The roads are a mess in Costa Rica. So the best way to travel around the country is via private planes and helicopters. If you use commercial, you must always go back to the hub in San Jose, and you’ll spend a lot of time waiting for the flight. Instead, we recommend using Paradise Air, a private air charter company. Paradise Air is owned and operated by a former American corporate pilot, Art Dawley, who, for many years, flew business jets for Dreamworks Movie Studios and its three principal partners Steven Spielberg, David Geffen and Jeffrey Katzenberg. The cost is actually quite reasonable, and they fly low and slow so you can enjoy the scenery of this beautiful country.




Tel. 011 (506) 2-232-2658

www.flywithparadise.com

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If you want the Beach, Barry Oliver and Johnny "Goldy" Goldenberg know every inch of the coast like no one else (see contact info for them below). If buying a piece of old Colonial in Granda is your thing, Ellen knows her way around town; and she's great fun too! Tell them "The Dining Duo" sent you!




REMAX

Tierra Nica Properties S.A.

Ellen Winter

Granada

109 Calle La Libertad

Granada, Nicaragua

Cel: 505-454-1262

Phone: 505-552-3199

Fax: 505-552-8629

Email: remaxgranada@yahoo.com

www.remaxcolonialproperties.com

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LOBSTER FRITTERS with Remoulade




6 Servings 2# Lobster Meat ( Cut into bite size pieces) 1 C. Sweet corn2 Roasted red Peppers Diced1\4 C. Chopped fresh Cilantro2 Fresh jalapenos Diced with Seeds1 C. Julienned Carrot2 Eggs1# Flour1#Yellow Corn Meal1\4 C. Lemon Juice4 oz. Soda Watersalt and pepper to taste Dutch Oven for frying1\2 Gallon vegetable oil for frying Mix all ingredients together,until mixed well,do not want it runny,nice and thick.May have to use more flour or cornmeal depending.Drop by spoonfuls in your 350 degree oil.Cook about 3 minutes or until golden brown.Do not put too many in your oil or you will chill your oil and they will boil instead of frying,usually about 3 at a time.Drain on paper towels.Serve 3 on a plate on top of a dollop of remoulade sauce(Recipe follows),and on top you can garnish with a little extra of julienned carrot.

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De la Parroquia 1½ cuadras al este - San Juan del Sur, Nicaragua


Toll-free for Reservations: 1 (866) 350-0555Telephone: (505) 568-2110 Fax: (505) 568-2511 - Dial (011) first if calling from US or CanadaEmail: reservations@piedrasyolas.com

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"Goldy and Barry"

These guys are way more than "realtors", they became our sherpas and friends in this gorgeous country where it's a must to find someone with know-how to guide you through the nuances of an emerging country. If you're looking for property, look no further than these terrific guys. If your looking for new friends, grab your surf board and give them a call.

Barry Oliver and John Goldenberg

Owners

Century 21 Gold Coast Realty, San Juan Del Sur, Nicaragua John Goldenberg, General Manager, Office +(505) 568-2545, Mobile +(505) 485-3176

Email : barry@c21sanjuan.com

john@c21sanjuan.com, Skype SurfnicaWeb-site http://www.c21sanjuan.com/

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The oldest colonial town in the Americas, Granada, Nicaragua is a photographer’s dream. Paved with old-world brick roads, navigated by horse drawn carriages, the dramatic Spanish churches are backdrops to brightly scrubbed and colored homes. We felt like we had arrived in a colonial settlement from another time and the vistas from every angle were enchanting. We enjoyed a total sense of place.


A pleasant day trip (45 minutes from Managua or 1 hour 30 minutes from San Juan Del Sur), we wished that we could spend a night as well. Careful for what you wish; more of that later.

Accompanied by ubber-realtor Ellen Winter (a blonde hottie from Holland who came to Granada for a visit 7 years ago, and moved there permanently within one week), we peeked into the various homes that were for sale in the city. Nothing to speak of from the outside, once you enter the threshold of these old colonial homes, it is a virtual paradise. Most of the homes have a similar layout, although some have been redone with polished splendor. The homes have lofty cane ceilings, gorgeous polished wood stairs and banisters and miles of old pavers surround two courtyards open to the blue sky. The first of the courtyards always is a tropical garden, and the second contains an inviting pool of cool blue water and intricate small handmade tiles. Various rooms are usually on a second floor, and some of the nicer homes afford upper views of the old town’s skyline. One home we peeked into was smack against a colorful church with views that made your jaw drop.

