We haven’t had an Internet connection for several days. Not a huge deal for me, (a bummer to not have email and Skype), but for Matt, this is a major inconvenience/problem. Needless to say, we haven’t been online, outside of a moment here and there.
That’s all I have to say about the Internet! 😉
Today marks the end of our second week of surf camp and the end of our first week of Spanish classes. Every Friday CRSI offers a surf trip. This gives students a great opportunity to see nearby beaches that aren’t within walking distance. Last week, we went to Playa Brasalito to snorkel. Our instructors sensed that we needed a break from surfing. This week, on the other hand, we went to Playa Avellenas, an extremely popular surf spot, and a beautiful stretch of beach. We were also excited to experience Lola’s, a restaurant that that we have been hearing about since we were at home.

A surf trip is a treat in so many ways, but one of the highlights is getting to see our instructors catching waves. Omar, who is ranked 21st in the entire world, son to our teacher Frank, and our kids’ new idol, spent several hours surfing after he helped the boys catch some waves of their own. Frank spent some time helping me catch some waves before heading out to join Omar. They were both incredible, of course, and had a lot more perseverance than we did.

And then there was Lola’s, with Pesto the talking Amazonian bird, Lolita, the gigantic pig who likes to sunbathe, the scientists studying the snails and their eggs, (at the table next to us), and of course, the fabulous food, drinks, hammocks and atmosphere.

It’s always a surprisingly “white knuckle” ride when we get in a car, but we are getting a little more used to the rules, or lack there of, of the road. This time, we had a close call with a dump truck and a dog, but I’m now guessing that it is only a close call from our perspective. We ride the kids about the roads, and they get so pissed, – “I know, I know, I know,” they say, but they are just now starting to understand how drivers really have the right of way. We have yet to see a traffic signal or sign or sidewalk, so we are re-training them to understand that the crazy drivers around Meiklejohn are not as LOCO as we thought they were.