Interesting article from the BBC that uses calculus to determine if you get less wet from running in the rain.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/4562132.stm
Wednesday, December 28, 2005
Thursday, December 22, 2005
Can You Edge Out Bill Gates? - Motley Fool - MSNBC.com
Interesting article showing how much some of the richest people in the world give to charity. There are some really generous donors out there!!
Article
Article
Friday, December 09, 2005
Costa Rica Day 12
We got up early this morning to take the Early Bird tour, that took us along the road with our guide and allowed us to see lots of beautiful birds. We saw lots of Scarlet Macaws, Parrots, Parakeets, Hawks, and other tropical birds. We also spied an anteater sleeping in a tree, which was pretty cool. In the afternoon we had to say our goodbyes and take a ride down the bumpy road back to Puerto Jimenez and our return flight to San Jose.
The trip was totally awesome, between the wonderful time we had volunteering and the scenic and relaxing stay at Lapa Rios, we couldn't have asked for a better honeymoon. I really hope we're able to come back to Costa Rica someday and explore more of what this wonderful tropical paradise has to offer! Pura Vida!
The trip was totally awesome, between the wonderful time we had volunteering and the scenic and relaxing stay at Lapa Rios, we couldn't have asked for a better honeymoon. I really hope we're able to come back to Costa Rica someday and explore more of what this wonderful tropical paradise has to offer! Pura Vida!
Costa Rica Day 11
Today we took the Wild Waterfalls hike, which was totally amazing. Much of the time was spent walking in the river across slippery rocks, seeing some gorgeous butterflies and interesting lizards. Our guide, Edwin, was very friendly and helpful. At the first major waterfall we also saw a Boa Constrictor! It was climbing up the rock and is a pretty rare sight. Then as we were leaving it got too close to the water and fell down a few feet closer to us.
The next waterfall fell into a small pond which some of us took a quick dip in. The water was cold, but refreshing. Then we came back to the lodge and relaxed some more. At lunch we talked to a couple from Canada, who were really nice, Margaret and Pete. Then before dinner we watched the local school kids perform a folk dance.
The next waterfall fell into a small pond which some of us took a quick dip in. The water was cold, but refreshing. Then we came back to the lodge and relaxed some more. At lunch we talked to a couple from Canada, who were really nice, Margaret and Pete. Then before dinner we watched the local school kids perform a folk dance.
Costa Rica Day 10
We awoke to the sound of howler monkeys which made sound like a lion, at about 5:30 am. We had requested coffee brought to our room, which was really good. After lunch, went on the Osa Trail hike with our guide Ulices which was a 3 hour hike through the rainforest. It was a nice hike, not too difficult, and our guide pointed out some interesting animals, insects, and trees. Then we came back to room, relaxed some more, and had our dinner.
Costa Rica Day 9
We got up and had to get to the airport in Pavas pretty early for our flight down to Puerto Jimenez. The flight was cool, in a small prop plane, and I could see the cockpit the whole time. The views were really great on the plane ride over, and watching the landing from the cockpit window was a bit unnerving.
After landing we were greeted by some very friendly girls from Lapa Rios. They offered us drinks, had people to bring our luggage from the plane to the Land Rover awaiting us. It was warm, and a little humid, just what we expect of Costa Rica. We also met a couple from Seattle who were staying at Lapa Rios as well.
The drive to the resort was really bumpy and through some muddy dirt roads, and couple of rivers that we had to ford. After about 45 minutes, we reached the resort and were greeted by some guys holding fruit drinks and taking our bags. They are very nice and we waited around and had a very good 3 course lunch. The lodge has a thatched roof which was amazing, so we enjoyed the view while we waited for our room to get ready. They also issued us a hand crank flashlight, which was very much necessary for finding your way back to your room at night.
Our bungalow was just what we had imagined. A private little hut, with beds covered in mosquito nets, and an amazing view from our patio. The patio even had a hammock! The view was full of greenery, beyond which lay the Gulfo Dulce and some mountains. We even had a some monkeys climbing around the trees around us.
After taking a rest, we hiked down to the ocean, walked along the beach, and came back for dinner. By then it was dark out, and not much to do, so we went to bed early.
After landing we were greeted by some very friendly girls from Lapa Rios. They offered us drinks, had people to bring our luggage from the plane to the Land Rover awaiting us. It was warm, and a little humid, just what we expect of Costa Rica. We also met a couple from Seattle who were staying at Lapa Rios as well.
The drive to the resort was really bumpy and through some muddy dirt roads, and couple of rivers that we had to ford. After about 45 minutes, we reached the resort and were greeted by some guys holding fruit drinks and taking our bags. They are very nice and we waited around and had a very good 3 course lunch. The lodge has a thatched roof which was amazing, so we enjoyed the view while we waited for our room to get ready. They also issued us a hand crank flashlight, which was very much necessary for finding your way back to your room at night.
Our bungalow was just what we had imagined. A private little hut, with beds covered in mosquito nets, and an amazing view from our patio. The patio even had a hammock! The view was full of greenery, beyond which lay the Gulfo Dulce and some mountains. We even had a some monkeys climbing around the trees around us.