El Zaguan
Costado este de la Iglesia Catedral
Tel: 552-2522

The restaurants are equally charming, and although there are a variety of them, we were told that El Zaguan de las brasas al Plato (“The Gate…from the grill to the plate”) was one of the best, and we weren’t let down. With the same sort of set-up as the homes, we sat in the front part of the restaurant at the edge of the tropical courtyard. With a bubbling fountain in the center, we started our meal with an assortment of salsas and some of the best warm thick chips we’ve encountered south of the Yankee border. The place is known for steaks, and so Michael ordered the house specialty, a thick sirloin wrapped in smoked bacon and grilled so the center was pink. It was served with a jalapeno sauce that sparked his taste buds. The rice and beans were pretty bueno as well. Scott ordered chicken in an orange sauce, which sounded so weird that he couldn’t resist. It turned out to be a delicious combination and the grilling created a special rustic flavor. Although the atmosphere was worth the price of admission, the slim price of lunch at less than $50 for 4 people was equally pleasing.

The day we spent touring Granda was wonderful, and we wished we had more time in this fair city; or did we say that already? Our friend Johnny “Goldy” Goldenberg, realtor, investor, muy bueno surfer, pro-tennis player and all around general great guy, dropped us off at the airport in Managua where we were way early, again, for our flight home. Sadly, as we navigated customs and the other nasty trappings of traveling these days, we told the customs official that we wish we didn’t have to leave. Did we mention that you should be careful for what you wish? After sitting in the airport for about three hours, we were suddenly in the midst of what seemed like some Central American political coup when they abruptly announced that the flight was cancelled.

Suddenly Scott was really tested on his Spanish language skills as a massive group of excitable Latins rushed and crowded the desk screaming and yelling and demanded to know what was up. Michael watched the luggage as Scott was immersed in local madness. Welcome to a third world country as the airline officials were useless and couldn’t answer anything other than that the flight was cancelled and that we needed to go downstairs to reschedule. All at once, droves of people ran for the downstairs. We may be Gringo, but we were leading the pack through the airport until we got stuck at the elevator. It was “The Amazing Race” and the Dining Duo intended to win. By the time the elevator took us downstairs with all our bags, we were in the middle of the pack; but we had a trolley and they didn’t so we gained on the crowd of frantic Latins. Finally, we made it downstairs, where all hell broke lose. Shouting Latinos, a steamy airport, uncooperative and nonresponisve airline agents and everything in Spanish proved to be a scene out of a movie. A horror movie.

The line was enormous, but we were optimistically tenth in line. We were soon to discover that being in the front ten was just a silly as being in the last ten. We were there for hours, as nothing happened. It was a microcosm of the Central American culture and politics blossoming right in front of us. One passenger took charge and stood in the front of the crowd, fists waving in the air, inciting the group to revolt. Despite his call for revolution, from what we could gather, all the hotel rooms in Managua were taken due to some convention, and they intended to put us in a Best Western dump across the street directly under the planes. When we finally got to the front of the line, we were told that the flight for the next day was also now sold out, but there was an early morning flight to San Salvador with a seven-hour stop over to Los Angeles. Oh joy.

So, the D.D. decided to make the best of a bad situation. We phoned our new best friend in Granada, Ellen-the-Broker, who got us booked into the charming Hotel Daria in the town’s center, and we decided to take a taxi at the airport back to Granada. The first taxi that came along was a total dump, with a 500-pound driver sweating profusely in the front seat. Michael refused to get in. The second one that arrived was a slightly better dump with a cracked windshield; but the driver seemed pleasant enough and we were exhausted. Scott honed his language skills by negotiating a fare and confirming that there was air conditioning. The Duo jumped in, and that’s when the driver quickly took off the “taxi” sign from the top of the car and put it into the trunk. Hmmm.

