My wife and I were fortunate enough to win a trip to Costa Rica to a resort called Latitude 10. We had a wonderful time hanging out at the resort, relaxing and adventuring into the surrounding area. Latitude 10 describes themselves as follows:

It was designed to be small with beautifully arranged private casitas, so that guests may purchase the whole resort and enjoy with friends or families, and individual guests and couples can come knowing that they will feel like they have their own room on the beach with every amenity they could wish for, close at hand. Set on natural gardens, the whole eco-resort was created around the principles of sustainability so that you can enjoy this level of luxury while knowing the surrounding wildlife and nature is being protected. No trees were cut down to build Latitude 10 and we will be happy to show you our sustainable initiatives that guide our operations.

I would sum it up as “luxury camping.” Your casita is completely open to the elements and hidden from the other casitas. The shower and toilet are outdoors (which is pretty nice once you get used to it). They clean your room twice a day including setting up your mosquito net and lighting candles at night. There is a fridge in the room and a nice couch to relax on.

But… you are definitely outside. At night they close panels to keep the elements out, but you are still very close to nature.

Here are 10 tips for enjoying your stay at the Latitude 10 Resort:

1. Fans – This is the most important tip. As soon as you book your trip, request a fan for the duration of your stay. Our trip was really divided in to two parts – the nights we slept and the nights we didn’t. Costa Rica is hot. It’s also very humid. The fans on the ceilings of the master casita we stayed in did nothing to move the air. Once we got the bed-side fan (they only have a few) it was 100 percent different.
2. Itinerary and the beaches – The folks at Latitude 10 are great about staying on top of your activities during your stay. Lean on them to help you find plenty of things to do. They were always prompt at returning my emails before I went and kept us on schedule while we were there. Also, you can’t really swim on the beaches at the resort (see rocky shore pictures below). At high tide it looks harmless enough, but at low tide you can see why it is so dangerous. Make sure you talk to the Latitude 10 folks about where you can go to safely swim or surf.




3. Internet Access – There is very spotty Internet access at Latitude 10. They told me they are improving it soon, but currently they share access with the resort next door. Bad Internet access is actually a bonus, allowing you to enjoy your vacation by sucking up nature, rather than surfing Facebook. If you do need the Internet, the best access in the area is at a cafe called “The Bakery” in town. Latitude 10 offers safes in the room, and my 17 inch laptop easily fit.



4. Look out for flying fruit and lizards There are really funny red squirrels who hang out in the trees near the “clubhouse.” They like to take the fruit/nuts off the trees and throw them down at the people hanging around the pool. Also, were tons of lizards all over the resort and throughout Costa Rica. I ventured around the resort taking lizard photos and put a few of my favorites below.



5. Order a “Pina” – One of the gentleman who worked the bar/restaurant made awesome pineapple smoothies. I had one or two a day, a great way to relax by the pool (pictured below).



6. Get up early – The best pictures come of the resort and the surrounding area happen during the “golden hour” (an hour after sunrise). As the day goes on, the air becomes very steamy and sight-seeing and photography becomes much harder (not to mention that it gets very hot). If you get up early enough you may see these funny little orange and purple crabs (picture below). During the time we were there it was egg laying season. You can see in the picture all of the eggs this crab was ready to hide in the sand.



7. Bring mosquito sting relief – The resort provides natural/organic bug spray and sunscreen. Unfortunately, the bug spray didn’t work too well for Amanda and she ended up spotted like a Dalmatian. Be sure to bring some sort of lotion to combat the bites you do get.
8. Bring several good books – Amanda and I typically run all over the place when we are on vacation. Now that Parker is around, I’m sure we’ll spend much of our vacation time bouncing between zoos, aquariums and amusement parks (all good by me). This vacation was different. We spent the majority of our time sitting on the beach, swimming in the pool and generally relaxing. There isn’t a ton to do in the area if you don’t like surfing, so take advantage of the quiet time to kick back.



9. Rent an ATV – Amanda and I had a great time driving from the resort to Santa Teresa and then around the horn to Montezuma. This is a scenic route on mostly dirt roads (all of the roads in this area of Costa Rica are dirt and poorly maintained). From Montezuma to Mal Pais you can either go back the way you came or take this very adventurous road with tons of very steep roads and treacherous drop-offs. This route is NOT for the feint of heart, but is fun if you want an adventure.



10. Eat at Koji’s – This was easily the best restaurant we visited in Costa Rica and probably the best sushi I’ve ever had. Order the “Koji Roll.”

The last “tip” would be to get to know the people who work there. They are all very nice, speak clear English and can tell you all about this fascinating section of the world.

Latitude 10 was a great resort to relax – I 100 percent recommend it. Check back later for more posts about our experience in Costa Rica.

Due to accidental mishap, I was forced to shop for a new lens for my camera. I dropped my 18 – 55mm “kit” lens that came with my Canon XSi. It was a great little lens that met it’s maker too soon. To replace the lens I started on amazon.com and b&h.com but didn’t see anything in my price range. Fortunately, I found a nice lady on Craigslist who was selling her gently used Canon EF 28-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM Standard Zoom Lens for Canon SLR Cameras. This is a super convenient “walking around lens” giving both zoom and wide-angle possibilities.

