMq0mrxv8eLURmAMkW0ki4TP-gXR2MZhM9kEwiWmFhIJtsMbO0TpjbrRK2ZJSCkPweHFjJvPJ5EwfEJ33XWu1cYyCcyBZNLQ4y8BUpl35fvf8RDQbLf-DtUaZ59tl5AuQKHc36ic9qUHrlQht4bM2X85pbPSB1iHw/s320/PXL_20230722_074214889.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p>If you find yourself in this area of the Pyrenees, this is a must-do!</p><p>The ride was approximately 45 minutes long. It was smart to take the first train of the day because it meant no stopping for trains coming from the opposite direction. When we arrived at the mountain station, it also meant that we were the first people up and headed towards the alpine lake. (Pro Tip: sit at the back of the train...it's quieter, has better visibility, and means you are the first up the stairs towards the lake). </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrswdnGj2P0n_3fsknS3j1qmhGCBQJ4kEDRZ0LjuRQD7RNrpJhHkxpGUSUN3GIwbe2BTYJp-vBGGzvB02gBoy-6Qb1UbqUpT8M7CFZ_wxemDKbxXvNdYQphidG6WssIT1qUaQI-zm1DPaXkplieSGWT_KD2PawvSGeQt03saUr5fx0nuDNWY8KzCnJcyo/s4032/PXL_20230722_075605522.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrswdnGj2P0n_3fsknS3j1qmhGCBQJ4kEDRZ0LjuRQD7RNrpJhHkxpGUSUN3GIwbe2BTYJp-vBGGzvB02gBoy-6Qb1UbqUpT8M7CFZ_wxemDKbxXvNdYQphidG6WssIT1qUaQI-zm1DPaXkplieSGWT_KD2PawvSGeQt03saUr5fx0nuDNWY8KzCnJcyo/s320/PXL_20230722_075605522.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The trail to the alpine lake</td></tr></tbody></table><p>The lake hike was easy, with options to add on further distances if you wanted to spend the day. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhusx3qpjMKGH4qrZ32hHaLDFcYAI9TcVFFm-eDnYq4Br1WTXjWv6ywvng2g7JmkrVTcnFgaWs-8FpMSQy4EVvv9P3VYoExzBaZeWCmPMyL60cPaaM5g4iSB3Q4eyuGlOrpSYNsI6JOXEIXBB0iI6Aad7xvRWD2YMIxF_DFW8nmrG2CPRDsSxiczGHZATc/s4032/PXL_20230722_080543331.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhusx3qpjMKGH4qrZ32hHaLDFcYAI9TcVFFm-eDnYq4Br1WTXjWv6ywvng2g7JmkrVTcnFgaWs-8FpMSQy4EVvv9P3VYoExzBaZeWCmPMyL60cPaaM5g4iSB3Q4eyuGlOrpSYNsI6JOXEIXBB0iI6Aad7xvRWD2YMIxF_DFW8nmrG2CPRDsSxiczGHZATc/w400-h300/PXL_20230722_080543331.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrDIOs_H98LPMt01XJDN8lm2gMl6A5Wnx5V3WPR9QBNh-VIFC2yjdjT4prq2AT6Rgb_j-C-Go4Cnrt_mtRRYcKFd-uOwFK6jMBulfln_X2oUpsmrc1ZCut8vND4LSGgl0ljz256w5oI2D9gzafJ4jS9nTnx2zcHAxfPPg0VnfTFTXG-duJRXtVUoNVM5U/s4032/PXL_20230722_080701465.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrDIOs_H98LPMt01XJDN8lm2gMl6A5Wnx5V3WPR9QBNh-VIFC2yjdjT4prq2AT6Rgb_j-C-Go4Cnrt_mtRRYcKFd-uOwFK6jMBulfln_X2oUpsmrc1ZCut8vND4LSGgl0ljz256w5oI2D9gzafJ4jS9nTnx2zcHAxfPPg0VnfTFTXG-duJRXtVUoNVM5U/w400-h300/PXL_20230722_080701465.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1vV8wKp9kQPXPDvtaAmyTy0GucF1nJo82hK1d9Lh4ogED5BHnUJK_rHeC4u6wd4BbPoIvYi95o9PlphtNFlgIk0Mdiku7wkn-a5PaNcrviltROlOGo3QSpBOhzl9moudu9mPfwgJqeS_TuLZfFhYHDyzWcwUZR3ffI5ln6Hgo0wm9uF8oPwCha0uSXv0/s4032/PXL_20230722_082125006.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1vV8wKp9kQPXPDvtaAmyTy0GucF1nJo82hK1d9Lh4ogED5BHnUJK_rHeC4u6wd4BbPoIvYi95o9PlphtNFlgIk0Mdiku7wkn-a5PaNcrviltROlOGo3QSpBOhzl9moudu9mPfwgJqeS_TuLZfFhYHDyzWcwUZR3ffI5ln6Hgo0wm9uF8oPwCha0uSXv0/w400-h300/PXL_20230722_082125006.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn1HwKX-SgglsB1qJL6SrO77MMAsxCsyFByE_Y5sKidsBSo3ol2TKJbHNx1OmOV5nzlFAB_pyKI8FTN8DFtPexpkZpV_pqO-VdfYSxPrlr-CTa6oi1JKXoFkjqJp6EProkNCuPg41xvY8P83ni2giHyVDL7Pdfq8hXOSjYXo8WXha0mD7DZdt2iz2GVko/s4160/20230722_104142_HDR.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3120" data-original-width="4160" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn1HwKX-SgglsB1qJL6SrO77MMAsxCsyFByE_Y5sKidsBSo3ol2TKJbHNx1OmOV5nzlFAB_pyKI8FTN8DFtPexpkZpV_pqO-VdfYSxPrlr-CTa6oi1JKXoFkjqJp6EProkNCuPg41xvY8P83ni2giHyVDL7Pdfq8hXOSjYXo8WXha0mD7DZdt2iz2GVko/w400-h300/20230722_104142_HDR.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p>Seeing the meadows and valleys in different light on the return trip was just as stunning. It made for an incredibly easy and rewarding day!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrCbheTDOqxcFCrJbmr_4qJStszuyEKPJbnor0gOh9Tlwo8jWYodzR215L1ejnb8j_sLzh_6UoWBwO5C0GfAwaauYeTnFJXFnIaloiwchWeRWeuwDr-raux_BSiFoexBjT33EUQrN6AupzHNUMyttFWyO1jnsGCFUo46XQBJckHRpHY2GJQieYMVwtzWw/s4032/PXL_20230722_100239147.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrCbheTDOqxcFCrJbmr_4qJStszuyEKPJbnor0gOh9Tlwo8jWYodzR215L1ejnb8j_sLzh_6UoWBwO5C0GfAwaauYeTnFJXFnIaloiwchWeRWeuwDr-raux_BSiFoexBjT33EUQrN6AupzHNUMyttFWyO1jnsGCFUo46XQBJckHRpHY2GJQieYMVwtzWw/s320/PXL_20230722_100239147.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPjyjjIeffnILXRDKU-SvxhPV7EOP14XIiCmjkC5xWTx_B53l1NEFOtl8uoZzSMSaTUfOJ1fhXN13GmUK7_8gSg-KhrQWPBCH_kvYV-tzSW1ykI9sOT6q3O6A8BfRghlXknr1oh3q694RYA2znmaTdwNVR24HETHAGaGgTFVGLqjIJcVzS2C0Q6tCOVp8/s4032/PXL_20230722_094446454.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPjyjjIeffnILXRDKU-SvxhPV7EOP14XIiCmjkC5xWTx_B53l1NEFOtl8uoZzSMSaTUfOJ1fhXN13GmUK7_8gSg-KhrQWPBCH_kvYV-tzSW1ykI9sOT6q3O6A8BfRghlXknr1oh3q694RYA2znmaTdwNVR24HETHAGaGgTFVGLqjIJcVzS2C0Q6tCOVp8/s320/PXL_20230722_094446454.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiylTYgqAPJRvmwHUVpU2lbOBCADFfudF4fssVXtyqDYcYhHRcJH5p0Qf3l886o2j1kVn0SbJzcvXt4bX7FwjtbbhPdfXrHESo_CMwKkY02R42uwiHd9uatMVLtJdQtN_FuHdyJgKT0FdlypwS1Wn9-dqBZK9mBiSuhKW1QexoCGjFbLVi_wimjy8wkXGc/s4032/PXL_20230722_094233846.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiylTYgqAPJRvmwHUVpU2lbOBCADFfudF4fssVXtyqDYcYhHRcJH5p0Qf3l886o2j1kVn0SbJzcvXt4bX7FwjtbbhPdfXrHESo_CMwKkY02R42uwiHd9uatMVLtJdQtN_FuHdyJgKT0FdlypwS1Wn9-dqBZK9mBiSuhKW1QexoCGjFbLVi_wimjy8wkXGc/s320/PXL_20230722_094233846.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWcUF9J_I_ZNxGsgQwGrWaLOWP-QsoyEHZXh30czx1UU6VaDx1HvkO_F15Ixwu_C3xdrQ_7xAnByTypP5TqlxGj8rRKkve8fMgEs0LQEDQKHTyK_w0in_R55SDS-w99i0U76aaI1pVZGCj3T7rAxLLjzlRKCvINQdqh07zCzVI6TMJkvzUzsNOksr_CNY/s4032/PXL_20230722_080939969.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWcUF9J_I_ZNxGsgQwGrWaLOWP-QsoyEHZXh30czx1UU6VaDx1HvkO_F15Ixwu_C3xdrQ_7xAnByTypP5TqlxGj8rRKkve8fMgEs0LQEDQKHTyK_w0in_R55SDS-w99i0U76aaI1pVZGCj3T7rAxLLjzlRKCvINQdqh07zCzVI6TMJkvzUzsNOksr_CNY/s320/PXL_20230722_080939969.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1101986064288621746.post-4438532157100191952023-07-29T14:12:00.002-07:002023-08-13T10:16:21.867-07:00Spain Days 11-12: Formigal<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU-AvTvqU57bnOHT0A4m93-YzcLxrOg-GWM59YXEGbxZ1GvZs2grkjpGQ2Ygwz1F7b_2SMgiLn9l8i_rVph63gYxMmEZIr27NY6kApqqs6NIq9hKj_QCxwjaFAMrDADRwR8DUuhpi2d9P2PbRVGDrGiRz6e7S8i9KLNDaxu14it-_gVGZV4yErjwTEATs/s4032/PXL_20230721_100154873.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU-AvTvqU57bnOHT0A4m93-YzcLxrOg-GWM59YXEGbxZ1GvZs2grkjpGQ2Ygwz1F7b_2SMgiLn9l8i_rVph63gYxMmEZIr27NY6kApqqs6NIq9hKj_QCxwjaFAMrDADRwR8DUuhpi2d9P2PbRVGDrGiRz6e7S8i9KLNDaxu14it-_gVGZV4yErjwTEATs/w640-h480/PXL_20230721_100154873.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div>We were in awe as we entered the Pyrenees. We spend a lot of time in the Rocky Mountains at home, but our next town, Formigal, was like living up in the alpine meadows. It seemed unimaginable to have views in every direction at all times (hopefully the lack of trees everywhere, including outside ski areas, isn't because of a depressing reason).<div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO86Q7tIVUmOCDcAm05OexR9MsjDIlo9c-w8Qc4IrDr6i-v7toPqF_zq9Nbrzbe0-ys-6U54G_2Owfjz94E0xtMDWbn7ptXaKyxk0Ips_k-Y74UOsjqHe02sAo3BmJLJWC9r5EBl08ZrSefUzsVssXuh-RQVAWEQuaETYQfFz6mnLbsfw6k8ipHvNO6zM/s4032/PXL_20230720_134039143.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO86Q7tIVUmOCDcAm05OexR9MsjDIlo9c-w8Qc4IrDr6i-v7toPqF_zq9Nbrzbe0-ys-6U54G_2Owfjz94E0xtMDWbn7ptXaKyxk0Ips_k-Y74UOsjqHe02sAo3BmJLJWC9r5EBl08ZrSefUzsVssXuh-RQVAWEQuaETYQfFz6mnLbsfw6k8ipHvNO6zM/w200-h150/PXL_20230720_134039143.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><br />The check-in at our Formigal accommodation was late so we had some time to kill. Craig did a little research and discovered a municipal pool we could spend time at for free with lvely views. It was mostly empty and we passed a couple of hours swimming, lounging in the sun, and enjoying the sweeping mountain views. </div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>After a night's sleep, we headed out to find the Panticosa gondola. A breath-taking half hour ride later, we were at the top of the Panticosa ski hill, headed on foot for the Lago d'Asnos. It felt similar to hiking in Sunshine, Alberta, and it was just as spectacular!</div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb_OxsqvJ4kLUS7Zx8CfUTuCx1pnlGp8LDJDX3U_OMA6TE39tMlt_xr0y6M7PpDechVMc2zdm47TF-dl12ImfUXVY_3IIZKE8BypDfpRSxu6lVitBnviSXV7z-v9s6wZ0JgIGiQWP61YTOkTC2i-HHUNHNJG4Jfpj9rtDV3LZnJGMyej63fuXJR2bkVMQ/s4032/PXL_20230721_092131515.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb_OxsqvJ4kLUS7Zx8CfUTuCx1pnlGp8LDJDX3U_OMA6TE39tMlt_xr0y6M7PpDechVMc2zdm47TF-dl12ImfUXVY_3IIZKE8BypDfpRSxu6lVitBnviSXV7z-v9s6wZ0JgIGiQWP61YTOkTC2i-HHUNHNJG4Jfpj9rtDV3LZnJGMyej63fuXJR2bkVMQ/s320/PXL_20230721_092131515.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Looking down at the lake trail not taken</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-QtkhuzmFOBuV1tgW4ceu0r1TUqCYaL2eM4zcVhxmonRAVyE98yytxOcol1n7io6jeIpVtbBwBMZQKflIBIYwrjFC2EHR9EHFFvPBu_8g7HCTmnHY5vTK-txfawBnOTFADDGN5-sn4oeFIHrnuutFAu3qoAWvuOFq6PoriCm4BCaV4nnGGgauTUGrUzc/s4032/PXL_20230721_094505983.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-QtkhuzmFOBuV1tgW4ceu0r1TUqCYaL2eM4zcVhxmonRAVyE98yytxOcol1n7io6jeIpVtbBwBMZQKflIBIYwrjFC2EHR9EHFFvPBu_8g7HCTmnHY5vTK-txfawBnOTFADDGN5-sn4oeFIHrnuutFAu3qoAWvuOFq6PoriCm4BCaV4nnGGgauTUGrUzc/s320/PXL_20230721_094505983.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Navigating around Ibon de Asnos</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div><br /></div><div>We hiked for an hour and a half, gained 250 m and traversed 3 kilometers. Our Adventure Girl put her good hiking background to use and set a strong pace that left other adult hiking groups in our dust!