Once upon a time, these updates were written on a weekly basis... Let us call that period "The Golden Era". Now, for all kinds of reasons, it impossible to do so!
Well, Jean had a terrific vacation with his son Thomas Eric. Every thing went well. A friend from California to whom I sent the Press Communiqué copied it to his friend in San Jose, Costa Rica, David who wrote this on the evening of August 17th:
" All is well here.
I met Jean this afternoon and we went to the airport and picked up Thomas. I dropped their things off at the Fire Station and we returned to Centro San Jose and sat at the outdoor tables at the Gran Hotel Costa Rica and a had a drink and watched the world go by...This spot is a favorite hangout for people watching...
Later we headed back to the firehouse/ bomberos in Guadalupe where they are being provided housing...
I struck up a conversation with the bombero who took us on a complete tour of the firehouse... We met the chief and the other firefighters.
As we left, the firefighter giving us the tour said there was someone else he wanted us to meet....The fellow pulled up in a new Dodge Ram pickup a definite luxury item here. He was wearing what appeared to be a white uniform shirt...different from the bomberos. He spoke perfect English. Thomas looked at him and said to himself "no it couldn't be"....but when the fellow spoke and asked where Thomas had come from...Montreal...he then asked if he flew in on LACSA "Yes!" Thomas replied...The fellow then said he was the pilot of the plane! It turns out that he is a volunteer in his free time at the fire department!!!!! Talk about a small world!!! We then headed out and hosted a dinner at my favorite restaurant Cafe Mundo. In a few minutes there will be an interview on Channel 4. Tomorrow an interview will be published in La Nation, our leading newspaper.
Anyway...it was a pleasure to meet Jean and Thomas....We wish Jean and Thomas a Pura Vida time in Costa Rica and Jean a safe and enjoyable journey.....
Regards from Costa Rica.
David"
They did have a safe and enjoyable vacation! A million thanks to David and to the Firefighters of the Guadalupe Station who took such great care of father and son.
Meanwhile, back in Montreal, I am putting the newspapers stories on the www.wwwalk.org If you check the Site, you will notice that Jean mentioned on La Nación that he hoped to meet Sr. Oscar Arias Sanchez, Nobel Prize recipient in 1987 and former President of Costa Rica. Well, his dream came through. On August 21st, they met Sr. Sanchez, at his house. After the meeting, Thomas wrote:
"Mr. Sanchez and my father both spoke of their hopes and their views about peace. My father was very simple. He explained his mission about Peace for the children of the world. He knows his action is made on a small scale, locally, as he meets the people along his way. Later, his mission will develop as he touches more and more people...
As for me, I was very much honored just to be sitting on Mr. Sanchez's couch."
Later on their vacation, they went to Playa Manuel Antonio, then to Quepos and finally to Punta Uvita. The beach, the sea, a little visiting and a lot of rest... Jean needed it after a year on the road! Both were delighted with their moments together. For Jean the shock came after Thomas left... On August 29th, he writes:
"Yesterday morning, when Thomas left, once again my heart was broken... I turned around and walked the other way. This short time together has left us both richer in our souls..."
On his way to Jaco, he stepped on a nail that got all the way into his foot and he met a wonderful couple: Regina and Erwin Scholz who own a Paradise resort in Jaco and invited Jean to stay at the Pochote Grande! Erwin, being a doctor took care of Jean's foot and Jean taking advantage of his generous host and hostess stayed at Pochote Grande for 6 restful days. You want to see photos of that marvelous hotel? Go on the www.wwwalk.org , click on "Route" and then, click on the dates beside Jaco.
Next stop, Quepos again and he was hosted by the good Firefighters again... He stayed there a few days and met some Canadian people calling themselves "the Quepos Gang". They had a few get-togethers and the Quepos Gang offered to translate the updates that I write in Spanish... Aren't they fantastic? They already did translate the update of August 18th. A million thanks to you my friends!
I suppose Jean loved Costa Rica... I thought he would never get to Panama... He crossed the Panama border on September 22nd... On September 28th, I reserved my plane tickets to meet Jean... from December 16th to 26th ... in Quito Ecuador! How exotic !!! Imagine... a whole year since we have seen each other! True! Our hearts and souls are close to each other but it sure will be nice to be in each other arms.
Jean arrived in Panama City on October 12th. He writes to me every day but he is very busy. Interviews with newspapers, talk shows on TV and radio, dinner with a group a business men etc...
He leaves Panama City on the 21st and walks towards Colón where he is now trying to find a boat that will bring him to Cartagena, Columbia. I am sure he would love to go across on a sailboat... Jean has a passion for sailing!
At any time, if you are curious to know where is Jean, check on the www.wwwalk.org and click on "Route". I update this page as soon as I receive an email from him. The page on the Media is also up to date... you might want to know what our Spanish-speaking friends think of him...
Till next time...
Luce