First of all, some corrections and additions on my stay at the coffee plantation south of San Jose in the town of Jerico. The "Finca" is owned by JEANNETTE'S family who is married to KENNY, the brother of Laurie (and Glen), my sailing friends from Boston.

Kenny and Ginette live in Maine, but set things up for my stay in their second home next to the family home in Jerico, Costa Rica (CA).

There I met most of Jeannette's family, Don Francisca and Dona Celina, her parents, and Juan Bautiste, William, Olman, Celi, and Henry, her brothers and sister.

They immediatley made me feel at home in Jeannette's and Kenny's home.

My first day there I exlored the beautiful moutainous countryside, while Olman and Henry worked in the coffee fields.

That evening I said I wanted to join them the next day to work on the plantation....they looked at me like I was crazy (not too far off).

So the next morning I met Olman with his machetie. I asked him where mine was...he laughed and thought I was kidding, but he soon understood and gave me a machetie too.

After an hour hike straight up we arrived a the section to be cleared. After a short "course" on how to use this razor sharp tool, it was down to work. After 4 hours I was wacked out, and my hands had small cuts everywhere...but I was not going to give up until Olman called it a day - I had to prove that Canadians were tough ! (Beat that, Glen!!)

Finally an hour later, he said that was it for the day...thank you Olman...and we headed back down, stopping now and then to pull oranges off the trees...mmmmm.

As a coffee lover, it was a real treat to see some of what goes in to producing it...you can now call me "Juan Valdez" ! :-)

Returning to the farm, Olman made me lunch, and I slept the rest of the afternoon.

OK, now off to Playa Tamarindo to meet Julius, a friend of my doctor, Ivan Rohan.

Playa(beach) Tamarindo and nearby(1 km.), Playa Lagosta, is one of of the most beautiful and rapidly growing areas on the North Pacific coast of CR, and no wonder. The beaches are beautiful, uncrowded, warm ocean, and consistantly great weather.

In Lagosta where Julius has his beautiful home minutes from the beach...see "Photos", there is simply no more ocean front land available.

His spectacular home is available, by the way, for minimum rental periods of 2 - 3 weeks and it's a great deal !!! Let ME know if you are interested. (You can check out his developing web site at " www.TamarindoRentals.com ".

Julius decided long ago he was just fed up with the rat race up north and set up his life here where he has been buying and developing prime realestate.

I spent a week with him wherein we shared our lives together, whether working on one of his latest construction sites, watching the sun rise and set over the beach, or eating fresh caught fish with our feet in the sand. He is a terrific guy and after a week it was hard to say goodby to Julius and Tamarindo. (Thank you, Ivan Rohan).

Now it was time to head home, but not without stopping in Mexico D.F. to celebrate Mexican Independence Day - Sept.15th - with Miguel, Roberto and friends of (Club) Motolatino, to be followed a week later by a visit with my old Crand Canyon hiking buddy, Lou Martin, in New orleans