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9s5My3R7exQiaAuAfJPJagJo2n7DGUClh9hxuxjIGcCQLe5oSdCUO-XExN8Xn-gF5WQvsSgXPyfRRBHx3NrWT7-LbXkVaB0G4F0vi4Lzhlyc7rJmt6CznHKz5Kbsi4jMbBRBlyYXuEVmjyd0VhVm7mdVfaU4k2OBiX78pCrAUfoHLpST8IB0vuDZt2Mo/s4032/PXL_20230721_092954546.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9s5My3R7exQiaAuAfJPJagJo2n7DGUClh9hxuxjIGcCQLe5oSdCUO-XExN8Xn-gF5WQvsSgXPyfRRBHx3NrWT7-LbXkVaB0G4F0vi4Lzhlyc7rJmt6CznHKz5Kbsi4jMbBRBlyYXuEVmjyd0VhVm7mdVfaU4k2OBiX78pCrAUfoHLpST8IB0vuDZt2Mo/s320/PXL_20230721_092954546.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Snack spot</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div><br /></div><div>We took a quick snack break at the lake before mounting the final climb to the mirador into the next valley. At first, Adventure Girl said she didn't want to do any extra hiking, so Erin went up alone...</div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-wNZvCFqOhloguBBnfHMP4xApEN0oBKgfOeuernR125Y2EZm7Z7Ygz6F950QbT4VQYRVu6yxd3WJACqPcGEGOW142QL63vm9woq1kfZreifUZiNK_2v8qWLFPxgORN8Vlvz7z3Rs7ZJDeANgQEE2ix0h0bXSe2LpU1FLw78sXAaQxgt4PhYW7NIdE3F4/s2560/20230721_115731.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1920" data-original-width="2560" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-wNZvCFqOhloguBBnfHMP4xApEN0oBKgfOeuernR125Y2EZm7Z7Ygz6F950QbT4VQYRVu6yxd3WJACqPcGEGOW142QL63vm9woq1kfZreifUZiNK_2v8qWLFPxgORN8Vlvz7z3Rs7ZJDeANgQEE2ix0h0bXSe2LpU1FLw78sXAaQxgt4PhYW7NIdE3F4/s320/20230721_115731.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Looking into the next valley!</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEOdNUM3_dfVhOZUZ-dCeVHrZnoFRvcXfqtv9Ath1CbUQ96tQg6PoNm3-1zGDZ0Nk2TbPwRDJRXGdJyF3FJ6crRbcnlULuKrSE29CfsVgSvhX6cQBeqJKV4DDA6MzpRGZbqaSidbP7KwjYCikfjYTURk1dP82UO1RtwZsjttEbP5prAp4mrC8hnRBHaFg/s4160/20230721_120222.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3120" data-original-width="4160" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEOdNUM3_dfVhOZUZ-dCeVHrZnoFRvcXfqtv9Ath1CbUQ96tQg6PoNm3-1zGDZ0Nk2TbPwRDJRXGdJyF3FJ6crRbcnlULuKrSE29CfsVgSvhX6cQBeqJKV4DDA6MzpRGZbqaSidbP7KwjYCikfjYTURk1dP82UO1RtwZsjttEbP5prAp4mrC8hnRBHaFg/s320/20230721_120222.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hiking back down - Craig & F in the corner</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuM-wwXjSciLotZUtErgNhI8mBl4lk6aDELmEEt_Vmj_1IjC8cEAPLcHOE7kvPlxoW0Pu4NQmYowjg253K062tbdc5LX5E2EnsE5Zmqm7ZD-HyWO_vmHDv8wvfLUIWc1llh2EbZgiZWDfi3LakemkAhtgSQHb6Lu8KvN7Gxqc8U1N5hpGDWfIn2JJJ-fs/s4160/20230721_120849.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3120" data-original-width="4160" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuM-wwXjSciLotZUtErgNhI8mBl4lk6aDELmEEt_Vmj_1IjC8cEAPLcHOE7kvPlxoW0Pu4NQmYowjg253K062tbdc5LX5E2EnsE5Zmqm7ZD-HyWO_vmHDv8wvfLUIWc1llh2EbZgiZWDfi3LakemkAhtgSQHb6Lu8KvN7Gxqc8U1N5hpGDWfIn2JJJ-fs/s320/20230721_120849.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Adventure Girl then decided that she did, in fact, want to hike up to see the other valley. :)<br />She and Craig are at the top of the rise.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div><br /></div><div>We returned back down the gondola with the happy feeling of fatigue from a great hike! On our drive back home, we discovered a gem of a restaurant nestled beside a creek in the valley below. We had a delicious, well-deserved meal and chatted with the owner who lived in Whistler for a while. </div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDzgviRnea0CdFGCuZUAiDwea0XvkmbHN9tRV4GyBlJ6Ugp2tN2bYn_aPyolOyj25CxZOf78o9Ssm30VygCvDOMq6AS2oz8itrnyfMimsW3E4v4u62lLMSkE_omePi7-SzPeX3IkVpPvoBRFSO-ynpOCUNw-ei6WU47ubffOsXD0dtVY47aYYGPcYzTOg/s4032/PXL_20230721_103759215.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDzgviRnea0CdFGCuZUAiDwea0XvkmbHN9tRV4GyBlJ6Ugp2tN2bYn_aPyolOyj25CxZOf78o9Ssm30VygCvDOMq6AS2oz8itrnyfMimsW3E4v4u62lLMSkE_omePi7-SzPeX3IkVpPvoBRFSO-ynpOCUNw-ei6WU47ubffOsXD0dtVY47aYYGPcYzTOg/s320/PXL_20230721_103759215.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One final look before getting into the Gondola</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV5OnQe1RpXvcCIl2ddyf7Z0VljUz4O63OETz4gIIXiwKNH6YGKoorgD2pJRXp6jACqlP5j-KbZha3NNqusuhKtwxUgDnKHF8jpO-TB8bmIVTFtBmHWENi13ksZY20Qug8cTVz-mkk8VV-WjMDPwuOeRTKq9z-CQW2d1tnGhZDqK4iEQJXutHOHOhcm4s/s3530/PXL_20230721_114849922_2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1737" data-original-width="3530" height="157" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV5OnQe1RpXvcCIl2ddyf7Z0VljUz4O63OETz4gIIXiwKNH6YGKoorgD2pJRXp6jACqlP5j-KbZha3NNqusuhKtwxUgDnKHF8jpO-TB8bmIVTFtBmHWENi13ksZY20Qug8cTVz-mkk8VV-WjMDPwuOeRTKq9z-CQW2d1tnGhZDqK4iEQJXutHOHOhcm4s/s320/PXL_20230721_114849922_2.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Look at that veggie platter!</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjum2JBLP0VO-Y6MbvJY0EJuaMRieUNcW1aLy5amMn0t2FBsGwPR_nCYmRPdV_caMBwJK8Gzdkw_cbuhH8biC54fjrvXfw8cohIKLHTPW1ACnOR5XP0ZT3ousaXOxiOuRIITp_3-N8-N3HGSjjclA97sBPUGu1AwvP49o-5cUsAESmckn4NCKz6h6Ed5Ac/s4032/PXL_20230721_155854681.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjum2JBLP0VO-Y6MbvJY0EJuaMRieUNcW1aLy5amMn0t2FBsGwPR_nCYmRPdV_caMBwJK8Gzdkw_cbuhH8biC54fjrvXfw8cohIKLHTPW1ACnOR5XP0ZT3ousaXOxiOuRIITp_3-N8-N3HGSjjclA97sBPUGu1AwvP49o-5cUsAESmckn4NCKz6h6Ed5Ac/s320/PXL_20230721_155854681.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cheers to a great day and a spectacular hike!</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1101986064288621746.post-87522614601817854722023-07-28T12:05:00.004-07:002023-08-13T10:16:09.630-07:00Spain Day 10: Sos del Rey Catolico<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn-EZsW3PRZpKtaXoQGSxGUty78ZSQIbf8I2f3MipasK-8hxOSsM9NHQzWdw-gsxtWar6AYC81TMrDfuJ22ExpaEurdAN8IJaJFQnv3w_qx7P2P9q_uPvZjiCNil5qNf4vyT2kvP0OOH9QJvPDyUB8eQVFjozjpdSVjGnuhfmEYDnixotPi_fo9jdfpDs/s4032/PXL_20230719_135204638_2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1521" data-original-width="4032" height="242" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn-EZsW3PRZpKtaXoQGSxGUty78ZSQIbf8I2f3MipasK-8hxOSsM9NHQzWdw-gsxtWar6AYC81TMrDfuJ22ExpaEurdAN8IJaJFQnv3w_qx7P2P9q_uPvZjiCNil5qNf4vyT2kvP0OOH9QJvPDyUB8eQVFjozjpdSVjGnuhfmEYDnixotPi_fo9jdfpDs/w640-h242/PXL_20230719_135204638_2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p><br /></p><div style="text-align: left;">We chose to visit Sos del Rey Catolico to get the small, hilltop town experience. Also, in the planning stages of our trip, Adventure Girl seemed most excited by medieval castley things. So, we booked a rental car leaving San Sebastian, and took off driving for the hills!</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGPTZZeajJEpexLU_F5TJ6LjJeIZAGRdt82aZEO8dsGSL-tOd6SnNX5gdiuExx2DbUl2U98WIDXdBKX5lUR5DYWo818r7uZZmILKbd8mRhd5ICxYeHHOiN4mFYFRfiD8G0NUQE3qLPGbovJn2ns21ZVTYhaax3ZtmeMuP-57qLihJLVgAlhlIzUGNzYUU/s3952/PXL_20230719_162357096_2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3952" data-original-width="1995" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGPTZZeajJEpexLU_F5TJ6LjJeIZAGRdt82aZEO8dsGSL-tOd6SnNX5gdiuExx2DbUl2U98WIDXdBKX5lUR5DYWo818r7uZZmILKbd8mRhd5ICxYeHHOiN4mFYFRfiD8G0NUQE3qLPGbovJn2ns21ZVTYhaax3ZtmeMuP-57qLihJLVgAlhlIzUGNzYUU/s320/PXL_20230719_162357096_2.jpg" width="162" /></a></div><br />Sos is perched on a hilltop with the town having organically grown around a fort. However, after lengthening our stay in Donostia, our single day in Sos felt like a timed race through a labyrinth of the tiny town's medieval carless streets that weave and curl around the hill, forking off in different unpredictable directions. As we marvelled at the buildings, and views unfolded around every other turn, we were felt that surely our route would be crossing through, over, and under where we had previously walked. Yet through some non-euclidian urban planning, we always found ourselves somewhere new.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPidEi3e8zyM4m60VKj0s27yDCuGC84EUsRWfRoNar_UX-FULERRFRzMVueKP_tB3irWWDoXu0PYDzqTW9JTB_RIHl2svf0JpFanZrb0TfcHz9D8K8b_u9fReU4MZskjKBDFDO-Iy8JgSPaYbIm_ruHo9Iy-8OtVipi-j5i9yB0cREWb46zlJxLiRG8l4/s2659/PXL_20230719_160808228_3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2659" data-original-width="1824" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPidEi3e8zyM4m60VKj0s27yDCuGC84EUsRWfRoNar_UX-FULERRFRzMVueKP_tB3irWWDoXu0PYDzqTW9JTB_RIHl2svf0JpFanZrb0TfcHz9D8K8b_u9fReU4MZskjKBDFDO-Iy8JgSPaYbIm_ruHo9Iy-8OtVipi-j5i9yB0cREWb46zlJxLiRG8l4/s320/PXL_20230719_160808228_3.jpg" width="220" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgADhOhZSH5CjhV18AA3r5xGRSJ5uxdQF1c8gKsO4GEbH3ki7-H3byK9uGV1oZbM4T3p6LrCq0jmDgaBEcessbFKJmCSvybpvkVZEaAb6I43agVtB1aT7PN9zynQ-HJ7Z0IDBYxDlKzhdK5H8QDDYeOBCMWecNjoQpUC0917Sq8IaJw1aK-RFdIQ5J9J7A/s4032/PXL_20230719_185910388.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgADhOhZSH5CjhV18AA3r5xGRSJ5uxdQF1c8gKsO4GEbH3ki7-H3byK9uGV1oZbM4T3p6LrCq0jmDgaBEcessbFKJmCSvybpvkVZEaAb6I43agVtB1aT7PN9zynQ-HJ7Z0IDBYxDlKzhdK5H8QDDYeOBCMWecNjoQpUC0917Sq8IaJw1aK-RFdIQ5J9J7A/w400-h300/PXL_20230719_185910388.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="color: white; font-family: sans-serif; text-align: left;">Our brief stay was memorable and lovely. It also provided the meal of the trip so far: thistle in an almond sauce and Venison in a chestnut puree and local peach chutney were the stars. (Update from the end of our trip: this still holds true as our best meal of the entire trip!)</div><div style="color: white; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: large; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0HIUiOS6p6-dLyJvDzTjeo-TXYwD_3Kna0WIxXQXR8Fz-PKJy0Kvwnbf85WqHgwkf23mbfLSBCOeIbv86qRE-FwamVGBZZfm4vXyat3c8457CFkHH2YfP5HIIMmW3dpogztdRsWSEDSWWnep4Wv9X-FBPiV2bkP2UE76dG2WDFRtiWRIRSKGT2Gk_Xc0/s4032/PXL_20230719_124755893.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0HIUiOS6p6-dLyJvDzTjeo-TXYwD_3Kna0WIxXQXR8Fz-PKJy0Kvwnbf85WqHgwkf23mbfLSBCOeIbv86qRE-FwamVGBZZfm4vXyat3c8457CFkHH2YfP5HIIMmW3dpogztdRsWSEDSWWnep4Wv9X-FBPiV2bkP2UE76dG2WDFRtiWRIRSKGT2Gk_Xc0/w400-h300/PXL_20230719_124755893.