Viewing two properties with houses

Sunday

I tried to fall asleep by counting backward from 300 by 3's. It was easier to do this time so was not as effective. I tried 2's and 5's. Eventually I must have fallen asleep, because Chris' alarm clock went off at 6 local time, waking us up.

He took his shower and then I took mine. It was hard to do because all the conditions were different from what I am used to. Then I got dressed in the t-shirt that Herberth gave each of us, and a pair of black polka-dot pants – the closest thing I had to match it. He had insisted that we wear the matching shirts today. I found the end of the black thread, and cut a piece. I threaded the needle and sewed the left strap of my fanny pack. Suddenly, I noticed it was after 7.

We went to the main area for breakfast. We didn't order. First she brought us a fruit tray. Then I went back to the room for a bite of cheese squares for protein. But when I got back, we each had a plate of eggs, rice with beans, and one other thing. So we ate, and talked. As usual, there was much trying to interpret from English to Spanish or the reverse.

At 8 we went back to our rooms for a minute, then reassembled at the SUV. We piled in and drove to a nearby church. It was Catholic of course. Church hadn't started, but those inside were reciting the rosary. I only knew that because Chris told me. I was fascinated with the huge poinsettia planted outside.

We went inside and sat down. When the rosary was over, more people came and the service started. Naturally I did not understand what was being said, or chanted or sung. But I played along. After the service, some people greeted us. And Herberth lined us up for pictures. I took a pic of the poinsettia.

We got in the car and went back to the hotel for a quick break, and then we were off toward town. We pulled over and another car came by. We followed them up a hill, then pulled off again and traded some passengers. They followed us up and up and up.

We ended up on a hill where we could see for miles. The property had a plantation-type house and a smaller hired-help type house. About 5 acres with a small pool, and lots of vegetation, like fruit trees and sugar cane and a cacao tree. And, sadly, fire ants. We looked through the house. The owner had a second home in North Carolina and was ready to sell this one. So it came furnished. It was so beautiful. We walked around the property and sampled the fruit. The pool was not heated.

Eventually we left and drove to a second property. It was only 2.5 acres, not as high and not nearly as big a house. In fact, it had only 2 small bedrooms, big enough for single beds. And a phone tower in the back yard. And a pool. But no landscaping like the first one. About a third of the cost.

So we split from the real estate agent and her dad. We went to lunch at a very nice, airy place. I ordered pork with passion fruit sauce, and Chris got chicken. My blackberry water turned out to be a frozen smoothie with other stuff as well. We had a nice conversation. Actually Herberth talks constantly. Even if he has to repeat himself.

After lunch, we stopped at a supermarket for beer, then went back to the hotel. We went to our various rooms and napped. After my nap, I read e-mail on my laptop. Then we all met back at 5 in the main area. We had an appetizer in a different area of the massive porch. They asked about my sewing and I brought out my fanny pack. I showed them the patched side and realized the other side needed sewing as well. So I did that in the waning light.

Then we went back to the main area for pizza. We got a 3-cheese and a mushroom pizza. A long conversation ensued and surprisingly, Herberth was the first to leave. That left us with no one fluent in both languages so we often turned to the internet for translations. We discussed snakes. And spiders.

It felt late when we broke up, but was not even 9pm. I looked up Tinamaste for landmarks to share with Gabriel. I worked on my blog and posted for yesterday, only then realizing how much I had written. I downloaded all the new photos from my phone and grouped the property pictures. Then we got dressed for bed and turned in for the night. I tried going to sleep by counting down from 700 by 7's.