Well what can I say - I loved it! The people, the wildlife, the rainforest, the beaches - everything was wonderful. For me the highlight was the wildlife. It's one of the most biodiverse places on the planet and we felt like we had a front row seat. Our villa overlooked the Manual Antonio National Park and had two troops of monkeys, one capuchin the other squirrel monkeys, that would pass through the gardens every day. There were even hummingbirds and sloths in the garden, although the scorpion that visited one day was a little less popular. The people are wonderful and it's clear why 'Pura Vida' is the national saying! While we were there we tried our hand at surfing and zip-wiring, but generally just took in the relaxing surroundings and enjoyed ourselves. We also ventured out on a couple of boats, one in the Pacific where we had a bit of a snorkle and the other on the mangroves nearby where we saw all sorts or animals including Jesus Chr ist lizards or wizards as my nephew calls them! I can't wait to go back!!!

A birthday celebration was the perfect excuse for a weekend with good friends in the lively foodie capital of Portugal - Lisbon. It was a short visit from Friday to Sunday, but we had a great time and got lucky with beautiful weather too. There wasn't time to get out to Cascais or Sintra so those will have to wait for another visit, but we managed to visit the old town and hit some foodie highlights such as sampling the amazing seafood at Cervejaria Ramiro and mingling with our friendly fellow diners at Solar dos Nunes. We also got a feel for the city and people when wandering and uber'ing around. They're a friendly bunch and rightly proud of their hometown. We even encountered a protest march (against out of towners buying property and pushing up the prices for locals) but it was all very peaceful and they were happy to tell us all about it. There's no denying the numbers of tourists but there are still plenty of places to sit back and enjoy snacks and a drink on a terrace such as on the Praca do Comercio overlooking the Tagus. The weekend in Lisbon whet our appetite, but we'll be back.

I finally made it to a country I have been wanting to visit for over 20 years and it truly didn't disappoint. As I expected the people were incredibly warm and welcoming, the scenery awesome, the food delicious and the sense of adventure alive and well. I have heard, as I am sure many have, that it has changed a great deal in the last couple of decades. However, although I have no point of reference for the comparison, it is most definitely still the 'Land of Smiles' and inspired awe in all members of the family.