Punta del Este

Since I had so little internet access in Punta del Este I wasn't able to post anything while there. Now I am feeling behind so I will try to update the blog in 3 parts. Here is part one.

I arrived to Punta on Monday Dec. 21. I came on my own by bus lugging my big bright orange duffel bag and took a taxi to the Yacht Club. Pablo Elola, general manager of the Club, welcomed me very warmly and invited me to lunch on the Yacht Club terrace overlooking the marina. This was the first moment I had where I felt quite sure I had somehow exchanged lives with someone much more privileged than myself. I had a delicious lunch of fresh fish and salad.

Pablo showed me to my room across the street, an extension of the Yacht Club. There was a great view from the common area but no there was no internet or tv. I had dinner alone and was feeling a bit lonely. When I went back to the hotel Carlos, the evening caretaker, was up watching tv so I asked to join him. He was very kind and we spent an hour or so chatting about my job, Punta, family, ect. Then he was kind enough to bring a tv into my room so I wouldn't have to be bored up there. Still no internet though unfortunately.

The following day I went over to the Club around 10, thinking I would be very late to arrive. This is when I discovered the pace here is much different than at home or even Costa Rica. People here eat dinner around 9 or 10 at night and stay up until at least midnight, then have a light breakfast around 10 the next morning, and lunch is generally around 3 or even 4. This is difficult for me to get used to. I'm always hungry at least an hour or two before meal time.

That morning I was introduced to the commodore of the Club, Horacio. He's in his 80's but is very lively and everyone jokes that he is commodore for life. I feel sure that's true. He's flirtatious with all the ladies and I think he takes great pleasure in being the center of attention at every social gathering. We enjoyed another wonderful lunch at the Club while I waited for another Horacio to join me.

Horacio Rossell is the main contact person we had for both Punta del Este and Mar del Plata. He arrived that Tuesday and took me on an extensive driving tour of the entire area. Everything was immeasurably beautiful with blue water, sugary soft golden sand, fragrant flowers, and expensive real estate.

Later that evening I was wined and dined by both Horacio's. I ate the local Uruguayan steak and a chocolate volcano for dessert. Again, was pretty sure this was no longer my life I was living but I certainly was enjoying it.

Wednesday was finally the big day. Mark and the crew were scheduled to arrive at 10 that morning and the Horacio's and I were set to meet them by boat outside the port. I ate a light breakfast and we headed out. This morning the sun was no longer shining. It was windy and foggy and cool. The water was very choppy and I held on to the side of the boat as Horacio (the commodore) drove us out into the Atlantic. We found them about a mile or two out. The boat looked magnificent and the crew couldn't be happier to see us after their long and difficult journey down the coast of Brazil. Mark Schrader, the captain, Dave Logan, the first mate, Herb McCormick, the writer, David Thoreson, the photographer, and Michael Reynolds, the scientist had finally arrived

We toasted their arrival with Champagne and had a few minutes to visit on the boat before heading to lunch. They ate ravenously and the wine was always refilled before they saw the bottom of the glass, which made everyone cheerful. By the end of the day it was declared that I was well suited to this wild bunch of sailors and was invited to come along for the rest of the adventure along the West Coast. I apprehensively accepted.

The following day Mario arrived. He came in late on the 24th, after a very long journey. He'd stayed over night in the Panama airport before the 6.5 hour flight to Montevideo. I met him at the airport and we made it back just in time for the fireworks of Christmas in Punta. It was all very romantic. It will be strange to look back on the way we spent this Christmas next year from wherever in the wold we'll be then. Who could have ever anticipated we would have been spending this holiday season in South America.

The rest of our time in Punta del Este is a blur of fine meals with wonderful and generous people. The weather remained cool and foggy for most of our stay but the warmth from our hosts made my memories of Punta bright indeed.

Travel to San Jose

I have spent a lot of time on buses in different parts of the world. Generally, most things don't phase me. Hot and crowded with no sitting space has all become something that I expect as a matter of course. Today though, on my way to San Jose from Sarapiqui something happened that truly bothered me.

I boarded the bus more than 10 minutes before its deparute time and there was already almost no seats left. I found one near the front on the aisle. I could tell there would be people standing next to me for the ride, there usually are. The woman who ended up standing next to my seat seemed perfectly nice but there was one, rather large problem.

Her butt.

It was large enough to encrouch into my seating space and push up, rather forecfully, against my right shoulder. I tried to nugde her to let her know that she was essentially sitting on my shoulder but she didn't seem to notice or mind.

Where I come from if you realize your butt is actually on someone you would feel embarassed and move (there was actually space for this on this particular ride) but I guess she didn't feel that way. I have always appreciated the lack of such rigid persoanl space barries in Latin America, but I think this time it went too far.

In the end my only choice was to do my best to ignore it and feel glad that the trip was only an hour and a half.

Family Vacation

Mario, his mother, brother, niece, and I took a trip to visit his aunt and uncle in the Talamanca mountains of Southeastern Costa Rica.

Tia Flor and Tio Pedro have lived in their home without electricity on their farm for over 20 years. They have cows and chickens, organic pineapple, timber trees, and recieve a pension from the Costa Rican government to protect the fresh water springs on their propery.

Braving the mud and the snakes in my borrowed rubber boots we explored the rivers and mountains of the farm. The farm encompasses 150 hectares of land so we had plenty to explore! When we got hot we climbed down to the waterfall to swim under the canopy of the forest. I also spent some time horseback riding with Chola, the one horse on the farm.

Along the rivers there were also many fossils! These are mostly of shells from when these mountains were on the ocean surface, before the tectonic plates collided to push the land into mountains, forming the isthmus that is now Costa Rica and Panama. I carried one back with me. Hopefully I will have space for it on the airplane!

We made it back to Puerto Viejo on Friday night, after a short misadventure in Limón. We will leave tomorrow to stay with our friends Afshan and Jalil in San Jose.