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Costa Rica McDougall Adventure January, 2012
  
The following are testimonies for our 2012 Costa Rica Adventure
to the Los Suenos:
This was our best trip too: people, hotel and employees, weather,
country and especially food were the best. I've recruited my daughter,
grandson and perhaps one of my sons for June. Don't publish this since
we don't want everyone taking up space when we haven't signed up quickly
enough in the future (kidding, I think). Nothing much else to say since
I can't think of how it could be better. Thanks to all who arranged it.
Jack Forrest
As Shakespeare would say,"How did we enjoy the trip? Let me count the
ways." Oh, well, whether Shakespeare said exactly that or not, the great
trip had too many plusses to count. For the two of us this was actually
our 6th trip with John and Mary to Central America - and maybe the best.
If you haven't been on one of these trips - start packing now!
Marcia and Bob Bailey
2012 was my first McDougall trip to Costa Rica, though I have been
eating vegan for some time. My husband and my seven-year-old son came as
well. We had a wonderful experience--the combination of adventures with
the presentations on nutrition and free time was very well done. Access
to really fresh fruits and vegetables in January was a treat, and I came
away with some good menu ideas. The guides and staff were excellent (and
very patient with a child with a million questions). The grownups lost a
few pounds each, too. I hope to return in future years, armed with
superior bird and reptile identification guides!
Solveig Singleton
It was a pleasure to experience such a beautiful country and not have
to be concerned about finding healthy food. I was particularly impressed
with the excellent organization of the whole week by McDougall Adventure
Tours. The value of the whole trip makes it incomparable to anything
else out there. The accommodations were first class. The lectures were
fun and very informative. Great time!!
Robert Maddelena
We attended the trip to give a vegan diet an honest try, but honestly
we didn't expect to leave the trip as militant vegans! I considered
myself very healthy before, though I used to eat seafood and a small
amount of dairy. The food on the McDougall trip was outstanding. But the
lectures were actually life altering. I have never felt better and have
lost about 4 pounds since starting on a low fat vegan diet a week and a
half ago. I can see I have much more muscle definition now, which I have
been striving for. Thanks for a wonderful experience and for adding some
years to my life :)
Sue Zoltner
Glee and I had a wonderful time. I am a physician and can attest to
the vegan lifestyle, which we learned at the 10 day McDougall Program.
The Costa Rica trip combined wonderful adventures such as zip lining and
many more. There is something for all physical capabilities. Dr
McDougall gave introductory lectures about the science of disease, which
I found outstanding. There were many in attendance to who this was new
material, I believe this demonstrated that most illness need not be a
mystery but have a basic common denominator which is the food. But even
if one came just for the fun we both found it great, The buffet style
meals were out of this world and anyone could have enjoyed. We plan to
go on another adventure trip in the near future. I would recommend one
of these trips to anyone. A chance to have fun and get healthier at the
same time. A win win situation.
Randall (Randy) Langston MD
We're writing to tell you that we had an amazing week with you and
Mary. This was our first trip with you and also our first vacation in
Costa Rica. The Marriott Los Suenos Resort was absolutely beautiful, the
vegan food was terrific, and we met so many interesting and friendly
people from all over the country. The week was very well organized. We
enjoyed all of the planned sightseeing trips and felt that you provided
the best guides we have ever seen. And, I saved the highlight for last -
your lectures were very interesting, very informative and truly
life-changing. We especially enjoyed the opportunity to speak to you
personally. Thank you again for an incredible adventure and the
encouragement to continue with our healthy life style.
Karen and Jack Forster
The 10 Best things about the McDougall Adventure are:
- The 5 Star Hotel
- Exceptional Service (from Hotel, McDougall Group, Tour Guides)
We were WELL RECEIVED!
- All of the McDougall Group, Tour Guides and Excursion Personnel
were Kind, Helpful, Alert, Attentive and Professional.
- An Abundance of Healthy McDougall Food for Breakfast, Lunch, &
Dinner was INCLUDED, and it was “Excellent”!
- A Popular & Safe Choice with a Reputable Company for an
Excursion every day for 5 days was all “Included”!
- Drinks (Water, Alcohol, Tea, Coffee, Soda, Juices, etc., with
the exception of private label) were all included.
- Dr. McDougall and Family attending and mingling with the
attendees, sharing and being an example for all us.
