A long drive home

When I got to the kitchen this morning, some were already there eating breakfast. Richard had made some grilled ham and cheese sandwiches. Sofia thought it was a strange choice for breakfast, but I ate one and it was quite tasty.

I conducted a quick poll and it didn’t seem that anyone wanted pancakes again. So I started to make myself an omelet. Soon, others said they’d like one, so it turned into a full-fledged omelet breakfast. I think most of the adults had one, and a few of the kids (mine anyway). As I made more omelets, I chopped up more things to go inside them. By the time I got to Fabian and Carmen, an omelet “all-the-way” had the following ingredients: yellow onions, red onions, sweet peppers, jalapeno peppers, cheese, and chorizo (sausage). I ate mine last, with some grilled toast and a cup of coffee, and it was excellent.

The kids had one more morning in the pool and Jacuzzi, and they made the most of it. While Cristina and I started packing up (check-out was at noon) the kids played in the water. Sofia said the pool down the hill was full and clear. The first day the water had been muddy (remember, it flows in from the river, so the rains will affect the water clarity).

Fabian and Carmen had to be back for something, so they left soon after breakfast.

It’s funny being in a big group of Latinos. Having three children and usually way too much stuff packed, we’re used to being the last ones ready to leave. But usually here we’re not the last ones. Case in point, we were all packed up and ready to go before noon, but by the time the others got their rooms cleaned up and took their final showers (and “mirror-time”) it was 12:30. I think we finally pulled out of Princesa de la Luna at 12:45.

It was especially hot and humid this morning, so hitting the road and getting some fresh air flowing was a relief (our car doesn’t have A/C). Richard had a plan for our trip back. We would drive around Arenal lake, taking in a few sights along the way, eat lunch in a town called Tilaran, and then drive back to San Jose.

Naturally, it rained, but the views of the lake were still excellent. At one point we stopped and watched a pizote, or coati (reminds me of a cross between a raccoon and a monkey) walking around at the side of the road. Someone in Richard’s car fed it something, which allowed us to get a decent picture.

The rain was really coming down by the time we got to Tilaran. The restaurant had a buffet. The highlight was some kind of side dish made with papaya, some kind of root, and a few other things. It looked like some kind of stuffing or casserole. A vague description, I know, but trust me…it was delicious.

Back on the road, our final sightseeing stop was a windmill station about 5 km off the road. The windmill road was rocky and slow, but not as bad as the road to the Arenal Observation Lodge. I suppose that road is now destined to be the road that we compare all other crappy roads to while we’re here.

When we stopped at the windmills, my first thought was that it reminded me of chilly, damp Scotland. Lush, green plots of farmland surrounded us, and heavy, dark clouds hung over bored-looking grass-munching cows. The windmills weren’t spinning much, but the mist enshrouding them made for an awesome atmosphere. If the cows had just been hairy, it really could have passed for Scotland.

The ride home was long. Traffic was bad. It got dark, which made it even worse. Costa Rican highways are not very well-lit, unless you’re in a city. And on top of that, there are no reflectors on the street to help you see the lanes. And our car’s lights don’t seem very bright. And every time a car came from the other direction it was harder for me to see the road. It all added up to one simple realization: I don’t like driving in Costa Rica after dark.

We all stopped at a gas station. I bought Cristina a chocolate bar described as “burnt almond and dark chocolate.” She had to see what “burnt almond” was all about. We think they meant roasted almond.

I’m not sure why, but my right big toe started hurting. I think it was the constant work on the gas and brake pedals, along with the fact that I was wearing wet shoes. Traffic was so bad that for a few hours, we were poking along behind a big truck (and gutless cars who wouldn’t get up the courage to pass said trucks). We probably averaged 20 kph, until we finally passed the trucks. Oh, that’s another reason I don’t like driving at night. The trucks come out at night in a big way. And they are slow on these two-lane mountain roads. I eventually took off my right shoe and drove in my sock. That helped. But by the time we got home, I was limping. You know how it hurts when you get an ingrown toenail? That’s what it felt like.

We finally got home after 7 and unpacked the cars. We were all exhausted from the long drive (7 hours including lunch and short stops). We were able to park our car in the neighbor’s garage, then we all showered and hit the sack.