After taking a rest, we hiked down to the ocean, walked along the beach, and came back for dinner. By then it was dark out, and not much to do, so we went to bed early.
Costa Rica Day 8
We left CCS and took our drive back to San Jose. Most of this day was spent souvenir shopping on the pedestrian boulevard. It was very crowded with people and there was some telethon going on to raise money for kids. We ate at Taco Bell for lunch, and it seemed to taste a lot better than the Taco Bell back home. We also had our first pickpocketing experience, as w walked down a street I felt a slight tug on the backpack. Then Shveta noticed some of the pockets were open, and some bread we bought was gone. At least all they got was a piece of bread, and then when we walked back to the spot we saw the empty bag which it was in. Not much else happened, and we went to bed early to catch an early flight.
Saturday, December 03, 2005
Costa Rica Day 7
This was our last day of volunteering. We finished up painting, and played lots of bingo. We also took lots of pictures with the residents, and got lots of hugs and good wishes. The volunteer experience was very rewarding. It was great getting to sit by, hold hands, and listen to the seniors there. Seeing the smiles on their faces and hearing the affection in their voices was worth every minute. After saying "Adios" we headed back to home base, where we were pleasantly surprised with a gift of baked goods from Lucy. Then we had lunch and added our hand prints to the wall.
Our activity for this day was a trip to Tapati rainforest. The drive was through green hills and coffee plantations again, but as got closer to the forest the vegetation became greener and a roaring river appeared at the side of the road. The first outlook we hiked to led to a breathtaking view of thick forest-covered mountains and to top it off a white waterfall in between them. The next stop was a short hike to the river which had a light green color and large boulders all around it. Towering over the river were once again thick green forests. The fresh, clean air was a wonderful change from the diesel fumes we'd been breathing in the city.
Back at home base again, we said our goodbyes to Santi and Lucy, who were both totally awesome, As beautiful as all the scenery has been, the best part of this whole trip has been working with the wonderful staff at CCS.
Our activity for this day was a trip to Tapati rainforest. The drive was through green hills and coffee plantations again, but as got closer to the forest the vegetation became greener and a roaring river appeared at the side of the road. The first outlook we hiked to led to a breathtaking view of thick forest-covered mountains and to top it off a white waterfall in between them. The next stop was a short hike to the river which had a light green color and large boulders all around it. Towering over the river were once again thick green forests. The fresh, clean air was a wonderful change from the diesel fumes we'd been breathing in the city.
Back at home base again, we said our goodbyes to Santi and Lucy, who were both totally awesome, As beautiful as all the scenery has been, the best part of this whole trip has been working with the wonderful staff at CCS.
Costa Rica Day 6
Our volunteer work today was painting the common room walls brighter colors than the standard hospital cream color. We painted one wall blue and the other paradise green. It was hard work, and took all 4 hours, but in the end the room looked alot brighter and we got lots of compliments.
Later in the afternoon we went to an HIV home for a dance performance by a group of students from a university in San Jose. They did a combination of salsa, meringue, and other stuff we couldn't identify, but they were really good. The HIV home seemed very pleasant, although the occupants looked pretty weak and sick. We then decided to go to a mall called TerraMall where Allan our driver drove us to.
On the way to the mall, we went by the university to drop off the dancers, and got to talk to Allan much more than we had been able to before. He seemed very nice and liked his job. The mall itself was really fancy. We walked in and saw stores like Kenneth Cole, Mont Blanc, and Tommy Hilfiger. Our original plan was to see a Costa Rican movie, called Carribe, but found out they didn't have subtitles, so we ate some pizza (mmmm..) and walked around the mall a bit. To get home we caught a cab, and told the driver to take us "near the Basilica", since they don't have street names or house numbers here.
Later in the afternoon we went to an HIV home for a dance performance by a group of students from a university in San Jose. They did a combination of salsa, meringue, and other stuff we couldn't identify, but they were really good. The HIV home seemed very pleasant, although the occupants looked pretty weak and sick. We then decided to go to a mall called TerraMall where Allan our driver drove us to.
On the way to the mall, we went by the university to drop off the dancers, and got to talk to Allan much more than we had been able to before. He seemed very nice and liked his job. The mall itself was really fancy. We walked in and saw stores like Kenneth Cole, Mont Blanc, and Tommy Hilfiger. Our original plan was to see a Costa Rican movie, called Carribe, but found out they didn't have subtitles, so we ate some pizza (mmmm..) and walked around the mall a bit. To get home we caught a cab, and told the driver to take us "near the Basilica", since they don't have street names or house numbers here.
Costa Rica Day 5
We woke up this morning, and started with our usual routine of trying to find a shower with hot water. They have these strange electric showerheads which heat up the water, and don't always work correctly.
At the nursing home today, we finished the decorations, then Shveta painted a few of the ladies fingernails. It was really cute, and a few of them talked with us for quite a while, even though I didn't understand most of what they were saying. After the nails were done, we started playing bingo, which they really loved. For some reason, bingo seems to be the universal senior citizen pastime. It was a lot of fun, watching and helping them put their markers on their bingo cards, and good spanish practice.
