Up early. Goodbye to Maria. Taxi to Hotel. A moment of wifi
allowed me to read emails from Kevin including one about a helicopter making an emergency
landing in the Hudson River.
Why is that interesting? Because it was the same helicopter that we were on in
May. I was also on the I-5 bridge
over the Skagit River 30 minutes
before it collapsed in May. I wrote in my reply to Kevin that people should
avoid transportation systems after I use them.
Our bus this morning served as our chariot
to a zip line adventure at Selvatura! The route consists of 15 zip
lines, the last of which was a full kilometer long (3000+ feet)! On the longer
lines riders must go in tandem. Of course, this meant that I got to sing the
Hallelujah chorus with Linda. The course also offered an optional "Tarzan
Swing" where you jump from a tall platform and swing above the trees - a
bit of a stomach rush. When we finished there was enough time for a walk
through canopy on a series of suspension bridges. Maggie and I chatted along
the way about their dinner conversation with their home stay family. I learned
from her the that Costa Rica is actually named as a Catholic country in their
constitution, that gay civil unions were gaining social support, and that drug
trafficking was a growing concern for the country.
Back at the bus we were provided lunch, mine a box with fried fish, salad,
rice, beans, and fried plantains (are you seeing a theme?). I turned on the
laptop and re-read an email from Kevin… then opened iTunes and heard the mix
tape he made me… then asked Alicia for a long hug. Sigh. The bus trip down the
mountain found lots of rain and a few cattle. I spent a lot of time thinking
about my home stay family. I am grateful for the chance to connect with them,
glad to stay in touch by email and Facebook, and wondering if I will ever get
to see them again. The hardest part of travel for me is falling in love with
places and people and saying goodbye; to have friends around the world divided
across such great distances takes a toll on one’s heart. I fell asleep to
the sound of Brani Carlisle singing, The
Story.
I slept through the stop to see wild parrots and a bathroom stop.
I woke up in Hojancha to the sound of fanfare with clapping people, a drum
line, and a horn band! We emptied our bus into the gymnasium of the local
Catholic school that was instrumental in organizing our stay in this community
for the next three nights. There were not enough hotel rooms in town to
accommodate us and so they organized home stays for many of our group members
at no charge. In exchange, we put the money we would have spent on lodging
toward new uniforms and equipment for their music program. The band that played
for our arrival dawned the new uniforms - a bright green the shade of the
hillsides.
The reception inside included refreshment, words of welcome and
thanks, and a matching ceremony for the home stays. This time, I had opted for
a hotel to have a bit of down time to regroup on this long adventure. I was
among the folks staying at the Dorati Lodge a mere 10
minute walk from downtown. The cabins at the lodge were rustic but with a
slightly modern feel and some amenities including internet. Because we had
maxed out the available rooms in the area, Mama Heidi, Linda, Alicia, and I
bunked together. We settled in quickly and made a quick change to head back to
the church for our formal evening concert. Standing outside before the show we
watched the the fading sun wash the sky in pink and gold. Inside the temperature
soared with a packed audience of warm bodies on a hot evening. Another
successful concert with another happy group.
The chorus and our hosts retired to the school's auditorium where
the community had prepared dinner for us - a delicious tender beef with the
usual fixings and my first glass of horchata on this trip! Coconut
milk horchata ice cream is the one thing that Kevin seems to love more than me
so this felt like a bit of a connection to him and a chance to rub it in that I am
enjoying the real thing.
In exchange for our offering of music a group of teens performed Baile
Tipico de Costa Rica, or traditional dance of Costa Rica. In the Guanacaste
region these dances usually tell stories of the history of the Costa Rica from
the colonial times to modern day, often with themes of cattle farming which the
area is known for. Female dancers wear ornamental dresses that swoop and sway
across the stage, lifting nearly 10 pounds of material into beautifully flowing
arcs. We enjoyed the show and then ate our dinner to the sounds of local
singer/songwriters. It was nearly 10pm by the time dinner was served after an
entire day of missed schedule milestones. By the time we got back out our
cabinas we were melting into the space, exhausted from our travels and
activities. Just another day touring with Kulshan Chorus.
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