15 May 2002

Beach trip

Beach day! Vamos al Playa Cuco.

It’s about a 2 hour drive to Cuco Beach on the southern coast. Giovani drove us and several of the parish team. We arrived at our own “little” cabana off the beach where we would spend the rest of the day. The gringas changed into our suits and we walked to the shore. There was a strong wind move the fine, ash-gray sand around and the waves were rolling in. It was a very broad, flat beach with occasional palm frond sun shelters.

I went out in the surf with Kelly and Julie came out later. The Salvadorans stayed in the wading zone. Cross currents and backwash was strong. I needed a hand from Kelly to get back on firm footing in the shallower water.

I flew my pocket sled kite from the sun shelter. Kelly went for a run down the beach. Julie and I went back to the cabana…neither of us could really afford to stay out in the sun.
We lounged in the hammocks and chatted until lunch was ready…fried fish, veggies, rice, tortillas and beets.

Kelly and I played “pool soccer” with the parish team in the cabana pool…women against the men. The men were soundly trounced. Forget the fact that there were 5 of us and 3 of them…
We sang in the bus on the way back and stopped in San Miguel for gas and drinks.

Back at Fundavita we did some packing to get ready to leave the next day then walked to Hayde’s house for supper. Hayde and her daughter, Milagro, had been in Des Moines in ’99 so Millie could have surgery to correct a problem with her feet (the tendons in her calves were too short and she couldn’t stand flat footed or walk very well). They stayed with the Hoffmans…good friends of Lynn’s.

We had an absolute feast…platters piled with chicken, salad, pupusas (Hayde runs a pupuseria in Berlin), avocado, beets, rice, jocotes (little fruits with a pit that taste like green apples but without th astringent quality), horchata (the rice drink), etc.

The mayor of MU and his bodyguards showed up later but didn’t eat. He and Bob and Giovani shared some of the J&B the mayor had given Bob. I think it was the first time I’d seen the mayor “cleaned up” and not ‘being the mayor.’ It was interesting…

We walked home in heavy, heavy fog…very unusual for the area. It had rained briefly but rather heavily while we were eating.

I had a headache and went to bed almost as soon as we got back. I got up to pee at 3:30 and there was no power but it came on shortly after that because the yard light was shining through my window before I got back to sleep.