Travels with Hayley

So another early start today, we really didn’t have very much time at the homestay place and no real time to explore so I was up and out at 5.30 to have a walk around. It’s a lovely community, I saw kids being picked up in the school bus about 6.15 (I wonder if school starts super early or if it’s just a long way away…?) and guys being picked up for work on open top trucks.

As I left the homestay their big white fluffy dog decided if a walk was in the offing he wasn’t going to be one to miss out so he joined me, as did his friend a few houses down. I’m like the pied piper of dogs around here!

We also ran into a titchy little terrier along the way with a serious attitude problem, who was utterly outraged we had invaded his territory – the big white dog was so confused – his vibe was very much I’m a lover, not a fighter! So a dog fight was avoided due to more sensible, fluffy heads prevailing 😂 Saw a mother hen and all her cute little chicks out for a walk too 😍

Got back to the house about 6.30, quick shower and a FaceTime to mum and dad from the lovely balcony off the bedrooms. Then breakfast which was just put in front of you – you eat it or not, no choice in the matter. Was like being a kid at Auntie Gill’s all over again 😜. Fortunately it was delicious! And no, I won’t be drawn on if that is the same as Gill’s too 😜. We had rice and beans, scrambled egg, plantains and a slice of white cheese. Then on the table to help yourself was bread and fried mashed cassava with cheese again, so good!

8am was activity time – there was a lot of optional activities today of which there was only time to do one – on offer was a hike but it required special shoes that you borrowed and you know my rule – if it requires specialist footwear it’s not for me! Also on offer was soap making and dancing. But all of those things I could probably do in London. You know what I can’t do in London though – I can’t milk a cow! So that’s what I did!

The truck picked me up along with a couple of the others and we drove 10 minutes to the woman’s house – they have 10 cows, only one is currently being milked so we took it in turns to have a go. Turns out I’m an absolute natural, who knew?! We’ll call milkmaiding plan B if the PA-ing doesn’t work out! We were all put to shame by the guy who milks her daily though, he was doing it double handed and so much faster, but also much rougher and so she liked him a lot less, she kept trying to get a kick into him!

Then we went into the kitchen – and when I say ‘in’ that’s a bit of a misnomer as there’s a roof but no sides! And they cook over an open fire. They had made us some snacks to eat, yukka rosti with a cream dip, some kind of cheesy round things which I think were maybe made of maize dough and some fresh white cheese. Then we got to work using the milk we had just got from the cow. Half of it we made cheese with – you stirred in a spoonful of what I guess was rennet? Then after 10 minutes the curds and whey had formed – you squeezed the curds out by hand and then ended up putting it through a sieve. The whey was saved too, I think they make a drink out of it but I’m guessing a bit at the Spanish there! Then you put the curds in a plastic tub lined with cheesecloth, followed by you getting your perfectly sized, heavy stone that has been especially selected from the mountain as it’s size fits your plastic cheese making tub to perfection, and leave it overnight. We ate one she made earlier! They also sell their cheese to the other villagers and some tourists too.

Then the other half of the milk was destined for drinks. We toasted dried sweetcorn in a pan over the fire with cinnamon until it was charred and then ground it in a hand cranked grinder. This was added to a jug along with sugar and the warmed milk. She poured us each a cup and then added a shot of the local Costa Rican spirit (Marvin says he reckons it was probably moonshine in the reused rum bottle!) and we all sung happy birthday (Cumpleanos Feliz, to the same tune as happy birthday. That tune has really got full world penetration hasn’t it!) to her daughter who was turning 39.

Then their puppy wandered in and I picked it up for a cuddle. He immediately snuggled up in my arms and when Katie tried to hold him, he struggled until he could come back to me and then fell straight asleep. He was so gorgeous, if I could have packed him as hand luggage I would have made a run for it with him 😍

Back to the village and I gave the chocolate marshmallows from the service station to the lovely 18 girl who had translated for us at the dinner the night before, and the cake to my host. Both seemed very pleased and there was lots of hugs all round.

Onto the mini bus at 11 to the next stop which was to visit a local tribe about 90 minutes away. This was my least favourite part of the trip so far. We had lunch when we got there (just some salad and potatoes for me as I’d already had 2 breakfasts and a cocktail essentially by this point!) then listened to a talk on how the Costa Rican government had basically stolen their land and way of life. They are artists by trade apparently and we could buy the artwork. They also had rain sticks there which is a long stick of bamboo, filled with hundreds of tiny dowels inside, filled with tiny stones (I’ve included a picture of the tribe leader holding one and a picture of the inside cross section too). The whole thing just felt like a way to sell souvenirs to us tbh. I think I was the only one that felt like it but I just didn’t like the vibe. Although I got the impression Marvin might have felt the same, he seemed very cynical when translating the tribe leader’s pontificating! I tried to subtly ask the question afterwards but I couldn’t get him to cough to it – too professional darn it!

