Loading Up in Miami

Kerri and I have just returned to Costa Rica after 4 days in Miami. I needed to be in Miami for a strategy meeting for work on Tuesday, so we decided to go out on Friday and spend the weekend there. First, it's always nice to get a little "US fix".

Palm Trees Reflected

But more importantly, we needed to do some shopping. There are just certain things we can't find in Costa Rica. Or they have it, but its really expensive. Or they have it, but it's not the brand/size/flavor/etc. we like. So we arrived in Miami with two suitcases each--one of our clothes and an empty one to fill and take back to Costa Rica!

We stayed at the Sheraton Bal Harbour Friday through Monday. We "pricelined" it. Is that a word now also--like I "googled" it? Anyways, we got lucky as it was a fantastic hotel, huge modern room, and a resort-like pool. We hit Dunkin' Donuts, Chevy's, Old Navy--all the classics. And even caught the movie "Click". Also recommended--will give you a new perspective on life.

On Monday, we moved to the Raleigh Hotel in Miami Beach for my work meeting. Also a fantastic hotel and highly recommended. They were shooting a swimsuit calendar at the pool with NFL players so a bunch of the players were staying in our hotel. We had a fantastic dinner at Smith and Wollensky's our last night and finished the evening off ankle-deep in the "walk-in" pool bar at the Hotel Delano.

Kerri Poolside

Dessert at Barton G

Full Album of Photos from Europe Trip

I have uploaded all of the photos from our Europe trip. Click on the image below to view the full album.

Europe Trip 2006

Jun 11, 2006 - 59 Photos

Europe Trip: Back Home

We're back home. What a trip. 15 day, 6 cities, 7 flights, 3 trains, and 1 Tom Clancy book later (give me a break, it was 987 pages...front and back!), we've landed back in Costa Rica. I'm here, Kerri's here, Kerri's suitcase is here, but American Airlines decided that my suitcase needed some time off and sent it to the Dominican Republic. No joke.

¡Bienvenidos a Costa Rica!

Does that strike anyone else as odd? The airline has enough intelligence and technical sophistication to be able to tell me with 100% accuracy that yes, my suitcase is at this moment on AA Flight #453 to the Dominican Republic but not the intelligence and technical sophistication to make sure that two bags given to them at exactly the same moment in time do not remain together as they travel 500 feet from the check-in counter to the tarmac. Weird.

Europe Trip: Paris...Again

To wrap up the trip, we flew back to France for one last night in Paris. Kerri and i had dinner at a wonderful little place called L'escargot where the specialty was--you guessed it--snails (Kerri's favorite). Then we walked along the Seine where the entire city seemed to be picnicking and ended up for a final drink in Paris at the Hotel Ritz.

Dinner at L'escargot

Europe Trip: Nuremberg

After being on the Mediterranean in the South of France, we hopped on a train to Charles de Gaulle where we caught a flight to Nuremberg--home of my brother Jeff, his wife Blythe, and several World Cup games this year.

Nuremberg Bridge

Though we didn't plan far enough in advance to actually attend any of the games, we were lucky to go with Jeff and Blythe to the Adidas World Cup Kickoff Party at the Adidas world headquarters campus where Jeff works. Jeff and Blythe on the other hand had tickets to USA vs. Italy. We also toured the city of Nuremberg and hit the second largest festival in Germany (second only to Oktoberfest).

Oktoberfest...Cheers!

Adidas Party

Europe Trip: La Cadiere

After Barcelona, we jumped on the train and headed east through the beautiful countryside of the South of France to La Cadiere--home of Kristin, David, Chloe, and Chloe's new little brother who will be joining us in November!

The Csorba Family

We visited the local French markets, toured the villages around Kristin and David's house, and ate lunch along the coast overlooking the beach. At night, we opened the doors to warm summer nights on the patio and had more French apertifs. And what a doll Chloe was the entire time we were there--we didn't hear her cry once!

Scott and Chloe

Time to Explore!

Europe Trip: Barcelona

After Dublin, it was off to the one "wild card" destination of the trip--not a destination that we either knew someone at, had to go to for work, or to attend an event. Kerri found an amazing hotel called B Hotel--extremely modern and highly recommended. We walked Las Ramblas, checked out the street performers, and bought some artwork for our new house in Costa Rica. Then we went to the famous Las Ramblas Market and and bought fresh fruit for the hotel room. We decided to pass on the skinned goat heads (no joke). The next day we hit the coast for our one day at the beach and to get caught up on our reading.

The Fruit Market

At the B Hotel

Drinks at the Bar

Barcelona Fountain

Europe Trip: Dublin

Kerri and I were in Dublin for our good friend's John and Janna's wedding. We became friends with John and Janna when we first moved to Costa Rica. They were so helpful getting us aquainted to a foreign country! In May, they moved back to their home country of Ireland and we were sad to see them go. But so happy to see them again in Dublin for their wedding.

At the Reception

The night before the wedding, we met up with the Paradise Poker crew for dinner at a Thai restaurant in downtown Dublin, then off to a traditional Irish pub for drinks late into the night. The wedding the next day was fantastic and the weather amazing. In fact, the locals told us it was the best weather they'd seen in 6 months! After dancing late into the night at the wedding with the dancers from Lord of the Dance (no joke!), we headed to bed to catch an early flight the next morning.

The Wedding Dinner

John and Janna's Exit

Europe Trip: London

After a couple of key meetings in London for work, Kerri and I hit Smith's at Smith Market for dinner. Smith Market is the distribution center for all of the butchers in London. Some of the best steaks, wine, and dessert on the trip. Then the next night, we caught "Mama Mia" in the London Theater District with Marsha. A great show--highly recommended! Then it was time for Marsha to head back to the States and for Kerri and I to head to the airport to catch a flight to Dublin.

The London Phone Booth

Kerri and Marsha at Tower Bridge