from August 22 2008
Logan airport has never been so crowded – at 5am there is barely room to walk nside the terminal. The line snakes back and forth countless times, and it is hard to even find the end of it – which adds to the overall chaos as hundreds of people drag luggage and whiny children through the crowds. It takes almost 90 minutes to reach the counter and check in my bags 0 then a quick dash to the gate to board the plane. First time in my life it required the whole two hour advance the airlines asked for.
So I was starving when I got onboard and searched for the hard boiled egg I packed. Unfortunately with all the tossing around of bags it was flattened, with the shattered shell thoroughly imbedded in the egg. Inedible. I resorted to the $4 on-board breakfast of a packet of cheese and crackers, with a few nuts and raisins thrown in. The alternative looked like it was mostly Oreos and Cheez Its which made me wonder what American Airlines thinks the definition of ‘Breakfast’ is.
Landing in Miami I headed to the next door terminal for my connection to San Jose. It must have been a mile walk at the very least, up and down stairs, around construction, down long hallways. How do children and the elderly do it?? Many food options along the way, so I grabbed a Chili’s salad to eat later. No internet, not even for a fee. This plane was full too - but for the seat between me and the woman by the window. We were very lucky for that but tortured by the distinct urine smell in our row (made note to check for lingering odor on me afterward) Everyone was so excited to be going to Costa Rica (except the toddler who screamed nonstop for 2.5 hours) so there was lots of chatter and celebratory drinking, sort of like college week
So I arrived without incident. The San Jose airport was a treat – simple and small, I got through it in no time, There is even a bathroom right in the luggage collection area, so convenient! The bathroom was spotless, with a woman mopping the floor every three minutes. It smelled delicious like oranges –well, really it was like orange creamsicles. Cuca met me in full Thomson Family Adventures regalia – the sign, the hat, the jumping and shouting with excitement. I joined her on her carpool loop, Costa Rican style – to her home for two kids, then to school for the eldest, then to her parent’s to drop them off. We finally settled at Hands, where we had an appointment adjacent to Sole’s for manicures and pedicures. For over two hours we were pampered – massaged, scraped, rubbed and painted, until our nails looked perfecto! Though I feared the total bill (there was water, tea, and Sole’s bottle of Boone’s Farm Strawberry wine graciously served as well) the total per person was a mere $22. No tipping. Wow, I might be moving to Costa Rica. Afterwards Cuca and I joined her husband Danilo at his new Caribbean restaurant for some fantastic ceviche and rice and beans with chicken. The hot sauce was perfecto, and the waiter had a flair that made the whole experience special. I made it to my hotel about 930P – 1130 for me on Boston time – realizing I was ready to collapse. I think I was asleep before my head hit the pillow.
Logan airport has never been so crowded – at 5am there is barely room to walk nside the terminal. The line snakes back and forth countless times, and it is hard to even find the end of it – which adds to the overall chaos as hundreds of people drag luggage and whiny children through the crowds. It takes almost 90 minutes to reach the counter and check in my bags 0 then a quick dash to the gate to board the plane. First time in my life it required the whole two hour advance the airlines asked for.
So I was starving when I got onboard and searched for the hard boiled egg I packed. Unfortunately with all the tossing around of bags it was flattened, with the shattered shell thoroughly imbedded in the egg. Inedible. I resorted to the $4 on-board breakfast of a packet of cheese and crackers, with a few nuts and raisins thrown in. The alternative looked like it was mostly Oreos and Cheez Its which made me wonder what American Airlines thinks the definition of ‘Breakfast’ is.
Landing in Miami I headed to the next door terminal for my connection to San Jose. It must have been a mile walk at the very least, up and down stairs, around construction, down long hallways. How do children and the elderly do it?? Many food options along the way, so I grabbed a Chili’s salad to eat later. No internet, not even for a fee. This plane was full too - but for the seat between me and the woman by the window. We were very lucky for that but tortured by the distinct urine smell in our row (made note to check for lingering odor on me afterward) Everyone was so excited to be going to Costa Rica (except the toddler who screamed nonstop for 2.5 hours) so there was lots of chatter and celebratory drinking, sort of like college week
So I arrived without incident. The San Jose airport was a treat – simple and small, I got through it in no time, There is even a bathroom right in the luggage collection area, so convenient! The bathroom was spotless, with a woman mopping the floor every three minutes. It smelled delicious like oranges –well, really it was like orange creamsicles. Cuca met me in full Thomson Family Adventures regalia – the sign, the hat, the jumping and shouting with excitement. I joined her on her carpool loop, Costa Rican style – to her home for two kids, then to school for the eldest, then to her parent’s to drop them off. We finally settled at Hands, where we had an appointment adjacent to Sole’s for manicures and pedicures. For over two hours we were pampered – massaged, scraped, rubbed and painted, until our nails looked perfecto! Though I feared the total bill (there was water, tea, and Sole’s bottle of Boone’s Farm Strawberry wine graciously served as well) the total per person was a mere $22. No tipping. Wow, I might be moving to Costa Rica. Afterwards Cuca and I joined her husband Danilo at his new Caribbean restaurant for some fantastic ceviche and rice and beans with chicken. The hot sauce was perfecto, and the waiter had a flair that made the whole experience special. I made it to my hotel about 930P – 1130 for me on Boston time – realizing I was ready to collapse. I think I was asleep before my head hit the pillow.
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