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Us Discovering the Latin Americas

a travel blog by ryan & debbrial


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Happy Birthday Ryan!

Fortuna, Costa Rica


Jim Beam, Sling Shot, 4 Lighters, Cigar, and American Flag Air Fresher
Happy Birthday!! Today is Ryan’s birthday. We started off the day by waking up early and making breakfast: eggs, bacon, rice and beans, a typical Central America breakfast. After we were done Henrik, Emil, Pierre (the Swedish) and Erik (Norwegian) sang Ryan “Happy Birthday” in Swedish and gave him birthday presents. A bottle of Jim Bean, four lighters, a cigar, a sling-shot (inside joke) and an air freshener for the van. Craig bought him a pair of board shorts, a bottle of rum and a key chain for the van. Very generous of all of them and Ryan is very thankful.

Ryan's Birthday Presents

After breakfast we all got ready for our white water rafting tour. The bus picked us up at 8:30 AM with 5 other people on it. It was an hourish drive to the river with one stop at a souvenir shop surrounded by 200+ iguanas. Our tour guide on the bus is a local Costa Rican, Tico. He is also a professional kayak rafter whom traveled around the United States for 5 years competing. Back on the bus, before we got to the river, he told us all about this river “Toro Rio” or “Bull River” which was suppose to be class 3-4 rapids. When we got to the drop point on the river he suited up for his kayak while we met with three other rafting guides. A kayaker went ahead of our rafts to check out the rapids and give direction to the rafting guides.


Getting Ready for Rafting
Anyways we all suited up; 3 rafts in total and headed out. Ryan, Craig, me and other guy were in one raft while the other 4 guys were in another. Within 20 minutes we could tell our guide was the best of the three. He liked doing tricks like 180 spins around boulders, surfing the back currents, hitting all the big rapids and 360s. Half way through the white water rafting we took a break for fresh pineapple, watermelon and oranges. The pineapple is by far my favorite. Two and half hours on the river and we finally came to the end of our rafting trip.

White Water Rafting on Toro Rio
Unanimously….Tons of FUN!! After a hot lunch and cold beers, provided by the tour, we were all excited, exhausted, really wet, happy and fat. We got back to the hostel and relaxed for a while before drinking more beers, Whiskey and coke and going out to a bar to continue celebrating Ryan‘s birthday. At the end of the night Ryan said “This has been one of the best Birthdays, Who would have thought!”.



permalink written by  ryan & debbrial on November 6, 2009 from Fortuna, Costa Rica
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Busy Day in the Cloud Forest

Monte Verde, Costa Rica

Yesterday we drove from La Fortuna to Monteverde, Coast Rica. Not a bad drive except it always seems to start pissing down rain right before we get to our destination making it harder to find where we are going. The drive took most of the day and the rain took the rest. On the other hand we made up for yesterday’s idleness today.

Activity #1. Bright and early ( not exaggerating since we had like 4 sky-lights in our room) we left the hostel at 6:30 AM for the Monteverde Cloud Forest. The ideal conditions for the cloud forest are: 1st dense, foggy clouds almost to the point of spookiness throughout the forest followed by 2nd clear open skies at the continental divide viewing point where you can see the Pacific and Caribbean sides of Costa Rica.


Monte Verde Cloud Forest
Unfortunately, this wasn’t quit the case for our hike. It was clear through the forest and cloudy at the continental divide. Too bad. The hike was pretty cool though. A few times we stood

Early morning hike in Monte Verde Cloud Forest
complete still and listened to the morning sounds of tropical forest waking up for the day.

Hummingbird at Monte Verde

Hummingbird at Monte Verde


Activity #2. Zip-line Canopy Tour with “Xtremo” tour company. Their canopy package consist of 13 zip-lines ranging from 50 meters to 1000 meters long and up to 200 meters high, a rappelling line, the Tarzan swing and the last and longest Superman zip-line. We all harnessed up and were ready to fly through the sky.


