Baers,

What a great day this has been in the cloud forest around Arenal Volcano!

Our Nicaraguan breakfast preparer Lillian did her magic today. Then her daughter Dayana arrived at our house and gave both Junior and me a big hug. Wonderful way to start the day.

The ‘cold front’ that has had us socked in with rain and fog partially broke today. Eventually, we had a magnificent view of maybe the bottom 80% of Arenal Volcano. The top 20% is still shrouded in clouds. We can see the lava trails, but no currently glowing lava. I wish you could all see the view that spreads out before us.

Junior and I finally roused ourself from off our butts before lunch, pulled on our boots and hiking gear, gathered up two of the walking sticks from the owner’s collection, and hiked the ‘trail’ down to the river and its ‘catarata’, or rapids. It was a tough slog, especially on the steep uphill end of the trek. But we made it and consoled ourselves that we finally got some exercise.

We also saw the ‘white hawk’ soaring over this that gives its name to this property: ‘Home of the White Hawk’.

We’ve spent long hours reading on the balcony, occasionally looking up from our books to wonderful birds and the landscape I’ve described. In today’s sunlight, the deep greens and blues are phenomenal.

We fired up the mini-SUV at about 5:00 p.m. and drove to ‘John’s Pizza’. As expected, we were the only customers. It’s a half-finished building where the widow and step-daughter of a North American named ‘John’ who died three years ago carry on the pizza tradition. We ordered up a pizza with garlic, olives, and basil. We agree that it may have been the  best pizza we’ve every had in our lives. And the mother-and-daughter crew were so warm and wonderful.

I had to find a way to coax a gorgeous large-ish hummingbird out of the house this morning after the darling little bird (a Fly Catcher?) that got inside yesterday morning. And then I had to pick up two large and personality-rich grasshoppers tonight and usher them back outside. Karen says I’ve become the Jungle Wildlife Whisperer.

Then came the great news about Danny Jon Baer!

So far, this is one of our best vacations ever. And to think that just a few days ago this seemed like an unwelcome interruption to more serious matters.

Love,

Dad/Dave