They say...

that you will "feel better"

when you spend time in these hot springs, but I remain unconvinced that it was the springs themselves that created that feel-good aura; it may just have been the Imperial! After this large beer, sliding down this luge (sp?) like slide was cake except I lost my glasses in the poolat the bottomwhen Icame flying along the sides of the slide and crashed into the water with a squeal and a splash, but nice Mr. Derrick from New Jersey found them at the bottom of the pool, causing him to grow at least inches in pride.

I think I mentioned that after we left these springs, the bus was supposed to drop me at the Vagabondo, which had n0 room for me despite my reservation - onto theChinese run Pura Vida and the next day the jeep-boat-jeep to Fortuna where I felt my oats enough at arriving at Cabinas Eddy's to find a dear little room in the trees with two windows that I headed off to do X-treme ziplining, which included the Superman - aka flying through the air bird-style. But not before we did the tarzan swing which entailed stepping,jumping or being pushed off a high platform and free falling until the rope caught and I went swinging through the deep forest and up to the sky in the most enormous, heart-throbbing loop of my life. I think I've already gushed about my awesome courage, but I probably didn't tell you that I shrieked the whole time thatit was the WORST nightmare of my life, all along loving every excrutiating minute of the swoops and tummy-tumbling swings so high thatI was sure I'd die.

Then, I felt I really could fly, and I COULD! I know I told you that they took my glasses off for fear that they would fall off, never to be found, so I actually flew BLIND, but I know that is generally the way most people think I live anyway, so I was pretty used to it until I had to crash into the trees with no reference point and no assurance that anyone was actually there to catch me. (I am at a local restaurant where a stock broker is standing next to me literally and juggling..,) Finally, this is my attempt to capture an image of my friend Andy with whom I ziplined because it was SOwindy and we were too light. He is just coming in for a landing and going so fast that it's way too fuzzy, but it gives the sense of frenzy at the end. Ah, photos.

I will leave rest about the wind storm and the rains when I want to the Monteverde for another post, but our guide helped me take this shot through his binoculars; it IS the great, the magnificent quetzel!!!! And now off tothe frog pond. More another time. Stay in touch!!