Diplomom08’s Weblog

Call us medical

expats, if you will.  Or, really, dental/orthodontic expats would be more accurate.  We didn't bid on Managua knowing how inexpensive, yet good, the dental care would be, but it's definitely something we will keep in mind for future bidding.

We've known for a while that at least two of our three children would need braces at some point in time.  Kelsey still has a wee bit of time, where as Caitlin was nearly over due by the time we moved here.  She was close (but not quite ready) in California.

Then we moved to Virginia, Peter went to Iraq, all you-know-what broke loose, he came back and that was the end of that.  I was lucky to get the kids to the dentist (which nearly required valium for me, as it turned out Nick liked the dentist even less than the lady who cut his hair), and I completely forgot about things like well check-ups and such.  Thank goodness the kids have immune systems like rocks from all of that rolling in the dirt and such.  The dentist we finally stuck with (Nick finally liked) noted that Cait was finally ready for braces some time during our second year in VA. This was all well and good, however, braces are notoriously expensive.  When you are still recovering from a year of lost extra income and dealing with unexpected medical issues, braces aren't something you want to think about.

We did have dental insurance, but had not yet come close enough to being able to use the orthodontic portion (and, of course, now they've cut the waiting period in half), and FSBP only covers so much.  Then we started to think about the possibility that we might have to wait, no matter what, as we knew we would be moving and that any work on Cait would take at least 2, if not 3, years…time we no longer had in Virginia.

We ended up finding a great local orthodontist in Falls Church.  Cait went to see him twice for thorough exams and just as I was trying to calculate exactly how much we would have to lay out for braces, the doctor came to the conclusion that while it wasn't spectacularly ideal, it would be far better to wait until our arrival in Managua.  We could have one doctor see Cait through the whole deal, and we had started to research the issue and noted that prices seemed to be a bit lower.

Now that we are here, I can say "a bit" doesn't cover it.  Without even submitting our claims to our regular insurance company, our maximum yearly dental exam bill (2 times a year x 5 people) would be $300/year.  Subtract out the insurance paid, and it will run us about $60/year out of pocket (which will be paid from our health FSA).  

Given that we were so close to being to the end of the waiting period, we opted to start Cait with the orthodontia.  We then asked the price and without batting an eye, the dentist said, "$1600.  You pay $300 down and then $54/month for 24 months."  I repeated the information back to her with a stunned look and she had the look of understanding.  She knew we were used to the higher prices in the States, and like many, were surprised that something like this could be so affordable without insurance.

Then I started thinking about the dental insurance we had planned on keeping.  I did the math and realized that we would pay more in premiums over one year, than we would for Cait's braces (paid over two).  Additionally, our regular health insurance will cover the cost of the first $1000 of Cait's orthodontia.  In the end, we will owe $600 out of pocket, all of which will likely be paid from our FSA.

It didn't take long for us to realize that given it was open season, we needed to make a few decisions.  After taking another long, hard look at the numbers, we opted out of dental insurance for next year and likely won't think about it again until we go back to the States (and even then, we will have to really run the numbers).  And the irony of something so basic (good dental and orthodontia) being so reasonably priced, is not lost on me.  As much as we think of the U.S. as being so advanced, they have a lot to learn about reasonable pricing for medical care, as well as dental.  Even a recent trip to the ER (an hour long visit) only ran $69 (which is less than our co-insurance payment in the U.S.).  

After we received the quote, we set up a visit with the orthodontist.  He did a tiny bit of preliminary work two weeks ago, and then today was the big day:  the braces.  I figured Cait didn't need me pacing in the waiting room, so I grabbed lunch across the street.  Thirty minutes later I returned, and 5 minutes after that, she was completely ready to go.  I knew it would be fast, but that was ridiculous.

During that last 5 minutes, I signed the paperwork, paid the cash down payment, and received the receipt that, when we returned home,  I promptly filed online with our insurance.  We will go back (for now) monthly, have the braces checked, and pay the $54 fee, providing there is nothing to be fixed (broken brackets, etc.).  She's not entirely thrilled, but we are ecstatic, knowing that instead of stressing about paying (egad) I don't know how much for braces, that money will instead be put in other savings accounts.  Her teeth will be nearly perfect, and our wallets still intact thanks to the low cost and being able to save $1600 plus a year on dental insurance.  And we are also thinking that Kelsey should be ready soon, so might as well take that plunge, too, while we are here…

A rare photo of Cait smiling with the new jewels. The photo cost me a chocolate muffin, but worth it for the smile.

I’m not a Black Friday kind

of gal. The idea of getting up any earlier than I absolutely must to buy stuff I don't need at prices lower than regular price just does not appeal to me.  Even if we were in the States, I can't imagine wanting to stand in lines like that (or deal with such crowds) for any reason.  And when you are living in a developing country, you quickly learn to redefine "need."

