Monster iPhone Use Drains Costa Rican Internet

By Mike Danna
Louisiana Farm Bureau Federation Public Relations Director

There have been volumes written about American’s love affair with their smart phones.

One of the films up for an Oscar this year is “Her,” starring Joaquin Phoenix, a romantic letter writer who falls in love with his software, so to speak.  A modern day “Romeo and Siri,” if you will.

Here at the Arenal Manoa Hotel the Internet connection seemed to be quite reliable.  I was able to skirt around the net between 5 p.m. and about 7 p.m., searching facts, writing my posts and editing photos.

After dinner I returned to the room and began to upload photos and videos of the day’s events when I heard the Class 13 bus returning from the Eco Termales hot springs visit.  The area features hot spring pools, cascading waterfalls and all manner of relaxation potions, lotions and notions.

Those who went to the thermal pools were obviously now well fed and well relaxed.  So what better time than to sit back, relax and drain the entire Costa Rican countryside’s Internet connection.

Yes, drink in one hand, cell phone in the other.  The soothing sensation of checking one’s email; the almost Nirvana state created by updating one’s Facebook page; the euphoria of a quick text that ends in LMAO.  We overloaded the system.

Which is to say I had to get up a 6 a.m. to upload photos while the sleeping Internet Langoliers were still in bed.

The video of my interview with Jenny Villalobos was too large to upload at all.  Sorry about that.  I’ll do a TWILA Extra on the Hanging Bridges when I get back.

But during the great sucking of the web, the photos from yesterday’s trip to the Hanging Bridges didn’t make to the site until this morning.

And speaking of photos from the Hanging Bridge, you won’t see many because we were split into three groups.  Jim and I were in the last group so we didn’t see much of the other two groups as we toured the rain forest.  I know lots of folks took pictures along the way, so I’ll try to collect some of them today and post them later tonight.

Today it’s on to a sugar plantation, followed by an afternoon of shopping.  The winner of the trivia contest was Dean Deslatte.  The answer was Christopher Columbus.  Dean posted his answer at 10:51 p.m. Thursday.

Frank Sibley posted his answer at 7:05 a.m. today, which shows a lot of moxy for a guy to be up that early reading this blog.

Thanks to everyone for your submissions and comments.  Dean took the top prize, but because Frank showed a lot of initiative, they’ll both receive a souvenir from Costa Rica.  Thanks guys.  Send your mailing addresses to my email at miked@lfbf.org and I’ll get the prizes out to you when I return.

Until next time…