Ryan flying across the forest canopy
On most of the zip-lines we soared through and over the canopy trees. There were three zip-lines (including the Superman) that crossed the valley which had a view of green grass hills, small farm house and cows grazing. It was a spectacular sight. On the third zip-line one of the guides asked me if I wanted to do it upside down: feet in the air head down. YEAH of course!! So I sat backwards and he sat in front of me forwards. He pushed off and flipped me upside down. IT was SO COOL until all the blood started rushing to my head. Hahaha. The Superman zip-line was another cool one. The guides turned our harnesses around to our backs, tied up our legs and sent us flying across the valley on the 1000 meter line like “Superman”.

Superman Zip-Line
Once again unanimously as a group we agreed the Tarzan swing was the best. We stood on top of a small platform while the guide attached our harness to the rope and pulley. Then it was bend your knees and he PUSHED you off. We free-fell for about 5 seconds then swung way out over the cliff into the canopy trees. Definitely the scariest ride but so much FUN!

Debb coming in HOT

Activity #3. Driving to San Jose. We got back to the hostel from zip-lining packed up the rest of our stuff and headed out of town. It was about a 3 hour drive to San Jose if the roads were good and the rain was light. In actually it took us closer to 4 hours cause the roads weren’t good (traffic) and the rain was heavy at times. Nevertheless we found a hostel in the city pretty easily. We chilled out for the night cause tomorrow it was another long day driving to Puerto Viejo on the Caribbean side of Costa Rica.

OH YEAH AND.......


Ryan cut his Dreadlocks off




permalink written by  ryan & debbrial on November 8, 2009 from Monte Verde, Costa Rica
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Chill'n, Relaxing, Chill'n

Puerto Viejo, Costa Rica

We arrived in Puerto Viejo (Caribbean side of Costa Rica) on Monday afternoon and have just been chill’n since. Ryan and I are staying at a really cool colorful, open-air hostel called Rocking J’s.

Rocking J..... all Tile
And we are camping.

Debb & Ryan in our Tent

Yea finally using our tent, mattress pads (we bought in Honduras) and our silk sheets. The hostel has like 50 tents, 80 hammocks, 30 dorm beds and a few private rooms all different prices, but if you have your own tent it is cheapest.

The hostel looks like a giant tree House made of wood, corrugated aluminum, steel and tiles, tiles and more tiles. It is right on the beach so we can hear the waves crashing on shore when we fall asleep (when the drunk people aren’t up so late making noise) but it is not a very good swimming spot cause the reef is really close to shore. Puerto Viejo, the town, is pretty cool too with a hippie surfer, Caribbean style to it.


Ryan & Debbrial on the Beach

Puerto Viejo Beach

So like I said the last few days we have been just chill’n…..taken a couple swims on the beach near town, laid in hammocks reading, played on the internet, walking laps around town, watched movies on a projection screen outside on the internet café and rented beach cruiser bikes.



Debb & Ryan in front of Giant Bamboo trees
Craig, Ryan and I went for a bike ride yesterday to Punta Uva, a beach 6 km south of Puerto Viejo. Riding a bike on the rocky, pothole-filled dirt roads is just about as fun as driving Chiquimula, the van, down them. Anyways we got to Punta Uva pretty quickly and decided to ride our bikes on the beach to the end of the cove. This was NOT as easy as expected- trying to stay on the water packed sand while dodging the waves as they came on shore. I almost fell over like twice. This sandy beach ended at a junglely rock point and Ryan of course wanted to go climbing through the jungle. So we locked up our bikes and had our first “unknown exotic trek” through the jungle. Oooooooo. I am not going to lie I was a little scared but there ended up being a path that took us to the edge of the rock point over the sea; it was no big deal. After our “jungle trek” we took a dip in the sea then headed back to town. Now the funny part, at least I thought so. Half way back Craig hit a pothole and the chain on his bike started skipping. It sounded like it was off the track but it wasn’t. SO Ryan had to tow him all the way back using his bike lock chain. They were swerving potholes, rocks, cars, kids, dogs, etc. We finally made it back and that was our Big Adventure in Puerto Viejo.