On our way out of the aeropuerto, the police promptly pulled over the driver and asked for papers. The driver--clearly irritated--opened the trunk, literally threw the taxi sign from the top of the car at the police, and took off, the Dining Duo in the back seat just a bit panicked. Despite our many questions, his muttering was incomprehensible. Suddenly he pulled over, and took a dive under the dashboard, fiddling with the wires; apparently this is what one has to do to connect the air conditioning. We then took off again at breakneck speed, honking at every moving thing we encountered, when the driver suddenly hooked a turn that didn’t look familiar on the way into the airport. “Why are you turning right?” Scott asked in Spanish. We’re not sure why we even ask questions in this country since the answers don’t really make any sense. The next thing we know, we’re in some trashy quasi-residential area where seedy looking guys were hanging out shirtless (no, it wasn't West Hollywood) and Michael’s Rolex watch was looking more and more like a fishing lure. Was there anyone in the world who knew where we were? Were we destined to be robbed and dumped in a field somewhere in some Nicaraguan field?

After extremely raised blood pressure and several more turns through neighborhoods that make an East L.A. barrio look appealing, The Dining Duo was speeding down the highway and in need of a new change of underwear. Only by the grace of god, we arrived at the Hotel Daria, gave the driver a big tip for not robbing and killing us, and went back into the paradise that Granada had to offer.

Hotel Dario

Only $100 for the night, this was one of the various hotels in the city to provide charm and a roof over your head. We got a fairly basic room with comfortable beds and soft pillows, and even body lotion (apparently a national treasure in this part of the world). The shower spit water on us at the very best, so we took off for the pool in the courtyard. Scott made the mistake of requesting the hotel start the fountain, and so the Dining Duo spent their time in the pool as the lights went on and off, the pool equipment went on and off, and the landscaping lights went on and off. Repeatedly. The fountain never came on. Never mind, we were alive and safe and about to enjoy a dinner out in the town.

Mediterraneo Restaurante
De la alcaldia, una cuidra y media hacia el lago
Nuria Clark
Tel 505 552 6764

Right around the corner from our hotel is the highly recommended Spanish restaurant, which is the brainchild of the warm and hospitable Nuria Clark. When she sold the successful magazine she created in New York called “VEA NEW YORK” (“See New York”) for visiting Latinos from around the world, she dreamed of a warmer climate and the opportunity to do something new. We’re certainly happy she did.

As we sat at our table on the edge of the interior garden, water trickled down a wall fountain playing a sort of rhythm to the sounds of the palms rustling by the warm evening breeze. A pitcher of the best sangria we’ve ever tasted came promptly to the table and we voraciously enjoyed the divine mixtures of fresh fruit and red wine (after our taxi adventure, it especially tasted good). We started with gazpacho, which we anticipated to be the same more or less throughout the world; it wasn’t here. The soup base was served in a bowl and it was creamy and delicious just like that. Along side of it were small dishes of freshly chopped onions, tomatoes and cilantro. We added the three to our base according to our own tastes—a nice touch—and then slurped down the concoction. In between slurps, a father and son guitar cantata team came to our table and serenaded us with lively regional music. Just as we were enjoying the combination of warm breezes, a sangria buzz and each other’s company, the paella came to the table in a giant skillet. It was loaded with fresh muscles, clams, calamari and chicken, and it was layered around rice that enjoyed the reduction of its sauces and sweet flavors. It was a perfect balance of authentic spices and enough for four hungry people. We finished dinner with a superb chocolate and ice cream crepe, and although it didn’t sound terribly Spanish, we didn’t much care as we gobbled it up with zeal.

We had earlier enquired about gay and lesbian places around town, and at the end of our meal, Nuria came over with information she gathered by calling a few of her gay friends for us. We realized that if we lived in this enchanting and picturesque town, we would quickly have a group of fun and interesting friends, starting with Ellen and Nuria.



Purgatory in Paradise

AeroConnections Restaurant
Next to the Duty Free Shop/Airport Channel/Ultra Light

Stuck in the San Salvador airport for seven hours, we scoured the entire place for something to do. After looking at all the duty free stores that carried merchandise that cost more than at home, we went on a hunt for something edible. Past all the fast food shops, past all the stands, beyond the candy sold in the stores, we suddenly found a real restaurant: AeroConnections restaurant. Okay, so it needs a new name, but the tables were neat and clean and the chairs comfy, so it was worth a try.

