Food, Fun and Friendship

Saturday, March 14 - Sabado 

After repeated attempts to visit with Jackeline for a manicure and pedicure - I finally have an appointment and a ride.  The manicure/pedicure with Jackeline, ride and time with Sherri is slated to take 10 hours!  Yep, 10 hours.  Oh, well - Jackeline is worth it and I miss spending time with Sherri.  I board the shuttle with the guests at 8:00 a.m., taking advantage of the free ride to Roberto’s at the entrance to the National Park.  As soon as I get off the shuttle, Sherri is waiting for me on the other side of the street.  I give her my usual greeting - a very loud “Sherri” with body language that indicates I am excited and pleased to see her.  She blushes, but is obviously thrilled, and gives me a huge a hug.  As I mentioned Sherri does not work at the hotel anymore and our visits have been limited.  We walk into Roberto’s - stopping to speak with David who runs Sarrapiqui Adventures - a rafting company Adrain tried to get Omega to use this season.  I explain to David the decision wasn’t mine.  This is something he already knew.  So there are no hard feelings and we have a pleasant conversation before heading into the restaurant for breakfast.

Sherri looks amazing.  She has gained weight and relaxed since leaving the hotel.  She’s going to school full time and speaks at a normal rate as opposed to the rapid rate of speech she had at the hotel.  We order breakfast and I settle on French toast as a treat since I’ve already eaten fruit at the hotel.  The French Toast arrives and it is unlike any French Toast I have ever seen.  I expected traditional French Toast.  Well, this is two pieces of white bread, with the crust cut off, covered with fruit.  Unbelievably sweet.  As I cut into it, I realize there is pineapple jelly and cheese inside.  Leave it to the Costa Ricans to make French Toast with excess sugar!  Sherri is also surprised, but she loves sweet things.  In an effort to be gracious, I cut in and start eating.  Since I’ve given up eggs and breakfast meat - my choices are limited.  I eat, knowing full well I will have a sugar crash in a couple of hours.  

After our sugar laden breakfast, we get into her car and drive to Pocora.  Once we arrive at her house, we hang out.  I crash around 11:30 a.m., but since we are just sitting there, it goes by unnoticed.  We take a walk to the local grocery store and I’m amazed at the different choices of fruit - some I have never seen before.  We pick up plantains for lunch as well as some interesting fruit and treats for me to try later at the hotel.  

Sherri makes me a lunch of patacones and fish.  I try to help with the preparations, as this is the first time I have the opportunity to make patacones.  She let’s me remove the peel from one of the plantains, but mostly I stand there and talk to Sherri while she cooks.  Then I eat and talk to Sherri while she continues to cook the rest of the patacones.   After lunch we walk to Jackelines for my manicure and pedicure.  I love seeing Jackeline.  We sit and talk - well they talk and I chime in occasionally, with Sherri serving as my translator.  I love being here.  Jackeline is so grateful for the quick drying top coat I brought down from the States.  She explains how she tried to save some for my manicure and pedicure.  All of her clients were asking for it, since it was so damp and rainy.  Jackeline paints my finger and toe nails in an intricate floral design.  Yes, every nail is hand painted.  She has the most beautiful straight and shinny hair.  I asked her how she manages to keep it that way.  She explains that she straightened it with a cream and shows me the shine product.  She offered to pick up the products and apply the cream to my hair, I readily agree.  We settle on the terms - I’ll come over as soon as she can get the product.  

Sherri and I drive back to Sueno Azul - 10 hours after leaving the hotel, I return having spent the day surrounded by friends with a full stomach, manicure, pedicure and the promise of straight hair.  I happily return to my room eager to greet my other friends, JoElla who spent the day at the hotel relaxing and Monique,  my co-facilitator for our upcoming workshop, who arrived while I was in Pocora.