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDFKgcyaiBp1C-96ZGQBjKer7UxuQa0B_L6UdN3swJFxHrYjbfU-Jjx5VC0MIFPkk61EtsF5yoNuf-B7DFjT5o63Gijru4cDcspC66-95x8cvb3clA1RRyMRbsIZPHRvx7IbKUMMbKzdP980HDELCoYA_Tzq9csgLnV8IgAhwFxRH9aHQlqrQWhB7GOCc/s1647/PXL_20230719_131519863_exported_9480_3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="965" data-original-width="1647" height="234" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDFKgcyaiBp1C-96ZGQBjKer7UxuQa0B_L6UdN3swJFxHrYjbfU-Jjx5VC0MIFPkk61EtsF5yoNuf-B7DFjT5o63Gijru4cDcspC66-95x8cvb3clA1RRyMRbsIZPHRvx7IbKUMMbKzdP980HDELCoYA_Tzq9csgLnV8IgAhwFxRH9aHQlqrQWhB7GOCc/w400-h234/PXL_20230719_131519863_exported_9480_3.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The view from lunch</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8iLnsaNnP2DhLi6ndSMNyr8aqAOO28d6FFWTtoF0964nAPM2ZOZibYrINLUtOJDQ1129tjFw_gsCQc6CmYk1hIwuSN2x9RUHJvQsi8dhmoGh0lt_YpHEm8GxYZrgn45qWInSyJrL8xhKarCdVnnxFIw756BpfjGqwf9s42je-UWUzc2RgLitpUgpvrOc/s3474/PXL_20230720_053549335.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2190" data-original-width="3474" height="202" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8iLnsaNnP2DhLi6ndSMNyr8aqAOO28d6FFWTtoF0964nAPM2ZOZibYrINLUtOJDQ1129tjFw_gsCQc6CmYk1hIwuSN2x9RUHJvQsi8dhmoGh0lt_YpHEm8GxYZrgn45qWInSyJrL8xhKarCdVnnxFIw756BpfjGqwf9s42je-UWUzc2RgLitpUgpvrOc/s320/PXL_20230720_053549335.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The view from our apartment</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-1n_HBSw_nEvI7ilMuUmREQqMx4KXLyMOy_9hHspQDqvcnr0FRCEpSTfBwSIBeRRw3Gk-XCsp3mmFuXVumrDPEEnavWPlgM2BbRzJZj1ldfrVt9oxwWRlQgJJOe5-kIPt-GamKMcwNrhylXDiHvdtLwJ9j7c4wz1JPAsh-7bZcDc932oHNFC7Q0iCNAQ/s6544/PXL_20230719_190730415.PANO_2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1407" data-original-width="6544" height="138" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-1n_HBSw_nEvI7ilMuUmREQqMx4KXLyMOy_9hHspQDqvcnr0FRCEpSTfBwSIBeRRw3Gk-XCsp3mmFuXVumrDPEEnavWPlgM2BbRzJZj1ldfrVt9oxwWRlQgJJOe5-kIPt-GamKMcwNrhylXDiHvdtLwJ9j7c4wz1JPAsh-7bZcDc932oHNFC7Q0iCNAQ/w640-h138/PXL_20230719_190730415.PANO_2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p><br /></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1101986064288621746.post-20565082784414261462023-07-27T12:22:00.002-07:002023-08-13T10:15:55.538-07:00Spain Days 2-9: San Sebastian <p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8sYuRC6ys_Z9LVOXseJz3DILqnz2HXTHYbonx8SkTvD4iUfoYFSUHFdSCGIVQaMPVI3ZzCCHedKSN-bC1xvk3BbiQaJ5Lpel9UtfS6MlRSjSW9tiHhPbrKRK35urhCMSvg0MV5w3aQ0AFKQ23r6MIn5PjpF8n6qmO_-ZNACUMloF-Z8Oow1Xi2LWuwSM/s1861/PXL_20230711_144301810.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1223" data-original-width="1861" height="420" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8sYuRC6ys_Z9LVOXseJz3DILqnz2HXTHYbonx8SkTvD4iUfoYFSUHFdSCGIVQaMPVI3ZzCCHedKSN-bC1xvk3BbiQaJ5Lpel9UtfS6MlRSjSW9tiHhPbrKRK35urhCMSvg0MV5w3aQ0AFKQ23r6MIn5PjpF8n6qmO_-ZNACUMloF-Z8Oow1Xi2LWuwSM/w640-h420/PXL_20230711_144301810.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p>Up at 4 am, battling the disoriented "pulling an all nighter" + jet lag feeling, we made our way back to the dreaded Barcelona airport. Thankfully, our journey went much more smoothly than our arrival the day before. The domestic terminal was efficient and comfortable, and within a few hours we were in northern Spain in the delightful town of Donostia San Sebastian. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuDji94HTeUsAUv7fJWlI-tZvaptvNM4AIBBTNqES0hu3Gm1ioWn1NPNNmiVvCRwdmKZQFs5BEiBDAJoEWSpM4C-6z4h--v2OzBt_TXLKI3yzCaqwQX8Y-a8z5VHA0iQ9NeGZKvcuCZPRl_vJgu9WbRpgyS-E__YD4FU_P39PY_l-NQuQY-KBFJZMYoi4/s4032/PXL_20230715_095809839.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuDji94HTeUsAUv7fJWlI-tZvaptvNM4AIBBTNqES0hu3Gm1ioWn1NPNNmiVvCRwdmKZQFs5BEiBDAJoEWSpM4C-6z4h--v2OzBt_TXLKI3yzCaqwQX8Y-a8z5VHA0iQ9NeGZKvcuCZPRl_vJgu9WbRpgyS-E__YD4FU_P39PY_l-NQuQY-KBFJZMYoi4/s320/PXL_20230715_095809839.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ087SvvwS18MuEW4KhlhKTHqbiiEeKvAaha9mlGlvGGrphYxMprQXdtcLptpXSMCv67JaQlKXBz5YLHht9j-kYOWdW-Xzje70t4jESCITxnzx1tsyPJnM5AtNtRI39yBvv3h124PcghB-JgsoaiBIZ700JOQa2uREQAXiNP7FPSZ4DtFLoFIeuE5eYhs/s4032/PXL_20230715_094349309.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ087SvvwS18MuEW4KhlhKTHqbiiEeKvAaha9mlGlvGGrphYxMprQXdtcLptpXSMCv67JaQlKXBz5YLHht9j-kYOWdW-Xzje70t4jESCITxnzx1tsyPJnM5AtNtRI39yBvv3h124PcghB-JgsoaiBIZ700JOQa2uREQAXiNP7FPSZ4DtFLoFIeuE5eYhs/s320/PXL_20230715_094349309.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVZr0FpVMSkRkIBRsX_i3urcXC4Kem0qaJykUF-ftUF6LE2CcZdf4EWd86toepschDsPg4qdEgcMuCkFXK0udDFu0TM63q7qoh4o0jWDPbwYjrvuFAiUOlK1EcNkBABo4wXu7xWGZfirkj-CHH2jeRANwsZDwTfbwnF_VwaHfPLZkyR-rjRRX-AUdCozA/s4032/PXL_20230715_090612137.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVZr0FpVMSkRkIBRsX_i3urcXC4Kem0qaJykUF-ftUF6LE2CcZdf4EWd86toepschDsPg4qdEgcMuCkFXK0udDFu0TM63q7qoh4o0jWDPbwYjrvuFAiUOlK1EcNkBABo4wXu7xWGZfirkj-CHH2jeRANwsZDwTfbwnF_VwaHfPLZkyR-rjRRX-AUdCozA/s320/PXL_20230715_090612137.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><p>San Sebastian was what our family needed. Our apartement was comfortable, with enough space for us to spread out and settle in, complete with a little Harry Potter broom closet bedroom for F! (That she chose for her room). We were walking distance from two different beaches ("swim beach" and "surf beach"), and the food was outstanding. The week there was fuel for both our bodies and souls.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgt9sGErn-Pb505NzhDMlMLuAinS-DjLMdFq4I5VWviFVA-wenYCEDt-A4CexTarnW-Tg6xj5V70cM6qcHNi0BKVgeONUYqL_K9Tq5wBw4owf7H6ctIHzmUcZWtGgRdTaEWY2L4IRPIeWsvl6jo6_9KuAvEJans7-iggii7RIah8BQFdjYqQktFg1yK5M/s4032/PXL_20230714_120427942.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgt9sGErn-Pb505NzhDMlMLuAinS-DjLMdFq4I5VWviFVA-wenYCEDt-A4CexTarnW-Tg6xj5V70cM6qcHNi0BKVgeONUYqL_K9Tq5wBw4owf7H6ctIHzmUcZWtGgRdTaEWY2L4IRPIeWsvl6jo6_9KuAvEJans7-iggii7RIah8BQFdjYqQktFg1yK5M/s320/PXL_20230714_120427942.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_TGjvrpasvY2yT8fw6Ls7qNjS6hIfxYnq1BfSIEQgA1kHUIXFewM54P0Cyld3hYv7b7McRYZZqy-yPPzqKVTx-b6GijbzPyRED0pnROTzVeYuA0qrAvUUwCT3pgkh0oSAy-5pbD5rqrhNQcvmsFgXQbg2I4UD6yXD2ivoF-JMGMjfcPDg76gT7KXbmaU/s4032/PXL_20230718_123258203.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_TGjvrpasvY2yT8fw6Ls7qNjS6hIfxYnq1BfSIEQgA1kHUIXFewM54P0Cyld3hYv7b7McRYZZqy-yPPzqKVTx-b6GijbzPyRED0pnROTzVeYuA0qrAvUUwCT3pgkh0oSAy-5pbD5rqrhNQcvmsFgXQbg2I4UD6yXD2ivoF-JMGMjfcPDg76gT7KXbmaU/s320/PXL_20230718_123258203.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwERd-IL5ckzktQ02JPXS-GySBtPUQi_clY-GnlZ4q_s1yugtNPLmyPLzDImUkQAJpMWf1Vh6UkAIERi6rAab3shNBHv8T1dUsIzcYwEWMWnqa4nJ9rjFHRcTPKMCEmcW8sV-1Nq-RlbG1838eF_Jtg5UhBIw9TkqIGv09McEBUE1u_aHT7Gc6N-KkZl0/s4032/PXL_20230715_123351466.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwERd-IL5ckzktQ02JPXS-GySBtPUQi_clY-GnlZ4q_s1yugtNPLmyPLzDImUkQAJpMWf1Vh6UkAIERi6rAab3shNBHv8T1dUsIzcYwEWMWnqa4nJ9rjFHRcTPKMCEmcW8sV-1Nq-RlbG1838eF_Jtg5UhBIw9TkqIGv09McEBUE1u_aHT7Gc6N-KkZl0/s320/PXL_20230715_123351466.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p>We fell into a comfortable routine of sleeping in (for those who know F, yes, gasp!), breakfasting at home, doing a quick beach check for flags (red - no go, yellow - caution, green - swimming!, or the dreaded jellyfish flag). Then we'd hit the beach, have a late patio lunch, siesta, then head back to the beach and dinner at home. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-hyUmvtVeIGvUlCBgYZLQgkcwM3DZ9ZzfQyf4thgiYqnr1COb9vj6dpA-M08JdzH8AhBLMZHaAA3Fu6SOfpI8p37YkrZrh_vymFY-uW5MLupWNbAZvWeAOKOELYXs0ju3jW8HDVbnnpNNlO2oNJq08AEXaxTtio7LMQHRSDwzTM1pLkOrFCjl4Kdx_ho/s4032/PXL_20230713_101455181.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-hyUmvtVeIGvUlCBgYZLQgkcwM3DZ9ZzfQyf4thgiYqnr1COb9vj6dpA-M08JdzH8AhBLMZHaAA3Fu6SOfpI8p37YkrZrh_vymFY-uW5MLupWNbAZvWeAOKOELYXs0ju3jW8HDVbnnpNNlO2oNJq08AEXaxTtio7LMQHRSDwzTM1pLkOrFCjl4Kdx_ho/s320/PXL_20230713_101455181.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuPhJ8HIU6LcM1qToexfPBvLwnH-YjDJgOXd7AwKd7sVtCJMJFukZU3PYZCDxbvzo1KQwJCwBmk9nS7BHFuokcLZStJQ54WcqCpRSiQXNR-PBiPoui-VphZBarGk6_MGXIppdO_gDx0a9onF7lR_MWC_IgpHNIYGT5nejUOltQwH425a2AvFYmyhkV_dc/s4032/PXL_20230718_082532859_2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuPhJ8HIU6LcM1qToexfPBvLwnH-YjDJgOXd7AwKd7sVtCJMJFukZU3PYZCDxbvzo1KQwJCwBmk9nS7BHFuokcLZStJQ54WcqCpRSiQXNR-PBiPoui-VphZBarGk6_MGXIppdO_gDx0a9onF7lR_MWC_IgpHNIYGT5nejUOltQwH425a2AvFYmyhkV_dc/s320/PXL_20230718_082532859_2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb4eAbwv9xUrRo1fo9JI3L2h0-lqnXmNY4Dv6vh5Vl0D5viHCmXD4MRCuRC0xlEAtTYzB9ewTDGXiMLmm12sIUOYGxnPRZufJNKKsKWymVIguGh66xzdffuG5CRLo1L33OAeaWBudavKwqyLsl67DKDO6Y9U1-O9AH4b2g8AUTIk4rEiLNP8nXAdY0zW8/s4032/PXL_20230712_111159123.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb4eAbwv9xUrRo1fo9JI3L2h0-lqnXmNY4Dv6vh5Vl0D5viHCmXD4MRCuRC0xlEAtTYzB9ewTDGXiMLmm12sIUOYGxnPRZufJNKKsKWymVIguGh66xzdffuG5CRLo1L33OAeaWBudavKwqyLsl67DKDO6Y9U1-O9AH4b2g8AUTIk4rEiLNP8nXAdY0zW8/s320/PXL_20230712_111159123.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi74KfyQztZvEnbSLZqCK6MV1TuJG6LtWgPvsWFlHYls-HBM2cf6ph7wch8dUyqS-ALW0hpQo0yFoAooeYgOtAgn2MbsdFYgTjicv8VDuaLnyAMrEgjmu8lHsD17_MrAbJulIBjWW6thG3ENZ76G4v35wKakkyG6hRcN93cunKWrAARhEYscihvOzI8oWg/s4032/PXL_20230713_095121633.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi74KfyQztZvEnbSLZqCK6MV1TuJG6LtWgPvsWFlHYls-HBM2cf6ph7wch8dUyqS-ALW0hpQo0yFoAooeYgOtAgn2MbsdFYgTjicv8VDuaLnyAMrEgjmu8lHsD17_MrAbJulIBjWW6thG3ENZ76G4v35wKakkyG6hRcN93cunKWrAARhEYscihvOzI8oWg/s320/PXL_20230713_095121633.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfssksbpvErEGqAUCiVXgoBFKpLyvPkeywfGw7_gIAFvDxIGZwKLcBTDoZduuthF_d0v7Av56NRoHVXJz8K4wnGJxPWAcrenGEmNDuKjhMol8_v8Lh_M9UW6KPBDn7HrncIV-B715G0vRX73luWNxu3eXYpWkcM_eSm0gcNunP85g3z6d4DJjuPEK-g28/s4032/PXL_20230716_131005766.