We are staying in a different apartment in Tamarindo this year. It is spacious and modern but, well, a little harsh in its decorating sense. Only white walls and ceilings, light blond floors and cabinets. The few large wall hangings are monochrome close-ups of surf. The place needed some color. Fortunately, the supermarket has a good floral section, where I bought some lillies. And very fortunately, I brought a macro lens.
Costa Rica has two international airports. The main one, of course, is in San Jose, the capital. We use the one in the northwest near the small city of Liberia, situated to serve the gorgeous areas along the Pacific coast.
When flying in from Miami, the plane leaves the Caribbean at the north of Nicaragua, then turns south along the west side of Lake Nicaragua (the 19th largest in the world). The two cones of Ometepe Volcano are off the left wing so we always get seats on that side.
Even a city kid like me doesn't get tired of this place. At this time of year, while it's quite cold back home, the weather report here is the same day after day: clear, warm but not awful, dry and a refreshing ocean breeze. From May through November it may rain some most days but hardly all day, every day. My spikey New Yorker brain waves enjoy the laid back pace and pura vida attitude.
Same place, different place. Back in Tamarindo for the Nth time but in an apartment new to us. Not walking distance to the beach by old folks' standards but what a view. A sliver of Playa Tamarindo in the foreground, the mouth of the Tamarindo estuary and the wide arc of Playa Grande beyond. This'll do just fine.
Hello from 37,000 feet over the southeastern United States, where the airplane Wi-Fi is working for a change. This is a bit more from the sculpture garden behind the art museum. It is a detail from Hercules, I think, battling a hydra. He may be in need of a muscle relaxer and a massage when the fight is done. We won't need encouragement to unwind when we reach our destination this afternoon.
One of the places you might find something interesting to shoot after a snow around here is the sculpture garden behind the art museum. We didn't get much and by the time I arrived there was nothing on the statues. Still, they have their own interest.
This is called The Mountain by the French sculptor, Aristide Maillol. You can see the reason for the title in the way the right leg seems to arise from the earth and the crags formed by the left leg and knee are balanced by the peak running from the right hand through the torso to the top of the head.
Traveling tonight and onward tomorrow. Big change of scene by Wednesday afternoon.
My favorite local park, Tower Grove, has many so-called pavilions, open-sided structures that families and groups can rent for events. They have exotic designs and whimsical names. This one, the largest, is known as the Turkish Pavilion. No parties on a gray, snowy day.