She also sold me a nice Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 II Camera Lens which is great for “available light” photos and very clear shots (it doesn’t zoom so the lens is much simpler).

My wife and I also took advantage of the nice weather to take my my son to the park nearby. Yesterday was one of the first days since mid-december that it has been warm enough to go outside and play. Here are some of the photos from the park. You can see the whole set here.

Parker is very close to walking. Here is him on the track pushing his new car he got for Christmas.

We (me included) crawled all over the field playing soccer and taking pictures

We also got to play with sand. The first time since Parker was very small.

(This is my 100th post at www.whereisjohnwilson.com)

I haven’t taken as many photos as I’ve wanted to this year, but I did get some good ones at the Coastal Carolina Fair near Charleston, SC this year. This was Parker’s first trip to the fair. He got to pet all kinds of animals, ride his first carnival ride and watch his mother and I eat fried Oreos (very exciting for him I’m sure).

If you go next year, I highly suggest you go during the day. There was a shooting on the last night of the fair, and until they can prevent the hoodlums from ruining it for everyone, I don’t suggest going after dark. We went during both the South Carolina and Clemson Football games, so there weren’t too many people there.

Here are some photos from the Coastal Carolina Fair:

Parker on his first Carousel ride.

Parker and his Momma on the Carousel

Not thrilled with all of the animals making noises.

One MILLION Calories

Leaving the Fair (I guess he didn’t get enough of the Fried Oreos

You can see the other 25 photos here at the whereisjohnwilson.com flickr page.

During our family trip to Las Vegas, we took a side journey to Red Rock Canyon. This park is only about 30 minutes from “the strip” and is well worth the journey there, especially if you have a rental car. You can see the canyon from the strip if you know which direction to look.

From what I could see, there are three main activities to do in Red Rock Canyon for the typical tourist:

1. Drive the 13 mile scenic road – This relatively flat, 13 mile drive is an excellent way to see the entire park with little effort. Along the way there are several stopping points or parking lots, to get out and take pictures. The road is one-way and plenty wide enough to let those folks who are driving a little to fast, or a little too close, to drive around you.

Chasing white-tailed antelope squirrels around the roads and parking lots was my family’s favorite park activity. These chipmunk-looking creatures hang out near the parking lots and the roads, and are very skittish of humans and cars. We had a hard time getting a good photograph of them, even with my zoom lens, because they are so quick to run off the road. With that being said, we saw more than one squished one, probably thanks to the idiots we let pass us driving too fast earlier on the road. As you drive the road, be sure to watch out for these little guys.

The white-tailed antelope squirrels photographed below were the only ones of the hundreds we saw that would sit still long enough for a photo.

The only one that would pose for us

Squirrel running down the road

2. Hike/Bike the trails – The day we toured Red Rock Canyon, it was over 110 degrees in Las Vegas. Despite this, we saw several folks bicycling and hiking the trails. There are over 35 guided hikes a month and miles of bike trails to explore. For the extra adventurous tourists, there are several rock climbing paths as well.

To see the upcoming tours check the Red Rock Canyon Interpretive Association’s website.

For a list of hiking trails see the wiki on Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area web site.

3. Visitor’s Center – The visitor’s center is small and mostly a souvenir shop. When we were there, however, there were two folks sitting at a desk answering questions about the park. They were well informed, seemed mostly bored, and answered all of my questions. They also stamped my son’s State Park Passport book (even though she informed me RRC isn’t really a state park).

View from the Visitor’s Center

It is well worth your time to visit Red Rock Canyon while in Las Vegas. Admission is only $7 or so per car and you can visit the town of Summerlin while you’re there.

Lizard at Red Rock Canyon

A broken “Shaq-tus”

To see additional photos from Red Rock Canyon, see my set on Flickr.

We made a quick day trip out of going to Hoover Dam. The drive is only about 45 minutes (tops) and you get to see a lot of Las Vegas off “the Strip” including a great view of Henderson from Highway 515.

We went very early in the morning and were literally the first car in the parking lot. NOTE: We drove directly into the parking lot from the road that takes you into Hoover Dam, however, as we were leaving that afternoon there was a very long line, 200 or more cars deep, waiting to get in. I highly recommend you get up early so you don’t have to wait. If you go early in the week of your trip, you may still be on EST. Be careful on the drive in as their are several sharp turns, poor visibility and no guard rails.

We walked across the top of Hoover Dam first, since the museum/tour didn’t open until 9a. On the walk across you will see the memorial to the 112 people that died during the construction of the dam (one was a visitor). You will also see the divide between Nevada time and Arizona time, as well as a great view of both sides of the dam. the It’s a relatively short walk, and if you go far enough you can walk into Arizona. I thought the state line was actually on the bridge, but the sign made it seem as if it was actually a good 200 yards on the other side of the river.