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfssksbpvErEGqAUCiVXgoBFKpLyvPkeywfGw7_gIAFvDxIGZwKLcBTDoZduuthF_d0v7Av56NRoHVXJz8K4wnGJxPWAcrenGEmNDuKjhMol8_v8Lh_M9UW6KPBDn7HrncIV-B715G0vRX73luWNxu3eXYpWkcM_eSm0gcNunP85g3z6d4DJjuPEK-g28/s320/PXL_20230716_131005766.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Noooo! Hoy hay medusas!!!</td></tr></tbody></table><p>Adventure Girl loved the beach. There was lots of delight in playing in the sand - building castles, getting burried, digging holes, and creating taxis and bakeries for imaginative play. In the water, she learned how to body surf, boogie board, and dive through oncoming waves. Faced with waves twice the size of her, she reacted with excitement rather than fear. Getting knocked around or even flipped head-over-heels, didn't slow her down or dampen her enthusiasm.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbBX-EjYftnLRRtRCB3BRYiVlyMnMJnE1QXGVj4wp6exbrOLLLSilb3k8eRJWyCMpi6dHUnUK7aTfSDnb3uDUF5Q3kLK_1EKMoAME64XN-n97WHMeA9fbbg4TNISiqpTDWhiBFOrTeZsx8rYnljFSiyoPv5nDoL5wR8lY2qI1Hrzki4W4Cu-Dc82Vl8D8/s2534/20230716_153947_2.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2534" data-original-width="1039" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbBX-EjYftnLRRtRCB3BRYiVlyMnMJnE1QXGVj4wp6exbrOLLLSilb3k8eRJWyCMpi6dHUnUK7aTfSDnb3uDUF5Q3kLK_1EKMoAME64XN-n97WHMeA9fbbg4TNISiqpTDWhiBFOrTeZsx8rYnljFSiyoPv5nDoL5wR8lY2qI1Hrzki4W4Cu-Dc82Vl8D8/w82-h200/20230716_153947_2.jpg" width="82" /></a></div><br />We were beyond thrilled to discover a lactose-free popsicle stand that we visited every subsequent day. You got to choose your popsicle base, then your dip flavour, then add on your topping. Pure deliciousness! We're willing to support anyone looking to branch out Loco Polo internationally!!!<p></p><p>Twice we climbed up the hill, Mount Urgull, in the Old Town. Once, to the statue at the top and once to have a drink and a snack at the bar overlooking the Bahia de la Concha (swim beach). We also leisured through the old town in early morning rain to check out the architecture and meander through alleyways. </p><p><br /></p><p>For Adventure Girl's take on San Sebastian, click her Blog Page on the right-hand side bar or the link below:</p><p><a href="http://www.highfiveadventures.com/p/adventure-girl-posts-spain-france-and.html">http://www.highfiveadventures.com/p/adventure-girl-posts-spain-france-and.html</a></p><p>:) (Also...ummm... how cute it is that she wanted to blog herself?!?! Very proud parents, here!!!)</p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1101986064288621746.post-55572811488020800682023-07-16T09:58:00.002-07:002023-08-13T10:15:04.983-07:00Spain Day 1: Travelling Again<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPD9ntUcTq4JCIwt8eh4EiVTeoNq-ZDtp6hZ_R9x0DXP3YyZlwFW-zeRbNSdjQXMPSUH1tVJZa9KWkhznCCtKnvqjlFexHDv4NjRspiKpFcZM3ljEnty-V5ppWDVtzXSTUpwZ7Gu46YndYW-z73fA8upsYes37-L-juTQxBxHmQ46e8_kN7V7Ta33gG3A/s762/DSC_0501cm%20e.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="762" data-original-width="570" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPD9ntUcTq4JCIwt8eh4EiVTeoNq-ZDtp6hZ_R9x0DXP3YyZlwFW-zeRbNSdjQXMPSUH1tVJZa9KWkhznCCtKnvqjlFexHDv4NjRspiKpFcZM3ljEnty-V5ppWDVtzXSTUpwZ7Gu46YndYW-z73fA8upsYes37-L-juTQxBxHmQ46e8_kN7V7Ta33gG3A/w478-h640/DSC_0501cm%20e.jpg" width="478" /></a></div><p>We're back!!! After a few tough years managing COVID and Cancer, we're ready to hit the road again as a full-on family of three! Adventure Baby is a baby no more; it's now Craig, Erin, and Adventure Girl (aka F)!</p><p>There was a new sense of excitement leading up to this trip. First of all, it was going to be our first family "backpacking" trip...no suitcases, no stroller; just us walking with our bags! Adventure Kid was also old enough to be a part of the planning, decision-making, and packing. A whole new adventure awaited us. With plans to long-term travel as a family in the upcoming future, this trip will be a real test...</p><p>It didn't start on the best note. We were scheduled to leave at 8pm Toronto time. It took us about 45 extra minutes sitting on the plane for them to resolve an issue with the bathrooms before we could actually take off. We let F watch tv during the delay so it was no big deal. </p><p>When we got into the air, we said it was time to try to sleep and within minutes of stretching out on us, F was alseep. It wasn't the most comfortable for any of us but we hoped that by prioritizing her sleep, it would be worth it in the end. </p><p>For the most part, F slept. She woke after every sleep cycle (40ish minutes), cried for a minute in a confused, half-alseep state, then would settle back in to the same position and sleep again. She got about five hours like this, with Erin and Craig resting as much as possible before the crew started to serve breakfast and F woke up. Not too bad for an overnight flight...we were thankful to not be the people trying to console a young toddler the entire time we were in the air!</p><p>Things got worse when we landed. We were stranded on the runway without air conditioning for another 45 minutes as they struggled to get the plane connected to the terminal. The temperature and tempers both rose. When we finally de-planed, we followed the throngs of other passengers to an endless hallway where we joined a chaotic, unsupervised line that stretched out of sight. No one knew if they were in the right line, nor could they get close enough to any relevant sign to figure that out. After 30 or 40 minutes airport personnel arrived to direct EU citizens and those with connections to squeeze past the hordes of tourists. For an hour, we inched along, completely exhausted from the flight, the heat (without air-conditioning the hall was in the mid thirties), and the complete lack of any food or drink services. People were literally collapsing on the verge of fainting, children were slumped in akward heaps against the walls. Finally, some staff were seen walking up and down the line and they began pulling families with babies and young children in strollers. We waited for a sign that we might also be chosen but our child was clearly "too good" of a traveller to be deemed essential for a bump up the line. With Erin and F's eyes starting to glaze over from the heat and a day without meaningful sustenence, Craig asked a passing personnel if we could join the other families (with older children) that had passed. They granted our request and we gathered our things and headed up alongside the line. </p><p>It went on FOREVER. Easily three more hours of waiting to pass through Spanish customs with no services available. We were so grateful that we got bumped and we will certainly avoid flying through the Barcelona airport in the future...</p><p>Finding our bags would be the next struggle made worse by our hour's long wait to get through customs. We entered a sprawling baggage claim area devoid of landmarks. With thousands still stuck in custom lines, their bags had been thrown haphazardly all over the floor to make room for more recent flights. Everything was unattended. Toronto had long since left the claims board so we split up and dragged ourselves up and down each carosoul aisle searching for our luggage. In a far corner, Erin overheard someone mention Canada and she went to investigate. She asked about the flight from Toronto and was told that all of the bags from the TO flight, along with Montreal and New York were "here" with a vague gesture of the surrounding area. Miraculously, she looked down and Craig's backpack was at her feet. She surveyed the scene and spotted what she thought was her bag, three deep up on a carosoul. She was able to track down a baggage handler to mount the stack of bags and he turned over her pack.</p><p>Finding Craig and F seemed insurmountable given the size of the baggage claim area, and seperating was starting to feel ill-advised. Thankfully, due to Craig's affection for wearing orange and his impressive height, it wasn't too long before we were reunited. </p><p>On to the next hurdle...the line up for taxis stretching back and forth outside the arrivals area. </p><p>Needless to say, by the time we arrived at our apartment close to the Barcelona airport, we were spent. Thankfully, it was situated right across from a lovely sand beach, and it had air conditioning. </p><p>We were able to spend a couple of hours in the water, grab some dinner (lunch? breakfast?) and head to bed at 6pm local time, knowing we'd be up at 4 am for our next flight. It was time for a high-five and a cheer for Adventure!</p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1101986064288621746.post-71661817738358961982019-07-30T11:40:00.003-07:002023-08-13T10:23:24.753-07:00Tips for Travelling with a Two Year-Old<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lac La Biche</td></tr>
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We pretty much blew our travel budget for the next couple of years during our mat leave so we decided to lay low this summer and play closer to home. Thanks to Alberta Provincial Parks and Air BnB, we found some cool spots to relax at, while also getting the chance to explore parts of the province we hadn't seen before.<br />
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During an 11-day stretch, we ventured up to Edmonton, Lac La Biche, back through Edmonton, then down to Stettler. So four different accommodations in under two weeks. Although Adventure Baby is a fantastic sleeper, this definitely put some stress on her. Ways we kept this trip as calm as possible are listed below. We hope you'll find some of our tips helpful for your own getaway!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Hi-Level Streetcar in Edmonton was a huge hit!</td></tr>
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<b><u>How to Prepare</u></b><br />
