On Saturdays there is a market in Santa Cruz, and we’ve enjoyed checking out the various vendors at these markets. This weekend we brought along Z’s new friend.
Shortly after arriving, the weather took a very windy and rainy turn, so we huddled under cover of stands, buying chocolate and coffee, and eating local homemade foods like chicken fried rice and empinadas.
Luckily the skies cleared and allowed us to continue with our plan of heading next to the natural pool near Finca Magdelena. We enjoyed this quiet nature pool last year when we came, and looked forward to it again.
No monkeys came through the trees above this time like they did last year, but it was still a beautiful swim and rest in the jungle.
On Sunday I woke early to sneak in another run before the heat came. I relish the alone time and the endorphins that I get from moving my body. Cooldown with the lake view is a nice top-off to fuel those feel-good brain chemicals even further.
We stayed home and comfortable for most of the rest of the day, as Z’s friend came over to play in the fort they had constructed at our house the day before. Before dropping the friend off at her home, the news that one of the kittens that had gone missing from the cafe (Pan de Mama) had returned meant we were begged to bring the girls to check in on the kitty. Us adults had a coffee and played a couple rounds of Catan while the girls played with the kittens.
After dropping the friend off and having a nice chat with her parents about their house, business, and life, we decided it was to late and we were too hungry to find groceries and do any cooking, so we went to Cafe Campestre – a farm to table restaurant – for dinner. Dinner was delicious. We had the brownie previously recommended to us as a life changing experience, so we felt compelled to give it a shot. It was, indeed, very much enjoyed. Real cocao sure does make a brownie taste good!
On Monday we went back to a series of jungle trails inside a farm that we had wanted to explore farther. We walked through different paths to find a pier (inaccessible due to the high water level of the lake this time of year), views of the volcano Concepción, and various plants, bugs, birds, and lizards. Z ever saw what she said looked like a red poison dart frog, though it hopped away before I could glimpse it.
That afternoon while Z and G went to do their volunteer work (Z originally volunteered, but being there with her G has been helping, too), I stayed home to work on some of my projects and soak up some alone time. While I was working, I heard the familiar howling of howler monkeys, and went out to find them climbing around and munching in the trees on the property. I spent a good 40 minutes just watching them before heading back inside.
Tuesday we walked into Balgue for groceries (we found someone who sells chicken, which G later made into delicious tacos for dinner). After the groceries were gotten and put away at home, we scootered out to a place where a very nice human was offering free martial arts lessons for kids. Z was thrilled to see four of her friends show up, and learned how to disarm someone in a machete attack, while G and I went for fresh passion fruit and pineapple juices at a restaurant down the road.
Following the martial arts lesson, we were invited to take home some loofahs that the instructor had grown on his property (open harvest being part of his permaculture growing intention – very cool). The kids spent some time peeling the loofahs and dumping out the seeds while we chatted with the instructor and another mama we had met.
The last piece to share with you before I close the log of these dates is about who showed up in the dark of night. Realizing I had left our laundry on the line and didn’t want it to blow away or become too buggy in the night, we went out to gather the items and met three very large (VERY large) toads. Or frogs. I’m not sure, but they were big and hoppy and pretty cool.
