A DOLLAR A DAY

last morning here in Sandra's house. i went to bed at 11pm last night. i was going to go to the bar at 2 when then Israeli girls came back from their patrol, but they didn't want to go anymore. i slept until 5 am. it got light and i finished my packing. Delaney came home at 6:05 am. she went to bed right away. Judith was at Hatchery A and it took her longer to come home. By the time she came home and showered, i was done my packing. we walked around the house to take pictures. as people started to wake up, i gave them my notes. Asdrubal thought it was funny that I ended the note with China. Felix came home last night so i took a picture with him. Judith and I went to the station to find Holly. Bia had already left this morning and I gave Judith her note yesterday. we helped Sandra make panqueques and set the table. we took a lot of pictures. i have ones with the spanish family, GVN girls, Sandra, Felix and Asdrubal. I was a little sad, but i was more excited to be going to Cahuita, to white water rafting and to go home. more excited than i was sad. I told Sandra that i wasn't sad because i am planning to come back. she said that was the case for her too. i thought i would cry when i left, but i didn't.



































beep beep at 11, Rene honked his horn and we brought our luggage to his car. Asdrubal carried my big orange bag (i have been very fortunate throughout my trip. over the longest distances we walked with out luggage, i have always been spared carrying it). we loaded the car just as Anibal came home. we said good bye to him, but Felix and Asdrubal went with us to Sixaola. in the van, we passed by Cocos Bar 1 and the family finca. i saw their father and grandfather.


















Sixaola Janek and Joke went to look for rubber boots. the bus to Cahuita left at 11am. it cost us c1200. police came aboard to check our passports twice. it tookus an hour and a half to get to cahuita. it was a very squishy bus ride.


















Linda's Secret Garden we got a dormitory room with 4 beds and a washroom. there was already someone occupying it so it was perfect for us. the owner, Roy, was very nice. he said he would call about white water rafting from Cahuita to San Jose for us.


















Cocos Bar! i saw one in Cahuita on our way to the national park.


















Cahuita National Park is a postcard perfect beach. it actually is a live coral beach, but we didn't go snorkeling. we suntanned, walked in the forest for a bit and took a dip in the waves. it was really pretty. i wish Gandoca had the same beach but it would not be a good beach for turtles. we went home to shower and get ready to go out for the night. we were so used to walking around in our swim suits at Gandoca, i went through a culture shock when i realized everyone was staring at us on our way back to the hostel. we originally wanted to get some food to eat, but decided to go home because we felt so uncomfortable.











































plans for tomorrow Roy helped us set up white water rafting for tomorrow. we are going with exploradores outdoors. they will pick us up at our hostel at 6:50 am tomorrow. they provide us with breakfast and lunch, take us white water rafting on Rio Pacurue and then drive us to San Jose. They drop us off with our luggage at Hostel Pangea. Henry reserved rooms for us for monday and tuesday already. All this for just $100!

Carnival and night market Cahuita is celebrating bull fighting this weekend. the town is very busy with midway games, street stalls, horses on the street and lots of dancing. Joke bought churros from a sidewalk stand. we used internet for half and hour, then went to a Pizzeria. Joke and i split a cheese pizza with coke. after eating, we walked over to watch the bull fight. it was c2000. it has 4 rows of seats high above the ring in an open stadium. the main event is the release of the bull. 10 or more men stand at the far end of the ring. a bull is released with a rider and he is successful if he doesn't fall off, but jumps off himself. two people are holding a red sheet to distract the bull. the 10 or so men run around to provoke the bull. some are very chicken and run to climb the wall or slip behind the fence when the bull charges. others will stay near the bull but twist and turn and dodge to avoid the horns. we did see a couple of injuries, but none looked too serious. in between the bull riding, there were many filler events. a man dressed like a woman with facepaint would often run around the ring. sometimes, he climbed the fence and got money for posing provocatively with men in the stand for pictures. it was very entertaining to watch. i got to hold his cowboy hat of change while he posed for a photo. i saw him dressed in his character, and also as himself. there is a very big difference in manner and action. he's a good actor. another side event was tossing people up into the air by making a trampoline with 30 people and a mesh web. some were tossed higher than the stadium. one time, a horse was sent around the ring in circles. it would have one rider, but another had to hop on halfway around the circle. once they reached the start point, the first rider would have to jump off. there were a lot of funny moments when riders couldn't successfully jump on or off.



































ice cream and churros we left the bull fight early because we had to get up early tomorrow. on the way home, i got strawberry ice cream in a pink cone and Joke got another churro.