Monday February 8 - Trip to Los Chiles and Nicaragua!

Today Yerlin's family invited me to go to los Chiles and the northern boarder with Nicaragua.  It was fantastic really.  Yerlin's dad is a farmer and has various crops.  In the morning he took us around showing us the different things he grows like yuca, papa chino, ayote(squash) etc.   He has a pond full of fish.  It is fun to throw feed in and watch them charge.

On the way to Los Chiles we stopped at a restaurant where there were all kinds of iguanas.  In Los Chiles we had a picnic (see pic) and then took a boat ride down the river to the boarder with Nicaragua.   Along the river there were Congo monkeys, turtles, all kinds of beautiful birds and iguanas.

After the boat ride we went to a farm of a close family friend of Yerlin's family.  It was probably 5 miles back in from the main road.  It was like going back in time.  The husband and wife that live there mainly live off the land.  They cook with wood although they do have electricity, a fridge, t.v. a bathroom etc.   It was so peaceful and interesting.   The  man works taking care of the crops and the animals.  He has pigs, chickens, cows and horses.  This is where we road horses.  It was fun and the horse was really easy to ride.

On Tuesday we are going to the zoo.

Just one of the cool iguanas of the dayThis nativity scene is in Yerlins house.  they put itup around Christmas and take it down in Jan.  they waited this year for Yerlin to be home and Sat night they had their annaul "prayer" celebration - 200 people in their house with maricahi, fireworks and a meal

Yerlin's dad showing his yuca -a potatoe like vegetable.  Above ground grows a tree.

yucaYerlin's house.  there is a pond in the back full of 

fish. We fed them and they swarm to eat the feed.

Theae iguanas were at a restaurant that caters to tourists so they take care of them so they will stick around.  We saw many that were truly wild though

The lunch that Yerlin's mom made for our outingtoLos Chiles/Nicaragua

Yerlin's dad is VERY funny! And incredibly nice.  He has gone way out of his way and above and beyond to help our group have a good experience here in Costa Rica.   (I should add that this is true in general)

erThe river in Los Chiles leading to NicaraguaThe sign says "Welcome to Nicaragua"

Thes are machines used on the farm that we went to.   On the left is a sugar cane press - you put the cane in and sugar water drips out.   On the right is a machine that grinds corn into flour

This is a very close friend of Yerlin's dad/family.We saw him walking back to his house after a long day in the field.   He was leading a horse.   His farm is at least 5 miles in from the main road up a mountain.   He and his wife live off the land.  They cook with wood.  They do have plumbing and electricity.  They grow their own food.

Yerlin's dad is FUNNYYERLIN has been riding horses since she was a

very little girl.  She rides very well.   Lucas and I do not:)

The house of the friend 

Another family came with us on our trip.   The mom of the other family (they lived in New Jersey for 3 years) made tortillas from scratch.  She explained that her mom passed away when she was 9 and had to take over.  She has been making tortillas from scratch every since.  DELICIOUS!