Michael had the chicken cordon bleu and Scott ordered the chicken alfredo. Both were very tasty, especially considering it was an airport restaurant. The food was only the beginning of our extremely enjoyable experience. Behind the restaurant is their lounge, which is about ten times nicer than the first class Taca airline lounge nearby. It is equipped with a full bar, comfortable leather chairs and recliners, desks with internet access, big screen TV and a young wait staff that is eager to please and swap some English practice for Spanish lessons. For five dollars you can enjoy 15 minutes in a fabulous massaging chair, and for 60 cents they will make calls to the U.S. for you, and put it all on your meal charge. We spent a great deal of our time talking with Eduardo Salazar Trabanino, a 23 year old university student doing a six week stint to further his degree in Tourism, and Gerson Escobar, a jovial and accommodating 22 year old who was working 12 hour/ 5 day shifts to further himself. When the guys asked if we had ever tasted the national dish, “Papusas”, and we had said no, they rushed over a complimentary dish of a cheese and bean sort of soft tortilla, and a sauce, along with cole slaw that complimented the dish. It was quite delicious and gave us a taste of the local dish, and the local hospitality. Their boss, Oscar Maruicio Castro made certain that we were taken care of and comfortable, and by the time we left for our flight, they were all our new best “cheritos” in all of San Salvador. Although we never left the airport, we experienced a taste of the gracious and warm Salvadorian hospitality that waits for us on our next trip to Central America.

We arrived home safe, sound and happy, knowing that our trip to Central America was fabulous, and most importantly, Mercury was no longer in retrograde.

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Crossing the Border
Of all the decades of world travel the Dining Duo has experienced together and apart, crossing the border by car from Costa Rica into Nicaragua was perhaps the most interesting and proactive to date. Thank god we were with friend and local realtor extraordinaire (see sidebar article)Barry Oliver who made the experience painless; or we would still be at the border trying to navigate the situation.

Even “Checkpoint Charlie” was easier to navigate. First we crossed over the Costa Rican border into a sort of no-man’s land and had to stop at some official building where it smelled like an open sewer, and it probably was. We had to get special clearance for the car. Of course, if we had gone in a rented car, we would have had to park the rented car from Costa Rica, and then rent a new car from Nicaragua. From here, we drove a few meters more where there were all sorts of scary looking policia walking with guns over their shoulders. The car was suddenly swarmed with kids and men, banging on the window. Barry took it in stride as Michael and Scott had visions of Midnight Express crossing their minds. It turns out that “Big Dick” was the local guy who for a few bucks ran the paperwork through some other office down the dirt road. We reluctantly handed over our passport to this toothless guy, along with 20 bucks and then waited patiently in the car while an assortment of other characters tried to either get our attention for money or sell us hammocks, something we clearly couldn’t use in the current situation. After about half an hour, Big Dick came back out and handed us the fully stamped documents, asked for a few more dollars which he clearly earned, and sent us on our way. We waved goodbye to the kids trying to extract more money out of us and crossed peacefully over the Nicaraguan border. Mission accomplished.

Pelican Eyes, Nicaragua - Villa Encantado.
“The Enchanted Villa”. “Haunted” or “Haunting” that is the question.

After driving several hours across the border and through thickly overgrown roads with lakes and active volcanoes looming in the distance, arriving at Pelican Eyes Hotel and villas was like finding an oasis in the middle of the desert. High atop the hill overlooking the sleepy and happy town of San Juan Del Sur, Pelican Eyes is the creation of visionary Yank attorney Chris Berry (see side bar), and every inch and every detail proves his status as a visionary, especially in a country where time is irrelevant and being happy is more important than having a bank account number to try and keep you happy.

The lobby and restaurant are side by side, with a gracious pool in the middle of the bar and restaurant. We’ve been told that Wednesdays and Fridays are happy hour nights, and that after zealous drinking by locals and ex-pats alike, the swimming pool becomes an active sight for cooling off. Even Matthew Mconaghy jumped in recently. Unlike it’s Costa Rican neighbor to the south, this is a country where almost no-one speaks English, and yet Chris has finely trained his staff to speak English and run things as close to North American standards as possible. For example, we asked for breakfast to be delivered to our villa at 10:15 am, and we were shocked when two happy, smiling hombres were at our door at just that time.

We digress; after checking in, someone drove us high up the hill and over bumpy roads to one of the highest villas (and the one we recommend to rent) called Villa Encantado. We were greeted by the tinkling sounds of falling water from the fountain in the front yard, as well as by a few geckos and other assorted insects. We entered into a two story, two bedroom 2.5 bath home that was indeed enchanting. With rich wood arched windows that draw in the vistas beyond, saltillo tiles, authentic cane roofs and a sweeping staircase to the second floor, we knew we never wanted to leave. The bathrooms are covered in whimsical puffy tiles of assorted colors, gracing the stone floors and centered by a hand painted sink of birds that will make you smile every time you use it. The bathrooms are large, and the closet unusually large as well. The fountain in the dining room makes it feel you’re in a rain forest. The unobstructed views out the front of the house are of the gorgeous bay below, and the views from the back of the house are of the mountainous terrain covered in a rich blanket of verdant foliage. In fact, when we went on the back balcony at night, there was enough odd animal noises that we decided to retreat into the house until morning.