Ryan towing Craig on Bikes

OH YEAH…I ALMOST FORGOT….Ryan and I are adopting one of the Rocking J’s stray kittens. There are 3 here skinny and cute; we really warmed to one of them. We named her, “Flip Flop” and have been feeding and playing with her for the last week. We asked the hostel staff about the kittens and they said, “The owner is planning on getting rid of them (finding good homes) soon so they don’t continue to breed and hang around the hostel.” Perfect!! So tomorrow when we leave Puerto Viejo Flip Flop is coming with us. :)


permalink written by  ryan & debbrial on November 12, 2009 from Puerto Viejo, Costa Rica
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Bad Luck vs. Good Luck

Puerto Viejo, Costa Rica

Friday the 13th….Bad Luck or Good Luck?? We woke up this morning to pouring rain. It had been raining most of the night and will continue for 10 days according to the weather forecast. Our friends Emil, Henrik and Erik were suppose to ride bikes down to Panama today. Oh a little background on this. Like I mentioned before Puerto Viejo is a hippie, surfer town and most the tourist and locals ride around on beach cruisers. So Emil, Henrik and Erik got the good idea to buy some beach cruiser and ride the 30 km to the Panama boarder and then on to Panama City after hitting some islands off the coast of Panama for a week or so. Sooo anyways when we and they woke up today and saw the heavy rain we all were disappointed. Bad Luck 1 vs. Good Luck 0.

Our plan was to wake up, have breakfast, grab Flip Flop and Craig and head back to San Jose for his flight home. But because of the rain we could not find Flip Flop anywhere. We stuck around for 2 hours hoping she would show up but she didn’t. We were both bummed. Bad Luck 2 vs. Good Luck 0.

The other guys were staying at another hostel for the week. When we got there to pick up Craig Erik told us he was going to sell his bike and come with us to San Jose. When the bike idea got shot down because of the 10 day rain storm he booked a flight to South America. After we packed their stuff in the van Ryan said. “We can go back to Rocking J’s and look for Flip Flop one more time.” That’s what we did. Low and behold as things always go she had showed up just after we left. YEA!! I grabbed her and we were on the road. Bad Luck 2 vs. Good Luck 1.

Twenty minutes out of Puerto Viejo the rain had stopped and we were making good time to San Jose with not much traffic. An hour on the road and we hit a GAINT pothole. The biggest yet. Oh Crap… our back left tire got a flat.


Flat Tire
Luckily Ryan and planned for this when we bought the car; we had a spare tire and a jack. With a little “Mac Gyver” skills using rocks from the side of the road he changed the flat in no time. Bad Luck 3 vs. Good Luck 1.

Ryan's "Mac Gyver" tire change

Fixing the Flat Tire, stupid Pot holes

Down the road we came across a Bridgestone tire store, bought a new tire (cause the old one had a bulge in it even after the hole was fixed) and continued on. Bad Luck 3 vs. Good Luck 2.

We arrived in San Jose with no other problems. Good Luck 3. Found a hostel and all decided with the way the day had gone we were just going relax at the hostel instead of going out for our last night together.

In the end the score was even Bad Luck 3 vs. Good Luck 3. So Friday the 13th Bad or Good Luck??… well I guess this time its unsettled.



permalink written by  ryan & debbrial on November 13, 2009 from Puerto Viejo, Costa Rica
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Shitty, Kitty, Shit

San Jose, Costa Rica

Last night we left Flip Flop in the van since we could not take her in the hostel with us (with food and water and cool temperatures). We checked on her several times before bed. She was so cute sleeping on the dashboard. In the morning she was still there sleeping. Oooohhhh. But wait, not so cute was her kitty shit all over both the front seats and one of the back seats. Well what did we expect. She had no were else to go. After a quick breakfast we went out and got some kitty supplies: fabric cleaner, paper towels, kitty litter and a throw-away cooking pan for her litter box. We already have cat food and bowls. Later in the day we bought a cute-like orange harness, red leash and Craig bought her / us a small cat bed with pillow as a last good-bye gift. Flip Flop is all set up. Now comes the hard part, potty training.

