Costa Rica (still cruisin . . .)

Before we travel to Costa Rica, let's stop and reflect on the hugeness that is the ship we were on.



The one thing that kinda stinks about vacations is that you plan them and plan them and plan them, then they come, you have a lot of fun and then they are over. And now I am back at work. But let's not dwelling on that.

Let's instead think on Sloths.



In Costa Rica, we traveled to the Sloth Sanctuary, which was beautiful and lush. Even though Costa Rica is probably as poor as Panama, it's not dirty. Once you leave the port, it is all green trees and tropical plants. Even though the houses were still small, they looked more simple not desolate.



Look at these babies! How could you not want one for your very own? Sloths are my kind of animals. They nap on and off throughout the day and everything is done. in. slow. motion. The family who started the santuary really love these beautiful creatures and have led the way in researching the sloth so that we know more about them.



While we were there, we took a canoe ride through the marshland. There were about 6 canoes total and the four of us were on the last one. The first 5 went one way down the river and we went another. It was a bit scary. Larry and I kept looking at each other and headlines were racing through my head "American Family of Four Lost in the Costa Rican Marshland!" The boys kept saying, "we're going the wrong way! Why are we going the wrong way?" Larry was planning our escape route and kept asking our guide about the water to gauge how safe it would be to swim. I just thought, well, if we are going to go, at least we will be together!

Obviously nothing happened and we met up with the rest of our group soon after. Once we got over our inital freak-out, the ride was pretty cool. There were two sloths in the trees that Larry was able to spot, but I couldn't see, as well as some monkeys, birds and a couple of lizards.



This is a banana tree and those little yellow buds will become bananas! Cool, huh.



So pretty. I uploaded this pic to a website and I'm having some note cards made up. We'll see how they turn out.



We brought an elephant home with us.

Just ahead, ANOTHER DAY AT SEA. Whoot!