
28 December ‘09
With last night being “Hamburger/Brock Night”, we all met all around the pool and enjoyed, what we have found to be, very good hamburgers. The proceeds go to those that need help in achieving a higher education. The money is most often used for books, transportation, or/and tuition. With the cost of a hamburger or Brock at 35 pesos (approx. $3) and a beer or margarita for less than that, it’s a heck of a deal for all. As always, following the meal, the music starts up and the “dance floor” (concrete slab) opens for those who have the energy, to “get down and dirty”…. Its fun, cheap, and you never know who’s going out on that dance floor…SOL…
This morning Louise and I put on our walking shoes and headed out for the hills behind us. Across the highway that we always use for walking into town, is an area that we have wanted to explore since arriving. It’s primarily residential with a small mix of a tiny grocery store or something similar mixed in. If the roads aren’t just plain deeply rutted dirt, they’re deeply to semi rutted cobblestone. From the moment that we left the campground we were either heading up and around, or straight up. If or when, the road came to an end, we found a wooden plank that spanned a small stream or washout area so that we could continue on a straight line, to what destination, I don’t know. It was just a walk… Then there was this one cobblestone road that took us straight up. This steep grade was so steep that I would guess not many cars have the power to make it to the top. Once at there we were amazed at the wonderful views. On one side, the Pacific Ocean and the islands, and on the other, heavily forested mountains in the distance with a dark green valley far below us that was filled with varying crops spread out before us. The real “BUMMER” of today’s outing was that I left the camera behind…RATS !!! I just hope that we get back to making this hike once more, because of all the photo ops that was left behind.
Tonight we were out for a walk around the park and noticed a group of Mexican families standing in the middle of the road. They were watching the launch of a handmade “hot air balloon”. Fact is, they launched two. One of the families made the 3 sided canopies of paper or light plastic and then attached a small can to the bottom. Once the can is filled with fuel (most likely gasoline), it is lit with a match, held until the canopy fills, and is let go to float to the stars above… It was amazing as to the height that it got and the length of time it took to reach max altitude. We stood there for the longest time just watching it rise and then just disappear.