Count Down...

Hola!  Today is our last day here at the Bat House in Cuidad Colon, Costa Rica.  And, yes, it's called the Bat House because at sometime in the past, apparently there were bats staying on the premises.  A follower mentioned something about vacations coming to an end.  I'll have to admit that Bill & I don't think in terms of "vacations" these days...  since we are full-time RVers our life is just one adventure after another.  


Yesterday, Saturday, we headed down to the Farmer's Market.  Since we'll be flying back to the States on Monday morning we didn't buy anything.  We had hoped to say goodbye to Debra, the caterer we'd met and who invited us to her home.  We had forgotten that she wouldn't be there as her daughter is getting married his weekend.  


We bought our baked goods at the local panaderia instead.  Now, there are at least 3 different bakeries as you walk around the block.  We've tried them all..  prefer one for their bread, another for their cinnamon buns, and don't care for the third one at all.  Isn't it funny how you come to have your favorite haunts, even if you live in a place only a month?

I wanted to check out the Cultural Center again...  

 This time I saw this man practicing the cello (is that right?)

 And this young boy at the piano...

 And, my favorite...  the little girls in the dance studio (taken through the glass window)

This boy was having a guitar lesson...  

I peeked in some other rooms...  there was a large group of elementary age kids in a circle...  maybe learning a dance.

And there were a couple of empty rooms...

just waiting for the next student to arrive.

We enjoy the market's array of fruits and vegetables, but we also enjoy just watching the people...

Here's Bill...  in the plaza

Just hanging out....

We're home by noon....    Usually I have laundry hanging on the clothesline and by noon it's dry.  Even the denim jeans!  But I want to get home to take everything in,  since we are into the rainy season, the thunderstorms can come up real quick in the afternoons. 

At the end of yesterday's blog I wrote something about not knowing what new critters might show up in our yard...

This guy (and all his relatives) isn't new.  In fact, I think he was the welcoming committee when we first got here...

These guys are usually in the tree above our house...  pulling off the nuts...  and dropping the shells on our roof.  This activity starts around 5:00 am each morning and continues off and on all day long.  

But yesterday we were treated to TWO new critters...

The Malachite Butterfly

It's hard to show the pale green that this guy actually is.  He looks a lot like a Monarch, except instead of orange, he's green.  I am always thrilled when I spot one.  This one stayed around most of the afternoon, but was too high in the tree for me to get a good shot with his wings open.

AND....  the prize of the day!

Bill looked out the huge picture window in the late afternoon...  saw this guy.  At first we thought it was the clay-colored robin...  but as it emerged from the underbrush we knew it wasn't...  then...  dove?  no...  OH MY GOODNESS!  Look at that blue eye stripe!  Quick!  Get the field guide!  Oh... there's a pair of birds!!!

Found him in the book...  he's a 

Lesser Ground Cuckoo

We watched them until they disappeared in the dense growth that border the yard.  Guess it doesn't take much to get us excited.

Now it's 7am, Sunday morning...  

I'll go to the 10:00 mass in town.... Bill will probably walk in and meet me at 11:30...  we'll walk to the panaderia for a fresh loaf of bread...  then walk home together....

And after lunch I'll drag out the suitcases...

Try my best to keep each one under 40 pounds....

Remember to keep the toiletries separate....

Keep out tomorrow's underwear and travel clothes...

(travel clothes = heaviest clothes we brought)

We'll say goodbye to Barbara & Richard, who were so helpful when my laptop crashed...

Say goodbye to Vanessa, who has helped us make reservations for our outings...

Say goodbye to Jose....  in whatever language he and Bill are using today...

Say Goodbye to the Bat House

We thank all the above for showing us how beautiful Costa Rica is and how friendly and hospitable.

This has been another fantastic adventure!

That's All For Today....

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