Fire and Rain

Funny thing, right after I finished the last post wishing for rain last week, the rainy season officially started with a wonderful set of storms. It's been dry again this week, but the rains did finally come, and there was great rejoicing throughout the land.

I got a chair! No more standing on folded up yoga mats and sitting on barstools for six hours at a time... I made a temporary desk out of my barstools and the planks from my extra cot.

For a long time, there had been a gray cat that would try to come in my house and pee in the corner. The other night, Tori opened my door and I discovered that it actually was two cats.

The back of the bus station where I went to find my replacement fan parts.

My broken orange fan blade is in the foreground. He brought out exactly what I needed from the depths of his graveyard of household appliances, and charged me 2 mil (2,000 colones, 4 USD.) Much cheaper than buying a new $40 fan, and it is now working again just fine.

This puppy had followed some kids to our neighborhood one morning.

I'm pet-sitting Ben and Lindsay's dog Stout this week. He's been a very good companion.

Megan and I biked to Sámara a few times this week for studies and service. On the way to the (still dry) lower river crossing, the giant puddles are already filling up from the storms we've been having.

Everything's more of an adventure with mud.

Driving through Carrillo.

I haven't been to this beach to swim yet, but it's a nice one with calm waves.

One of Costa Rica's hidden gems, according to some travel magazine or other.

Out in Esperanza, a wild papaya tree grows.

I was waiting for Megan and Susie who were on a study.

Afterward we headed up to Playa Pelada to go to La Lagarta, a sunset bar with one of the best views of the ocean in Costa Rica.

It overlooks a biological reserve which is also owned by the people that run La Lagarta. There are self-guided walking tours as well as kayak rentals in the estuary.

After a very long day in service, it was a perfect way to relax.

Susie and her husband Aaron were in Bethel for 11 years and modeled for illustrations a few times. Now Megan and I are determined to find the pictures.

In the summer, the place is packed with people who come to see this... but in the rainy season, it's virtually empty with even better sunsets because of the clouds. It's a pretty expensive restaurant, but it's the place to go for special occasions. Also, they serve excellent gin and tonics.

When are you coming to visit?

Fire and Rain is a song by James Taylor