- The unity, sharing and bringing together of 120 wonderful people
that are interested in Dr. McDougall’s teachings.
- The Successful, Caring, Sharing and Bonding with like-minded
people.
- Dr. McDougall’s atmosphere and sharing of his knowledge in
health and life matters that will enrich our lives and the lives of
our families for generations!
What a way to live, we both loved it!! Good Job John, Mary,
Tiffany & McDougall Family!!
Gene & Lowanna Haaheim
I am relishing my Costa Rican experience every time I am asked
about our visit to the Marriott Los Suenos. Last week I continued to
learn more about the impact of the Starch based McDougall Diet on me
and my family and various chronic conditions that would benefit by
the diet. I see the positive impact on my health and the Costa Rica
trip showed me that I can enjoy my vacation without feeling like a
food Nazi. I continued to enjoy each day with so many fresh and
interesting food varieties including an occasional glass of wine. My
clothes still fit after one week in an elegant resort and I was
satiated with food, wine, sleep, and adventure. The nightly
gatherings allowed for continued educational growth and
conversation. I renewed old friendships and made new connections. I
look forward to a future trip with the McDougall Group. I would also
like to figure out how to bring the McDougall experience to
Bakersfield, California!
Marcia Rodriguez
What a wonderful experience. I can’t say that there was anything
that I would change or recommend except for having direct flights to
Costa Rica from San Diego. The resort was perfect, very comfortable,
immaculate, service exceptional. The weather was perfect and
amazingly no bugs. Of course the food was excellent and fellow
travelers were enjoyable. The tours and guides were great and
interesting. Everything was organized perfectly. I would return in a
heartbeat, in fact we are returning for the next one with children
and grandchildren. It is a trip that one can enjoy at any age.
Deb Pate
A great trip - I was impressed and am not easily impressed. Other
than the website this is my first McDougall experience. What I liked
most was:
- It was well planned and executed - everything worked and
flowed together. I liked that everything started on time. You
obviously have great attention to detail and Tiffany was on top
of things and made sure we all got where we were supposed to.
- The quality of the guide service and adventure trips was
very good and I liked that we generally had the afternoons free.
- The hotel, meals and surroundings were great.
- The lectures were jammed packed with information. I had read
or heard versions of some of the messages but not to the depth,
quality and convictions of the presentations. I was already
convinced of the benefits of eating vegan, but more so now. We
were about 85% vegan coming into the week and we are now
committed to 95%. Main take-away was I need to eat more starch -
a lot of my meals were mostly green and yellow veggies and/or
fruit. So now I am making sure I get some starch at each meal. I
think it is giving me more energy, but too soon to conclude
anything. I do short triathlons so energy is important.
- I learned a lot from other attendees and in particular I
learned that your website has tons of info that I hadn't
discovered.
- I will definitely attend another McDougall event in the
future and have encouraged my three daughters to come to one of
your programs. I look forward to the release of your new book.
Rodney Harrill
Grace and Max attended the Mcdougall Costa Rica trip 4 years
ago and signed on to the Jan 2012 with anticipation of a good
reinforcing week. The week exceeded both our expectations. Keep
up the good work.
G and M
If you treasure your health, enjoy delicious low fat vegan
food, a tropical climate and friendly, happy people; if you love
a good time and getting a lot of "bang for your buck," a Dr.
McDougall Adventure to Costa Rica could be the trip for you. My
friend Jane and I had a blast on the January 7 to 14, 2012
McDougall Adventure. The Marriott Los Sueños is absolutely
lovely. It's right on a beautiful bay, upscale and luxurious and
staffed by employees who are there to pamper their guests. The
daily adventures were great. We saw amazing birds and, if we
chose to, we could get up close to the big crocodiles on the
Taracoles River trip. We explored the rainforest by foot on the
Carara National Park trip. At the Manuel Antonio National Park,
we saw sloths, white faced monkeys, exotic frogs and birds plus
sleek and naughty raccoons. (Who knew there were raccoons in the
rainforest?) But for me, and many others, the most exciting
adventure was zip-lining through the canopy of the rainforest.
