Quepos, Costa Rica

We stayed in San Jose one night and caught the bus to Quepos at 6am out first morning. It was a steep, windy road with plenty of beautiful scenery to make the 3 ½ hours fly by. We stayed in a great backpackers (The Wide Mouth Frog) that had yummy breakfasts and a pool!

Our days were spent wandering around town, catching the bus over the hill to Manuel Antonio (National park with a pretty beach) for some animal spotting and beach time and trying out the local cuisine. Tana and I did also find out that red wine stored in a non air conditioned shop turns into vinegar.

The animal photos aren't very clear because of the low light in the forest.

White Faced Monkey

They hang out like this after eating

Sloth

The beach at Manuel Antonio

Glenn's photo of the beach from a walkway. I was too busy lying on the beach to walk.

Horse trek

The water shot

We went swimming in the river. It was very refreshing.

The Rest of America - Boston, Castle Vally, Santa Barbara, San Diego

My next stop was Boston. The others were visiting Tana's family so I went and did the touristy thing in Boston. It was freezing there, literally. It didn't actually get above freezing the first couple of days. Again, there was a bit of a food theme. I did the touristy bus thing but ended up taking more food photos than scenery ones, oops.

Down by the harbour where I had my lobster meal

Same place different view

For starters: clam chowder, oyster ctackers and bread rolls

The main course: Lobster, clams, mussels and that weird meat thing on the side

I was made to wear one of those really classy paper lobster bibs too!

I would have asked my waitress to take a photo but I was trying to be classy.

The first of the two 'Cheers' bars I visited

This one is a replica of the studio one.

The original 'Cheers' bar

Only the outside was filmed for tv. The inside is a totally different bar.

My little snack

Castle Valley, Utah

We spent about three weeks in Castle Valley.

The Caboose, The Shack and The Barn

My room

Dancing in the snow

The view I had to look at every day

Christmas tree collecting

Someones got to do the hard work, like taking photos.

Great work Tana and Glenn. You did good.

This is the second decorated version of the same tree.

The first one came tumblin' down. This version is a tad shorted.

Tana is amazing with an electric saw.

Christmas eve sledding

Yay, it's Christmas morning!

The Margarita queen

Check out my first pavalova ever!

Thanks for the recipe Nana.

The famous Tur-Duc-Hen

A chicken inside a duck inside a turkey

Cooked and carved

Ready, set, go!

The Kincaids and the Guarrs

What was left once we'd finished lunch

It's the bird that keeps on giving.

Did I mention that it also had two types of stuffing (one was sausage, because there wasn't enough meat already).

Arches National Park

Glenwood Springs, Colorado

We drove up to Glenwood Springs and stayed a couple off nights.

Santa Barbara

We stayed in Santa Barbara for 10 nights. I didn't take many photos but it's a really pretty town. Most of the buildings are Spanish style. The weather was much warmer too.

The famous tritip sandwich at Cold Springs trvern

Check it out. That guy's playing a cardboard box.

I want one of these in my next house.

Mo and her friend are hanging in his bar under his house.

The view from the other end

San Diego


Clam chowder in a bun, beer and a view

Tha balancing rock man

The best thing in San Diego was definitly the afternoon I spent at a spa with Tana and her friends.
Pampering and as much wine as we wanted.

New York

As you will see from the photos, the theme for New York was eating lots of food and playing tourist. It was a good thing we'd stopped in London to start acclimatizing to winter. It was freezing in New York. What’s a girl to do but shop for winter clothes (it was for the good of my health).

New York highlights included: deli food, seeing the Lion King on Broadway (jetlag kicked in and I nearly fell asleep, but it was so well done with the costumes, singing and dancing, it kept me awake), Italian food, Little Italy, Japanese food, shopping, New York cheesecake, China Town, Ben & Jerry’s ice cream, seeing all the famous sights, experiencing the vibe (New York just has a really energetic feel to it), and did I mention food?

Little Italy

Starbucks

Little Italy the next day

Oh, that's another one of Little Italy

Rocafella Centre

My Japanese lunch

Tasty breakfast

Doing the touristy thing

That's the Statue of Liberty benind me.

Doing the even more touristy thing

I reckon it was worth the $5 I had to pay him/her?!