Morning Sunrise Over Escazu

After a full day of torrential rain yesterday (Saturday 5/16) we were blessed with a beautiful sunny day! It all started at 5:00 when we got up to watch the sunrise. We enjoyed our coffee soaking in some rays before heading our to the market to buy some veges and pick up a movie at the local redbox. We also stopped by to check out a spa I had read about, that I plan to visit later this week. :-)
It's a quiet lazy day for reading, grilling up some dinner and coloring my hair. Ron is thrilled!
This week we have made plans to hike up in Cerros, Escazu a mountain range in central Costa Rica.
We talked with the kitties today and Jackie, the Cat Resort owner said they are doing fine and love exploring her house. We miss them :-(
We have decided to cut our stay here at the cottage down to two weeks and have rented a beach condo for next week. More on that to come...  

  

Exploring art and shopping in Escazu... If you like stilettos check this out!

Escazu has some of the better shopping areas in central valley Costa Rica. There is a huge 3 story mall "Multiplaza" that has a mix of European and American designer stores. Not too far from there is "Avenida Escazu", which has some of the most exclusive shopping & dining  venues in the country. They refer to it as the Rodeo Drive of Costa Rica, but it is a far cry from that at the moment, since it is still a work in progress.

I have attached a few photos from an art gallery that I found interesting. In addition there were two other artists that I found interesting. If you are into art look up their stuff...some of their art does offend people. (Lluis Barba and Andriy Halashyn)  By the way, Andrij Halashyn is Ukrainian born living and working in Costa Rica,

Sculptures by Edgar Zuniga Jimenez

           

Entrance into Avenida Escazu

The entire pedestrian walkway is lined with stiletto sculptures. 

Sculpture by Idan Zareski

Mountain Cottage in Escazu

We arrived at "The Robin's Nest" on Friday May 8th early afternoon. It is located at about 4000 ft 

overlooking the entire Central Valley of Costa Rica. Wow, quite a change from downtown San Jose!

Escazu is a suburb of San Jose metropolitan area, located only 7.5 miles from San Jose. Escazu is one of the wealthiest places in Costa Rica, with many expensive restaurants and shops, with some of the most exclusive shopping & dining venues in the country, yet it has a very laid back feel. We will be here for three weeks while exploring many surrounding areas. Welcome to Robin's Nest!

First thing Ron did when we arrived :-)

Views surrounding cottage

View of Escazu & San Jose 

Escazu & San Jose at night

Ron misses the trains of downtown San Jose...

Our neighbor

Views surrounding the cottage 

Part of the property

Views from the cottage

Welcome to "Robin's Nest"!

Wild bromeliads everywhere

Beautiful ox-cart table in our living room

Where is Waldo?

 

Leaving San Jose for Escazu

Bougainvillea everywhere

Beautiful angel trumpets

Some parting comments from San Jose areas before we leave for Escazu. 

Leaving downtown San Jose was tough...I mean the train going by our B&B every half an hour, the bars on either side open nightly till 2:00 am, the nine abandoned cats living on the roof tops, the tree that grew inside the courtyard producing millions of berries that would fall on the plexi rooftop, the downtown pollution, the taxis beeping non stop, the dogs barking at four am... 
Oh and during one of our last chats with Donna the owner of the B&B (who resides in Canada and we just happened to catch her on one of her spontaneous visits), informed us that when she bought the B&B it was a male brothel! She told us about all the changes she had to make to change it over to a B&B. Ron thanked her for taking all the nude male pictures off the walls. :-)

And so begrudgingly we left for a little cottage we rented for the next three weeks in the mountains of Escazu!

Nothing makes Ron's day like a Beer Factory sign!

Electrician's nightmare! 

Delicious ceviche

Tree inside the B&B with water fountain

Driving in downtown San Jose

Vendors selling on the streets

Selling phone chargers to a taxi 

Motorcyclists in between lanes

Our morning greeter

Caught a cat and chicken during siesta

Residents on the rooftops

Can you find Waldo!