We have arrived in beautiful Costa Rica!

Despite having to be at the airport at 4:00am, we wll managed to perk up as they announced that we were landing here in Costa Rica. We now understand what the guidebooks meant by the Central Valley. As we looked out the windows on the left of the plane--mountains--to the right--more mountains. The airport was between them and we could see sunny skies, palm trees and green fields! We also saw another mountain--the mountain of luggage for our band of 23 students and four faculty members! Truly amazing! The porters had them loaded on to our super deluxe bus in no time and we were off to our hotel. We are all checked in and enjoying beautiful singing from the local birds in the garden below our rooms. We have a great evening planned at Ram Luna. We are going to Tierra Tica night-- a traditional dinner buffet with traditional marimba music and dancing. We'll see real fireworks tonight. For those of you in Omaha, it is 74 here! Pura Vida!