Tuesday, March 12, 2013 — Patterns

Our woven environment

Paraglider landing yesterday morning

On their way to pick up cement

Our round house as I'm writing this post

Enjoying Yael's papaya treat at resting point

Our chosen destination

He's alive — A typical encounter on the river trail

A marguerita with Kathy at Angelina's Garden

This evening's fish tacos with mango salsa at Angelina's Garden

My comfortable bed in the round house

Changing view as I'm writing

Yael and Jean Pierre, hoped for guests

It's lovely to wake up to the patterns of the surf and its almost predictable rhythm mixed with the experience of being in a round house with woven walls. There is pattern everywhere once you begin looking and listening. It's late in the day now and I'm looking out our closable window at the bay and playa with at least 12 small boats all facing north because of some subtle combination of underwater pull and gentle above water breeze. The lights in the village are beginning to make their automatic appearances before the sky has lost its glow. Pelicans are doing their final rounds and bird chatter is dominating the sound track.

Yesterday Kath and I had planned to walk to the waterfall on the Tuito River but had not even budged from our reading material to eat breakfast yet. I was reading with the aid of my Kindle, still comfortable in my bed with the mosquito netting above my head and Kath had progressed to a beach lounge chair within calling distance. We were both involved with the same book, the very compelling latest Barbara Kingsolver, Flight Behavior. All of a sudden I was sure I heard the soft and familiar voices of Yael and Jean Pierre greeting Kathy outside. Good thing we didn't get that early start up the river or we'd have missed them. They had just arrived on somewhat difficult seas and were still getting used to being on terra firma when I hurried outside to greet them. I was exstatic. For the last two days I had hoped they would suddenly appear in just that fashion. But you know those kinds of wishes. Sometimes they work and sometimes they don't. We enjoyed a beginning visit, catching up on all the latest events and enjoying the space inside the round house. Before we knew it, we realized we were all hungry and decided to do the walk after a brunch on the beach. We begged the waitress to convince the kitchen to serve us fish tacos and salads just a few minutes before the usual beginning of lunch and somehow she made it happen. While sitting there waiting for our meal we had a royal feast of beach vendors, mostly with sarongs (made in Indonesia, of course) which have a thousand uses besides being endlessly beautiful. There was at least one piece there for each of us, so we were all happy campers when the food arrived.

When there was nothing left to eat we returned to our room and prepared for the walk up the river. I didn't realize that JP and Yael hadn't been up the river since so many improvements had been made including the foot bridge just under a mile upstream. It was such fun to share that walk with them and enjoy so many lovely sights together as we headed for the famed but sometimes elusive falls. It's a good long way and I was happy to reach our final vista point. Yael had brought gorgeous, cut up papaya along with small forks and we slowly devoured this beautiful treat before we started back down the trail.

I made the big mistake of suggesting that we stop for some ice tea at Christina's little riverside getaway before continuing on. I was so dry from the walk and it sounded good. Not! That's the last time I'll stop there. She was rude, slightly loco and totally unwelcoming. I'm the only one who accepted her offer to add sugar to my tea and the others didn't even finish their sour hybiscus drink before climbing back up from the water to the house to make a quick getaway. The Larochette's were eager to make the 5:30 boat from Yelapa so they bid a quick goodbye at Christina's door and off they went. Sorry for the slightly distasteful ending, but the unexpected arrival and walk up the river with good conversation more than made of for those few slightly sour moments at the end. Sometimes life is that kind of blend and you just have to take it in your stride.