Birds in the morning and a $#!*$@#$ frustrating afternoon!

This morning started as peacefully as any we've had yet, without a trace of foreshadowing of what was to come later in the day.  Yesterday we wrestled a bird/animal feeding stand out of the garage and installed it in the front yard, within easy view of the table where we eat.  These particular stands are common here and serve to showcase the local creatures who come to visit.  Our crew loaded up the stand first thing with watermelon, mango and banana and waited for the fun to start.  The incredible diversity of birds who came to visit was great to watch but really exposed us as ignorant naturalists in our new home.  "Hey, look at the bright blue one that looks like a parakeet!"  We have some learning to do.  Apologies for lack of National Geographic quality head shots of the birds; this is the first time I missed not having my SLR camera, a victim of our ruthless paring down of what we brought.  All our pictures so far have been by iPhone.

Madeleine and Henry load up the bird feeder 

Sully waits patiently with a banana in hand, hoping in vain for a bird or monkey to take it

I was called into the boys' bedroom to investigate some type of hive or nest being made by small creatures on their window.  There were equal parts interest and alarm in their voices.  Although we're not exactly sure what the insects are, we've decided to observe them for now.  It was also decreed that if the hive is to be knocked down, it will be best done at night when they will be less active.  And by Dad.

It looks pretty, but what are they exactly?

Following our idyllic morning of feeding and wildlife viewing, I began the day’s task of setting up the wire transfers needed to buy our car.  Until now, we’ve had a rental car and have been working with a woman who provides a car buying service.  More details to follow when the process is finished.  After confirming with her the details of the wire transfers, I began the hoop jumping process with cautious optimism that I could have some money transferred today without too much trouble.  I willingly admit that buying a car here in Costa Rica has been the biggest logistical hurdle in my mind.  The steps included:  speaking with our bank in the states (thanks again to Google Voice) and learning that arranging an international wire transfer to a third party requires a letter stating exactly what we need and with the details of the wiring instructions.  It has to be a notarized hard copy that is physically sent to the home branch in New Jersey.  The only good news in learning this is that a Costa Rican notary would be fine.  I’m not sure how much I would have paid to be able to just set it all up online just like I do all of my other banking.

We managed to write the letters, resurrect the printer in the rental house, download the driver needed (yea, internet!), coax the ink cartridge to work, print the letters and have them notarized in town without too much trouble.  Amazingly, there is a UPS branch about 10 minutes away but they couldn’t get the six sheets of paper we were sending to New Jersey there until Monday.  Could only find a FedEx in San Jose, 3 hours away.  So, I looked up the closest main DHL branch which is located in Liberia, about 1.5 hours from here.  I called the number I found for the Liberia branch on their international website and was reassured that if I got it to them today it’d be in New Jersey on Friday morning before 10:30, which would be perfect.  In our new car, we'd happily be dodging crocodiles and coconut-throwing monkeys while driving around erupting volcanos this weekend.  So Madeleine, Henry and I raced to Liberia and really enjoyed the ride, again with the windows down and the music up.  I was feeling good and thinking that it might all actually come together today.

My enthusiasm abruptly ended at the DHL office in Liberia when the pleasant and apologetic agent informed me that the letters could only arrive Friday if we’d have taken them to San Jose!  Turns out the international website always directs you to the general Costa Rica phone number in San Jose.  So we had three nice hours of driving to get the letters to the States on Monday, which we could have done at the UPS store that we were at 2 hours before.  Fortunately the return drive allowed my frustration to wane.  I did appreciate the fact that even though we are technically living in a developing country, the two entities that caused me the most effort and frustration today were multinational corporations.  Neither lack of infrastructure or cultural differences caused me any grief.  Ironic, no?

Are you kidding me?

On the way home, we very nearly brought home some extra meat without stopping at the store.  Whipped around a curve and nearly took out six or seven cows meandering down the street.  They seemed to think we were in their way.  We were happy to be home for many reasons and all the frustration is now gone, thanks to a warm welcome, a tasty dinner and yes, another mixed drink with guaro. 

Nocturnal dinners-to-be