Happy New Year!

Since the last blog; we’ve seen a turtle laying eggs; bought a bike; and celebrated a new year.

Early this past week, we were at the beach and had just found a log to put our feet up on, when a man came up to us and told us that a turtle was laying eggs further up the beach. 

We hopped on our bikes and went over to have a look.  There were lots of people there to watch; and he told me about some of the process.  Apparently she can be hours, and hours laying  anywhere from 60 to 100 eggs. 

When she’s done, she covers up the eggs with sand, and heads on back to the ocean.  It’s up to the babies, once hatched, to make it to the ocean themselves. 

Mike and Joey got to help move some babies to the ocean on New Years Eve day, but no pictures as he didn’t have the camera.  They were heading to get wood for our fire and stopped at the turtle sanctuary.  We’re hoping to get there sometime this week.

Joe, our neighbour from Indiana, decided to head home early; and sold us his bike for $60; and is it ever nice to have a bike to get around this town.  We can get just about anywhere within a few minutes… the grocery store; the beach; restaurants… you name it, and it’s an easy ride.

The bikes that we have are called “beach” cruisers.  No gears… only go as fast as the user; and when you want to stop; pedal backwards.  They have wide tires, and are great for riding on the beach. 

We’ve only taken a cab a couple of times, usually from the grocery store.  It costs 570 colones which is $1.35 to open the door; and by the time we arrive at the condo a few blocks up, it’s still at 570 colones.  I usually give the driver 700 which is about $1.40... Pretty cheap!

We took our bikes up to our old neighbourhood one day this week.  Only got a short ways up the hill before we had to get off and walk the bikes up.  Don’t miss that hill… at all! 

The place looked the same and we stopped in to say hello to Michael.  He and a few guys developed the whole area; and he also helped to call a cab for us when I needed medical attention last year.  Very nice man, and he was really happy to see us. 

Then on New Years Eve, we headed over to Papas & Burgers for a late dinner, before heading over to the beach to meet up with Joey & Eida for New Years Eve celebrations.  We had been eating turkey since Christmas Day, turkey pieces at lunch, turkey sandwiches for supper, then when the meat was done, turkey soup.  And even though we both really like turkey, we both really wanted something different.

There were probably 40 in our group; their daughters and all of their friends; plus lots of Americans and Tico‘s.  Joey had a separate fire for a grill; and during the night; hot dogs, fish and corn were on the grill.

Of course, we just blended in to the 1000’s of other people that were out there.  First time in mine or Mike’s life to spend New Years on a beach; and it’s something that we won’t forget for a long time.

Some of you will remember me talking about the fireworks from last year.  Started shortly after 6pm and stopped somewhere around 5 in the morning.  At midnight there were so many fireworks going off that you didn’t know where to look… Well, it wasn’t quite as long, or as many this year; but boy oh boy, what a show!

Like I said, there were 1000’s of people on the beach; didn’t matter where you looked, there were groups of people.  Playing music, beach fires blazing… some of them were massive!  And of course at midnight the beach was just lit up in all directions.

People cheering, whistling, horns beeping… what a sight!  And yes, Mike and I even got a bottle of Malibu rum to sip on for the night… I know what a shocker eh?!

We finally gave up and headed home just before 2 and were in bed by 2:30.  What a night!  We hope that all of you had also had a memorable, New Years Eve.  And we want to wish all of our family, friends and followers a safe, healthy and happy 2012!

Feel free to click here to look at our pictures.