Our daughter is very verbal and she likes to know the plan ahead of time. So we started talking about our road trip the week before. We used vocabulary she could understood and laid out the plan for her a day in advance while travelling so she knew what to expect. We'd say things like, "Today we're going to play at the playground, pack up the car, then do a big car ride. It will be a sleep in the car day. Then after nap, we'll get to ____ house. We'll set up your bed, and the potty, and have a snack." She knows how to count sleeps so we'd keep track of how many sleeps until we moved on to another location or until it was a "big car ride" day. We gave each place we stayed an easy name for her to use, such as "Lake House" or "Farm House."<br />
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If you're travelling by plane, we'd recommend showing your child the TSA video on Youtube. It prepares them for the different phases of airplane travel such as checking in your bags, going through security, and then finding your plane.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Watching the harvest in Stettler</td></tr>
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<u><b>Car Rides</b></u><br />
We kept our driving days to a maximum of 2.5 hours. We always left at her usual nap time, put on our sleep sounds app, and were off. Adventure Baby has never been a big sleeper in cars but she slept every time for roughly an hour (not great, considering she normally sleeps 1 hour 45 min, but it was manageable). Then we had some activities on-hand in case she got antsy once awake, such as Water Wows, tablet games, and CDs with kid songs.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Stettler</td></tr>
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<b><u>Accommodation</u></b><br />
By contacting the hosts ahead of time, we were able to have late check-outs and early check-ins to work around her nap schedule/our driving time as best as possible. Hosts were super accommodating when they knew we had a small child. Upon arriving at each place, we immediately set up the potty and show her where that is, find her room and set it up with the pack-n-play, her owl (sleep sounds), the monitor, and lay out her books and clothes on her bed. Then, we show her where our room is and that is enough to settler her in. We try to find places with two bedrooms so she has her own sleeping space and where we can have nice views to enjoy after bedtime. Lac La Biche and Stettler were both great for this!<br />
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<b><u>Food</u></b><br />
The great thing about a road trip is that you have the space to bring a cooler in the car. We pre-made most of our meals at home and brought them along with us frozen in the cooler. That really helped cut down on the time we spent on vacation grocery shopping, preparing food, and cleaning up so instead, we could just enjoy the location! It also meant that we were confident we'd have food on hand that Adventure Baby would eat. For us, that meant spaghetti and meat sauce, ramen, chili, corn on the cob...all easy-to-cook items that are kid-friendly. A little comfort food on the road can go a long way.<br />
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We also packed some of her favourite snacks to have when we were out-and-about in each city. She learned the words "special treat" pretty quickly on this trip and some crackers, a granola bar, or a pouch became a bit of an expectation. But for us, we've found that it can make transitions back into the car or stroller a lot easier!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNODXnEQnpcRfPLn4yB6OAsnXKtZY8sg-rDWKs7s_IY6tM6Rat9yIaXVRZY7uwKn6Q5aqfUMtz0WKHC-20jvsKpml-AfVr0o486bRKlk7MWPt-XCtedD1OkyReCnpCapM7sfGmjzr_x4E/s1600/IMG_0890.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNODXnEQnpcRfPLn4yB6OAsnXKtZY8sg-rDWKs7s_IY6tM6Rat9yIaXVRZY7uwKn6Q5aqfUMtz0WKHC-20jvsKpml-AfVr0o486bRKlk7MWPt-XCtedD1OkyReCnpCapM7sfGmjzr_x4E/s200/IMG_0890.HEIC" width="200" /></a><b><u>Toys</u></b><br />
Since we had the space in the car to pack a few toys, we brought whatever we could that was compact and had longevity in terms of entertainment. The magna-blocks turned out to be a great hit and really helped keep her occupied when we were packing up our bags. Colouring supplies with lots of new stickers went a long way. We let Adventure Baby choose one stuffed animal to bring, along with her doll, and those plus a few diapers are always a big hit.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7egSYThDgO_G_OlQ08srpQNwx1yqIsICVjZf6OzQz1kt1P-ljlpROESTWKynli3-QsGfukX9A9I6rKBZSo-2uXahzQ5piKhDUanFERtunV1iFFyqaiTkUKYBw1Xcb3Epvqcqt5uwT_1U/s1600/IMG_0965.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7egSYThDgO_G_OlQ08srpQNwx1yqIsICVjZf6OzQz1kt1P-ljlpROESTWKynli3-QsGfukX9A9I6rKBZSo-2uXahzQ5piKhDUanFERtunV1iFFyqaiTkUKYBw1Xcb3Epvqcqt5uwT_1U/s640/IMG_0965.HEIC" width="640" /></a></div>
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Lastly, make sure you trade off and plan some time to yourself. Living out of a suitcase can be stressful and kids pick up on that. By giving yourself a break, you'll be more relaxed and so will your child. I don't think we could have managed a trip that was longer than 12 days at the pace we were going, so we know for the future that three nights is what we need in one location if we're going to be on the road for a while. Happy Travelling, Everyone!</div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1101986064288621746.post-40157882830383080822018-10-28T13:18:00.002-07:002023-08-13T10:23:02.169-07:00Tips for Travelling with a Baby (18-24 Months)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOcoUXDFj8hF2N5hNaSlgpRJHorlXzMojJ91_nJ7FPwZwZcw4m__TdJA8HsfHXjI0uRnMt5oZiHS3cQ6c2uV_qADAysZ-uuL4AhiKBY3-msua8UbVytsSWdpvpaDWFpb4hyphenhyphenfk6HfuGBks/s1600/20181004_164915_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOcoUXDFj8hF2N5hNaSlgpRJHorlXzMojJ91_nJ7FPwZwZcw4m__TdJA8HsfHXjI0uRnMt5oZiHS3cQ6c2uV_qADAysZ-uuL4AhiKBY3-msua8UbVytsSWdpvpaDWFpb4hyphenhyphenfk6HfuGBks/s640/20181004_164915_HDR.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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This is it. Our last set of free flights with Adventure Baby. We really maximized our opportunities over the past two years and are staggered by the numbers she's accumulated:<br />
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Flights: 28<br />
Airports: 19<br />
Countries: 8<br />
Continents: 4<br />
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Thank goodness we didn't have to pay for any of those!<br />
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Our Thanksgiving trip this year, coming in a month before her second birthday, was quick and filled with good-quality family time. There are only a few things we wanted to share that may be helpful if you're travelling with a little one who falls in this age gap.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4NTRe55KLjmKt8BGUdjKACoaxdbS1Jrw_MrDfDVWZrliy1FY_3OIJNJOc7LK2LPBQiTrZRNCMCzk5Kuocb94upnEC5iiFuP2alhJVwSyLcLfJ8sDkIEvr_I2sFUHhGcQhXy8pkb8Zy8A/s1600/CHBK101713.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="664" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4NTRe55KLjmKt8BGUdjKACoaxdbS1Jrw_MrDfDVWZrliy1FY_3OIJNJOc7LK2LPBQiTrZRNCMCzk5Kuocb94upnEC5iiFuP2alhJVwSyLcLfJ8sDkIEvr_I2sFUHhGcQhXy8pkb8Zy8A/s200/CHBK101713.jpg" width="165" /></a><b><u>Before Your Trip</u></b><br />
We spent a fair bit of time in the two weeks leading up to our trip talking about planes. We enthusiastically pointed them out in the sky, we read books about planes, and we talked through exactly what would happen on our trip from leaving our house to arriving at Erin's parents' place. This book: <i>Hello, Airplane!</i> by Martha Day Zschock was especially helpful. We talked about how Baby would have her own backpack that would go through the security scanner like a train (choo choo!) including Bunny. We even described the exact snacks she'd have on the plane...She was super prepped for the experience. The airport was an absolute breeze. It was the first time we didn't take a stroller. She wore her own backpack and walked herself to the gate. Craig boarded first with our bags and Erin and Baby waited until the very end, running around, watching the planes, and significantly cutting down the time aboard waiting before the plane took off (what we always find is the worst part of the journey).<br />
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<u><b>During the Flight</b></u><br />
We found this to be the EASIEST flight we've taken so far with Baby. She was so much easier to entertain and she understood that us being on the plane was a temporary situation. She also understood that we were going on the plane to see Grandma, Grandpa, and her cousins, so that really motivated her through the journey. Having her on our laps was no problem at all. One of the biggest challenges we find with a lap infant is how difficult it is to access your stuff. But at 22 months, Baby could hop down, crawl under the seat and pull out things we asked for. It was super handy!<br />
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We did a short play when we first got on before the plane started to move, then watched out the window for take-off and said "up, up, up!" as we rose into the air, which she loved. We had a snack with lots of food that takes a while to eat like Cheerios and blueberries. Then she played some more with her toys. This was the first time we had downloaded a couple of tv shows on our tablet so we cuddled and watched a bit of t.v. Then we changed her into her pj's at her normal bedtime, read a few stories and told her she'd have a short sleep on the plane before we got there. There was a little protesting but she eventually got to sleep for about 45 minutes before landing. We used our usual Sleep Sounds app to help her fall asleep.<br />