Then they gave us these big dried seed pods, like solid Easter egg halves, and we were supposed to paint similar artwork to them on them. Well. As you all know, I hate crafts, I hate pointless activities where you’re left with something you have no use for, and I hate doing things I’m not good at. This was the holy trifecta of all 3 of them! I got halfway through a blue butterfly that could have been identified as potentially anything but a butterfly and had put my paintbrush down in disgust. Marvin was next to me and said you are very quiet, I don’t think you like this no? And I suddenly realised no, I don’t like it – and I don’t have to do it! So I said he was quite right, I did not like it and I was off to the tribe shop for a ‘Big Cola’ – Costa Rican brand Coca Cola – and an ice lolly instead. Which is exactly what I did! Had a lovely walk around the area and came back via the shop just as the painting nonsense was all wrapping up – just in time for Marvin to be very interested in my ice lolly so we handed it back and forth to share – although I was slightly aggrieved at his taking proper bites when I had been patiently licking it! Flipping men 😂

The talk and painting has been the only part so far that hasn’t been for me and I just wish I hadn’t bothered starting the painting in the first place frankly! Turned out 2 of the others had snuck away too before it started as they didn’t want to do it either – the rebel alliance!

We then carried on to our hotel for the night, we had 90 mins before dinner so I got straight into the pool – which was freezing! I managed about 10 minutes, ticked that box and then came in for a hot shower. Some of the rooms have had issues with hot water but ours has been perfect, phew. A lot of excitement as another sloth was spotted, Marvin set up a telescope and we took photos through it, they are so clear!

We’re quite out in the middle of nowhere so you have to eat at the hotel restaurant. The food was good, I had prawn pasta (yes I know it’s not very Costa Rican but there’s possibly only so much rice a girl can eat…) but the service was hilariously bad – highlights included bringing the same meal 3 times:

Time 1: fish, mash, salad

Jenny ‘no I ordered vegetables, not salad’

Time 2: fish, veg, salad!

Jen ‘where’s my mash gone?! You can bring anything you want now, just please can I have my mash back?!’

Time 3: success!

The time between the first meal and the last coming out was a good 40 minutes. I also got there slightly late as I walked Homa back to the room – she was having a hard time yesterday and I wanted to make sure she was ok. No good deed goes unpunished as I ended up at the end of the table with the grown ups – I could hear the edge of a brilliant, gossipy conversation going on in the middle with the fun crew – my lot talked about accounting and allergies 😂 Although Judy, one of the Australian ladies was there too and she’s fun – although I got a very backhanded compliment from her ‘what I like about you is that you’re very clear about who you are’. I’m not absoutley sure that’s a compliment is it but whatever, I’m taking it as one as I’m sure the spirit was intended that way…maybe 😜

We’re back at the restaurant again tonight, I might need to take a snack with me…! Talking of snacks, Judy also asked me how I managed to eat my meals when I bought so many snacks – I had to explain I haven’t had more than a bite or 2 of anything yet, I’ve passed everything around for everyone – I just want to try everything so that’s the only way!

Post dinner I stayed up talking with Homa, she’s a really funny little thing, I feel really quite sorry for her tbh. Apparently the walls are very thin and people could hear us and had to put earplugs in, whoops! To be fair we were asleep for 11 so it’s not like it was an all night rave 😂

I will leave you on an anecdote I was told at dinner yesterday. Kirsty and Kristy are sharing a room – when they checked in yesterday, Kirsty suddenly heard an anguished groan from Kristy. On our beds were folded towels, and on top, a little rectangular packet. Thinking what a nice touch to leave a chocolate on the pillow, Kristy dove straight in and ate half of it. Unfortunately for her taste buds it turned out not to be a delicious white chocolate treat, but in fact a miniature bar of soap 😂😂😂

Kirsty was laughing so much she had to sit down on the floor while Kristy literally foamed at the mouth and groaned ‘it’s in my teeth, it’s in my teeth!’ Every time Kirsty tells it she starts crying laughing again, they even have a photo of half a bar of soap with perfect teeth marks in it 😂😂😂

Hope you are all well and sending lots and lots of love xx