on to cano negro

So..as I mentioned in the last blog, on day 2 in Arenal we woke up to howler monkeys at 5am (I thought we were being attacked!! I nudged Isabel, but she was not interested). We boarded a large van with other folks and headed to Cano Negro Wildlife Preserve on the border of Nicaragua. The drive up was a true look into the 3rd world country we were visiting: houses with dirt floors along the way, school kids and random dogs running amuck. Our first stop was a small roadside cafe with iguanas all over the place. Who knew that iguanas live in trees? Weird. We drove on...Very hot and very poor. We finally reached our destination out in BFE and boarded a small flatboat. We trolled down a river through the preserve and saw monkeys, sloths, jesus lizards, caiman, bats on trees, etcc... check out the photos

Back to Costa Rica.....so we spent the 2nd and 3rd nights in Arenal. The first night we saw the volcano as I mentioned. That night we met the greatest frog ever..after we spent hours in hot springs. The hot springs were great, and it was fun to ascend pool to pool up to the hottest springs..Unforgettable...the waitress pulled that frog off the wall in the kitchen. Holy National Geographic..

The second day we headed for the border of Nicaragua with a few young guides (very entertaining guys!!!!) to float down a river in Cano Negro, an awesome wildlife refuge. Along the way we saw some interesting things, most notably a cafe completely invaded by local iguanas. They live and thrive in trees...who knew????

Arenal, Costa Rica

Okay...so back to Costa Rica. As I mentioned before, we spent several days in Arenal near the most active volcano. We highly recommend Hotel Nayara, by far the best hotel we have ever visited. We arrived and our nice host Johnathan pointed out some howler monkeys in a tree just outside our cabana. Isabel got some great pics with her new camera of the volcano at night during our guided tour. The restaurant at the hotel was great!!!!! And we enjoyed a typical tico breakfast each morning there (rice, beans, plaintains, eggs, and salsa).

e equals m c squared

Geoff is doing an excellent job of filling you in on the interesting points.

So, that leaves me the luxury of wallowing in my own obsessive experience: studying for the Boards.

Today I was complaining about our perpetual fate with one of my study partners, a Cally-bred Persian guy whose LA syntax does little to promote his true intellect. "Right, dude?!" he replies. "It totally blows."
How can it be that we are in our thirties and still cramming like a teenager for a big test? (Or maybe at least like a nerdy teenager?!)

That explains the acne.

In one month, every 2nd-year radiology resident (and anyone who failed on prior attempts) will take the Physics Boards. We learn and must prove we know how these images are made and what sequellae their acquisition has on our patients. Good stuff.

Cheezy (that's what I call him) complained "Why won't they just leave me alone?!" In his Garbo-esque exclamation, he captured the essence of our plight: How is it that we've jumped through every ridiculous hoop and still they give us more? When will it end? And to add insult to injury, they require us to fork out thousands of dollars for the privilege....

Even so, there is something really wonderful about being forced to plunge yourself into the physical world on a particle level... there is something satisfying and miniscule and surprising about it. Sometimes it is better than fiction.

There are the romances, the Bremsstrahlung spectrum produced by a rambling electron as it is drawn towards a nucleus, its path deflected by an irresistable pull that gives it pause. In its deceleration, it emits quite an electromagnetic rainbow for anyone who is watching.

And then there are the dramas...for instance, when a positron collides (miraculously!) with its infinitesimal opposite, the electron: the interaction obliterates the two, producing, in their place, two gamma rays of exactly 511 keV in perfectly opposite directions. And guess what those physicists call it? ANNIHILATION RADIATION!!! They must be existentialists at heart....

Now, if that isn't poetry, I don't know what is.

We arrived in Arenal, the most active volcano in CR, about 12 noon or thereabouts and were introduced to the most beautiful accomodation of our entire trip. A sprite young tico named Johnathan greeted us at Hotel Arenal Nayara. This place was amazing!!! The lobby of the hotel was outstanding...the colors wow.. There are 20-30 cabanas with outdoor showers and deck jacuzzi's. There is a swim-up bar, pet rabbits running amuck, and howler monkeys in the trees. We could have spent a week in this place alone. I had an awesome 38th (oh shit I am old) b-day dinner in the restaurant there. The first morning I was awoken by a loud grunting noise.....howler monkeys are CR's roosters....increible. Isabel was not that interested at 5am.

on to arenal

So...and I apologize greatly about the lag...day 2 in Costa Rica involved boarding a small van with a couple from NY and heading for the volcano!!!! We quickly learned that A) roads in CR just plain suck and 2) drivers of tourist vans love to stop off and fraternize with their compadres. We stopped at an open-air diner, I met some pidgeons, and we were invaded by 200 motos. Apparently motos attract the chicks...I should get one!!! Just kidding. I already have one.