We might want a grill for our outdoor patio, but let's face it, that's a want.  Our kids might each want their own iPad (an example, no one has yet asked), but that's so not going to happen, since they each already have computer access when they need it.  I want new cookware, but other than one particular pan, do we really *need* it? No.

Hence, I find the race each year to the stores to be entertaining at best.  Quite honestly, I don't even know what people could want to buy. We had Black Friday sales here (which lasted all weekend), which I found to be just bizarre.  If anything, seeing the spread of the idea is just depressing. Then there is the whole Cyber Monday idea and the shopping just never ends.  Occasional shopping I certainly understand, but this manic-crazed thing is just not my cup of tea.

Instead of making me feel better about the approaching holidays, it's just seems rather sad to me. I'm reminded of my mom, who was so good about buying gifts all year round, really finding unique items that people wanted, catching every hint, and then squirelling things away until it was time to start wrapping.  She thrived on real craft fairs (hand crafted wooden items, pottery that had been lovingly shaped, glazed, and fired, and the like), and managed to find exactly what folks wanted and needed.  Oh, sure, she still shopped traditional stores when need be, but took her time and still managed to find the perfect gift for everyone, even the year she died.

To give myself credit, I tried.  However, after she died, Christmas lost a lot of its luster.  To this day, I still randomly find myself in a market thinking, "Oh, that would be perfect for Mom!" and then it hits me 5 seconds later that it just doesn't matter. After a few years, I finally started to get back into enjoying the holidays, until fall 2010 hit.  Christmas again took a blow, as it's very hard to enjoy when you are in the midst of recovering from something you shouldn't have to deal with, ever.

Each year has gotten a bit better, but even with Peter home last year, it was still stressful as he was absent during so much of the 'prep' time.  I found myself doing  a lot of last-minute shopping (which I loathe) and vowed it would be different this year. 

Unfortunately, this year I've been thrown off by a new schedule and a lack of seasonal changes.  The schedule I can deal with, but the lack of seasons just throws me off.  While it's nice to know that we may be able to swim outside on Christmas afternoon, it's hard to get into the mood hearing Feliz Navidad in the stores while I'm wearing shorts and Tevas.

Then last Friday rolled around….it was the much-anticipated holiday fair that was put on in the Embassy by my office.  I can officially say that as long as I have this fair to look forward to each year, I will have no problem getting myself psyched up for the holidays.  We had such an amazing range of vendors, from local smokehouses to those who made adorable hair baubles for wee ones to absolutely amazing handcrafted wooden creations.

Finally, gifts that I know cannot be duplicated, and not only would they not break my wallet, they would help fill someone else's.  From the father/son duo making the wooden salad bowls that would run close to $100 in the States, to the handmade pine needle baskets, we had so much choice.  Suddenly, I was not only glad that had brought my shopping basket, but wished I'd thought to bring a few more reusable grocery bags.

Here are just a few of the samples from the day…and just think, if you visit, I'm sure we can arrange for you to meet with any one of the vendors, should it not be fair time.

Teachers' gifts, homemade marshmallows, and a pine needle basket from Fabretto.

Handcrafted leather purses. Think similar to Coach, but with one third of the price tag.

I misunderstood the propietor at first and thought he said, a pair of hand-carved earrings would be $50. Nope, 50 Cordobas (local currency), which equals $2.

Hand-made barrettes and headbands…utterly adorable!

The paintings and designs were all created by children with disabilities and are available for sale year-round at a local children's hair cuttery.

More leather goods…

We might have purchased a set of salad bowls…

Pine needle baskets made by women in the Pinos Fabrettinos initiative.

Nica HOPE jewelry is made by children who benefit from Fabretto's programs. You can read about some of the artisans here.

If you are enchanted by either the jewelry or the pine needle baskets/coffee, you can see more online and purchase from Fabretto!  Click here and you can see all of the items available for purchase.  Oh, and, yes, we might have been a bit selfish…we did buy ourselves an early Christmas gift, but at $38 for the whole set, just couldn't pass it up.

Christmas shopping that gives in several directions and far more directly to those who need it.  Unique items that can't be found elsewhere…did I mention we also have a spring fair?  Just saying….

The pie is cooling

on the wire rack on the counter, while the turkey in the fridge is well into its brining cycle.  I have a schedule for cooking tomorrow so that the green bean casserole, cranberry compote, turkey, and stuffing are all the appropriate temperature when served at dinner tomorrow afternoon and I will theoretically somehow fit in a 3 mile walk.  All in all, it's shaping up to be a relatively normal Thanksgiving dinner. That in and of itself is a treat.

The past few years have been challenging.  We had the weird Thanksgiving in 2010 (courtesy of me), the following year was tricky, as we were already looking ahead to Peter's departure and knowing we'd be apart for Thanksgiving 2012.   Then Thanksgiving 2012 rolled around and I realized I was still carrying a lot of stress from the past few years.  And this year?

Finally, we are together as a family.  We are happily ensconced in our new home and have no desire to travel over the holidays (especially considering Friday is a workday for us).  We have the ability to procure our favorite Thanksgiving dishes, and interestingly enough, it's not an unknown holiday here. The kids' school held special celebrations in the lower grades, though the turkey was substituted with local fried chicken.  

The best part of being here is that  we don't have to stress about the craziness of Black Friday, work or no work.  We can simply have a day off today and won't have to fret about insane traffic on Friday (well, any more so than normal).  Lovely!

For all of that and so much more, we are grateful.  Finally, after a long three years we are in a happy place again, and it is just feels so good. Here's hoping wherever you are and however you celebrate, that the day will be just as you wish it to be.

Happy Thanksgiving! 

The pie is cooling

on the wire rack on the counter, while the turkey in the fridge is well into its brining cycle.  I have a schedule for cooking tomorrow so that the green bean casserole, cranberry compote, turkey, and stuffing are all the appropriate temperature when served at dinner tomorrow afternoon and I will theoretically somehow fit in a 3 mile walk.  All in all, it's shaping up to be a relatively normal Thanksgiving dinner.  That in and of itself is a treat.

The past few years have been challenging.  We had the weird Thanksgiving in 2010 (courtesy of me), the following year was tricky, as we were already looking ahead to Peter's departure and knowing we'd be apart for Thanksgiving 2012.   Then Thanksgiving 2012 rolled around and I realized I was still carrying a lot of stress from the past few years.  And this year?

Finally, we are together as a family.  We are happily ensconced in our new home and have no desire to travel over the holidays (especially considering Friday is a workday for us).  We have the ability to procure our favorite Thanksgiving dishes, and interestingly enough, it's not an unknown holiday here.  The kids' school held special celebrations in the lower grades, though the turkey was substituted with local fried chicken.  

The best part of being here is that  we don't have to stress about the craziness of Black Friday, work or no work.  We can simply have a day off today and won't have to fret about insane traffic on Friday (well, any more so than normal).  Lovely!

For all of that and so much more, we are grateful.  Finally, after a long three years we are in a happy place again, and it is just feels so good. Here's hoping wherever you are and however you celebrate, that the day will be just as you wish it to be.

Happy Thanksgiving! 

The 238th Birthday Ball

for the Marines at post was held last night.  If you are my friend on Facebook or in a group with me, you have likely read about my stressing over dresses for said event.

For a variety of reasons, it has been years since I have really had to dress up for an event.  Not that I don't like to get gussied up, but I simply haven't had to do so.  Comfort is also an issue for me, as high heels generally don't get along with my feet and given that it's hard to find clothes to match my body type, I could spend hours trying to find something that fits just right.

As much as I was excited for the ball, by early September, I was completely over trying to find a gown. I could not try on any dresses prior to leaving the States, as either I had not had the abdominal surgery (which changed my clothing size) or I was still in pain and swollen from it.  I figured I would order a dress once we arrived at post and that would be that.

July flew into August, August became September and suddenly I was worried about how many dresses I would have to order from Nordstrom.com and in what sizes.  One size in one brand would be a different in another.   I found a few cute dresses and then finally threw in the towel and told Peter he'd have to go without me.  Well, that did it.

I was informed in no uncertain terms that I was going to the ball and it would be in the dress of my dreams.  I then responded that if he expected me to go to the ball, he'd have to find the dress.  As it happened, Peter was prepping for a week long conference in the VA area and he took me up on the challenge.  He took my measurements, approximate dress size, colors that would be acceptable and basic styles to Nordstrom with him one night in mid-September.  After looking around at dresses, and consulting with an adviser, he sent me two photos.  One dress was navy, one was black.  I looked at the black dress, realized he had picked a dress I'd been admiring online (unbeknownst to him), and told him it was okay to purchase.

Four nights later, he came home with a suitcase stuffed to the gills with bacon, cheese, coffee, bath goodies, and 'the' dress.  I waited until the kids were asleep that night, and then looked at it, trying to decide if I should try it on or wait.  What if it didn't fit?  What if the look was wrong?  What if….

I slipped out of my clothes, and carefully took the dress off the hanger.  I started to slip it on, went into Cait's room to look into her longer mirror and realized everything was off.  The back lacy area was extremely loose and everything from my chest to my waist was bunched together. I reached up, tugged a bit, and realize the interior slip had gotten stuck and it threw everything off.  I pulled it down, and…perfection.

The dress fit like a glove even without my Higher Power Spanx that I would eventually purchase in order to avoid any last minute worries about panty lines and such.  I couldn't believe it, yet at the same time, I realized that perhaps 16 years or so of marriage has a few advantages…you learn a person's style, you know their sizes, and you know what will fly and what won't.  With this one, he hit a home run.

