Relaxing in the hot springs

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Geo: 9.74892, -83.7534

We got up and ate a simple breakfast. Mom went out for a quiet soak in the pools before the place opened up for public use at 9. She met Johan, the manager. The day before he had been in San Jose picking up some music instruments for his church. He was feeling a little under the weather, but arranged for lunch and dinner for us through the catering service run by one of the neighbors. Basically, if she is around she will cook you food and then send one of her kids over to drop it off on his moped. The menu is short and simple. Everything but the hamburgesa (not really hamburger, but on a bun) is served with rice and beans.

We spent the day relaxing, reading, playing cards, asking what time it was, asking when the next meal would come, asking if we could buy ice cream, bickering, doing school summer work. Alex and Mom spent some time at one of the pools in the forest trying to decide what kind of animal the artist intended when he "sculpted" the fountain-- some sort of lumpy bird-crocodile.

The kids were dissatisfied with the hamburgesas, but enjoyed the little plastic bags they came in. Mom sprung for a bag of Lay's potato chips from the office. She also bought ice cream cones. A little fat and sugar can go a long way.

A little before dinner time Johan told Mom that he was going to go shopping and would she could go with him, so she missed dinner and went to get money and provision for the rest of the week. The casita has a hot plate, a mini fridge and a microwave, so dorm quality cooking is possible. Mom enjoyed getting to talk for a while with Johan and to hear his story. He and his wife are expecting their first child in November/December and are starting a small chicken farm as a side business. They will collect eggs, not sell for meat. Johan says that the meat chickens are much harder to care for because they have to eat every few hours and get so fat that they don't move well and get dirty. Egg chickens get fed twice per day and basically see to their own needs. Egg collection is the most time-consuming of the duties associated with them. Since he and his wife have lots of family in the area they have a good customer base to start.

When Mom got back they kids had polished off most of the arroz con pollo but left the beet salad untouched. They were very happy about the cookies she brought back. We played Old Maid and Hearts for another half hour and hit the sack.

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Photos

Hamburgesa bags
These are the whimsical little bags that our hamburgesas came in. They bore very little resemblance to actual hamburgers. Also, the price increased between the time that we ordered them and the time they arrived. We will not order again.

Wheel rim barbecue
Costa Rica is not a rich country and they have a commitment to be carbon neutral in the next decade. As a result of these two factors (and others, I'm sure), you find lots of repurposed items like this barbecue grill that used to be a wheel rim.