Our plan is to depart on November 3, 2008 after the big weekend celebration in Wilmington, NC. Thanks to the generosity (and courage) of Sam's sister Michele, Alice will stay behind to have some quality time with her aunt, uncle, and cousins, and we will head off to Costa Rica! We'll drive from Wilmington to Washington DC and we'll stay one night in DC. From there, we'll hop on a plane to Costa Rica, specifically the Guanacaste province in northwest Costa Rica, a land of volcanic peaks, jungle valleys, scenic waterfalls and natural hot-springs. Home to a rich diversity of flora and fauna, with national parks and wildlife refuges, the area offers fascinating nature exploration as well as historic sites and quaint villages. Its beaches – some of the best in Costa Rica – are caressed by the warm, crystal-clear waters of the Pacific; some are protected breeding grounds for the majestic sea turtle. Papagayo’s climate is comfortable year-round, with low humidity, sunny days and balmy star-studded nights. We plan to stay at the Four Seasons Resort Costa Rica at Peninsula Papagayo. The Four Seasons was designed by the Costa Rican architect Ronald Zürcher, the resort's earth-toned stucco buildings seem to grow out of a hillside that slopes down to an isthmus, surrounded by tropical dry forest and sandy beaches on both sides. We will be staying in one of the private, freestanding suites, which has an outdoor terrace, Pacific views, and is built into the steep hillside like a tree house!