White water rafting

Sunday August 24 -

It thundered rain all night long - how could so much water come form the sky?? It is an amazing thing to witness. I had a guest in my room last night, a moth the size of a dessert plate (I told someone a frisbee but that was an exaggeration). I coaxed him outdoors since I didn't want to accidentally crush him (he kept landing on my pillow) It was an odd pleasure to discover him outside my door this morning waiting for me I guess. My moth buddy.

I can't say the sky was clear blue exactly this morning but it wasnt raining as we left for the rafting trip. ON the way we stopped at a small stand and tried the local specialty pejibaye, the fruit from the same tree that we get hearts of plam from (we ate those later at lunch!) It gets boiled with salt, split open and served with a dab of Costa Rican mayo (I am definitely heading back to the store for some of that mayo, very limey!) It was one of those great unscheduled moments, and we loved it, even those wo did not like the pejibaye.

Then on to our appointment with adventure! For the first time we could feel the sun on our skin, and it was a perfect two hours of rushing through the water - not so high as to oblitrate the rapids, but high enough to have a few thrills. The guides are entertaining, the fruit snack fantastic (watermelon and pineapple, did you know Costa Rica is the world's largest exporter of pineapple?) - the water was not exactly warm but 'refreshing' and I did in fact swim. Even if you didn't swim there was no way to avoid becoming totally drenched, and better to jump in than be tortured by splashing. The lunch deserves the label of best ever - make your own tacos and loads of hearts of palm on the side. Yum.

Then on to the school where we me the two pen pal boys - a wild free for all soccer game ensued, no teams, no sides, about 40 kids going wild. The girls in our group stand back not daring to join in. The boys come back to the hotel with us and we take a tractor ride to a pool by the waterfalls - the ride is rough, the pool and setting is pretty, the rain starts again....

The moth is still outside my room, clinging to the wall. Maybe I'll let him back in tonight.

Tomorrow to Tortuguero!