On the way to dropping off Craig and Erik at the airport Flip Flop started to cry mew. She was walking around the front of the van looking at me, looking at Ryan, looking at me and Ryan. Then she climbed up on Ryan’s lap, while he was driving, and started to dig at his crotch. Ooohh No she had to poop. I grabbed her while Craig quickly pulled the litter box from the back up front and I set her in it. More mewing. Scooping my fingers in the litter I tried to show her what to do but she wanted nothing to do with it. She just keep climbing out towards Ryan’s lap again. Still driving Ryan said, “Just put the litter box in my lap”. And I did with Flip Flop. And she did…shitty, kitty, shit. We were all cracking up. LOL. Her cute little kitten face was so concentrated. With a few scoops to cover it up she jumped off and was back to sleeping on the floor. LOL again!!


Flip Flop found where she wants to Poop...on Ryan's lap

Flip Flop Concentrating on Pooping




permalink written by  ryan & debbrial on November 14, 2009 from San Jose, Costa Rica
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Gearing up for the next adventures

San Jose, Costa Rica


Flip Flop
Not much going on the last few days just been hanging out in San Jose, but I thought I would give a brief update. Besides reading a lot and walking around the city what we really have been doing is trying to “litter box train” Flip Flop. Since she is going to be a traveling cat and live in the van with us it only makes sense that she has a place to do her business in the van and not on Ryan’s lap while he is driving. It has been a bit of a challenge cause her liter box is in the van (of course) down stairs in the garage of the hostel. So we are constantly going up and down.

Sleepy head

Flip Flop

Beside all the poopoo and we have also been waiting for my interview to get accepted into the International House Costa Rica, Instituto Britanico (certification school) for teaching English to foreign speakers. I had the interview today and it went well. I got accepted into the school and will be starting in February. The school is in a good, clean part of San Jose; an area called Los Yoses. There are lots of schools and institutions in the area, lots of apartments for rent, a grocery store near by and a mall. Seems like a good place to stay.

Today we also found out that we have been accepted as volunteers for a group in Granada, Nicaragua called La Esperanza Granada. The organization focuses on helping improve the local children’s education by working as kindergarten assistants, tutoring the primary school kids, teaching English in the schools, mentoring the high school kids, doing community research, doing arts and crafts and sports with the children and even taking them to the local dentist. However, we will be going there during their winter vacation, December and January, so we will be doing more playing than teaching I think.

  • **Here is the website if you want to check it out: http://la-esperanza-granada.org/


    • We will be in Costa Rica for another week and half then going back up to Nicaragua. Oh and Ryan got a hold of the guy he is suppose to work for…so we are going up to this guys hotel tomorrow for Ryan to do some handyman work in the hotel for the next week. Kinda a test run for both of them. If all goes well when we get back from volunteering in Nicaragua Ryan will work for this guy while I go to school.

    So I guess we have not been doing much lately but a lot has been happening.



    permalink written by  ryan & debbrial on November 17, 2009 from San Jose, Costa Rica
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    Our first Couch Surfing Experience

    Escazu, Costa Rica

    We left San Jose this morning before breakfast and headed to Escazu to meet up with the guy Ryan might get work from and to take Flip Flop to the veterinarian. (To put it a nice way in the last day or so she has been having stomach problems that hasn’t been coming out so pretty at the other end; plus we figured since she is a stray we should get her checked out.)