It felt like flying. All the guides were highly educated, fluent
in English, incredibly knowledgeable and a lot of fun. I skipped
the trips to Putarenas and the aerial tram ride through the
canopy. (Some serious napping, reading and chaise lounge time
were required on those days.) John and Mary McDougall were
usually around and welcomed our endless questions. Some of their
family members were there, including their three young,
adorable, energetic and well-behaved grandsons. It was fun to
have their youthful energy around as most of us attending were
in our 50s, 60s and 70s. Tiffany, who coordinated the whole
trip, did a stellar job. Endlessly patient and kind, she is the
definition of competence. Each evening before dinner, Dr.
McDougall would lecture on various health topics. He talked
about the relationship of diet to heart disease, cancer,
diabetes, osteoporosis, obesity, autoimmune diseases and other
conditions. For me, the best part of this whole wonderful trip
was the people. There were about 110 attendees and about 10
McDougall family members and staff. Without exception, every
single person was friendly and kind, not a grump in the bunch.
At breakfast, lunch and dinner we piled our plates high with
yummy healthy food and sat at tables for ten, usually a somewhat
different group each time. Every meal was a two-hour party! I
loved meeting fellow health-minded people from all over the U.S.
We shared histories, health hints, recipes and insights. This
was truly a memorable trip.
Sandy Warf
The hotel, food, arrangements, tours and all the staff were
outstanding. The lectures were inspiring – so much so that I
signed up for the next 10-day and advanced study weekend. Most
of all, at every meal I learned something from the people at the
table. Everyone was inspiring. I have never had a vacation where
I came home healthier than I left. While I have been a low fat
vegan for 2 years, I am now ready to make the next set of
improvements. Best of all, we talked two very good friends into
coming with us and they are starting to embrace the McDougall
diet. I am looking forward to coming back to Costa Rica.
Ron Vitt
My daughter Kara and I very much enjoyed the trip. Everything
about Los Suenos was beautiful; the rooms were lovely, common
areas full of art and color, gardens spectacular, and wandering
fresh water pool wonderful (especially fun for a lap swimmer who
learned to swim in circles and shapes!) The staff and service at
every encounter from housekeeping to waiters were absolutely
first class and always made us feel welcome and valued as
guests. Another achievement of the trip was how well organized
it was. Your experience shows - everything is so well planned
and thought out - the balance of organized activities and free
time is just right. Kudos to Tiffany, Carol, and your entire
team for outstanding planning and execution. You have a lot of
people, information and places to manage for a week and it all
came off perfectly. An unexpected benefit of the trip was the
very interesting people we met and new friendships we hope to
enjoy into the future. It feels wonderful to be in the vegan
community for a whole week, since we all encounter so much
resistance from other people, with all their misinformation,
negative judgments, and face it - total wrongness about food and
health! It’s nice to be able to let your guard down about being
vegan and let John be the maniac leader! Go John, brave
iconoclast! We believe you! We are all in! Thank you again for a
wonderful time - it was a great break for Kara before going back
to the insanity and pressure of her life at Harvard, where she
has tried to stay vegan but without having the time to do the
reading to really understand why - now she is much better
educated and more committed. The lectures are a real bonus for
someone who does not have the time to read all the books, attend
conferences and stay on top of the websites and newsletters. And
of course great reinforcement for those of us who do all that,
but still appreciate being in the community. Its all good. My
only regret is that my husband was not able to come with us. We
salute and appreciate you, your organization, message, and most
of all your passion for spreading the message, despite the power
and treachery of the food and medical establishment. Keep up the
fight.
Barbara Kubarych
I had a marvelous time in Cosa Rica with all of you! Your
guides were a tremendous source of knowledge on biodiversity,
history, ecosystems and plant and animal life of Costa Rica. The
Costa Ricans take the stewardship of their resources seriously.