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<b><u>What We Took</u></b><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIq0BrRe-WC1HUPKvrStNq-19qHced41D8mRWGScr0_LrUh-0bMrTlHgj5fLCl5LzPBV9smBZIEdgFaTveCsifpHSoSxjrJdRichyphenhyphenYwsrbHF7hRKe6ExSyC56VI1HrQc7ackL7EjEPbyc/s1600/20181009_091752.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIq0BrRe-WC1HUPKvrStNq-19qHced41D8mRWGScr0_LrUh-0bMrTlHgj5fLCl5LzPBV9smBZIEdgFaTveCsifpHSoSxjrJdRichyphenhyphenYwsrbHF7hRKe6ExSyC56VI1HrQc7ackL7EjEPbyc/s320/20181009_091752.jpg" width="320" /></a>Her backpack held:<br />
- Bunny<br />
- 2 small board books and 2 small bath books<br />
- Munch Mitt bag filled with tiny Robert Munsch stories<br />
- Paper and washable crayons<br />
- Buckle Toy<br />
- 2 small bath toys (on the way home she also had the 3 Boon ducks her cousins had given her)<br />
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We also had a couple of games downloaded on our tablet which she played on the flight home instead of watching t.v.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxWUyqEIrw1QsJQ-Oo1lyNWmCoyHli3vGuK5SVn1uLKirbPM3NzoMxGnnQQbrTIMOHhlLnKnldbRV7EWo8X6lCguQTNxlPJ1ZHZ0L2M7GTBctE6FpBO7dZNfilexJgX3C9QnGizMdGL24/s1600/DSC_5718cm+e.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="576" data-original-width="897" height="205" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxWUyqEIrw1QsJQ-Oo1lyNWmCoyHli3vGuK5SVn1uLKirbPM3NzoMxGnnQQbrTIMOHhlLnKnldbRV7EWo8X6lCguQTNxlPJ1ZHZ0L2M7GTBctE6FpBO7dZNfilexJgX3C9QnGizMdGL24/s320/DSC_5718cm+e.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
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The quality family time we got was priceless. We're so glad that we were able to squeeze in this last trip "home" before we have to start paying for Baby's seats. We'll see you all on the "other side."<br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1101986064288621746.post-49756977526053256502018-10-28T12:37:00.003-07:002023-08-13T10:22:26.120-07:00Quebec City<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpB3zkY3xfx8eio4EKnT6iL_-M64lTDHWsfYgFGPxZC_vTx6z0id2giOOjgjsMvbEF-kHtPh0_1DN9PMzUp92C0Y17KaPSZrN8VkH2WeXj2qpKN3c-WqTnjAONCREx5gTNlnwn2W7sK3A/s1600/IMG_20180613_172955.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpB3zkY3xfx8eio4EKnT6iL_-M64lTDHWsfYgFGPxZC_vTx6z0id2giOOjgjsMvbEF-kHtPh0_1DN9PMzUp92C0Y17KaPSZrN8VkH2WeXj2qpKN3c-WqTnjAONCREx5gTNlnwn2W7sK3A/s200/IMG_20180613_172955.jpg" width="200" /></a><br />
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We had little in the way of goals for our three days in Quebec City other than to wander and enjoy the beautiful atmosphere. We strolled the streets, lingered over delicious French meals, and lounged in parks while Baby played. Each day had an outing with purpose and one without, and below are our highlights.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUUEO2A48xQ_lwAUkwyeEl2r1ehw0jo-ru8vwdAq8wj5nbx6QSHN1hG1XPWgDi_u36JfrBmiqOrCquj6e-e_NsxUSjW2DL-CLo-8oF4nSQFCO6AJTfy3kOKTkP7uO5pujI7wy_0xIsWbM/s1600/IMG_20180612_091443.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUUEO2A48xQ_lwAUkwyeEl2r1ehw0jo-ru8vwdAq8wj5nbx6QSHN1hG1XPWgDi_u36JfrBmiqOrCquj6e-e_NsxUSjW2DL-CLo-8oF4nSQFCO6AJTfy3kOKTkP7uO5pujI7wy_0xIsWbM/s200/IMG_20180612_091443.jpg" width="150" /></a><b>Les Chutes Montmorency</b><br />
Erin had visited the falls on a few occasions, but never with the opportunity to climb up to the top. This worked well as a goal this time around because the easiest way to get there on public transportation was a direct bus to the subdivision just upstream from the falls. An easy walk through a park brought us to its summit, and we were able to enjoy viewpoints beside the falls, as well as the bridge across the top, all easily with Baby in the stroller. There was even a playground right beside the top of the falls where Baby could play. Time constraints stopped us from riding the gondola and walking around to the base of the falls as planned, but it was nevertheless an enjoyable outing.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTVIYDa-chRlfxx93O2dHi3VHySPKBpT-RkpvV3MQkZ9s8hXhM8jv0siSW6aXlOvXY9Vz6IT9mLkHvkSDogZrr-ApgUc-vxCrICPKvCKC9Fhs3E86pW2HlpngfYSlnk7cuMADIw9s07JA/s1600/IMG_20180612_092719.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTVIYDa-chRlfxx93O2dHi3VHySPKBpT-RkpvV3MQkZ9s8hXhM8jv0siSW6aXlOvXY9Vz6IT9mLkHvkSDogZrr-ApgUc-vxCrICPKvCKC9Fhs3E86pW2HlpngfYSlnk7cuMADIw9s07JA/s320/IMG_20180612_092719.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This babe has no fear!</td></tr>
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<b>The Quebec City-Levis Ferry & Rue du Petit-Champlain</b><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjZ6nUU60BUNGLqbhkLeOJpqd3UeMRQGYT54goEVCCqLfMtJNI1rBGEkFWEAAgkIJcw7sKb8HgTLSs6aIdCIGf9Ll7zEzyOg3JDw79HYuitann64PAXpOEpNbjaUYaPu6xHWKvaUjET_U/s1600/IMG_20180613_093658.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjZ6nUU60BUNGLqbhkLeOJpqd3UeMRQGYT54goEVCCqLfMtJNI1rBGEkFWEAAgkIJcw7sKb8HgTLSs6aIdCIGf9Ll7zEzyOg3JDw79HYuitann64PAXpOEpNbjaUYaPu6xHWKvaUjET_U/s320/IMG_20180613_093658.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Someone was pretty stoked about the ferry ride<br />
a.k.a. "water train...choo choo!"</td></tr>
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Craig hoped to get the iconic water view of Quebec but we hesitated to spend the time and money on a boat tour. Instead, we crossed the river on the ferry, which provided similar views for a fraction of the time and price. The moody skies highlighted the hills in the distance, and made the gorgeous Chateau Frontenac look all the more impressive.<br />
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On our walk down to the docks, we loved having Rue du Petit-Champlain to ourselves. Most of the shops and restaurants were still closed up tight and the early morning quietness was intoxicating. Baby showed off her skills climbing down stairs, and we took the Funicular back up, another first for Erin.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuDoJX-RDbCqCtiXumlVN7sPIIOyJp0yQKQljcYbuUVsBERCfMkN8C5wcsuIdvrM-o3U3LFSwqck0Gb_fjShIAFrK8jScqsXNfEs2n5BjGS93iqNMeCg25SS-NzHQSVwPPFTyk11gSx94/s1600/20180613_090217_HDR-COLLAGE.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1201" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuDoJX-RDbCqCtiXumlVN7sPIIOyJp0yQKQljcYbuUVsBERCfMkN8C5wcsuIdvrM-o3U3LFSwqck0Gb_fjShIAFrK8jScqsXNfEs2n5BjGS93iqNMeCg25SS-NzHQSVwPPFTyk11gSx94/s400/20180613_090217_HDR-COLLAGE.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<b>La Grande All</b><span style="background-color: white; color: #6a6a6a; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small; font-weight: bold;">é</span><b>e</b></div>
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No visit to Quebec is complete without walking La Grande All<span style="background-color: white; color: #6a6a6a; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small; font-weight: bold;">é</span>e. The city was in the midst of setting up for its St Jean Baptiste celebrations, so the best section was closed to traffic and we were able to fully enjoy the tree-lined street with gorgeous stone walk-ups, and festive atmosphere. (Baby's favourite part was watching the horse and carriage rides clip-clop past us).</div>
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We bid Quebec goodbye with happy hearts and full bellies and look forward to our next chance to visit in the future!<br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1101986064288621746.post-4475620774449423612018-10-28T12:37:00.002-07:002023-08-13T10:22:00.435-07:00Tips for Travelling with a Baby (18 Months Short-Haul)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="text-align: left;">We've been around the world and back with our daughter but it's time for a trip a little closer to home. For our 17-day trip to Eastern Canada, we decided to fly with only carry-on items, so we felt it was worth a post to share our packing list and any tips we accumulated as we went. As half of this trip included a stay with family, we opted to bring limited clothes and toys, and did laundry every 5 days.</span></div>
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For more information on our long-haul flight with a 12-18 month old, <a href="http://www.highfiveadventures.com/2018/04/tips-for-travelling-with-baby-12-18.html" target="_blank">click here</a>.<br />
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<u><b>Packing List</b></u><br />
The great thing about packing for this trip was that we could look at the 14 day forecast and have a really good idea of the weather we were going to get. In all four of our destinations, it was looking hot! hot! hot! So we planned for sunshine and brought a couple of layers just in case. In the end, we had just enough space to pack some comfort foods for our week of travel in Quebec. That saved us from having to leave the touristy area to find a proper supermarket or drug store. Ditto for diapers.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNAjFtzfykKcG2HnEFk0F2WvrkPeeLvaBNQbhOvTRJQsrpuu3-XmXFIrVLml4PaCAisCt5NrJLE2bYkyzjSKzPP4Ub893D-O2KAQQerBzpQW6c-Z8q2Zr6Q0wdTq7SFdELiy2nOjR63Uw/s1600/20180614_155811.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNAjFtzfykKcG2HnEFk0F2WvrkPeeLvaBNQbhOvTRJQsrpuu3-XmXFIrVLml4PaCAisCt5NrJLE2bYkyzjSKzPP4Ub893D-O2KAQQerBzpQW6c-Z8q2Zr6Q0wdTq7SFdELiy2nOjR63Uw/s320/20180614_155811.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Enjoying a Mom-and-Daughter<br />Crepe Date!</td></tr>
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<u>Clothes</u><br />
3 short-sleeved onesies, 1 tshirt<br />
2 long-sleeved onesies<br />
1 sweater<br />
1 rain coat<br />
3 pairs of pants of varying weights<br />
1 dress, 1 romper, 2 skirts<br />
3 pairs of socks<br />
1 pair of runners, 1 pair of soft soled sandals<br />
1 sunhat<br />
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<u>Gear</u><br />
1 washable Kushies bib<br />
4 wash cloths<br />
2 sheets for the pack n play<br />
1 change pad<br />
1 travel wipes container<br />
35 diapers (this got us to Erin's parents' place so we didn't have to find her size while travelling in Quebec)<br />
