Back to Costa Rica for Javi’s Big 5-0

Riding in Shuttle to Resort

Carrie and I made a return visit to Costa Rica from June 18 to 23 to celebrate Javi’s 50th birthday. We had a great time, and it was wonderful to see Javi and his family. We stayed at an all-inclusive resort that Javi had picked out, since he had been there before, and it did not disappoint. Our stay was so enjoyable that Carrie and I decided to add an extra day. The food was good, the drinks were flowing, and we lucked out with the weather. It only rained hard once, and that was our first night.

FC with Javi

Our flight left bright and early on June 18, so Carrie and I stayed in Kansas City the night before near the airport. It was well worth it and made getting to the airport easy. We connected through Dallas, which allowed us to meet up with Javi and his friends, who were on the same flight to Costa Rica. Javi, Carrie, and I all sat in first class, which was a fun experience. It had been a long time since I had flown first class, so we enjoyed it. We were in the same row as Javi, and even though the drink service was a little slow, we still had a great time. The food on American Airlines was really good.

We stayed at The Westin Reserva Conchal on the Pacific side of Costa Rica. We arrived at the resort after about a 45-minute ride from the airport. The ride was fun since we were with Javi and his friends from Dallas, and we made a stop at a convenience store to pick up some local beer, Imperial, and snacks to enjoy along the way.

Javi Bday Celebration

That first night, we headed to happy hour in the main building before going to dinner. Of course, we checked out our rooms first and were very happy with the setup. Most of us stayed in Tower 2, with a few others in Tower 1. Everything was close, which made it easy and fun to meet up and explore different areas of the resort together.

The resort has around 8 to 10 restaurants, so we had plenty of options. The food was good at every place we went, but the desserts were disappointing at most of them. We did enjoy dessert at Cauri Lobby Bar & Bistro, but at the other spots, desserts fell short. The appetizers and main dishes were consistently good, so overall we still ate very well.

Us on the Beach

Our first full day at the resort was spent at the beach. We enjoyed the waves and sand for a few hours. Carrie and I had reserved a cabana by the main pool, so we spent the afternoon there. It was definitely worth it, and we liked it so much that we reserved the cabana again for the next day.

On Saturday, we went back to the beach early to get some snorkeling in before it got too hot and the waves picked up. We rented equipment from the resort, but it was not very good. Javi and some of his friends brought their own gear, which worked much better. Next time we travel somewhere with snorkeling, I plan to bring my own equipment. Even with the subpar gear, we still saw a lot of fish, which made it worthwhile.

Snorkeling Spot

Our days fell into a great routine of getting up early, heading to the beach, spending time at the pool, and then enjoying dinner in the evening. It was an incredible rhythm, and it made it hard to leave. On Sunday, I told Carrie I would check with the resort about extending our stay and keeping the same room. They said it was no problem. From there, it was just a matter of adjusting our flights and transportation back to the airport, which also went smoothly. Just like that, we extended our trip and planned to leave on Tuesday instead of Monday.

Dinner and Celebration

Sunday night, the whole group met at Cauri Lobby Bar & Bistro for dinner. It was a great meal, and as I mentioned earlier, the dessert was very good. The restaurant overlooks the golf course, and we were treated to a beautiful sunset. Since Javi and his friends would be leaving the next day, we said some goodbyes that evening. After dinner, a few of us stayed at the bar to have a few drinks. It was the perfect way to end the night.

Flying Home from Great Trip

On Monday morning, we met Javi and some of his friends as they prepared to leave around 10 a.m. to say our goodbyes. They were heading to other locations in Costa Rica to do some sightseeing, while Carrie and I stayed one more day at the resort.

Tuesday morning, Carrie and I ordered room service and enjoyed a relaxed breakfast before packing up to head out. It was a great way to wrap up our stay. The food was good, and we had plenty of time to get to the airport for our flight home.

Sunset Our Last Night

It was fun celebrating such a big milestone for Javi. I am really glad we made the trip and had the chance to spend that time with him.

Until next time, have a great rest of your Sunday and a wonderful week!

Symphony in the Flint Hills: A Memorable Finale

Stage at Symphony in the Flint Hills

On Saturday, we attended our second Symphony in the Flint Hills—and the final one of the series. The last time we went was in 2013, although that year it was held on the Fort Riley base. That was still a very cool experience, but we missed out on seeing it in the actual Flint Hills.

When we heard this would be the final event, we knew we had to get tickets and head out to Strong City, KS, to experience the symphony one last time.

