Backup Has Arrived: Picking Up Mom in Golfito

So I think I can say with a fair amount of certainty that if I were stranded with my kids on a tropical island day 10 would be the point where I take my chances with sharks and go swim for help.  The girls have been real troopers and generally speaking get along pretty well together, but after we passed the one week mark it was becoming kind of an overwhelming amount of quality time.  At home we have preschool, the Y, and completely pointless errands to get us out and around others.  Here we have been together pretty much non-stop.  I am not a patient person to begin with and that was not improving.  I suppose I should just be thankful that this year we not only have separate beds, but also separate rooms.  Anyway...All is well now because mom has arrived and now the girls can direct their attention to another adult :)  Hooray!

We made a once again successful journey time-wise to the “nearby” airport.  I believe I checked the odometer and it was about a 45 km journey that took us a little under an hour and a half.  Can’t beat that right?  They had thankfully filled in some potholes with small boulders, so we cruised along at a good 20km per hour on the unpaved stretches.  We left before the sun came up, which caused only a small moment of questioning when the road forked around a palm forrest.  Thankfully I chose wisely. 

The airport is truly a sight as is the airstrip.  The entire area that the airport is in is sort of fascinating.  My understanding is that it was a huge port for shipping bananas.  I can’t remember the exact story of how it sort of fell.  Now the airport and duty-free shopping seem to be the big draws. We treated ourselves to an amazing breakfast as a reward for early morning travel.  No dollars accepted at the restaurant, but thankfully credit cards were welcome. 

At the end of what seemed like the longest day in the world, perhaps because it began at 430am, we attended a fiesta at the pool.  Although by 400pm we were sort of dragging it was totally worth it.  The little girls at the party treated Lottie sort of like a pool toy and carried her around in the water.  It was pretty adorable.  Watching kids communicate when they don’t speak the same language is pretty priceless.  The girls managed to stick it out until dark playing with their new friends in the pool.  I just have to say again how amazingly kind all of the people here have been to us. 

Today now that there was someone else to help prod the girls along we actually went for a short walk before heading to the beach.  It is just amazing to look out over the hills here.  The views are stunning and even in the dry season it is beautiful.  There was a lot of complaining about the bugs and temperature, but the flowers at the top of the hill seemed to make up for it a little. 

Did I mention is poured down rain at the beginning of the party yesterday?  As far as I’m aware that’s pretty unseasonable for late February.  I’ll still take it pretty gladly over the weather at home!!!!

Poison dart frog on the front porch.  I found him when I went to feed the dogs.

This is what vacation should look like.

Not napping, but we'll take quiet time.

Making stuff with playdoh and waiting for banana bread to cool.

This is how they "patch" potholes.

I seriously HATE this bridge.  I had nightmares about it before we came.

Here comes Mia!!!!

Making friends.

Waiting for us on the porch at night.