Thursday, 29 Sept, LAX to Liberia, Costa Rica

We got up about 6 am.  Got dressed, painted on a happy face and then drove over to the airport.  Rob needed to report in for his flight at 7:30.  I already had my security document and I was pre-check, so getting through  security was a piece of cake.  We went directly to Starbucks just inside for our needed caffeine fix.  
First class was full, so I sat in the back, but I had the whole row to myself, so that was real nice.
I worked on, and finished (as much as I could) my November Kleenex box cover.  I finished all the stitching and sewed two sides to each other and then the other two sides to each other, but not the four sides and the top.  It would be to difficult to travel with.  
It was a 5 hour flight, but it went by real quick. I took some pictures on our approach into Liberia, Costa Rica.  

 Yes, I was sitting over the wing.

 There is a lot of agriculture here

I got through customs and Immigration with no problem.

Rob and one of the flight attendants told me I should go and pay my departure taxes while there so I didn't have to worry about it on the way out.  I tried to, but was told I couldn't, that I had to wait until the day I was leaving.  The nice man who was helping me took me over to the Alaska ticket counter to ask about it, but she said they were in transition and non-revs didn't have to pay the taxes.  Hmm

I met Rob and the rest of the flight crew and we climbed into the van to go to the Hotel.  It was an hour and a half drive from the airport to the Hotel.  We stopped at a little store just before getting there.  The crew likes to stop there and get their beer and snacks.  

They are on a 48 hour layover, so they need their snacks.

Back into the van for the rest of the journey to the Hotel.  

We passed a lot of, what I believe to be sugar cane, fields and some corn, bananas, papaya, coconut. Costa Rica sort of reminds me of Hawaii, and Mexico, but not as impoverished as Mexico.  It is really hot and humid.

The Hotel, JW Marriott is beautiful.  We checked in, went to our room and got unpacked and then changed in to bathing suits.  We were just in time for the sunset, so we decided to go to the beach and watch and then perhaps a swim in the pool.

The sunset was beautiful.

And the resort from the beach was lovely

The pool, however was beckoning!

It was really warm, 

 The water felt so good, I could have stayed in it for hours.

After swimming and enjoying a beer we went back to our room and changed into dry clothes for dinner.

We went to one of the 4 restaurants on the property and had a really nice meal.  I had baby back ribs with truffle flavored mashed potatoes and roasted tomatoes.  They were delicious.  Rob had Seared Red Tuna with roasted palm fruit and spinach.  Everything was delicious, but rich.  Neither one of us were able to finish, so now we have lunch for tomorrow.

We returned to our room and watched the Bengal vs Dolphins Thursday Night Football in Spanish. Bengals won.  Then lights out and in for a good night sleep.