Arenal

Claripopstinks's birthday, but she was working, so we whizzed over to the hotel in Arenal and met her at reception with a big bunch of flowers. She is a brilliant worker, and it's fantastic to watch her flip from Castellano to English to German, whilst being efficient, polite and friendly. She'll make a manager no problem, but is thinking of spreading her wings a bit to get more experience.
I wish her all the luck and love in the world.

The boys had spent the whole day playing tennis and then swimming, but we still had to have an hour or so on the beach. Although a bit overrun with beer kellers and pizzerias, the beach at Arenal is one of the best on the island. I wish those planners in the 1970's had had a little more restraint than greed.