The $11 tour of the dam was not the most informative tour I’ve ever been on, but worth taking since you’re already there. It explained some of the history of the bridge through a short movie then walked you through the caves to the power plant. You literally walk through carved-out caves to get to each part of the tour, so if you are at all claustrophobic, you should probably take a pass on this tour. One lady in our tour turned around because so many people were crammed into the elevators, and because the caves are a tight fit (the pathways are probably 10×10.

The Hoover Dam is incredibly difficult to take competent pictures of because it is so big and you can only get so far from it. Be sure to go to the top of the Visitor’s Center to have your best chance of a good photograph.

The last piece of the tour worth noting is the near completion of the Mike O’Callaghan – Pat Tillman Memorial Bridge. When that bridge is complete, you will no longer be able to drive across the Hoover Dam. This project has been in action for years, but was accelerated by the events of September 11. On the top floor of the Visitor’s Center there is an entire section devoted to the bridge.

Parker waiting in the “caves” for the next part of the tour

On your way back to Las Vegas, be sure to stop and take a look at Lake Mead on the left just a quarter-mile past the guard post.

Below are a few pictures from the visit. You can see the remainder of the set on my Hoover Dam picture set on Flickr.

The Hoover Dam

The Hoover Dam Bypass near completion.

We stopped at Tony’s Pizza in Boulder on the way back to Las Vegas.

Parker had a great time at the Mt. Pleasant Pier, taking in all of the Fourth of July activities. He was big hit on the dance floor, earning his own cheering section. Unfortunately, his hands are still too small to sign autographs.

Parker also enjoyed watching the fireworks, which his mother was worried would scare him. He was watching them very intensely. I didn’t take my tripod, so I don’t have many good fireworks shots, but I did catch some good shots of Parker while we were waiting for the show.

Parker and Dad waiting on the fireworks.

Dance Machine

Almost showtime!

Everyone going home

Happy Fourth of July from www.whereisjohnwilson.com.

I hope you have the chance to buy (or see) more than one “firework.”

I took this picture of a firework vendor across the street from Carrabba’s on SC 17 North.

I went for a walk in Charleston today, just to walk off some of the food I ate last night at my company’s 10th anniversary party. It was very hot, but I took my camera along for entertainment. Below are a few of the photos from my walk. You can see more pictures at my flickr site here.

I found this fountain when I heard the trickle of the water from the sidewalk. It’s down near the Battery, but I’m not sure exactly where (I walked a long time).

This lady was sitting by Waterfront Park and she just kept watching me. I made it a game to wait until she wasn’t looking and then fire off a photo. This is the only one that came out.

This guy was down in Battery Park. He kept flying past my head and finally landed on the limb to let me take his picture.

Same with this guy. He was chasing me around the park and finally stopped for a picture.

I found these sunglasses left on a gravestone in the cemetery at St. Philips. Very odd.

I read somewhere this morning that people that spend more time outside tend to weigh less than their couch potato compadres. Beyond the obvious additional exercise required to actually go outside, the article cited the additional heat, body image reminders of being around people and not being inundated with food ads on television. For me, I eat when I’m bored, so anytime I get a chance to get outside, it has to be good.

After cutting the grass, Parker, his mother and I went for a walk in downtown Charleston, SC. You can see the whole set here, and take a look at my favorite shots below:

We started our exercise by going to the Ice Cream Shoppe in Mount Pleasant, SC.

Parker was real upset when he found out he was too young for ice cream.

After getting lunch, we drove across the bridge and found a swing in Waterfront Park.

We saw a pirate ship…

and the guy in the swing in front of us lost his shoe.

and these ladies were having a great time in the fountain.

I’m not sure if we lost any weight today, but we had a good time hanging out with Parker.

This past weekend, Parker, Amanda and I all went to downtown Charleston, South Carolina to see the Blue Angels perform in the Charleston Harbor. This was a replacement for the traditional airshow that is held at the airport each year because they are so busy sending troops and equipment to Afghanistan. We had never been to the airshow before because the traffic to get up there and get home is a nightmare, and there is no where to park.

Here is a blurb from the Blue Angel’s official website:

A Blue Angels flight demonstration exhibits choreographed refinements of skills possessed by all naval aviators. The Blue Angels’ C-130, affectionately known as Fat Albert, begins each demonstration by exhibiting its maximum performance capabilities during a ten-minute performance. Shortly thereafter, you will see the graceful aerobatic maneuvers of the four-jet Diamond Formation, in concert with the fast-paced, high-performance maneuvers of its two Solo pilots. Finally, the team illustrates the pinnacle of precision flying, performing maneuvers locked as a unit in the renowned, six-jet Delta Formation.

This performance was VERY loud. Throughout the show Amanda held her hands over Parker’s ears, but he didn’t seem to mind the noise at all. Here are some of the pictures I took:

We watched the show from Waterfront Park in downtown Charleston

Look close and you can see the swirls from the propellers

The “Diamond” Formation

He’s going pretty fast

Parker laughing at me

Note: I actually posted this on a Delta flight going in to Boston. I hope the pilot doesn’t think he is a Blue Angel.