Homestays, Hugs X’s and Volcanoes …

New to this home stay lark, I must confess to having had a bit of a result.  First off we had mama tica Xinia in Samara – super duper cook and lovely bod followed by mama tica Grace in San Ramon – super duper creative and lovely bod.  The former was with Jim and the latter with Tati – Grace’s lovely daughter.  Julius/Julios on the other hand shared with a family of 5 on his first shout and family of 7 on his next – must admit both of those would have driven me a tad bonkers.

So, Grace is the queen of cleaning … her home is super sparkly and my washing is presented back to me as if it was going to be a Design Museum exhibit (would show you a pic but hmmm my clothes are just about hanging on in there).  The smell of said washing as well … cue butterflies, flowers popping up and loads of pastel colours.

So a working day in the life of ‘Buts the Builder’ … alarm goes off @ 7am, brekkie on the table @ 7.30am (enough to feed 2) … head out of the door @ 8.30am (yep I know if I was at home I would be getting up @ 8.00 and running out the door @ 8.30 minus brekkie).  Stroll out clutching my prepared lunch.  20 min walk to the bus station – 9am bus, 450 colones aka just under a $ bus fare.  30 odd mins later in La Balsa.  10 min walk to site.  Kisses on arrival (yay) and kisses on departure (yay).  15.00hrs bus back (as next one 18.00hrs and that’s when it’s dark and the witching hour).  Grab a helado aka ice cream once back in town.   19.30hrs dins prepared on the table.

A reminder of Xinia and Jim below along with some photo shoots with yours truly and Grace (followed by her great creative before and after work), Tati and a rather fab and wacky Cecilia (who was sis-in-law to Grace).  I loved that the latter called me ‘honey’ and was transfixed to a rather dodgy soap opera called Noleen with busty heaving pouting beauties, dodgy tash guys and dramatic music … hmmm well at least she told me it was a soap opera … My final week of ‘there there looking after’ also ended with ‘Tinkerbell’ bedspread – shucks.

It was a sad week all round … saying goodbye to this fab family and the final week of volunteering on the house build.  A few snippets of our build progress that week (including the building inspector’s 30sec visit – ‘is this the house of xxx – tick’).  There was also an on site chicken duly named ‘Henrietta’ by Nick, who had visions of an escape plan ‘chicken run’ stylie having seen feathers and a slaughter table up the top of the garden!  Fortunately I did not venture up there but did add that he best not keep feeding her otherwise she would be on there rolly polly stylie pretty rapido.  So after our 90cm (3ft) deep trench which was about 6-7 metres long we awaited instructions for our next task.  Drum roll … a hueco aka ‘ole about 1.5m square and hmmm 1.9m deep! Yay. We made a start but then the decision was made for us to shovel/cut back the (more clay than earth) wall at the back of the house.  This wee task took the 3 of us 2 days … now had dishy mr digger stayed on site on day 1 for another 5 mins it would have been done and dusted.  Think of your waist Jacqueline!!  Nick who is learning Spanish as he goes along (nowt wrong with that and conversation the way to go) said he would check something with one of the local guys.   JB watches in amazement as he speaks english oh-s-o-o-o  s-l-o-w-l-y #britabroad – cracked me up.  So to recap I now hold a masters in shoveling and wheelbarrowing (lost count after 30 barrows shovelled aka mucho clay and wheeled on the last day) can handle a pick axe n a hammer.  ‘Buts the builder’ it is 😀 … So goodbye to the building crew -including the ever happy Jason and the oh so lovely lovely resident family of Tulio (who did back breaking work at the local sugar cane plant) and Teba who were the grandparents together with their daughter and Jenny their grand daughter who we were assisting with the house build for. The latter were so grateful for our work and I in turn felt very humbled by their heartfelt thanks and genuine warmth.  They (and their neighbours – with the fresh oh so sweet watermelon) were so good to us, going to the trouble of providing us with freshly made afternoon subsidence after mucho shoveling and graft.   Included below last day photo shoots (touching that they were snapping away as well … aah) and their temporary abode whilst the build takes place – should be another 3-4 wks and then they will be in (cue back to yay!).

Next day Nick and I headed off to La Fortuna (Julius/Julios having been before) – home of hot springs and Volcan Arenal.  Decided to (rather than having the faff of trying to keep an eye on our stuff whilst we were ‘out with nature in the hot springs’)  instead go to a resort hotel.  Cue Baldi Hot Springs Hot Resort and Spa – I thank you.  $35 for the use of 25 thermal mineral pools of different temperatures, depths and yay swim up bars!  Oh and it also included an eat as much as you want buffet including a CHOCOLATE FOUNTAIN!!  Cue backflips and flick flacks … bliss.  Would have some pics but was advised due to humidity not to take camera so imagination time or google).  Next day we checked out the La Fortuna waterfalls … sooo not hot springs – did look VERY sweaty betty at the end of 4km hike in searing hot uphill heat to get to there and hey the super cold water was good for my feet as they were on fire.  Fab cloud formations en route.  We were on a bit of time limit with our viewing (call me shallow but hot springs for my aching muscles and a massage were my top priority) so Volcan Arenal (1670m) or observatory thereof was not included, however, below is a shot of the stunning backdrop it provides to the town.  It activity has decreased (last splutters 2010) but has a near perfect conical shape.

Saturday night we were back in Alajeula hooking up with Julios once more, who was looking kinda pleased with himself.  Drum roll … it turned out the sneaky beaky had just been on a date.  The last day on site, as we made our way to the bus stop after said graft, one of the neighbours daughter´s suddenly appeared and was walking beside him.  Nick and I trundling along behind – the former humming the theme to ´’Love Story´ whilst yours truely was thinking ´blimey that´s confidence ‘ go girl!´.   At the time he shrugged it off  but then after said revelation of this date, Nick looked on with ´fatherly´pride and I think a bit of back slapping might have occured as well with this male ´get on in there my son´ritual.  Sunday and it was time for us to check out Volcan Poas (2704m).  How fab was that place?!  The eruption in 1953 formed the enormous crater measuring 1.3km across and 300m deep.  In fact,  earlier in the week there had been another eruption that hit the news  – apparently 300m in the air (though you couldn’t see any sign of that I must confess).  Stunning place with lake and rain/cloud forest as well.  The former of which was non swimmable/accessible due to the water content.  Ok ok OK … I confess that one of my pic’s here looks like I was auditioning for the cover of ‘Volcano Weekly’ but in fact it just happened to be the angle I was standing and was holding my hair back to the wind!! Honest guv … Any of the pics you can click on to enlarge them – check out point 5 in the event of an eruption … Ha.