With the sunshine of a new day came the awe-inspiring views below us and then the warm breakfast we previously described. As everything was set before us, we scarfed up the fabulous eggs benedict and the cream cheese stuffed French toast (the following days we enjoyed fluffy thin pancakes that you just can’t find in Central America) with crispy bacon, while all the time sipping on fine Nicaraguan fresh coffee. And all this whilst rocking in our chairs and listening to the birds chirp all around us. Oh, and did we mention that this feast is at no extra charge? Can there be anything better?

So why is it haunted? Well, according to the locals here, when they were constructing this villa, there were workers sleeping in the bedroom, only to find themselves on the balcony in the morning, with no recollection of how they got here. Instantly, the superstitions of the local people gained momentum and before long, there were rumors of “Fantasmas” or ghosts in the house. After staying in the villa a few days, the only ghosts we encountered were our own internal demons begging us to stay forever, and upon further study of the word “Encantado” we realized that this particular villa was more “enchanted” than “haunted” immediately putting us at one with the divine spirits that brought us here. And by the way, if you mentioned that you’re gay/lesbian, Pelican Eyes will give you a ten percent “purple triangle” discount; how’s that whip cream on the Homosexual cake?

Not only is the service fine-tuned here, but also the food is fabulous. The dining room is set under a giant wood and thatched open-air roof that is an architectural wonder. With ropes and giant tree trunks the setting is accentuated by the view to the San Juan Del Sur town and bay below in the background, and that beautiful inviting pool in the foreground. At the capable hands of Chef Lbee (see sidebar), we dined—no, we stuffed ourselves—on the best meal we’ve had in Central America. We were lucky enough to meet the humble woman behind the gastronomic delights and she apologized for her “simple country cooking”; to the contrary, each and every item placed before us was delectable and delightful.
The servers hovered over us so that our every need was looked after, and we shared in some fabulous wines from South America, our favorite being the Shiraz from Chile.


Michael started with Lbee’s Napoleon fresh ceviche, served with fried plantain chips, chiffonade of cilantro and pink peppercorn oil, which quite possibly could have been the freshest ceviche we have ever been served. Before we could put the fork down, it was followed by lobster bisque loaded with fresh lobster just pulled from the ocean and served with pastry straws, delivered at the perfect temperature and loaded with lobster.

Michael is not necessarily a red snapper fan but with Lbee’s snapper, he decided to rethink his slight aversion to the dish. The fish was served with a curried spaetzle, miso vinaigrette, laced with a hint of garlic and a side dish of broccoli. It was a treat and was followed by grilled ahi tuna filet, with beet risotto, and citrus foam accompanied by fried julienne of carrot. We were shocked and overwhelmed at experiencing this level of gourmet dining in Nicaragua, the second poorest country in the western hemisphere.

If we had to search for fault somewhere, the meat course was our least favorite; but that’s like saying we don’t like one of our children because it was still worthy of a fine dining experience. The stuffed beef tenderloin served with caramelized onions, gorgonzola and spinach, as well as rosemary-gruyere potato au gratin (our favorite part, we are suckers for gourmet potatoes and dijon demi glace).

Although this would certainly have been enough to satisfy, we felt that we wanted to try everything, so we next indulged in the rack of lamb with balsamic marinated coriander and crusted baby red potatoes with oven roasted tomatoes served with Mint-Jalapeno Marmalade. Scott, the lamb lover of the duo, said this dish compared to the finest restaurants we have dined at around the globe. It was delivered at the requested medium rare (exactly) which so many restaurants have been unable to master.

As if we had room for desserts, Lbee would not hear of us skipping them and what a fitting end to an amazing feast. We were completely happy with the trio of desserts, which included flourless chocolate cake, lemon panna cotta with blueberry sauce as well as white chocolate bread pudding with whiskey sauce. All were memorable but the Panna Cotta was legendary. It is worth traveling to Pelican Eyes just to eat at this gorgeous little restaurant in this gorgeous little hotel hideaway in the middle of nowhere.

As if all the food and drink wasn’t enough to sink us into the comfortable bed of our villa, we had to top things off with an assortment of desserts, all still at the hands of Chef Lbee. The warm bread pudding was delicious, but the real taste-treat (and this coming from Scott, the confirmed chocoholic) was the flourless chocolate cake that virtually melted in our respective mouths. The chocolate was fine quality and the preparation ranking world class. Shame on you Chef Lbee, for being so self-effacing, when her creations are way beyond country cooking. But then again, this humble attitude seems to be pervasive of the gracious people of this beautiful country, and the reason we are loving it here.

The other eatery of note in San Juan Del Sur is El Pozo (The Well) headed by Californian chef Christian Dreyfus. This chic spot in the middle of a funky downtown will surely become our hang out as we spend more time in San Juan Del Sur. El Pozo is loaded with a mix of Ex-pats, tourists and successful locals. The service is comprised of well-trained beautiful Latinas and while the food simply did not compare to Pelican Eyes in either sophistication or presentation, we are told that when Christian is cooking, it is the town’s close second. That being said, the Chilotomas Rellenas con queso and salsa roja, approximately $4 (Chile Rellino with cheese and red salsa) was flavorful and delicious, as were the Pipian Cakes (shrimp cakes prepared similarly to crab cakes). We also recommend their Big Indiana Burger, a real bargain at $7.50; it’s a mystery as to why they call it “Indiana” when they use high-end Nicaraguan beef, which is actually exported to places like Argentina. It was served just as requested, medium rare with perfect hand cut French fries. For dessert, Christian’s Chocolate Sabayon with bitter orange curd (approx. $4) was a superb chocolate mousse, but since The Duo prefers their chocolate uncluttered with fruits and nuts, we ordered it sin naranja.

The truth is that we enjoyed cracking open local cervezas while chatting up new friends over good food at this very friendly nightspot. We’ll be back pronto.

Stay Tuned for Nicaragua y Costa Rica, part Tres

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Mercury was in retrograde again. Why the Dining Duo chooses to travel when Mercury is in Retrograde is beyond us; or perhaps we’re just gluttons for punishment. Having nearly missed our plane to Morocco the last time we were controlled by the stars, we got to the airport with hours to spare, only to find that our reservation in the first class Priority Pass lounge was never made by Centurion and this horrible woman with control issues called security on us when we refused to leave. The plane left for CR at 2:30 am, and of course we were in the front row with the bulkhead two inches from our knees; thankfully there were two other seats available, but sleeping in a nearly upright plane seat was akin to sleeping in the adjustable bed that Michael made Scott buy a few years ago. Of course the hotel car wasn’t at the airport to pick us up, and just as we arrived at the hotel, totally sleep deprived, we checked in only to get an urgent message from our housekeeper telling us that apparently just after we left for the airport a hot water pipe had burst and our house was totally flooded with water. It was a great start to a wonderful trip because we knew that it would only get better from here.

Grano De Oro – San Jose, CR
Room 31 used to be a lounge, now a room that overlooks the lights and city of San Jose. It’s located over the Jacuzzi area that is surrounded by ten columns all lit at night, and topped with flowering plants and palms.

We recommend this suite as the best in the hotel($275), other than the garden villa. It’s a grand old stately colonial room surrounded in wood carved paneled wainscoting. Various hand hooked rugs grace the individually painted tiles on the floors and on the walls, which are accented by notched wood recesses displaying different flatware painted with fruit…all lit beautifully. Wall to wall windows display an unobstructed view of the city beyond, and although there are some street and car noises when the window is open, it is easily overlooked. Wood tongue and groove slats cover the ceiling in between beams, with two ceiling fans framing the room. At the head of the room are steps up to a bathroom, as well as to your own in-room Jacuzzi. The suite is decorated opulently, with thick drapes, vases filled with plants, and fresh cut flowers in and outside the room. It has a grand feel that is accented at night by the beautiful soft accent lights that warm the natural local woods. The crown molding is hand carved and intricate, speaking of times gone by. This is the only suite on the third floor and so there are no neighbor noises or intrusions, making this gorgeous and private suite an oasis in an otherwise unattractive major city.

