Love-skunk

I sure do hate losing at the game of cribbage. But since Pickle agreed to marry me, I guess I can reluctantly be a half-assed good sport when she skunks me.

Tabacon

Water slides, swim-up bars, secluded hot springs, private personal waterfalls, lush jungle, and just the two of us. Hard to capture in photographs, but these are still fun.

Tabacon

Mas Tabacon

Setting the Mood

It was amazing. Every single day, without fail, the sun would set over the horizon. We went down to the beach almost every day around 6pm to see if maybe it would stay up for a change. But each time the big yellow, or red, or bright orange ball (depending on its mood) would drop like New Years in Times Square. Aggravating, but pretty cool to see nonetheless.

I LOVE ROOM SERVICE!!!!!!!

Joel Versus the Volcano

I'm not sure how intelligent it is to cohabitate with a smoking active volcano. But the view from our room was amazing!

Looks Like We Weren't the Only Ones Havng a Ball

On the way back from the waterfall, we saw a monkey swinging around on the power lines, so we pulled over to get a better look. One more shot for our catalog of big wild animal testies. Yay!

South of the South Border

While staying at the resort, we took an overpriced taxi into the small rainy town of La Fortuna for a store run and dinner out. On the advice of the concierge, we decided to indulge in some tex-mex at a local joint on the edge of town. The food was pretty good and the beer was very cold. However, we couldn't tell if it was because we were gringos, because our waiter was having an off night, or the because the place was one of those themed restaurants, but the waitstaff was purposefully, directly, and extremely rude to the us. (Anyone know the name of the restaurant that made that famous?) But we got out of there unscathed--aside from the food poisoning--and ate on site the rest of the stay.

Wait For It

Not engaged...























ENGAGED!!!

A few more gratuitous waterfall/proposal pictures

Some TV Just Plain Stinks

There was even a big flatscreen above the bidet; and the rain simulating shower came right out of the high ceiling.

Tabacon

So, we've been over the engagement and how great Tabacon Thermal Spa and Resort was. But holy cheet, meng! This suite was sweeeeeeet!!!

Glossy-A

In this picture, Cotopaxi looks like it has three distinct peaks; but that effect is provided by the base of the ginormous glacier on top. The glacier is actually melting at an accellerated rate of 4 meters per month. Our guide told us that experts are pretty sure it's due to global warming, and not due to the fact that the glacier sits on top of an active vocano that, based on it's history, is due for a very violent erruption within the next twenty years, if not tomorrow...We'll see.

Weird Wild Shtuff

At the base of Cotopaxi, there was a large, long, flat plain and a very shallow lake. There were also wild horses. Yes wild horses still exist...I did not know that. So, we decided to pay the guide extra to tame a couple, and we rode them back to our hotel in Quito.

That's not true. But there really were wild horses at Cotopaxi, which I thought was pretty neat.

Cotopaxi

Cotopaxi: National Park and glacier-capped volcano. This was quite an expedition. We hiked up through sand, rock, snow, and ice--yup, it snows at the equator--to the base of the glacier, which put us at just over 15,500 feet. We stopped there.

Lavenia

Ol' Ba, did you notice what the restaurant was called? Made me think of a black french beret, Casey Montgomery, and of course you, buddy.

Oh, and can you believe my surprise to find Alan Arkin working there as a waiter? Wouldn't stand still for a picture or an autograph. That is one hard workin moviestar.

Birthday Yummy

So just as we did in Paris for Nikki's 21st birthday, in Quito for her 24th, we found an overpriced restaurant that would make us feel poor and uncomfortable and allow us the opportunity to appreciate our own cooking, and a really good, really greasy no frills cheeseburger from Redmill. I think I speak for both of us when I say it was super fun and super awkward--just like it was in Paris--which made it all that much more romantic...I hope. HAPPY BIRTHDAY, PEEKLE!!!

Birthday Luxury

When running water becomes a luxury and the smell of sewage an everyday thing, I'll tell ya, staying in a room with all the hot running water you can handle and a king-sized bed with freshly cleaned sheets is an effing treat!! I just have to thank Pickle for having a birthday, so we had an excuse to spend the money on such a treat. Thank you, Pickle, and Happy Birffday!!

The place was called Casa Foch, and was so worth the few extra bucks. Super friendly, helpful, clean, intelligent, kind, happy, ect. It's in new town, or the "Mariscal," and we definitely recommend it.