It is the 5th day of our trip and once again we are having a great time. We started off the day going to church. At first I was a little bugged about our decision to go to the little branch in Manuel Antonio. We had been up until 0200, and then woke up around 0730, we were tired and we had played hard the day before. When we got into town we followed the missionaries directions to get to the branch house. We were told to look for the sign on the building that would identify the building as The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. I knew the building would not be anything like the buildings that we have in the states but I didn't realize that it would be almost exactly the way the small shack looking houses that people in the city were living in...well it was a little better than those houses. We were a little late and we had unfortunately missed the passing of the sacrament. While we were walking in one of the new members was getting confirmed a member of the church. Afterwards we quickly went to the back of the building, which was four rows back. Sitting there in a room full of 38 people (that is including the 11 children) was a humbling experience. We were in a room where we all believed in the same thing, singing the same songs that we normally sing in English. We didn't know anyone and no one knew us. We did not know what they were saying but we didn't need to. The people were happy and surrounded by a spirit that made me feel comfortable and calm.
Here is the outside of the church building
These are some of the houses just before you get to Manuel Antonio
After church we met our group and went for a walk on the beach. We walked probably 1.5 miles just down to the other end where all the rocks were. The sun was intense and my legs were burning after all the walking, hiking and boogie boarding from the days before. I started getting a little sick from being hungry and being a little dehydrated. We ate some lunch at an excellent restaurant, one of the best this trip. We got chicken and rice, which was all mixed together, with it came a little salad with a vegetable that is part of the tops of the palm trees. It was also served with plantains and yucca. Wow they are great!! Ella has also continued to amaze us with her blended black beans, Salsa Lizano sauce, gallo pinto, and great eggs. After our lunch we went to Iguana tours and before loading the bus got some delicious ice cream. In their ice cream shops they have really odd flavors like cookie with caramel and orange, rum with fruit, and of course they great coconut and blackberry. They also everywhere sell their fresh fruit juice. Blackberry, strawberry, watermelon, mango, tamarind, passion fruit, guanabana, and cas fruits are what they typically serve for juice. We got in the bus and we went to our catamaran tour. We were on a boat for about 3.5 hours circling the coast of Manuel Antonio and got to snorkel, watch the sunset, dance, and even get stung by a jelly fish :). We had a great time, and before going home we got more ice cream, stopped by a market, a bakery and then went and sang karaoke. Now we are home and planning to sleep in our room above the ocean. Tomorrow will be a new day full of sun, sand, surf and of course always something new.
The Long walk
Me and the Girls
Timmy Karaoke to Hotel California
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