On Thursday, October 3rd I woke up at 5:30am, typically I snooze my alarm a few times, but the various roosters neighboring the property wouldn’t let up so my efforts were futile. I ate some yogurt, brewed up a cup of instant coffee, hot drinks don’t quite hit the spot when it’s already warm outside. I reluctantly dressed myself in long sleeves and long pants. The mornings are a warm 75 degrees, which feels fresh compared to the temperatures when the sun comes up and into the night. I headed to the kitchen at 6am, it was still dark and the collective of dogs greeted me with their barks and muddy paws. Jaro came down the stairs from his room with a large red pot, he set it on the three burner stove, and let it’s contents cook while we worked. The pot was filled with rice, a big hunk of unidentifiable meat, and big green leaves. This was lunch for the dogs.
The patio at the bottom was covered in plants
Our first project together was to remove the plants and vines from a decorative concrete patio. The owner, Jim, uses a mixture of rocks and concrete to create outdoor and indoor spaces. Jaro used a machete to chop while I raked and hauled the debris to the compost. We worked from until about 9am, which is when the heat creeps its way into the day. After work we made breakfast, which I thought of as my lunch because I like to eat right when I wake up. Afterward, I spent the rest of the afternoon in my room. Showering felt like the only way to cool off. I watched a movie and took a nap, the star fish formation was the only sleeping position that felt moderately comfortable. It is so hot and humid that I just sweat all the time. My physical uncomfort led me to mentally prepare myself for my months stay here at El Encanto, I reassured myself that it takes time to acclimatize. When I left Portland it was a ripe 42 degrees so my body was fighting to adjust.
Jaro made a dinner of Spanish rice and pork with tortillas. For me, these ingredients form a set up for a simple taco, but he rolled his tortillas and ate them separately. As a post-dinner activity we went on a bike ride around the town. He took me to a turtle pond in hopes of us seeing the cocodrillo (crocodile) that inhabits the area. The giant lizard did not surface so we leisurely rode back.
I headed off to my room around sunset, which is when flashes of lightning, rolling thunder, and heavy rain started right outside my window. The thunder was the loudest I have ever heard and a few times it made me jump into my bed to take cover. Eventually the storm passed, but not without the electricity flickering on and off a few times.
A screenshot from a video of the storm