80th B-day Adventure in Costa Rica

Costa Rica to celebrate mom's 80th

In order to celebrate Mom's 80th birthday the family chose to escape the winter madness and meet up in tropical Costa Rica for a 2 part adventure of epical proportions - first we search for the elusive sloth in the tropical forests around the Arenal stratovolcano and second Brian tries to catch a Tuna using just his bare hands and teeth along the Playa Conchal

Tropical forests - find the sloth and win a chicken dinner!

The Playa

How hard can it be to get a family photo? Haha - the gang minus Eva

There's Eva! Just chill'n....

Arenal

The Arenal volcano tries to make a brief appearance from behind the clouds....

Did I mention brief? Clouds roll in....

Tropical rain forest perhaps?

Much time was spent exploring the rain forests in search of sloths...

Is that one over there?

Maybe along the river?

Down there perhaps?

Or maybe up in the trees? says Eva

Wait - whats that in the tree? Kinda looks like a man-bear-pig!

otherwise known as a 2-toed sloth!

Not to be confused with its unrelated cousin the 3-toed sloth!

not to be confused with the poison dart frog

or Spider monkeys

just hang'n

Not to be confused with the Howler monkey

just leap'n

Definitely not a sloth

just chill'n

When they're not searching for sloths the gang goes horseback riding

horse

waterfall watching

waterfall swimming

said waterfall

tropical fruit eating

and picture taking

rumour has it much time was spent at the pool and hot springs but since no pictures exist it must just be a rumour!

Soon its time to catch our ride to the Playa!

Playa Conchal

Beach selfie

Eva enjoys chill'n on the beach

While Brian just can't wait to get his toes wet

what;s a beach with out long walks

in search of striking vistas

and sunsets

even a sunset cruise

Outside of sloths and things you see while looking for sloths (ie Poison Dart frogs), Costa Rica has an abundance of flowers.

and birds

Our cleaning staff got a little creative and left us some towel art....

Bear

monkey

happy and relaxed vacationers

soon it was time to fly home - pretty clouds over the gulf

Star Gazing on the beach