Pack n Play<br />
Stroller (which we also used as a high chair)<br />
Hand sanitizer<br />
2 cloth cooler bags<br />
1 small baby bowl, 1 spoon, 1 fork<br />
1 stainless steel milk cup, 1 water cup<br />
Medical supplies (D-drops, Baby Tylenol, nail clippers, saline drops, baby Polysporn, etc)<br />
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<u>Food</u><br />
7 pouches in varying flavours (1 for each day of travel in Quebec)<br />
1/2 bag of Love Child Ducks<br />
1 tiny tupperware full of Love Child Owlies, 1 of Toodle O's<br />
7 Love Child Oaty Chomps in varying flavours<br />
5 Mum Mums<br />
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<u>Toys</u><br />
With such little space and time planned in the AirBnB, we brought only toys that could be used as entertainment on the plane and train. In Quebec, we supplemented by everyday household items like coasters, a travel toothbrush holder, tupperware containers, and the occassional Youtube video of trains on our tablet, as well as watching for dogs and buses out the window. :)<br />
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2 small board books, 1 small bath book<br />
2 Little People<br />
1 buckle toy<br />
1 Munch Mitt bag filled with 6 tiny books<br />
and yes, the Valentine's Day card from Gram that has now travelled to Asia and back with us!<br />
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<b><u>Accommodation</u></b><br />
There isn't much new to say about where we stayed. We continue to enjoy AirBnBs for their separate sleeping space for Baby and kitchen facilities. What absolutely amazes us is how quickly our daughter adjusts to new living situations. Within less than 24 hours, she knows the geography of our neighbourhood and can identify our building and unit as "home." She knows which room is hers and where Mama and Dada sleep (tours upon arrival of a new accommodation continue to be very important in establishing comfort and an understanding of where we will be while she's sleeping). It's comforting to realize that babies adjust quickly, and adapt to their surroundings. Hopefully that helps quell some reservations of the dreaded "change in routine."<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgezFNN2vFzbFnRa4LmpGG4DTimzjXgTLRibS-BkvbgERybo_yd64IdCxnZO9p4nWihvcc6X9h_6ShGAIKuYrFGr3KMgLjo4P9qHgb8r4ySOpvkoL3Jvz6rwdODu_CWaRW44bWmV1T2gUM/s1600/20180610_172008_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1103" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgezFNN2vFzbFnRa4LmpGG4DTimzjXgTLRibS-BkvbgERybo_yd64IdCxnZO9p4nWihvcc6X9h_6ShGAIKuYrFGr3KMgLjo4P9qHgb8r4ySOpvkoL3Jvz6rwdODu_CWaRW44bWmV1T2gUM/s320/20180610_172008_HDR.jpg" width="220" /></a></div>
<b><u>Travelling</u></b><br />
We will reiterate once again that timing is of upmost importance to our child when planning a travel day. It all comes down to her nap (yes, we are FINALLY on a one-nap schedule, folks!). We left for the Quebec City airport hours before we needed to be there because that's what worked best with her routine. We arrived, checked in early, got through security, and played in their Family Zone. We had enough time to attempt a nap in the stroller at her usual time before boarding, which meant that we could use food and toys as entertainment on the plane. Much better than us trying to convince her to nap on our way here! You know your child best so work with your regular daily routine as much as you can to make it a smooth travel day.<br />
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As always, our favourite part of travelling is the time we get to spend as a family. This trip included sharing some old memories but also building new ones together. All the feels here!</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1101986064288621746.post-40488572774452409412018-06-14T08:54:00.001-07:002023-08-13T10:21:35.479-07:00Quebec Has a Piece of My Heart<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV8-1FNe_z0WuwsuzqwSUFpCKlJZUicJYqUaFZokk4KKyrkQgALLQYNUXChnq2azCkSkM3arAbJ-b7FWXVMA1UPZwMQejehgHgThyd2FliZ9tCwuHRMbE5lECkZngSUvFUpGP8ceA5C34/s1600/20180613_100946.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="749" data-original-width="1600" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV8-1FNe_z0WuwsuzqwSUFpCKlJZUicJYqUaFZokk4KKyrkQgALLQYNUXChnq2azCkSkM3arAbJ-b7FWXVMA1UPZwMQejehgHgThyd2FliZ9tCwuHRMbE5lECkZngSUvFUpGP8ceA5C34/s640/20180613_100946.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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At 18, I graduated high school, packed a bag, and headed to Quebec City for the summer. It was my first taste of independence and I was scared out of my mind. As my parents turned around to leave, I signed a contract saying that I would speak only French for the next six weeks, which seemed like an impossible task with the few words I knew. Always a homebody, this was a huge step for me. It was a "love it or hate it" moment for sure. It turned into one of the best experiences of my life. Some of the girls I met are still those I call best friends. And after countless visits in the few following years (some great, some terrible), it is still my favourite city on the planet. Here's why:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdvFQR4eE4lZY8ratb4H6Yax08eWtKnd8cJwtq2Cs3BKshcw26yiqmcFxt8cIAwQBbJZQ7OdW51L1-IP3Cc61EIEKAnN9aDimh1NPZOUh8swJDLvNPBz0IW20nW4w2zonVk9BukI78Py0/s1600/IMG_20180611_100950.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1178" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdvFQR4eE4lZY8ratb4H6Yax08eWtKnd8cJwtq2Cs3BKshcw26yiqmcFxt8cIAwQBbJZQ7OdW51L1-IP3Cc61EIEKAnN9aDimh1NPZOUh8swJDLvNPBz0IW20nW4w2zonVk9BukI78Py0/s320/IMG_20180611_100950.jpg" width="235" /></a><b>* It's Gorgeous</b><br />
The architecture is beautiful, as are the narrow, winding streets lined with mature trees. In the distance, beyond the river, you can see the forested hills and Jacques Cartier National Park where I've been rafting and kayaking. The Chateau-Frontenac stands stoically at the precipice of the cliff down to the Basse-Ville. ...I could go on and on.<br />
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<br /><b>* The People are so warm and welcoming</b><br />
Montreal has a lot of positives but as someone who is always trying to improve her French skills, it is not the place to be. One look is all a salesperson needs to decide if you are French or English and there's usually no going back, no matter how much you persevere and try to respond in French. Our first morning in Quebec City demonstrated exactly what I like about the people here. Our waitress started with French, switched to English when she heard us talking to each other in English, then switched back to French when we continued with it, aiding us with hand gestures, repetitions, or clarifying words if needed. The accent is rounder and lovely, and the pace is relaxing.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5V6J1eb80nuCU9-H6HXN9RzpUl6cqjOgJcY6eXqeXwbfnfnOfw_dKyJwlpl_RFz1QFjd4_FIBi_eQWQ4rONvYGCpYzOo078X6jQTn8tSg9lAUTQ9IqEFOVq1WXmCCFdv2udk6a8nCiqk/s1600/20180611_151709_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5V6J1eb80nuCU9-H6HXN9RzpUl6cqjOgJcY6eXqeXwbfnfnOfw_dKyJwlpl_RFz1QFjd4_FIBi_eQWQ4rONvYGCpYzOo078X6jQTn8tSg9lAUTQ9IqEFOVq1WXmCCFdv2udk6a8nCiqk/s320/20180611_151709_HDR.jpg" width="240" /></a><b>* The Food</b><br />
Of course you're going to get amazing French cuisine in Quebec. But what I love about Quebec City is that it's a blend of cosmopolitan and farm. You can find fresh moose burgers or foraged mushrooms on the menu, along with the delicious staples of crepes and cheese.<br />
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<b>* The S</b><b>ize</b><br />
Like Calgary, it's so accessible. Quebec city is pedestrian-friendly and small to get around. The main bus terminal and train station are centrally located meaning you could do your whole visit on foot if you like.<br />
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I was so excited to share my favourite city with Craig and Baby. I knew it would mean seeing it from a different perspective and experiencing it in a different way. And it did not disappoint!<br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1101986064288621746.post-62042631759290948712018-06-11T09:53:00.001-07:002023-08-13T10:20:09.567-07:00Montréal à Grande Vitesse<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsjTfuvFSSY6vDUTgBQqCBQ_NAF_euWeMskg4aC2RsYr1ixvxgHkekvc6uZAvSGUJulP7CO5-AhPugelVVr4X6oH5omFsDzH7w6bZmqYiayKdVd5G4ROtlLvBoOyLef-RtngWL_8qqY8A/s1600/IMG-20180611-WA0000.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1440" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsjTfuvFSSY6vDUTgBQqCBQ_NAF_euWeMskg4aC2RsYr1ixvxgHkekvc6uZAvSGUJulP7CO5-AhPugelVVr4X6oH5omFsDzH7w6bZmqYiayKdVd5G4ROtlLvBoOyLef-RtngWL_8qqY8A/s640/IMG-20180611-WA0000.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0jHxb_K-4UN7ZQjlNG5cpnWhp1o1vqkmVCaKPJcRjqpVpXZuHL9iLSoSSEslw53F7xvTIIUsuDvNAw4bENrNGuIRWj19_tJK343yWSaCy8QrSEHcHRL91Sw_Xd0K3zyqEfGGJ8zzzQcQ/s1600/IMG_20180609_135647.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0jHxb_K-4UN7ZQjlNG5cpnWhp1o1vqkmVCaKPJcRjqpVpXZuHL9iLSoSSEslw53F7xvTIIUsuDvNAw4bENrNGuIRWj19_tJK343yWSaCy8QrSEHcHRL91Sw_Xd0K3zyqEfGGJ8zzzQcQ/s200/IMG_20180609_135647.jpg" width="150" /></a><br />
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With Erin heading back to work in the near future, our maternity leave travel opportunities were drawing to a close. Not ready to call it quits yet, we tacked on a week in Quebec to our biannual trip to Ontario to see friends and family.<br />
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We planned a whirlwind tour of Montreal, a city we've each spent some time in, which is not nearly enough time to do this great city justice. With less than 24 hours in our pockets, we spent a good chunk of it visiting family and feasting with our gracious hosts in their backyard.<br />
