Vacation Time

At the end of each busy day, there was still some time for relaxation


Tuesday we dined at Citrus, a fine restaurant across from the police station, just off the highway. We planned dinner at 8:00 at the place was full, with two groups who were finishing up – both appeared to be birthday celebrations. We sat, ordered wine and Lisle headed to the bathroom. The woman at the next table came over and asked “Did you buy Nancy’s house?” Well apparently Nancy sold her house to two wonderful men, and the appearance of our strange faces just begged the question. Maryanne and John live in town and having closed a home furnishing store in Uvita are opening an ‘accessories’ store in the plaza in November. We chatted about house building and such – welcomed to the neighbourhood.


Thursday dinner was spent with Sonya and Jan, and Keith and Karen at Madras – a great Indian restaurant in the jungle a few kilometres north on the highway. Karen was kind enough to make reservations for 6 – I assumed she meant people – no she meant 6 o’clock – everyone is home in bed by nine usually, especially on a school night.


Madras is run by a French couple. They serve Indian and Thai food in covered outdoor space. The furniture is ‘eclectic’ – slabs of wood with branches as legs and back (those extending up 6 feet or more), rough wood tables made of tree trunks, metal and rice paper sculptures lit from within – and the food is excellent – curry (chose your heat from 1 – 10), thai noodles, new york steak, shrimp – YUM!


Friday morning, we had some business at the Ventana office. Sonya said “will we see you at 101?” Where is that? Not where – When – they finish work at 1:00 and at 1:01 they arrive for drinks at Bocas del Coronado (a local bar a kilometre south on the highway). We arrived at 1:30, just as they did, followed by a large contingent – Brad, Keith and Karen, Heather, Ken and Sharon, Eva, Leo and his wife (sorry!) – I know I don’t remember everyone – but it was 7:30 when we left, and they were still going strong. A spectacular end to vacation sitting drinking with friends looking out to the ocean with Macaws flying by.


The saddest thing – apart from having to leave at all – was missing Karen’s Thanksgiving Dinner. As I write this (on the plane home 5:30 pm Sunday October 10), 20 Canadians living in Ojochal are on Karen’s terrace enjoying turkey and all the trimmings. A real community – lots of people who are good friends enjoying the good things in life.