So here is our view and a few other pics on or from our deck at the lodge.
Quite amazing.
When we first got there in the afternoon, we could see the volcano pretty clearly and as the afternoon wore on, the clouds moved in and at some points, we couldn't see it at all - just clouds. At dinnertime, we asked our waiter about this and he said, "it will be seen clearly in 3 or 4 hours." And then it rained and we thought we were going to be out of luck - in fact, after Ella fell asleep at dinner, we headed back to our room and went to be around 9. Bummer. We didn't see any lava flow...
Well then at about 11, we had an eruption - unfortunately it was Ella... her spaghetti dinner didn't settle well. So while I was up cleaning her up, Mom suggested I look and see if there was anything to see ----OMIGOSH!!!!!!!!!!!!! God sure works in mysterious ways because if Ella hadn't gotten sick, we would have slept right through it. Our waiter was correct. We could see the volcano clearly and even with a light orange glow at the top of the cone. Then as we watched, small streams of orange began making their way down the side of the volcano. I so wish that I could tell you that I have pictures of it but we didn't even attempt it, knowing it would do no justice to what we were watching.
So, we each grabbed a blanket and cuddled up in the chairs on the deck - me with Ella wrapped tightly in with me and then a bath towel between us and the garbage can just inches away. She threw up about every 5 minutes for about 3 hours... poor thing... but in between we oohed and aahed at what we were seeing. I guess if you have to be up with a sick child, there's no better way to do it. And seriously, we would have missed it had she not gotten sick!!! God is good, eh? (the Canadian neighbors are rubbing off on me!!! :))
Mom tried to wake Meg around midnight and she wouldn't budge. When Ella began to dose off and seem like maybe she wasn't going to throw up on such a regular basis, I put her in bed and then pulled Meg out of bed. Poor thing. It was probably about 3 by then and she couldn't even keep her eyes open. I pulled her out of bed and onto the deck and tried to show her.... she doesn't remember it at all.... Ella on the other hand, can't stop talking about it!!! And neither can Mom or I!!!
So here is a map of Costa Rica -- we drove from the north west coast between Coco and Panama all the way over to Arenal. Thought this would give you some perspective...
This Blue Macaw is wild. He and his/her companion are always around the grounds - so again, they must be fed but so cool to see right up close and personal!
We played in the jacuzzi
Meg took this picture - my dad had taken one like it and she thought it was cool and liked that all of our toes are red!!!
Can you see the hearts on the inside of these flowers ---
Orange one on Mom's arm
This beautful butterfly looks like the blue one above when his wings are opened up --- he had just come out of his cocoon and Mom told me that she read that he is taking in fluid through his proboscis to make his wings more rigid before he can fly. We came back after our rainforest walk and he was no longer on the cocoon but surprised us when we noticed him sitting on the shelf very close by.
Two of the smaller orange ones landed on Mom -- COOOL!!!!!!!!!!
Aren't they beautiful?
Ella took this one!!! We'll get her trained up for the paparazzi yet!!!
In this picture, Ella is facing the volcano and the building up above there is the lodge.
That's our silver Peugot - trusty lil' fella - parked in front of our room with the volcano in the background.
Ella marching out through the field to run off some energy after sitting in the car all morning. We arrived at the lodge around 2:30.
This is the sign at the top of the entrance road - and they aren't a-kiddin'!!! It was tight and twisty and so covered over with trees and vines and everything you think of growing in Costa Rica.
