PASEOS

What is a Paseo you say? Well, the spanish-english dictionary says it is a walk or a drive, but that doesn't exactly explain it. In other words we don't really have an english word that does it justice. It is more like a field trip, a mini vacation, an outing, a short trip. Something like that. Much more fun than just a walk or drive. And we've had a chance to enjoy some of our own paseos since we arrived here in Costa Rica. We have mentioned all of them in our email updates but thought we would include some pictures and expound a little more. Some fellow students took a "paseo" this weekend to see the Panama canal. We chose not to go as we felt our bodies are too old to ride in a bus over night for 17 hours, spend 17 hours in Panama, and then get back on the bus for 17 more hours over night to arrive back here this afternoon totally exhausted! I would need all of next week off to recover. So, I guess we will look at pictures of the canal. It can't look that much different from the Mississippi River lock and dam system can it? (Just kidding)

We have been introduced to many new different types of fruits and vegetables since we have arrived. The first weekend or so we were here we went to a farmer's market, or otherwise called a Feria here in Costa Rica. We learned about camote, cayote, and other names I can no longer remember. But our Tica mom continues to educate us. She brought home some Granadillas to try or aka passion fruit. Below is a picture:
The outside varies in color from green to yellowish-orange. The inside has a soft cushion to protect the seeds, and okay, if you think the inside looks like fish eggs, you are right, it does. But actually they are seeds encased in their own little slimy casing and you eat the seed and all. The coating has a very sweet good flavor but the seeds have an earthly flavor I didn't care for. And as for the consistency, kind of like fish eggs. :-) So now we have tasted the delicacy of granadillas!

We also have taken some day "paseos" to downtown San Jose. One day when we went we had Pizza Hut pizza and it was the BEST pizza hut pizza we had ever had. We were missing North American food a little bit that day. Here are some highlight pictures from downtown San Jose.
This is a picture of the front entrance to The National Museum, with yes, a construction truck going through with no room to spare!

At the fish market:


We have taken a couple "paseos" to the orhpanage in Atenas but don't have any good pictures of the kids yet, we will save that for another day. Our last big adventure we have taken is our trip to El Tortuguero on the Caribbean coast. We took a boat ride through the rain forest, walked on the beach looking for hatching baby turtles. We saw evidence but no babies. But that night we got to go on the beach with a guide and watch a mother green sea turtle of approximately 200 pounds lay her eggs in a hole in the sand she dug and then watch her bury the eggs with her fins. It was fascinating but we couldn't take any pictures because it would scare the turtle and it was too dark any way. But we did get some great wildlife pictures and have included a few below.

Toucans

Basilisk Lizard

Spider monkey

White faced monkey (we also saw howler monkeys but didn't get any pictures)

Rose colored spoon bill
This bird stuck his bill underwater and scanned the bottom back and forth for food just like a metal detector. It was funny to watch!

This bird (sorry I can't remember it's name) dives under water for his food but doesn't have oil on his feathers like a duck so after diving he hangs his wings out to dry. They were all over and really funny looking.

Paseo or not, there is Spanish to be learned!

A baby green heron in its nest.

A big baby bird in its nest looking for his mama. Who by the way wasn't very far away making lots of noise! Sorry don't remember what kind.

Those dark grey spots that kind of look like holes in the tree, they are bats sleeping their day away. There are 8 of them. Can you see them? (You can click on the picture to make it bigger.)


Thanks for sharing in our paseos with us. Isn't God's creation just amazing!

It feels weird to be on the mission field sharing about all our outings and fun adventures, but I guess this is a season of studying with a chance to see the beautiful country of Costa Rica. We will get our chance to share mission stories soon enough! God bless!