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Adventure Baby felt that we really needed to make the most of our one morning of sight-seeing so she awoke the entire house at 5 am (which felt like 3 am thanks to the time change), and off we went. We wandered Erin's favourite neighbourhood, Le Plateau-Mont-Royal, which didn't quite have its same feel thanks to the early hour of the day. Its desertedness was especially ironic after warnings from friends that we shouldn't head to the city during one of its most popular weekends: Formula One. Disappointment bubbled up when standing in front of the boutique Erin was excited to visit as we were over an hour earlier than its opening time.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKKMGa4xXTtK0ByoHCebtLBbvetcaChrMjPErFZcDw_hXGxIIrpttrbLSmTNDYqWgSluQ5r2v38pWU9E7xTuOXX_xer9KjzGJ77fAer64xtKjdsHbiPxaBJRG9pxMlk2_DnmkKugH5BxM/s1600/IMG_20180610_084948.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKKMGa4xXTtK0ByoHCebtLBbvetcaChrMjPErFZcDw_hXGxIIrpttrbLSmTNDYqWgSluQ5r2v38pWU9E7xTuOXX_xer9KjzGJ77fAer64xtKjdsHbiPxaBJRG9pxMlk2_DnmkKugH5BxM/s320/IMG_20180610_084948.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Battling those Formula One crowds on St-Laurent...</td></tr>
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With an understandably cranky baby, we continued on for a walk along Montreal's Old Port. The serenity of the location and time of day was interrupted occasionally by the sounds of race cars driving past on the nearby island.<br />
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A delicious lunch and great company awaited us back at Erin's Aunt's house, which brightened our weary spirits. A diaper explosion, closed rental car office, and tight transfer time to the train had us stressed to the max, but with moments to spare, we made it on board and were off on schedule to Quebec City. We'll look forward to our next visit when we can hopefully have more time to explore our favourite places Montreal has to offer. </div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1101986064288621746.post-43359187418470841792018-05-22T12:05:00.000-07:002018-05-22T12:05:01.885-07:00Japan Days 26 & 27: Hello From Tomorrow<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_H7jIJ90FkEIkm_ksiIx3Ov7jxzhYLto3YArzLRNK4zJSCESgNz0KXSeX-IvUsw1gnlLGQzZSPB-C0QuXRbDwVldvIPaP0qBFyJJeZ4NEp-VLR_dB0QKrV45vDmVN3T3YAXDZz9T7t74/s1600/IMG_20180424_112935.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_H7jIJ90FkEIkm_ksiIx3Ov7jxzhYLto3YArzLRNK4zJSCESgNz0KXSeX-IvUsw1gnlLGQzZSPB-C0QuXRbDwVldvIPaP0qBFyJJeZ4NEp-VLR_dB0QKrV45vDmVN3T3YAXDZz9T7t74/s400/IMG_20180424_112935.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Our good luck nearly lasted to the end of the trip. We got just over a day of stunning Fuji views from our Hakone residence before it slipped behind a thick curtain of clouds and didn't show its face again. We departed a little disappointed on our last full day in Japan, but this made us appreciate the fact that we'd had one good day of viewing all the more.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwibfRxj14P0t8MxGHWbPyMcuttNKA3x7TdM2k9jjHTnu9MtiHnOhy2p7qCCJhEoLK4MQy0fELLLdpZ1obQOjXvUn3Tu9nfiwXWqtWdFBAUHMKxX7AL-aTlK8sNrldUmYCRSjq1owHKus/s1600/20180424_112039_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwibfRxj14P0t8MxGHWbPyMcuttNKA3x7TdM2k9jjHTnu9MtiHnOhy2p7qCCJhEoLK4MQy0fELLLdpZ1obQOjXvUn3Tu9nfiwXWqtWdFBAUHMKxX7AL-aTlK8sNrldUmYCRSjq1owHKus/s320/20180424_112039_HDR.jpg" width="240" /></a>In an effort to avoid Tokyo traffic (as its airport is actually quite far outside of the city), we wove our way around the metropolis and enjoyed a lunchtime stop in Yokohama. This romantic city sits right on the ocean and is known for its boardwalk, Ferris wheel, and nighttime lights. It's been a featured spot more than once on <i>Terrace House</i> (if we haven't convinced you yet, you should seriously watch this show!) as a place where many Japanese couples become "official." (There is quite a different and interesting dating culture here from our Western views that's worth learning more about).<br />
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We strolled the shoreline and enjoyed the colourful flower gardens that looked ready to fully burst with blooms within a couple of weeks. Baby chased pigeons, watched the boats go by, and climbed benches. We marveled at the huge bridge that leads out of the city, then hopped in our car to take it. Even more impressive (and slightly daunting) was the 24km long Tokyo Bay Aqua-Line that came next. It took us from the edge of land, underwater, out the other end in the middle of the bay, and up onto another humongous bridge.<br />
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We sailed into Narita just after 3 pm and settled in for the night at a quaint guesthouse surrounded by rice paddies and hillsides covered in bamboo. With mixed emotions, we organized our bags and prepared for our long journey the next day.</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1101986064288621746.post-74951275763542672392018-05-20T11:55:00.000-07:002018-05-20T11:55:09.109-07:00Japan Days 23-25: Mount Fuji<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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With a long travel day ahead of us, we left our ryokan at 6 am. We were enveloped in mountains just peering out above the early morning mist. The road winded through them then shot straight ahead via long tunnels that included off-shoot roads and entry points. We took a morning stretch at a random playground in an industrial park, then were back on the road again.<br />
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It happened quite suddenly. We rounded a bend, the trees fell away, and there it was, looming before us like the floating head in the Wizard of Oz. Fuji. There was a collective sigh between us as we realized this wouldn't turn into another <a href="http://www.highfiveadventures.com/2017/04/nzaus-days-22-23-mount-cook-more-like.html" target="_blank">Mount Cook debacle</a>. The accommodation we were headed towards boasted Fuji views from a private balcony, and we were really hoping for a couple of days of relaxation enjoying this view.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ3yhc2bxbhurku73mK3hmmxvV8678DrxI9BCznUPM1T8TvRTEDC-T6FLRaFKlX6HJmJYl_YMWj6UvakDIDhWbKYAPLIg9iEGiTs6l7JwMYcRpQlc01kLl_cgUo6Zah8c3Ms0QyiCCer8/s1600/DSCN0530.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1345" data-original-width="1600" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ3yhc2bxbhurku73mK3hmmxvV8678DrxI9BCznUPM1T8TvRTEDC-T6FLRaFKlX6HJmJYl_YMWj6UvakDIDhWbKYAPLIg9iEGiTs6l7JwMYcRpQlc01kLl_cgUo6Zah8c3Ms0QyiCCer8/s320/DSCN0530.JPG" width="320" /></a>But we had to get there first. Our next stop coincided nicely with our need to get Baby out of the car seat and our desire to see Fuji at its best: with copious cherry trees framing its figure. We'd been following the blossom forecast and it appeared that we may have timed it perfectly for full bloom for the weeping cherry trees at Saiko No Sato.<br />
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We stopped on our way in at a delicious burger joint and were excited to see a weeping cherry tree outside with gorgeous blossoms on it. When we finally found our way up the road to the open-air museum, we could not be happier. We feel the pictures pretty much speak for themselves here.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj05-BYAD26MmMJamo2eDq-vxvLjC3RH83KeuqkTNZ0Vo3N1qByD5qXuvjwBYeeMdtmkYwCGyYuO6akGCffFAVte184ig-uxfjjvP7FaaXK6mmdezZTnpNR-X7sPZHAPLGXqBMYQryX3Z4/s1600/20180421_122517.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="743" data-original-width="1600" height="296" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj05-BYAD26MmMJamo2eDq-vxvLjC3RH83KeuqkTNZ0Vo3N1qByD5qXuvjwBYeeMdtmkYwCGyYuO6akGCffFAVte184ig-uxfjjvP7FaaXK6mmdezZTnpNR-X7sPZHAPLGXqBMYQryX3Z4/s640/20180421_122517.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK0eN0B6UK0Ce9J-BVLzi-ZoLikEAE9XMgR3Id9WQkQujrhHliY8fh_8BgkpPuqB3j0PNk3sDt39Bwp6yy-f6X64cZIgqARbXaew7QP6W5qZYVAvBoxvX5Dn7ahrvRPBbRsFjoJngVCrY/s1600/DSCN0542.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1600" height="216" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK0eN0B6UK0Ce9J-BVLzi-ZoLikEAE9XMgR3Id9WQkQujrhHliY8fh_8BgkpPuqB3j0PNk3sDt39Bwp6yy-f6X64cZIgqARbXaew7QP6W5qZYVAvBoxvX5Dn7ahrvRPBbRsFjoJngVCrY/s320/DSCN0542.JPG" width="320" /></a>We continued onwards, having to get to the exact opposite side of the imposing mountain. In the process of stocking up on groceries in a nearby town, we lost one of our Bunny rattles, Baby's greatest inanimate comfort, and were relieved to be able to pull another swiftly from our packs and Baby was none the wiser.<br />
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At last we turned up the narrow crumbling street and drove to the very end and through the gates of our villa for the next few days. This wonderful rental allowed us to relax and make sure that we were rested for the upcoming transpacific flight home. We've seen a lot this trip: hoofed it around cities, basked in blossoms galore, slurped up soba, caught glimpses of Geisha, but there is something to be said for a little bit of family time rolling balls around and appreciating the change we've seen in our daughter over the last four weeks. We couldn't be happier!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikF4TGjXFqLezXSxkAeCOMdRFgIDq8PJUwjCQ2TgaMTAPd9_DX97tplB9NdBzgNY7CtdvH2vUxGB5i8yuDMJ7cPWqYqhTK-bbWJ0uNPmdXm6WJG3yxFhaQ4SOAhzll9p7MJQqzxitrkLY/s1600/DSCN0572.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikF4TGjXFqLezXSxkAeCOMdRFgIDq8PJUwjCQ2TgaMTAPd9_DX97tplB9NdBzgNY7CtdvH2vUxGB5i8yuDMJ7cPWqYqhTK-bbWJ0uNPmdXm6WJG3yxFhaQ4SOAhzll9p7MJQqzxitrkLY/s640/DSCN0572.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The actual view from our private balcony!</td></tr>
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