Las Cruces at last

Today began with waking up at 6 am and boarding a bus.  And this time, it wasn't a 22-hour trek to the charming town of Waverly, Iowa, but a 6-hour drive to Las Cruces in San Vito.  We stopped for breakfast (gallo pinto and fried plantains) at a roadside stand, and got to Las Cruces in time for lunch: lentils, squash, sauteed green beans, watermelon, and starfruit juice.  I'm really thrilled about Costa Rican cuisine: it's full of vegetables and fruit and lacking bread, forcing me to actually eat green things.

While walking around the deck we saw some cool critters, including an agouti (not my photo, but hopefully I'll get some of my own pictures soon). I'm really excited to see pecaries (small pig-like creatures), which apparently abound here.

 I also went on my first run today!  It was a relief, after sitting in planes and airports for 11 hours on Monday, sitting in a classroom for 7 hours on Tuesday, and of course lying half-conscious in a bus for 6 hours today.  The elevation here (~1200 m) helps with the humidity too.  My quads were in for a rude awakening when I turned around after about 3 miles of going downhill -- or more appropriately, downmountain -- and began to thigh-burning journey back.  It was a gorgeous view though!

Tomorrow our horario típico (normal schedule) begins with breakfast at 6:30 am.  As much as I cherish my ten hours of sleep (which have been gradually drifting toward 11 or 12 hours over winter break), its easier to be a morning person here since coffee is more common than water.  I'm relieved that we're not on the Spanish schedule -- dinner at 10 pm and staying out until 4 am is just not my thing. 

Now it's time for homework for tomorrow.  Hasta luego!

Anya