Monday, June 14, 2010

Another Awesome Weekend



This weekend, we were able to head out of town again. This time we took a four hour ride northwest from San Jose to the town of La Fortuna. We were going to in hopes of seeing the active volcano Arenal.




This picture was from Saturday morning. We woke up to the sound of the haller monkeys outside our cabin. So after we watched those loud but small monkeys, we were able to see an amazing sunrise. We were actually above the clouds.


















That Saturday morning the air was crisp, and we had a beautiful view of the volcanoe. While looking around the volcanoe had another erruption, and then the smoke covered the mountain again.













After breakfast, the girls and Judy saddled up on their "ponies" and rode into the wild wild jungle. They were able to take a 2 1/2 hour horseback ride starting at the base of the volcano, through the rainforest to a lake at the bottom of the volcano. The girls had a wonderful time, with some beautiful pictures and memories.































































































































The hotel we stayed at was wonderful. They had lots of pools, mostly with water heated from the Volcano. There were many pools cascading down the property, with super fast slides. The girls loved the slides, and Dave, Judy and I loved the hotpools.

After the girls had their horseback ride, we were in the pools for quite a while. We were all sitting in one of the hot pools, watching the rain storm come. You could see it start to cover the mountain. Then the rain started.

It was a wonderful feeling, being in a hotpool, with the cooling rain coming down on our faces.

Incredible.

It gets better.

After diner, our van driver piles us in the van for a 50 minute ride to the north side of the volcanoe, in hopes to see the volcano in "action".

The ride was crazy. Imagine being in the rainforest in the middle of the night.
It was so dark.

We went off the paved road, and drove down a long windy road for 30 minutes.
Along the way, we saw a beautiufl display of lava spraying from the top.

We parked, and walked a short way to an amazing viewe of the volcano.

While we were there, we were able to see the mountain display some small eruptions. You could see the lava come from the top of the mountain, and then tumble down. It was Amazing.

It was totally cool. I can't think of any other way to put it.

The next morning we were able to go to a local church.

Again, completely blown away by the Spirit, and God's generous people.

We were treated so special. The church was small, only about 40-50 people at most. But the worship was genuine, and you could feel His presence there. They had someone interpret the sermon for us, We of course were humbled.

The girls even ventured to children's church.

We left feeling inspired by the pastor's sermon.

On the way home we stopped in a small town outside San Jose. That is where the famous ox-carts are made. The ox cart is the traditional way the Cost Rican people got around. They have the world's largest ox cart, according to the Guiness book of wolrd records. It was a beautiful city. The same paintings that they use on the ox cart, they have on bridges, signs, benches, and trash cans. It was really lovely.

We came completely exhausted, but fulfilled.

Pura Vida!
Pure life, as they say here in Costa Rica.

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