Unlike La Fortuna, in Monteverde we had a very nice hotel, the Hotel de Atardecer, up through the winding roads of the town, on a windy hill.  All polished wood, clean, happy, wi-fi, hot water, good food--all those things.

Meals were in the large common room--kitchen, dining, computer, reception.

And the food wasn't the 'typical'--no rice and beans, although I like that.  A chicken with some sort of curry sauce (?),

spaghetti one night with homemade bread, pizza our last night, a beef stew...
and always lots of fruit and juice...


In an upstairs alcove, we had a group get-together that first night.  I brought wine from the little local store, my selection principle being less than 4$ a bottle (the owner, vaguely embarrassed, showed me the step-up boxes of wine).  So I wound up with an interesting blackberry wine, something like port, and this:

With enough iphone translation, we figured out that this bright orange stuff was cashew wine--made not from the nut but the fruit--everything an educational experience...

And the other big event--Mary arranged with the head cook to make a surprise cake (from scratch) for Allison's birthday!


Here's the lady that managed all the food...


later, bob