In case you were wondering, all is well here in paradise. We've been in-country for a couple days getting our bearings. There have been a few hiccups, but the universe just comes together for you when you let it, and life is pretty grand.
First off, many hostels and hotels offer shuttles, but it turns out it isn't the most convenient way to get away from the airport. You have to wait for the shuttle to be full to go; Aaron and Maria waited two hours for theirs. It's much faster, and (if you're not traveling alone)just about the same price to take a taxi. Just use one of the official airport taxis (orange).
Also, beware the gringo tax: extra costs associated with not knowing where you are and what you're doing. Here's an example. In San Jose, we boarded the bus to Puerto Viejo. Rubia inadvertently gave her ticket to a little boy selling candy on the bus. Since she didn't have her ticket, the ticket taker came back and demanded she pay for another one, even though he knew very well that she had one. So hold on to your tickets. And keep everything valuable close to you.
Puerto Viejo is amazing. We've been riding bikes around, relaxing, swimming in the warm ocean, eating, eating, more eating, and being lazy. It's a good summer. We've checked out the wedding site, and it's splendid. All is well, now we just wait for everyone to get here.
Here's a video:
