Month: April 2024

It was sad to see the McGlumphy family packing up. It has been another great trip with this group, but we had a little time to sit around and enjoy this great spot.

As the McGlumphy family loaded their suitcases into the van, we exchanged hugs, sad to be parting. We then straightened up the house a bit and did a bit of packing for our return trip tomorrow.

Marco, Monica and her son came to pick us up about 10:30 to take us over the mountain to meet his parents in San Mateo. We have heard so much about his parents, it was a special treat to finally meet them. His father was a telegraph operator for 30 years. He was a man of many talents, doing most of the woodwork in the small house. He also carved the doors in the house. There are two attached houses on either side. One to the right was Marco’s grandmother’s house. Marco has now redone the house, and he lives there most of the time. He still goes back to the states to visit his children and grandchildren, as well as working for Clear Choice as a fill-in when someone is out. Marco’s cousin lives in the house on the other side, and he looks after Mr. and Mrs. Padilla.

I love the way they did the plants in pots and planters everywhere. Of course it gets hot in Costa Rica sometimes, so they often sit outside, in the front or the back. In the evening the neighboring ladies come over to sit and chat. Sometimes they move their chairs onto the edge of the street where they get a breeze. Across the street is the police station. Everyone has gates and fences around their houses. Like the U.S., migrants from South America come to stay or to pass through, and the crime rate has gone up.

As we were talking, a big truck stopped across the street. A stocky, middle-aged man got out and threw out mangos to three mules in the lot in the middle of town. Marco could tell I was curious about mules eating mangos, so we walked across the street.

The mules seemed to be used to eating mangos. They gnawed at the mango and then spit out the seed. They kicked at each other to protect their fruit, but none of the kicks even came close to landing. The man started telling us the story of how he got the lot, how he got the mules and all about the one that is a hermaphrodite. Of course I only got bits of this because I don’t speak much Spanish, but Diego filled me in.

Marco then took us to a very nice restaurant for lunch. A pretty river runs behind it, where Marco would come to swim when he was young. I thought we might get a siesta after that, but they took us up a steep, winding road to the top of a mountain where we would wait for the sunset. A nice, little restaurant sits up there, and people trickled in as the afternoon went on.

The views were very pretty. On the west side were rolling hills. On the other were some big mountains. It was a little cloudy, so we thought we might not get much of a sunset, but boy, were we wrong. We kept watching the sun set in the west, but then there was a partial rainbow on the other side. Then all of those clouds lit up in one of the prettiest sunsets I have ever seen. I like the one at the top best, with the Costa Rican flag on the right.

As we drove back “home” we thanked Monica and Marco for a wonderful day, meeting his parents, seeing his home town and his home country we have heard so much about. It was a day to remember on a trip to remember.

I woke up early, fixed a cup of coffee, slid the balcony door open and sat outside soaking in the wonderful view. As the sun began to lighten the sky, there were frightening cries of some primeval monsters calling to each other in the dense jungle below.

Then I remember Rooster telling us about how Howler Monkeys make terrifying sounds. It was a beautiful spot to sit, listen and watch. Soon I heard some talking and realized it was Diego and Andrea right over us, so I leaned over the railing and looked up. It seemed everyone was ready for breakfast.

We had one more breakfast in this beautiful spot, but first two beautiful parrots (scarlet macaws) flew into a tree right beside the outdoor restaurant. I don’t know what they were eating in that tree, but it must have been good. I got a pretty good video with my iPhone 7, waiting for them to fly.

We had the same waiter for two days, a nice young man from Guatemala. We told him we were leaving today, and we had enjoyed his help while we were in this beautiful place. He said he was lucky to be here too, “as I have had two heart attacks.” Shocked, we asked how that was possible, as he seemed quite fit. He said he had Covid, then he got his second vaccine. Three days later he had a heart attack, and a week later another one. Still shocked, we wished him our best and headed out.

We had a van waiting to take us back to Miguel’s house, with a tour of a coffee farm tour along the way. After an hour or so of driving, we arrived at Espiritu Santo Coffee, not knowing what to expect. We were met by a very nice man named José, who casually talked for a bit before tasting a couple of different coffees. then we were escorted to a beautiful table in the middle of the yard, where they served us an excellent lunch, and of course, a coffee cake for desert.

Then we were off for a tour of the grounds. José talked about when they pick the beans in September, all done by hand, because you have to choose the ripe beans. We walked down the hill where they sort the beans and remove the thin covers. Across the way was a large building where they roast the beans, for varying times and temperatures. This takes a special person who tweaks the variables according to weather conditions and taste. Some beans are packaged whole, while some are ground.

Then we went to a covered area with a table and seats around it. A cute little cabin beside it housed a wood fire to make hot water so he could demonstrate how they like to make the coffee. First a little hot water in two containers. tossing the water in the first, he put ground coffee in it. Surely he has been doing this so long, he didn’t need to measure. Then he put hot water in it and let it “bloom” for 5 minutes while he took questions. Parting the surface of the hot coffee, the middle rose above the surface. He tossed the hot water from the second vessel and set it under a tripod with a “sock” attached to the top which would catch all the grounds as he poured the coffee through it. Pre-warming each or our cups, he then poured coffee into each. “You must sip it making noise. You are putting air into your tasting, and the first will be a bit bitter.” We were to take a taste of small bananas before we sipped. This was what I would call a large espresso, and he didn’t want us to put milk, sugar or cream in it, perhaps like getting a glass of that 25-year rum and putting coke in it. Anyway, we all agreed it was good.

Then into the store to buy coffee, rum, cups, tripods and cups. It was all very interesting, and José did a great job, even inviting us back for picking in September.

We piled back into the van for the drive back to Atenas and Miguel’s lovely house. Unfortunately the McGlumphy family had to head back the next day, so they packed up.