It's a Small World (after all)

2012 is flying right by, I hope it's been a happy year for you so far, unless you're a jerk. According to the Chinese zodiac, 2012 is the Year of the Dragon. This means nothing until January 23rd and then I think it means Americans are supposed to go out, eat greasy Chinese food and get wasted on flaming volcanoes (it's a drink, you perv); mark your calendars! It's also the last year of your life, according to the Mayans, so enjoy!

I rung in the new year on a flight from Guatemala City (coming home from Costa Rica), it was better than it sounds. You see, we (me + my family + a bunch of people I didn't know) flew on Taca Airlines for this trip (the previous three years we've flown on domestic carriers) and flying in a taco was awesome. I'm writing this because, typically, you only read angry posts about travel and I wanted to write about our excelente airline experience.

Taca Airlines (based out of Lima, Peru) is the most efficient airline I've ever flown on. You can check-in online, avoiding long airport lines (even if you're checking luggage, they have a special line just for online check-ins), all of our flights left on time (well, we left 15 minutes late from O'Hare...but if you know O'Hare, that's considered "on time") and most of our flights arrived early. On board the Airbus 319 and 321 they pleasantly served free food and beverages, including alcohol, which is really all you need to know.

This was our fourth year Christmasing at Jaco Beach, Costa Rica, it was a truly lazy vacay, lots of sun, food and drinks. I love being lazy, I'm an expert at it. We enjoyed long days at the pool where we met people from all over the world including a family from Fort Dodge, IA who also have a summer home on Lake Okoboji where we apparently dined next to each other, last Fourth of July. It was nice having other Iowans there to watch sad bowl games with.

Here are some pictures to prove I went on vacation. I'm not in any of them...so, I guess you'll just have to take my word for it:

Quetzaltepec Volcano in San Saldador (airplane view)

Cheers!

We visited the marina at Los Suenos, where we ogled yachts.

Oooooooh...

...ahhhhhhh

Jesus on board!

Oh...and I almost forgot. I saw a UFO and I took pictures!

First attempt, laying on our rooftop, I got the other rooftop.

Final attempt (before it disappeared) I swear, there was something in the sky.

Vacation Pics!!!

I'm baaack! So here it is, the obligatory vacay pictorial blog post. Our nine day trip to Jaco Beach, Costa Rica was lazy and uneventful. We laid around the pool and drank (and ate) a lot. Here are some shots of our low-key family fun. Enjoy!

Fergie munching on some nummy treats before being kenneled.

Before leaving it's present time, J opening up his new laptop

Wakey-wakey, it's time to go!

Iggy the Iguana crawls out of his hole to welcome us.

First night pizza dinner at Rio Oasis

Yum, pizza

Pool day!

Sunset smiles.

J getting ready for a swim (he likes this pic because he thinks it shows off his muscles).

A rocking iguana...

...he bobbed his head to the music!

The sun setting on another perfect day...

G'nite kiss.

Surf lesson time for K and...

J!!!

Action shot! J rides in as K paddles out!

Me and K at dinner.

Fee fi fo fum, I smell the Goose of yum, yum, yum.

Macaws on the way to the crocodile safari.

A Yellow-headed Caracara eating a bite of chicken.

A big ass crocodile called Mike Tyson.

Mike Tyson weighs around 1200 lbs and...

...he likes chicken.

J shot a video of one of our guides, Carlos, feeding another croc. YIKES!

The crocodile safari was kinda scary but never fear when Jesus is your co-pilot!

Cheers! I survived the crocodile safari and then I fried my shoulders.

Another perfect day!!!

A leetle crab was stuck in our pool...

picked him up and...

...returned him safely to his salty home.

Geckos were all over the place, did you know that they make a loud clucking sound? Me either.

Apparently the A-Team was also in Jaco.

The supermercato "ran out" of Goose :(

Dinner smiles!

Dinner headlock.

A local townie named Jose makes things out of palm leaves for tips, presumably to support his drug habit. I support locals and their habits.

a fish for J...

and a heart for K.

Arriving for drinks at Los Suenos Marina.

Dinner at Lemon Zest (my fave spot, we ate there twice).

She loves me...

...she loves me, not.

Christmas Eve sunset

Ready for Christmas Eve grubbing.

J looking confused at dinner.

More GI Joes from Grandma Claus.

Ice cream sundae for dessert.

Resort nativity

Kids are like drug addicts, they find each other no matter what. J and his new friend Colin at the Backyard BBQ in Hermosa Beach to watch the Christmas Day surf competition.

J and surf competition winner, Mr. Brown.

J proudly supports the Cowboys for Christmas football.

Santa has stiffed me for years.

Goodbye Iggy, see you next year.

The final room tally.

Sun setting on our last day.

Until next year! Pura Vida!