Hey, Abigail here. Our going away party was Thursday night, because the ´Bama group´s last day on the site was Thursday. We went to a recreation center to have dinner with the crew and a few local families. It was really awesome to be able to socialize with them in a relaxed setting. At the end of the evening, we were all presented with certificates and a Costa Rican key chain.
Friday was a leisurely day at the site, mostly finishing the primer paint in one house, and painting a blue sealant on the outside of another. Marcos and his construction crew were great to work with, and there were a few tears when we said our goodbyes Friday. A few of us left in flip flops, after giving away workboots.
After we left the site we went to a waterfall. It was beautiful. Then the guide there said we should walk down to the bottom of it. What he didn´t tell us was that it was a strenuous hike, we should take water, and maybe not everyone in our group should go. It took up to 3 hours for the whole group to finish the loop. On the way back to the hotel, we stopped at the Farmer´s Market for a bit. It was really cool to see all the different produce and flowers. Dinner was a fabulous pasta dish at Don Al´s.
Saturday, we got up early, had a wonderful breakfast, then piled into the van to go zip-lining. There were 8 lines, including the"Superman line" that took 45 seconds to ride, and where we were hooked up from the back, and quite literally were flying. Lots of fun!!!
After that, we went to Don Al´s ranch, where he invited us for lunch and an afternoon by the pool. What a great location! The food was fabulous - filet mignon tacos, chorizo sausages, and hamburgers. Yummy! An afternoon by the pool was just what we needed after a long week building. Several of our group rode the horses there and played foos ball, or kicked back in the hammock and soaked in the sun.
We then all piled back into the van for the ride to Villa Blanca, where we will be staying until we leave on Monday. This hotel is in the cloud forest, which means it´s a rain forest perpetually shrouded in mist. Even in the dark we can tell that the surrounding area is gorgeous. We had a fabulous dinner together, then all went to our casitas to sleep. Most of the group is going to Tabacon Hot Springs tomorrow, to soak their sore muscles at the base of the volcano. The rest of us will stay at the hotel, get a massage, and walk the trails through the forest here.
Hope everyone is well at home, and we´ll see you soon!!!