Wednesday

Almost saw the sun rise today. Just missed it by a few seconds. It is less windy so I had to turn the fans on last night. I hated how they muffled the sound of the waves.

So, last night I ventured up to the Lighthouse Bar and Restaurant to meet Kate, fellow diver, parol officer, single mother, here getting her rescue dive certification. I mentioned her before because we have very similar single travel beliefs. She had said to come meet her at the Lighthouse for Taco Tuesday! Lol just like home again. So I was walking along and stopped to ask a few people if I was going in the right direction. It was quite a trek, dirt paths, then paved raised sidewalks, in the jungle, next to some residences, some nicer than others, some pretty sparse. I walked by a school, it was about 5:30 by then so they stay late, past a soccer game with a pathetic looking soccer ball. The kids, just like American kids, said nothing to me and certainly no eye contact, I was invisible!

I walked by where Kate was staying. She said that she had been drinking some beers and some rum and would be right up. So I kept going, more dirt paths. You have to watch out for rocks and tree roots all the time. Got to a fork in the road with a sign saying Lighthouse, but which way, right or left. Right went into the jungle and left had concrete steps up to a few structures, but I could hear music. A boy had stopped his bike half way up so I asked him if that was the light house. Finally I arrived at a cute hill top open air bar. Lol everything is open air here! They had a sign for Skinny Bitch (Vodka and soda and lime) so I ordered one. Everyone is very trusting here, no need to hold your credit card or pay in advance. Yesterday I had to practically beg Adam, the dive store owner to take my money for my ten dives. I didn’t want to be carting $300 around with me. So I chatted up the bartender, nice young man from France. Everyone has a story and people stay for a long time and the natives never leave. The waitress was from LA so we chatted a bit too, then a guy with a spear walks in (sounds like the beginning of a joke) he puts his spear behind the bar for safe keeping, I guess. Told him that I was glad that I knew where it was in case I needed it. His name was Dwayne, the other dive shop owner. He wanted to know if I ever met a white Dwayne. I had and he was a guy that stood me up a week or so ago from Laguna. I think he was afraid to drive in the rain. Instead , I got to spend the day reading and drinking wine in my courtyard and later my children joined me

Let’s see if a movie works here. So Dwayne was from Canada, working at dive shops around the world. We laughed about dating and traveling. Finally Kate shows up about 7, and Adam too, I felt like I was cheating on him! A few more drinks then I knew I had to leave. Kate and Dwayne were fighting over who should walk me home! I didn’t trust either of them. Also I met Delta, she just loved my fabric bag from Ethiopia. Wanted to see how it was made. I let her see it and touch it but not hold it! Some red flags were going up and I had had four Skinny Bitches. Sometimes the drinks are really strong here and sometimes not. Margaritas at my bungalow were strong. These were not. There was a more direct route back to the Little Corn Beach and Bungalow or now I am told the phrase bnb works here too. It was almost completely through the jungle or the longer sometimes paved way past drunk men. We debated and I vetted on the drunk men not being so very drunk yet since it was 7 ish. I told them that I had a knife too, but it was back at the bungalow. Dyawne said that I could hit someone with the rock in my finger too! Yup a little scary, but I made it and in time for dinner.

Omg forgot the best part. So two bartenders were serving us and the girl from LA all walking back and forth behind the bar. The two young men looked so similar, duh they were twins!

I immediately sent the pic to Natalie.

Had a little chicken dinner with some wine. There is a nightly special or a couple of other items that you can choose from. The nightly special comes with a starter, soup or salad, entree and dessert. Starter was beet pizza, more like a beet Macroon

I actually had dessert because it was hazelnut mousse. The food and service here is fantastic! They say all the food here is organic and fresh and mostly from the island, but somehow I feel like that may be a stretch. All of the natives are well fed but the dogs are very thin. They will arrange for you to adopt a dog if you want to. Can’t imagine how that would work.

Breakfast soon and two morning dives then more reading and writing and making plans for the future. I feel good!

Two great dives with some fun people then had some lunch and some drinks with a couple of the guys, two from Canada and one from Northern California. Then back to the bungalow for a little sit in the hammock. There was supposed to be some local talent at one of the bars so after a nap I set out to town. The 15 minute walk is more interesting every time. I see more things and enjoy the 15 min of solitude. I see some people along the way and the farmers wave to me. The pigs, ducks and chickens ignore me but the lambs are afraid of me. Ha, they know I love lamb chops!

I went to the Tranquillo bar. Everyone is friendly. I spoke with a guy from the states, former gemologist. He has been traveling all over Central America for the past 10 weeks! I ate a great quesadilla and had some vodka and sodas. Around 8, I left. The drummers weren’t going to start until 9 and it’s Island time around here. I started home and the guy from Spain saw me and motioned for me to come over with him and his wife. Even though we spoke different languages, I think he was pulling my leg that this was his wife! He said that they got married three days ago…maybe this was his Nicaraguan wife. We laughed and tried to converse, then the guy from No Cal joined us, more beers. Finally time to head back and I ran into the German guy that I had coffee with between dives. He is a dermatologist on vacation alone too. He wears a speedo. I felt like I was in trouble as we walked a very quick pace and didn’t talk much. He obviously hadn’t drank as much as me! At least I know where the dangerous areas are with the rocks and tree branches.

You can plainly see three coconuts here, so I know I am going in the right direction but they are hard to spot in the dark