Although the staff is extremely hospitable and helpful, we found it rather odd that there was no nightly maid service and no body lotion in the rooms. We asked for body lotion and we were told that it could be purchased at the gift shop. The beds are hard as rocks (we tried some others while the doors were open during cleaning times) and they only have foam pillows; apparently birds in this country are for flying not stuffing pillows. Our 9:30wake up call came 5 minutes late, but for Central America, that’s practically right on time. Also, there was an old 17-inch TV in the room that screamed to be tossed in the “bassura”.

The Hotel’s dining room is also gorgeous, with heavy wood beams and crown moldings, surrounded by silk drapes. All dining areas look out to a courtyard that is filled with flowers and plants, and centered by a dripping fountain that is both romantic and soothing. We chose to sit on the patio as it was an unusually dry summer night, and the tranquility of the fountain accented the particularly good meal. We were surrounded by Spanish native Costan Ricans, confirming that this restaurant was one of the best and most charming in San Jose. The service was excellent, and friendly, enhancing the meal that was otherwise good, but not of world-class standards. Nonetheless, the atmosphere was so transporting that it really didn’t matter much.

Scott had duck pate that was so soft and creamy that when enhanced by the mango chutney, it melted in his mouth. Michael had a few appetizers; the gazpacho soup that he thought was tasty because it was accented with shrimp, but he admits that it wasn’t as good as Scott’s homemade version. He followed that by the salad with bacon and poached quail eggs that looked better than it tasted. Scott had the sea bass, which was delicious but served cool. It was accented by a puree of vegetables that was a bit tasteless and a side of rice that was just rice. Michael enjoyed the three cheese ravioli that was sinking in cheese and way too heavy for the dish; that being said, it was tasty. The trio of chocolate was the best dessert, but although it looked magnificent, it tasted rather blaze. It was served with a side of café mousse that helped the chocolate, but again was only average. It didn’t really matter as the presentation of the food and the atmosphere of the environment were definite winners.

Although there is just about no reason to stay in San Jose, if you chose to stop over like we did, make sure to go to the museums which are small and interesting. We liked the Museo de Oro (the Gold Museum), which had a vast display of gold artifacts. Also, just walking distance down the populated Central Avenue is La Casona Souvenirs, a terrific set of stores selling all the crap you don’t need; it’s not crowded and the shop owners are friendly and not aggressive. Make sure to ask for “una ganga”—a bargain; you won’t get one, but it’ll make you think you did.

Paradisus Playa Conchal

Just for giggles, The Dining Duo decided to try an “all inclusive resort” something we’ve not done since our Club Med days. Although this one is certainly heads and shoulders above the Club Med of yesteryear, it’s definitely geared for the family who wants great value and a “no brainer” vacation. Playa Conchal is strewn across 2,400 acres of lush tropical landscaping that creates a walking village of sorts and is more of a “golf” feel than a beach focus in that only a few of the rooms face the ocean. The resort offers a “Royal Service” as well which has it’s own check-in service (very nicely done) and a private “adults-only” pool that has a beach entry and a swim up bar with unlimited drinks, of course, in the pool. The place has events every night and 5 restaurants that will attract the “where the food at” cruise folks. The rooms are adequate and although our suite was the “Bali Suite” we didn’t notice anything Balinese about it, save the Roman Columns to the upper bed area and the Central American iron headboard. The Butler service was always friendly, but the language barrier ensures that you’ll never quite get what you want in full. That said, if you want access to a long stretch of off-white beach and fabulously warm water, with lots of distractions and nothing to think about, this is a good spot to hang your sombrero for a couple of days. Rooms 35 and 37 are the best, overlooking the ocean, but beware that the 4-wheelers start early in the morning right between your room and the beach. Vrrrom, Vrrrrrrom.

Camaron Dorado Restaurant

Down the beach from Paradisus, and on the sand is a local restaurant that delivers atmosphere and food. Take off your shoes and dig your toes into the beach while they grill up fresh seafood right out of the ocean in front of you. A quartet of serenadors wanders by to complete the scene.

We started with the seafood soup (approx $7), which was loaded with scallops, lobster, oysters, shrimp and fish; it was a meal by itself. It had a creamy base and seasoned lightly to please the pallet. We followed it by freshly grilled lobster ($26) that was tender and delicious. The net result was an authentic experience that was absolutely worth getting away from the hotel for and discovering food in the real Costa Rica.

Next week: Nicaragua -- part dos

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