So after 2 days of sadness and despair, we now find our heroes jubilant, victorious and celebrating with an impromptu Volcano dance, or as we like to call it, "La Grande Fuego". (EdC; our costa-spanish is lacking but with a bit of creativity....)

That's right folks, we got fire, we got lava, we got thunderous rumbling, we got red hot rocks the size of a Buick rolling down the mountain. In the day it just looks like a mountain with some smoky looking landslides here and there - at night it really is a volcano... when there's a gap in the cloud.

We've used up our three days at the Arenal volcano and once again had a pretty great time. Lots of sitting and playing with the mawcaws, lots of trying to take pictures of elusive random colourful birds, plenty of time observing wild pigs (yes pigs folks, its quite surprising how interesting a pig can be when you're sitting on a deck in gorgeous weather, sipping a fruity drink, wondering why 32 degrees doesn't seem all that hot). We also did a tiny bit of exercise, walking a trail through the rain forest across multi swinging bridges about 50m above the rain forest.

And now we've driven to the Pacific coast, along some potholed dust roads and the odd very shaky looking bridge - Trying to find Playa Grande (Huge Beach) first we accidentally reached Tamarindo (the GPS gets radically confused, not us of course) which was an endless stretch of finished and half finished resorts of varying sizes, swarming with hardy looking surfers and more sophisticated bods - then to our intended destination, Playa Grande.

Which sounds like it ought to be McResort Central, but it isn't at all. Almost desolate in comparison, right on the edge of the national park so development is strictly restricted - ambient light would otherwise upset the nesting turtles.

Even though the turtles are currently absent and not expected till October, Ralph instantly declared we'd stay for the next three months. One big bar/restaurant open to paradise garden on three sides, about ten chalet bedrooms, tiny but decorated in deep organic parrot colours with original art works on the walls. The kind of place they provide sarongs as well as towels but you have to stumble to the back of a room to find a light switch.

Oh, might it make a difference Ralph, that there's a 50 horsepower ceiling fan as well as air conditioning?! And the Great Waltini, the owner I guess, has a reputation, endorsed by Ralph, as the ultimate chef.
Add to this, another checky parrot... oh so friendly til it takes a chunk out of your arm! (EdC: it didn't mean to be mean, macaws just use their beaks as a third hand) And finally a pool thats nearly warmer than body temperature.

There's also the most beautiful jays, stellar jays the owner told us, but not at all like the Stellar Jays in vancouver. The owner described them as rats, seagulls, thieves & most unwelcome!