Speed-walking in Toronto

We did really not get to enjoy a shortcut to Cost Rica. We started with a successful flight from Montreal to Toronto. Then we had this weird experience of "what happens in Toronto, you'll stay in Toronto". When we get to the gate that was supposed to take us to the plane to San Jose, we are informed that there is no place for us nor 12 other passengers traveling with us. Air Canada had overbooked the flight.
So instead of enjoying this wonderful view driving from San Jose to Quepos after a pleasant flight with Air Canada ...

...we had to enjoy even more time at Toronto Pearson International Airport.

It's a nice airport however. With the fastest speed-walk I have ever seen. We got to go back and forth on it several times. My Dominican even started calling it the roller coaster. 

We got informed that there would be a flight to Houston later in the afternoon and a flight from Houston to Costa Rica the next day. This is where I as an European go, "crap!!!". My ESTA had expired and the reason I had booked this flight via Toronto and not a city in the U.S. was because we European get treated like pure crap in this nation I think should be called The Twisted States of America. Wasn't it once the Europeans who concord the Atlantic and put their feet on this land? I would understand if it would be the native Americans giving us this horrible welcome but we all know it isn't. 
Anyway, we got however very lucky this time. We being me, my Dominican and a charming young man from Scotland who seamed like a character right out of an Agatha Christie novel. Our little trio was the last in line as we didn't feel like making a huge fuss about this inconvenient situation. So we stayed in Toronto and flew priority class to Costa Rica the next day. 
Air Canada did not book us a fancy hotel room in Toronto, nor did we get spoiled with great food but honestly it is hard to compensate with any Northern American luxuries when your mind is set on Central American warmth and beauty. The only thing that is worth something at this point is to get money back for the flight and that is what we have been promised. So on our first day to Costa Rica we never made it to my hammock, not even close, we just kept on speed-walking in Toronto.

The next day however we made it both to Costa Rica, to San Jose and later on to Quepos and further on to the jungle and that holy hammock.