    Flip Flop sitting on the dash on the way to the vet

    Flip Flop watching traffic in San Jose
    Even though Escazu is only 7 km west of San Jose it took us about an 1 ½ hours to find our way there. Forty-five minutes of it was trying to navigate out of the city with all the streets with no numbers, no signs and constant one-way. I swear we drove in circles. Anyways once we finally got out of the city we were on the road back to the airport. Supposedly according to our “not so good” labeled map there was an exit to a cross inter-section on this highway that went to Escazu. We miss this too. Eventually we doubled back and found the signs for Escazu.

    First thing we did when we got into town was look for a veterinarian. Ryan looked one up in the phone book that spoke English. We drove around again in “circles” because of the no street numbers or street signs but at last found it. The doctor did a quick, brief exam of Flip Flop and said she was definitely sick but curable with a few medicines. He gave us a few minutes to discuss it and we sadly decided it would be too expensive to keep her. The vet said he would take care of her and might know someone who will pay for the medicine and adopt her. So that was that, GOOD BYE Flip Flop, We Love YOU!!!


    Flip Flop

    Later in the day we met up with the guy who Ryan is suppose to work for. We followed him to his hotel and discuss the potential work. Needless to say at the end of this meeting Ryan and I were both a bit apprehensive. Not so sure it is going to work out. He and the “work” is definitely not what we expected or hoped for.

    Anyways, back to a few days ago when we decided to come to Escazu. It is a local suburb to the city so we figured there would not be many hostels and it would be a good opportunity to try couch surfing. We put 4 request out to couch surfing hosts. The responses we got were: “No, sorry I am out of town”, “No I don’t have room in my place right now”, “No, I already have people staying with me” and one “Yes, I would happy to have you guys stay with me”. Yeah! The “yes” response came from a guy named Marlon. He is a native Costa Rican, born and raised in Escazu. He lives with his family- mother, father and one sister (20 yrs.). He is 25 years old and is an English major at the University of Costa Rica. He says he is studying English cause he wants to be an interpreter or a translator but mostly an interpreter.

    Marlon and his family have been very accommodating and friendly. He gave us his room to sleep in while he sleeps on a mattress in his sister’s room. Last night we had dinner with his family then went out to a local bar to meet up with two of his friends, Jorge and Alejandra.


    Jorge, Marlon & Ryan
    Over a couple beers we talked about what its like growing up in Costa Rica, their jobs, their friends, the crazy non-labeled or numbered streets in Costa Rica and Escazu, the possibility of us working in Costa Rica, our travels so far and about how badly the three of them want to go to the Metallic concert in San Jose in March but the tickets were sold out in half a day. It was good conversation, good company and a good time.

    Marlon, Ryan, Debb, Jorge at the bar





    permalink written by  ryan & debbrial on November 18, 2009 from Escazu, Costa Rica
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    Sharing New Experiences

    Jaco, Costa Rica

    Yesterday was our second day couch surfing. Marlon had to spend the day studying so while he was cramming we took care of a few errands in the city before leaving to Nicaragua. We headed back into San Jose to pay for my school, did laundry and went to the super Mercado (grocery store) to buy dinner for the family. We wanted to make them a dish that we figured they probably never had, had before. Searching up and down the aisles we came up with Cordon Blue: chicken fillets stuffed with ham, mozzarella cheese and spinach wrapped and covered in breadcrumbs then baked. We also made roasted tomato halves topped with garlic, breadcrumbs and parmesan cheese and rice cooked in chicken broth and spinach. The meal turned out great. They loved the presentation of the food, said it was delicious and were very grateful.

    Today, our third day couch surfing, we took Marlon and his sister to the beach. Marlon suggested we go to Playa Hermosa, the closes beach with the best surf to San Jose. It was a two hour drive but well worth it since it has been cool, cloudy and rainy in San Jose and it was hot and sunny at the beach. Since the family does not have a car (they use public buses for transportation, common for Costa Ricans) Marlon and his sister do not get to go to the beach very often so this was a big deal to them. When we got to Hermosa beach there was barely anyone around. It was an open coastline of sapphire blue water and black sand beach back by a brilliant emerald green jungle. Beautiful and tranquil. Most of the day we went back and forth between swimming in the water and laying out on the beach. Ryan of course surfed most of the day.


