Decided to switch it up today a bit with tUESDAY tUNES and instead of concentrating on the lyrics just hear THE instrumentall rendition of Chaka Khan's Sweet Thing played by Demola... Enjoy. I think this instrumental can bring up the images for you.. Just ry to sit still...
MONDAY MUSINGS: Saturday was a day of travel. I enjoyed my last panqueque breakfast prepared by my Costa Rican daughter, Marcela. Gallo Pinto, rice dish, is more common for Tico's breakfast. I have been so spoiled as I haven't cooked a meal in a month. Will I even remember how to go grocery shopping, much less cook? Wink, wink.
My participation in the program included a home stay, 2 meals per day, $18 round trip bus transportation from San Jose to Quepos, during my volunteer stint, along with an art class, weekly cooking and salsa dance classes, along with a beautiful pool to do short laps, cool off, and shower at Máximo Nivel...
In addition the tuition for participating I also paid out of pocket for lunches, laundry, field trips, and my daily $1 roundtrip bus fare to my teaching assignment. Didn't do much shopping, yet my suitcase is expanded as far as it will go. It's what I get for travelling light.
The bus trip was going to be a long one as my supposed 3-hour bus arrived late due to construc-tion, and we would be facing the same construction heading the opposite direction with a bit less traffic.
I enjoyed the scenery on the return to San Jose as my last trip on this route had been in the dark.
We had a lunch stop and I grabbed a chicken empanada and a bottle of Tropical peach tea. We still were an hour out from the airport.
By the time I got to my gate it was 1pm and they changed gates 3x- eventually transporting us to the runway by a small bus. Departing about SJO @ 5pm arriving Atlanta at 9pm. A long, long day...
A new fried dish for me, as it's made from yucca. It was as good as it looks.
 |
| Croquet like shape |
then mashed to make a puree-like consistency.
Margarine is added, as well as shortening, 2 eggs, and salt to taste.
TBT: It's definitely time to post this article on witch hunting again as that is exactly what is going on in our country today with our ICE witchhunt... And the Peter , Paul and Mary lyrics keep playing "When will they ever learn? When will they ever learn?"
Destination: Privately owned Rainmaker Conservation Park, 1500 acres, a less frequented rainforest reserve where one can walk along suspension bridges, preserving vegetation and wildlife around you.
The day's guide, Kevin, a university student whose English and patience was put to work with a Chicago family of 5: a very active Grandma, her sister, son, daughter-in-law, 5 yo grandson and yours truly.
The path was challenging as we climbed the paths into the canopy of the rainforest with the use of tire steps, brick stairways, dirt pathways, lots of metal railings and some rickety wooden ones and then suspension bridges to killer views and down to waterfalls and pools where we could cool off.
Thank goodness we were spared snakes, but I did add a colorful poisonous dart frog, helmet lizard and millipede to my rain-forest critter collection.
 |
| ants go into this tree at the round dot |
It was a terrific last excursion for my last week living the Pura Vida.
Today's tUESDAY tUNE holds a special memory in my heart now and I don't think it would have until the following happened this week. You see my home stay family listens to very conservative music so that's what I have heard for the last month.
So I have to tell you that was when my bus driver Angel switched his route and his personalized license plate was not hanging in the front window, but COYOTE's was 
Take a listen to Yeison Jimenez's Aventurero and you'll understand...
CATCHY AVENTURERO.
MONDAY MUSINGS: Last night I joined a packed restaurant La Gran Escape ( pronounced Es - Kah- Peh) across from Quepos 's boardwalk here in Costa Rica. Where else could be better to watch Superbowl's LX half time performance by Bad Bunny? Remember I've been an a'sportual for the last 25 years.