Panoramic Setting Sun -- Courtesy of Greg

We lucked out with the weather—it was overcast with no rain, and the cloud cover helped keep the temperature lower than expected. We went with our friends Laura and Jason, and family members Erin and Greg. We brought plenty of food and had a great time snacking and enjoying the pleasant weather. It took about 45 minutes of traffic to get into the area, but it was worth it.

Sunset, Cows, and Flint Hills

The scenery was stunning—rolling hills dotted with cattle created a picturesque backdrop. We arrived around 2:30 p.m. and found a great spot, which turned out to be right along the path of the cattle drive during intermission. Carrie captured some great photos of the cattle being driven across the land and the cowboys at work.

Selfie Early in the Evening

The Kansas City Symphony’s performance felt a bit short. Carrie and I were away getting drinks when the music began—about 30 minutes later than scheduled, as people were still arriving and waiting to get in. We later heard that some attendees waited up to two hours to enter, due to the dirt roads. Thankfully, we followed the recommendation to arrive early and were ready for the music to start at 6 p.m., though it was delayed to 6:30.

Cattle Drive and Cowboys

The symphony played a few pieces before taking a break for intermission. That’s when the cattle drive took place, which was a unique and memorable sight.

After the performance, the sun was setting, casting a golden glow over the Flint Hills. With cows grazing in the distance and the sky painted in warm hues, it was the perfect end to the evening. Knowing it would take time to get 5,000 people out of the area, we stayed until about 9:30 before heading back. We made it to Topeka by 11.

Selfie in the Flint Hills with Setting Sun

I’m so glad we were able to attend one last time for the finale of this incredible event. This was the twentieth and final Symphony in the Flint Hills. I’m grateful we got to hear the beautiful music, take in the breathtaking views, and enjoy the evening with friends and family.

Until next time, have a wonderful rest of your Sunday. Happy Father’s Day to all the dads, and have a great week ahead!

Amazing Kansas Skies in 2021 and Off to a Spectacular Start of Skies in 2022... Be Sure to Watch for the Beauty!

Taken January 5, 2021

I have lived in Kansas for almost 50 years and I have seen some beautiful sunsets as well as some beautiful sunrises. I am not sure why, but 2021 and so far in 2022, the views from nature have been spectacular! I cannot count the times in September, October, or November where I would be leaving work and found myself in awe of the setting sun. The 2021 year started and as I was driving into work to start 2021, I saw the image to the left of the sky above the Indoor Athletic Facility on Washburn University campus. Wow! Throughout 2021 the views were amazing from being on campus to our camping trips, nature did not disappoint!

Sunrise from Washburn Campus

On Tuesday, January 4 to start the new year I noticed the sky looking incredible as I left the house. My commute from home to work is short (less than 5 minutes), but I was tempted to pull off to take pictures. Instead, I continued my drive and arrived at work to find the sky was still looking amazing. Pictures really do not do it justice as it was the entire eastern sky that was lit up in the pink glorious colors. The picture to the right was taken from Morgan Hall looking over Bennett Computer Center on Washburn University campus as I was preparing to walk into the building to start the day.

Taken by Erin of Jan 4 Sky

My sister-in-law, Erin, took pictures and we usually get pictures when the skies looking amazing from my brother-in-law, Greg, that we send to the whole group in a family text thread to share what we are seeing. The image to the left was taken by Erin on her way into work that morning. Again, just amazing and awe inspiring.

The question could be asked if I am noticing the beautiful sunrises and sunsets because I am up at those times whereas I was not in past years. I do not believe that to be the case. I have been getting up early for work for years and of course seeing the the sunsets happens throughout the years, but what nature has been showing the past few months have been incredible! If you have not been able to catch one of these events, I encourage you keep an eye out for one when it occurs. Sometimes this can be difficult if you are not outside, but well worth it if you are able to see it with the naked eye on not through a camera.

Photo by Greg of Jan 4 Sky

Greg took the picture to the right the same morning on January 4 as he was driving to work. This photo is looking over the Washburn University campus from 17th and Macvicar. The photo taken by Greg shows much more of the sky of what we were seeing that morning as it seriously stretched from north to south on the horizon taking up the entire eastern part of the sky in a bright pink. I saw others on social media posting about it too that morning after I got into work.

I look forward to see how the skies of Kansas work to impress for 2022. So far after the January 4 epic skies, the Kansas skies are off to a great start and will have not problem beating out 2021 with impressive skies.

Be sure to keep an eye out on the skies when out and about no matter where you are located especially dawn or dusk to catch those rare views we do not get to see often. Enjoy!