    Ryan teaching Marlon how to surf
    After lunch and a few hours Ryan gave Marlon his first surf lesson. He did the typical show you on the sand how to paddle to catch a wave, jump up to your feet and take the surfer stance. Not surprisingly Ryan made it look easier than it is.

    Marlon's ready to surf

    Then it was out to the water where Ryan helped Marlon balance his weight on the board and paddled out to the waves. A couple tries, a couple crashes and a few dozen mouth-full’s of salt water. The surf lesson was over. Marlon did good for his first time.


    Ryan & Marlon

    Marlon catching a wave

    After the surf lesson we packed up our stuff to go home, but no before a second first time lesson. Since Marlon’s family does not have a car Marlon and his sister never learned to drive, so Ryan and I decided to teach them. Hence, a second first time lesson. They were both hesitant and nervous but with huge smiles agreed and Marlon jumped in the driver seat first. Ryan had explain: step #1 use only one foot for both the gas and break, step #2 hold the break, put the car in gear, step #3 let off the break, push the gas slowly, step #4 dodge potholes, don’t hit people on the side of the road, pull over some and slow down when cars are coming the opposite direction……Marlon’s sister went next. She is short like me so Ryan had to move up the seat and tilt down the steering wheel. She did just as good as her brother expect once Ryan had to grab the steering wheel when she was coming around a corner and did not turn the wheel enough and we almost drove into a house. Besides that they both did great and had a blast!


    Marlon's sister drivng Chiquimula

    Marlon driving Chiquimula


    Jokingly Ryan asked if either one of them wanted to drive home but they both wide-eyed said NO. By the time we got home we were all tired and exhausted from the day in the hot sun. Marlon’s mother made a typical Costa Rican dinner for us and we spent the rest of the night relaxing looking at pictures from Ryan and my trip so far.




    permalink written by  ryan & debbrial on November 20, 2009 from Jaco, Costa Rica
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    Escazu, Costa Rica



    permalink written by  ryan & debbrial on November 21, 2009 from Escazu, Costa Rica
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    Some TLC for Chiquimula

    Liberia, Costa Rica

    Since we don’t have to be in Granada, Nicaragua for the volunteer program till next Saturday, Nov. 28th Ryan and I decided to spend this next week lounging on the beach. We got up early this morning and headed for the Nicoya Peninsula where all the popular Costa Rica beaches and surf spots are. (Tamarindo is located on the North Shore of the Nicoya Peninsula for those of you who are familiar with it).

    Not long after we left Chiquimula (the van) started heating up more than ever. Granted we knew we needed to work on the engine soon but it caught up to us sooner than we expected or wanted. SO as we cross the mountains from San Jose to the coast the problem got worse. Great timing, just when we are suppose to drive 4 hours up north and have a relaxing week at the beach. Bummer. Pretty much to sum it all up we stopped ever 20 km or so to fill up the radiator with water and Ryan concluded Chiquimula has a blown head gasket. We made it to Liberia, a main town in northern Costa Rica, then decided to give the van a rest for the night. Tomorrow we are continuing on to the Nicaragua board (probably another hellish 4 hours ordeal like last time) and on to Granada. Instead of spending the week relaxing and surfing the beautiful Costa Rica beaches we are going to give Chiquimula some TLC (a new head gasket, oil change, flush fluids, etc.).


    permalink written by  ryan & debbrial on November 21, 2009 from Liberia, Costa Rica
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    We met through a mutual friend in college about 5 years ago. We were friends for about 4 years and dated for a year and half. We recently got married on Sunday, May 24, 2009.

    Now for the fun part... We decided not to do the typical buy a house and settling down, instead it was sell...

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