Deep thoughts

Everyday has been beautiful,the view from anywhere in the house is amazing (including the garage - see right) and the property in general is phenomenal.

It's easy to get caught up in the wonder of it all, the tranquility, the sounds of nature (and the ants dragging away anything that met its demise).






Ants amaze me!  Yesterday I squashed what may have been a tiny scorpion with the leg of a patio chair.  The remains laid smashed on the tile floor.  Within 10 minutes, the bugs remains were surrounded by 30 or so ants and within 30 minutes, any evidence of the smashed bug was completely gone!

The picture to the left is a centipede that I probably stepped on by accident and it is being dismantled by the same efficient crew of ants.

I have little doubt that in an hour or so there will not be a spec of centipede left and the ants will be having a feast back home (a flower pot at the far edge of the patio).





The ants are polite little buggers though  because they seldom if ever seem to come into our house!

One needs to keep things in perspective though, understand the differences in culture, and take the pros with the cons.  If you research the web you can certainly find stories of crime here.  It does exist here and is unlikely to be pursued by the police or the courts very aggressively but then I think of back home in Minnesota.  Is it really any better?



As with anywhere, there are sporadic crime waves that occur here and there and a couple years ago, even though she had herself not been a victim, the owner's wife chose to go back to her perceived security of life in the states.  We often think about buying a property like this ourselves (and a partnership for this property is a real possibility) but in all fairness we have to also consider all sides and not let our current state of giddy excitement, blind us from considering all angles.

Yes, crime is one factor here but then I recalled the following facts about back home.  Grandma was robbed in her own driveway in Richfield, Mom's sister's house was robbed during the afternoon, Nathan had been stabbed (literally) in the back, and Rick was shot in the chest at point blank range at his home in the middle of the day.  NONE of the perpetrators were caught or prosecuted in any of those cases!



I have serious doubts that the police are any more motivated in the states than they are in Central America despite the fact that television shows like CSI and 48 hours convince you that a minute fragment of DNA can solve any crime.

So, it IS paradise here and one of the most beautiful countries we've been fortunate to visit.

We feel so fortunate to experience the beauty of the world, the cultures,and the people. I truly hope our friends and family take advantage of every  opportunity that presents itself.

View from our patio (Pacific Ocean at the top of the picture above).

The evenings are spectacular with the sounds of cicadas and frogs in the air, brightly flashing fireflies, and skies filled with stars that I've long since forgotten because of the light pollution in the states that drowns them out.  Anyone recall seeing the Big Dipper lately back in the states?

We can hardly wait to see the monkeys, sloths, wild pigs, Toucans, and (snakes from a distance) that reportedly all live nearby.  The jungle reserve is just up the hill behind the house and there is supposedly another band of monkeys down the road where we take our walks.

So last note on security.  I have, for the last couple trips seem to have gained an affinity for protecting our home with a big stick.

It not only protects us from evil but can be used to ward off the wild pigs and snakes mentioned above.





Thanks to Jackie Chan for all I've learned about stick combat.  We even have one we found made of Bamboo!  We've got two extra bedrooms if anyone is interested :-)