Gecko Kisses

Feliz Dia de Padres! Te amo Papa!

Allow me to share with you why it is 9:00 p.m. here on the coast, I am absolutely exhausted but I know without a doubt that I won’t sleep for a while.

Those that know me know that I am not particularly fond of snakes. I found out tonight that I am not particularly fond of chameleons either…even if they are on a leash. I met my new host family tonight (I’ll talk about them later because they are amazing!) and I also met their neighbor and son—who happens to have a pet chameleon. He walked in the door and I nearly jumped out of my skin. My papatico joked that there was an even bigger one sitting in my bedroom, hence, why I can’t sleep a wink. Although I know there isn’t a chameleon in my room, I do know for a fact that there is a big iguana in a cage somewhere on this property… Lord help me.

Anyway, I am in my quarters now listening to the geckos giving kisses to me outside of my room. That’s literally the sound they make—the smacking of lips. My new host family here in Lajas is fantastic. The area where we are staying is a poorer area and although the families aren’t destitute, there is a definite difference in living style compared to those in the Monteverde or the Central Valley. However, I must have won the lottery with host houses. This house is modern, well furnished, I basically have the ground floor to myself and a pool just outside of my double doors that lead to the patio. The family itself is great too! The husband and wife are so warm and welcoming and very laid back and friendly. I have a feeling my group will have a very different experience with their families, so I might not tell them about my living conditions. Tuanis : )

Basic run down of the weekend includes the volcano and hot springs. This morning the group hiked to La Fortuna waterfall. I haven’t been there since I went with UD, and I had forgotten how beautiful it is. I fully intend to take my family there. You can actually swim right next to the waterfall! The rest of the day was spent driving out to Flamingo in the pick up truck with Mario, the chauffeur. The volcano actually erupted during the day today, sending a large mushroom cloud into the sky. I’ve never witnessed that happening before so I was amazed. Of course, this followed last night at the base of the volcano where I enjoyed one of the most beautiful evenings I’ve had in Costa Rica. The sky was clear, the moon was bright and one could see the silhouette of the volcano and the ash rising toward the sky. It was beautiful.

Okay, I really am pooped. I ran 7km today in hills and I am beat. I am going to take a recovery run tomorrow before surfing.

Besitos,
Jessica Lynn