The sloths, monkeys and raccoons were a treat to see in Manuel
Antonio Park. I have never seen such a diversity of birds as we
saw on the Torcoles (sp) river. The food was fabulous! Aside
from the great flavors, the presentation was beautiful. What a
treat to travel and not have to worry about maintaining a fat
free, plant based diet. I am presently suffering withdrawal from
a 20-foot buffet line and not having to cook! My favorite
adventure was the ziplining. This was my first experience. It is
counter intuitive to be traveling 46 mph toward a tree 100 feet
above the rainforest floor, but I can't wait to do it again! You
can plan the location, food, activities, and lectures for a trip
like this but you cannot select the trip participants. You had a
tremendous group of individuals attend this trip. The people I
met were interesting, intelligent, funny, and seriously engaged
in wellness. They were happy to share their journeys to health
as well as the challenges they tackled along the way. I have
come home with a heart packed with inspiration, laughter, tears
and a determination to stay the course. Congratulations on an
Adventure well done! With appreciation and gratitude,
Sloan M McDonald, DDS
This was my second trip to Costa Rica. This site was really
luxurious. Service was excellent (much better than up north). I
missed the lovely swimming beach at the Hilton though, and the
possibility to go kayaking at any time! It is so easy to come to
a McDougall event, even as a solo person. I felt I could be part
of any group and I got to know some very interesting people.
Between the adventures in the mornings and the lunch when we all
shared our experiences of the morning with the other groups,
lectures in the afternoon and the food again...Never a dull
moment. As a person who eats low fat plant food it is Paradise
to not have to navigate or investigate every bit of my food Just
dive in and enjoy. I loved every minute of it (well not the long
travel to and fro).
Lena Birch
Well, the fact that this is my 6th McDougall Costa Rica
Adventure is testament enough that I appreciate the value of
these trips and thoroughly enjoy myself each and every time.
This year, the Marriott Los Suenos, was the ultimate in a luxury
Central American resort experience...the accommodations, food,
spa, fitness center, pools and group of nice, like minded people
exceptional. I travel to Costa Rica as a solo; but never feel
alone for one minute during the week. The new adventures were
fun and exciting, (especially the crocodile adventure and the
best zip lining I have ever done)...The landscape of this area
was beyond beautiful and lush, in spite of it being their dry
season. Your lectures, many repeats for me, are still always
interesting, and updated with new bits of information each year,
so I always come away feeling I have learned something new.
Thank you for keeping me motivated and totally healthy for the
past 12 years and providing me with a great winter vacation in
sunny Costa Rica each year. Hasta 2013.
Andrea
The January 7-14, 2012 McDougall Costa Rica trip was
fantastic! Great day trips to parks seeing wild life and
learning much about the biology of the area from the fun and
knowledgeable guides. There were also trips to "Zip Lining",
River boating (more wild life) and we chose to go sea kayaking
one afternoon. In addition there is plenty of time for sitting
by the pool and even getting married if you choose, as we did on
the 8th of January. May I also mention, eating exquisite Vegan
food, loosing weight (yes loosing), and great camaraderie with
other health oriented folks all the wile. What more can you ask?
Thanks McDougalls!
Alan
It was a great trip, great place to stay, wonderful adventure
trips, and outstanding guides. It was all about the food and
that was exceptional. I loved every thing about the trip. The
one element that surprised and delighted me was the strong
educational component of the vacation (not medical, I expected
that). The guides kept up a running discourse on all things
Costa Rican. The government, the education system, the emphasis
on reforestation, the value of maintaining and protecting the
eco system, the flora and fauna of each of the areas we visited
etc, etc etc.. Met many diverse and fascinating people, will
stay in contact with several. Tiffany did an outstanding job
keeping the thousands of details organized and always a
wonderful smile on her face. We hope to attend another trip in
the future, this tops our list of one of the best vacations
ever.
Michele and Steve Green
Not being a vegan, attending the program at the invitation of
close friends was a little concerning for me as to how my
culinary adventure, as well as my first time visit to Costa
Rica, would turn out. My concerns were totally unfounded, the
trip was great, the excursions were terrific, the attendees were
like friends I had never met, and the food may have changed my
future approach to diet thanks to the optional lectures and
insights that you provided about a healthy life. I am now busy
trying to fit your ten-day program into our schedule this year.
Look forward to seeing you again, as soon as time permits.
David Diesslin
The 2012 forum in Costa Rica was most enjoyable. The food
prepared at the Marriott Los Suenos hotel, the day trips
(especially the zip line outing) and, of course, Dr. McDougall's
talks about a plant-based diet, were all I had expected. Not
fully anticipated was just how friendly and forthcoming the
participants themselves would turn out to be. Especially during
meals, there was a lot of entertaining conversation about food
preparation, socialization and personal experiences by meeting
members who had moved to a vegan diet in a variety of
circumstances. Thanks for a well-designed and well-executed
program!
Barry Whitman
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