ARENAL - 26 MARCH

CHILLING OUT!

STRESSING OUT!

COFFEE AND CHOCOLATE!

SPA WILDLIFE

ROOM AT CERO CHATO!

Up early. Callie decides to do last minute white water rafting and is off in seconds! Luc and mom opt for the more relaxed adventure - Baldi Mineral Springs - as recommended by Miguel. The plan was to take the family to Tabacon Springs - where I went with Uri in 2005. But now it seems you have to reserve and Miguel was sure that Luc would enjoy Baldi more.

It is a struggle to get internet. We end up parking in the street next to a restaurant and logging into their system! Baldi is very quiet when we get there. It is much more built up and less natural than Tabacon, and I must say Tabacon is much better. But the waterslide is a hit with Luc - who was brave enough to slide down - he misjudged the slide and came down screaming and trying to break - then went flying in the air! We move down from pool to pool - most of them are heated. There are big pools and small pools - spa pools and pools with beds inside!

By 1 I am tired of all the water and decide to go for a treatment - coffee body scrub, followed by chocolate mask and massage. The treatment rooms are all wooden platforms with bamboo blinds, situated around a very hot pool. Luc has a field day assisting the beautician with my treatments - helping to scrub me and also trying to taste the chocolate mask - which did not taste anything like chocolate - much to his disgust!!!

We leave at 3 to pick up Callie who should be home after his white water rafting. He was not at all impressed with the company who took them out. He was in a boat with 3 French men and a Canadian. There was little water and it seems that the guide did not know what he was doing - they did a lot of swimming and the French loved Callie’s French comment about the guide (we will not repeat what he said, but it was something that Stephan taught him in the jungle!).

We go for early dinner at Lava Lounge in Fortuna. The Casado (local dish) is once again a favourite and Luc is now just as much in love with black beans and rice as his mother! Callie and Luc goes back to Baldi Springs. The two boys enjoy the waterslide - but Callie, in a brave (or stupid) moment decides to go down head first, and nearly end up with whip lash!

It rains a lot, but the boys enjoy every minute. Monique spends some more serious time preparing for interview at Crystal Cathedral. We are once again all exhausted by 9!