I was made for fine dining

In Quepos we were telling our concierge about going to the Hotel Grano de oro. He said that they have a very fine restaurant! We had already known that but it was great to get more positive feedback. So at dinner time we went down put on our fancy clothes and had a fancy dinner!  Leslie had a sea salt crusted snapper and I had a beef tenderloin. 

The dining room 

Fancy local beer

Yummy

More of the dining room 

They had the heat on in the central dining courtyard 

My sweetie 

Danish wine makers in Chile

Cheese plate with 500 day aged Gouda 300 day aged cheese and other tasty bits 

More craft beer

Steak knife 

Fish knife 

Back in San Jose

After our eventful flight over the mountains we landed in a very windy San Jose.  We were later than we would have liked and had to sut through the start of the rush hour.  We were amazed by the motorcycles zipping through the smallest of spaces between the trucks and the cars.  Once we arrived at the hotel Grano de Oro, all was forgotten. A magnificent room and a quick dip in the jacuzzi will melt all your cares away.

A room with a view

Twice the fun 

Peaceful courtyard 

On the grounds 

Fuzzy

Where is Fritz

Last morning at Gaia

I woke up this morning my calves and my hands we're very tender. Leslie pointed out that I was so tense at the zip lines that was most likely the cause. We went for breakfast and once again we had a wonderful breakfast.  Manfred had made a special hot sauce for me which he left in the refrigerator.  We saw a black hawk eagle which I was too slow to get a picture of.  We packed everything up and saw a buzzard on our way out.  A short ride later and we were at Quepos airport.   There was a large police presence checking cars and incoming passengers. The facility is most tiny and ill equipped to handle sweaty passengers. Finnaly we got onto the plane, squeezed into our seats, got strapped in and the plane would not start. When the pilot and copilot took off their seatbelts we knew we were in for some trouble. Two hours  later we were on a different flight and headed for San Jose. They offered to send us on a tiny private aircraft for only an additional additional $120 each! Although we were tempted we chose not to.  It would have saved us 35 minutes at most.

Looking for tasty tourists 

Maybe 15 police were set up on the road 

This is the terminal 

Wedged in

Female copilot throwing her arms up in frustration 

Dinner time and the sunset persists

On the 16th we had a reservation but it took a half hour to get seated. So on the 17th we did not get a reservation,  thinking instead that we would sit at the bar and perhaps order tapas. When we arrived there were open tables so we got seated immediately.  What unfolded in front of us was one of the prettiest sunsets that I can recall.  Mid dinner Leslie introduced herself to one of the hotel owners and bragged about all our favorite workers.  She us a great ally to have in your corner. 

Sitting at our table on the edge of the terrace 

Radio tower and clouds

Bright golden strip on bottom of the clouds 

Oranges and reds 

Can it get better

Yes it can

Sunset post- zipline

We did not get back till 3 PM and we just cooled down in the ac for a while.  It is not so much the physical exertion but the emotional toll of holding on so tightly to each railing and the handle during each zip line.  After cooling down we went poolside to see the sunset.   Very nice way to relax and unwind.

Poolside on our last night at 

I heard that it was national wine drinking day 

I am the luckiest man

Sun setting behind the clouds 

Serene indeed 

After the zips

We were able to meet several people on the zip line adventure. We got to know where they were from and how they were how their vacation was progressing. At the end we were served lunch and got to explore a bit.  Here are the pictures I took.

Hummingbirds loved this flower

Zip Line Time: Hang On!

We got into the wrong van but only went 10 feet until we figured it out.  Then a 35 minute drive out to the lines.  The harnesses were tight in all the wrong places.  There was a good deal of hiking and climbing in between zip lines.  We only had one camelback that held 1.5 liters and between us we drank it all.  There were 10 lines one of which was the longest in Costa Rica at just over 3/4 of a mile long.  Here is one link to my zipline ( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e6b9DhVZR8I )

Here is another  (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uvuyL9pyCcE )

Leslie ( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DaZMPoSIOlQ )

Hike and climb 

First big platform is very sturdy

Next platform is slightly less beefy

View from on top.  Each successive platform was less sturdy and the final two didnt even have railings. 

This platform was so precarious thst you had to grab the hand of the guide to evev get into position.   Needless to say I did not take any pictures of these! 

Private Sunset Cruise!

We splurged on a private boat tour and are so glad that we did.  The alternative was a catamaran that had 40 people on it who standing the whole time.   Our boat was a 29 foot fishing boat with a captain and a guide.  Its name was the Boomba Boom.  It was run by coral yacht tours and was fabulous. 

Our guide , Andres, is studying to be a biologist, he knew Aldo our guude from earlier that day and he recognized me from earlier at Manuel Antonio  Park 

El Capitan

We left Quepos at 4:45 PM  and immediately headed out to find. Dolphins 

The sun lit up the cliffs with a golden light.

The capitan looks for birds diving into the water and that is an indicator of Dolphins feeding.  We quickly saw several Caribbean spotted dolphins cruising next to the boat.  Talk about a tricky photo to get!  I took 20 shots and got two random splashes and one good shot.  

Dolphin

Dolphins!

Because we were backlit, I made sure the mustache was in the picture 

Nothing but birds on this island

Beautiful golden light

Red sun going down.  Since there appeared to be showers in the distance I was hopeful for the green flash,  but not this time.

Great ripples 

Time to call it a day