J W Marriot Resort near Santa Cruz - Costa Rica - Two Nights On The Pacific - Day 6

The pool meanders around the center courtyard. Temp 85.

Sunset at 5:53 pm last night - few clouds.

Lunch today - 90 with a steady breeze - 85 degree pool feels cold

Jack Torrance in the movie - The Shining - attempts to spend the winter in an isolated hotel in the mountains of Colorado. The isolation drives him insane. This beautiful isolated tropical resort reminds me of that movie. It is a dream location. This luxury enclave is designed to lavish 300 guests with everything one would expect in a tropical paradise. The tropical weather is 80s and 90s. in the day. The churning breezes turn the royal palm fronds into music. Birds provided an otherwise wordless soundtrack. 

Lulu likes to book a really nice place when teaching online - some place where robust wifi keeps her connected. I did not expect something like this place. Our room has a veranda that overlooks acres of pools - bridges - tall palms - and flowering bushes. Although it did not drop below 79 last night - we slept with the AC off - and could have had the quad glass doors open all night. 

We realize that we cannot cover long distances here like at home. The roads are usually well paved - but they are only two narrow lanes. 45 miles an hour is blazing fast. We are as far west as we can go and still stay in Costa Rica. With all the virus hassle - we don't dare drop over into El Salvador - we might get locked out. 

The pools and the ocean are about 85 degrees. During low tide - the beach has big boulders and rocks. At high tide at sunset last night - it was a clear unobstructed beach with long breaking waves. The sun set at 5:53 last night - and rose about the same time this morning. You get used to 12 hours day/12 hours night here. The constellations past high overhead because the plane of the sun and planets passes directly overhead. 

The resort has several nice restaurants - but most of them are closed due to the plague. They keep a couple open and you make reservations - but when you go there - only two or three tables are used. You eat outside on a covered veranda - the pool and the beach at your feet. 

Right now at 9am - the pool is empty - the hot tubs are empty - every now and then a couple walks by. We have seen a total of 3 kids. There must be 200 beach lounges - each with a blue striped umbrella - wrapped up like pretty color guards. It is like this every day. 

Lulu loves this life. Coffee in the morning on the porch - looking over the pool or beach. Going for a swim - lying on the sand - watching the waves and birds. With her laptop - she could "rule the world" this way. She has one more night of it here. 

Today is March 5 - we leave for home March 9. We must make our slow auto trek back toward the San Jose Airport. Saturday night we will stay in Monte Verde and do some eco-tourism. I never heard the word before - but it is simply nature watching. They have canopy bridges high in the trees of the jungle - to see animals and be safely away from poison snakes. There are 23 different kinds of poison snakes - Lulu hates snakes - but she is trusting here. 

Supposedly - the Von Trapp family had a hotel in Monte Verde. They were the Sound of Music family. But Lulu has booked a cabin instead. This is really out on a limb for her. 

So the west coast is as far as we go - the next 4 days we will retrace our steps home. 

The pool has waterfall edges.

At low tide you can see boulders.

Many of the lodge buildings are empty.

There are roof garden - this was a telescope up there. 

The view from the porch. 

The view from our roof.

Plants everywhere - the tropics means it never freezes. 

A giant well-kept pool.

Even though it was 88 and breezy at night - it was chilly when you got out. 

Royal palms are just so elegant.

Head - glasses - robe - sun screen.

You can see Lulu in the water way far away. 

This iguana came right up to Lulu's lounge chair.