Yesterday I went to La Trapiche, a family run finca, just outside Santa Elena, where they cultivate and produce cane sugar, coffee and chocolate using both traditional and more modern methods. We got to try some of the produce at different stages. The chocolate was delicious. But we declined the 50% spirit they produce. I probably couldn't have stood up or walked home afterwards!
So now have coffee picking to add to my CV! To add to the experience, there were stunning views!
There were also sloths in the trees.
So I returned home with some sugar I had helped to produce which was like a hot water bottle as it stayed warm for so long in my rucksack! I had this discussion with the couple I met, which they found quite amusing, hot water bottles not being part of their life! I did ask Oscar, our guide, if I could stay in the chocolate making section.
I asked to be dropped off in Santa Elena, where I replaced my bird leaflet with one specific to this area, which should aid my bird spotting! I decided to shop for a good evening meal and threw the assistant into panic. It was more his problem than mine, as I knew what I wanted, but he called over his colleague who could speak English. So we continued in Spanish. Apparently the chicken I was pointing to was only available by the kilo at a special price, so I came away with a músculo which is a leg.
And very tasty it was too. Some things are surprisingly expensive, yoghurt, cheese, although the local cheese is very nice. Even avocados are not cheap, probably about £1 each and given how they grow here that is very surprising. However whilst I was awaiting my pick up on Saturday, a van appeared and one of the chaps got out and was running in and out of the houses shouting. It appears they sell fruit and veg every Saturday morning, so I will get my list ready and wait for them next weekend.
I am getting the hang of the cooking equipment too. I used the oven for the first time and had to put the fan on, the room fan and open the door to stop the smoke alarm going off. I also used the temperature gauge only to find that was just the grill and I had to turn the dial round to asar, which means roast, which had no temperature variation. So life is full of little challenges.....I will have to be more careful now as I have neighbours!
Today I waited for the weather to clear up and it did improve in the afternoon. Sometimes it sounds worse indoors because of the tin roofs! However I donned my wet weather gear to go to the ranario, to see the frogs. I had a great tour with a young man called David who very kindly did my tour in Spanish, speaking very clearly and being so helpful. They had some very interesting species, those with beautiful colours, those that are venemous, plus toads too. My ticket allows me to go back at night when some of them are more colourful too. They had the emerald glass frog I had seen at Villa Blanca and many others, one of which was on the glass so it's underside and all its little feet were visible!
I finished the weekend back at the yoga class, Also in Spanish , so really immersed in the language. I have also done a fair bit of work going over last week's lessons to make sure I am secure before moving on. It's interesting how, you think you know something but don't always get it right, then later after practice and some revision, things slot more clearly into place. It's important to build on a secure foundation. This week's potential error was the word for bubbles. I knew that balloons were globos, so I thought bubbles were glóbulos. It's a good job I checked it as that actually means blood cells, so could have caused confusion in my conversation about the jacuzzi! And of course the practice allows you to apply it in real situations. So haven't really spoken English at all the last few days.
Am making progress on an embroidery too.
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