After lunch, Santi and Allan took us on a tour of Orosi valley, which was some of the most lindo scenery we've seen yet. We stopped by some churches, and were constantly surrounded with gorgeous green mountains, and were near a fast moving river. One of the churches was built in the 16th century by spanish colonists, and had a brick floor. The garden and view were really nice. At one point we walked across a small suspension bridge, with the river roaring beneath us. The bridge wobbled with every step, and had a mesh floor, so we could see straight below us.
When we returned to home base, we took a quick walk and ate a really delicious bread from a local bakery. Then after dinner, we had our final spanish class.
At the nursing home today, we finished the decorations, then Shveta painted a few of the ladies fingernails. It was really cute, and a few of them talked with us for quite a while, even though I didn't understand most of what they were saying. After the nails were done, we started playing bingo, which they really loved. For some reason, bingo seems to be the universal senior citizen pastime. It was a lot of fun, watching and helping them put their markers on their bingo cards, and good spanish practice.
After lunch, Santi and Allan took us on a tour of Orosi valley, which was some of the most lindo scenery we've seen yet. We stopped by some churches, and were constantly surrounded with gorgeous green mountains, and were near a fast moving river. One of the churches was built in the 16th century by spanish colonists, and had a brick floor. The garden and view were really nice. At one point we walked across a small suspension bridge, with the river roaring beneath us. The bridge wobbled with every step, and had a mesh floor, so we could see straight below us.
When we returned to home base, we took a quick walk and ate a really delicious bread from a local bakery. Then after dinner, we had our final spanish class.
Costa Rica Day 4
Today we put up Christmas decorations over the doorways of the nursing home. We also helped the seniors who wished to attend mass into the small chapel onsite. After returning to home base, we took a siesta, and then we had a latin dance class. In class we learned Salsa, Meringue, and Cumbia. The instructors were really friendly, I had a tough time with meringue, getting my hips and legs moving in the right directions. Shveta had a hard time with cumbia, particularly the small step on the "and" beat. It was a lot of fun, and quite a workout.
After dancing, we went with one of the cooks, Idioneta, into the kitchen for our cooking class. She showed us how to make Yucca Pastel. It was a really healthy and delicious dish, and not too hard to make. It consisted of mashed yucca (casaba), cliantro, cheese, and onions. After making the dish, we ate it with Idioneta, and actually had a pretty long conversation with her.
After dancing, we went with one of the cooks, Idioneta, into the kitchen for our cooking class. She showed us how to make Yucca Pastel. It was a really healthy and delicious dish, and not too hard to make. It consisted of mashed yucca (casaba), cliantro, cheese, and onions. After making the dish, we ate it with Idioneta, and actually had a pretty long conversation with her.
Costa Rica Day 3
Our first day of volunteering, we woke up and drove to the nursing home. We were introduced to many of the residents and workers. We spent all morning there, talking with residents, participating in a birthday party, and helping feed some of them. It was a little hard to communicate due to the language barrier, but it seemed like our smiles and nods were enough to cheer them up. It was in very nice, breezy, sunny location surrounded by mountains. The staff was very friendly and seemed to care alot about the patients. This particular nursing home is for elderly who have been abandoned, but the government pays for their care. Since Costa Rica has no army, they spend the extra money on education and healthcare.
That afternoon we went to the Irazu volcano, which was full of beautiful hills, farmlands, and a crater with a lake which changes colors depending on the core of the volcano. Today it was a sunny day, and the water was greenish. After spending some time looking around the volcano, we came back to Cartago and walked around a bit, grabbing some sweet pastries at a bakery. Then we relaxed the rest of the evening.
That afternoon we went to the Irazu volcano, which was full of beautiful hills, farmlands, and a crater with a lake which changes colors depending on the core of the volcano. Today it was a sunny day, and the water was greenish. After spending some time looking around the volcano, we came back to Cartago and walked around a bit, grabbing some sweet pastries at a bakery. Then we relaxed the rest of the evening.
Costa Rica Day 2
We woke up, grabbed breakfast in the hotel, and then caught our ride to our Home Base in Cartago. After a 1 hour ride, we arrived and met Santiago, who was to be our host for our volunteering. After being shown around, we ate lunch, and took a tour of Cartago. We saw a few churches, one of which had a special statue of the Virgin Mary which was said to reappear at this location each time it was moved. The church's interior was made up almost entirely of wood, and had lovely stained glass. People were crawling on their knees down the aisle to approach the altar.
Cartago is not a very big city, and it seemed like all the attractions were within a few blocks of each other. It is a city surrounded by green mountains. There are no street names or numbers, places are identified by direction and landmarks. Such as 20 meters north of the grocery store.
We returned to home base, had dinner, an orientation, and headed to bed.
Cartago is not a very big city, and it seemed like all the attractions were within a few blocks of each other. It is a city surrounded by green mountains. There are no street names or numbers, places are identified by direction and landmarks. Such as 20 meters north of the grocery store.
We returned to home base, had dinner, an orientation, and headed to bed.
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