Now, mind you, this did not mean that I did not have to stress about shoes, jewelry, make-up and the like.  I kept forgetting how quickly time would fly, and before I knew it, the ball was within two weeks.  I rapidly ordered the Spanx a friend recommended, picked out a pair of shoes from Zappos that looked comfy, but cute, made mani/pedi appointments for myself and Caitlin, and the day of the ball, managed to schedule make-up and hair at quite the last minute.

I had found the Beauty Lounge last summer on a friend's recommendation. The owner had mentioned how she personally creates her own natural make-up line and I kept thinking back to that as the ball neared. I realized I would rather someone else give it a go, lest I end up looking pale and wan in each photo.

While her nail technicians took care of my hands and feet in the morning, the makeup stylist took care of my hair and makeup in the afternoon.  An hour after my arrival, and my hair was carefully pulled back and pinned with two gorgeous flower pins.  My skin was no longer of its normal pallor, but now glowing and I believe it's safe to say my eyes popped out a bit.  With only two hours remaining until ball time, I headed home to dress.

Since I was wearing a cute pair of dressy sandals, I donned my dress, the shoes, a favorite pair of earrings that I inherited from my mom, and I was ready.  We left, in a rainstorm of course, and headed to the Intercontinental, where the ball was held.

And?

I could not have picked a more perfect dress myself….

The night was amazing.  Due to the nature of Peter's job, we were at the head table and it was just a lovely experience. Given all the Marines do for  us, it was an honor to attend the ball, enjoy dinner with them, and then spend hours dancing, mingling, taking photos, and just relaxing. And now that I've gotten through the first ball of our Managua tour without too much stress, I think it's safe to say I already have ideas for next year's dress.  Perhaps I'll be up to picking it out myself, but if not, comforting to know I have a back-up stylist just in case….

and my favorite photo….

Selva Negra

Our first outing actually occurred a few weeks ago, which is nothing short of a minor miracle.  Normally we arrive at post, end up having too much settling in to do, come to the conclusion we can't drive up a hill without a child getting sick (Caracas), or realize that overnight travel within said country is expensive and we have a worn-out traveler (Iceland).

We had no luck traveling much of anywhere in Caracas other than for day trips. We spent so much time on the side of the road with Cait (who has now since outgrown the affliction) and we pretty much gave up after our day trip to Colonia Tovar (poor thing still can't look at strawberries).  Then Peter had three years of constant travel and he viewed moving to Iceland as a vacation in and of itself.  

While the rest of us had ants in our pants about traveling, Peter was thrilled to have nowhere to go other than work and the occasional meeting at the base.  After watching Love Actually with him, and hearing him comment "Oh, that really does look like the inside of 10 Downing Street!" or listening to  him give a play-by-play of events most people only heard about on the radio, I was ready for travel. However, the travel/work/schedule gods conspired against us and we had all of two overnight trips while in the country.

Enter our move to Nicaragua: I refused to move here without a notarized statement that we would travel no matter what.  Certainly he did not do much in Kabul, we didn't go crazy our last year in the States, and since none of the kids have sickness issues, we were homefree right?

Well, for the most part.  We were desperate to go somewhere, anywhere, this summer, but did not have a car.  (Please, do not even suggest that we should have rented one.  Driving my own car here makes me nervous, and a rented car simply would have sat in the driveway.)  Then school started, I started working, and all of that free time started to disappear.  We kept thinking about days away, then nixing it due to things that came up. Finally, a friend suggested Selva Negra for Indigenous Peoples Day weekend. 

We realized we couldn't spend the whole weekend, only a night, as the kids had school on Monday (and driving up Friday night was a no-go), but we forged ahead with planning.  And so very glad we did.  

Selva Negra is a unique coffee farm and resort in the mountains of Matagalpa originally established by German settlers, and if I may say, more of what I expected to see in Nicaragua.  It is roughly a 3 hour drive (I would allow 4), much of it on a two lane highway, and one can easily be slowed down by tuk-tuks or the ever present horse and wagon.  Scenic, yes, but still something to consider when planning trips or travels.

Rooftops reminiscent of cottages in Iceland….

If this isn't a giant reminder to relax….

We drove up early Saturday morning and considering the twisting and turning it took to get into Selva Negra, I am very glad we opted to drive during the day.  It gets dark here very early (6 p.m. at the latest), year-round, and you really don't want to drive on unpaved roads in the dark here…trust me and your car will thank you.  We finally entered the estate itself by a small guarded gate. There were not many signs, but we finally found a sizable (by local standards) parking area that was across from the office.  We parked, stepped out of the car and…

we were amazed. It was at least a 20 degree, if not 30 degree, difference between Managua and Selva Negra.  The gardens were lush and green and designed around recycled materials.  One lettuce garden utilized glass bottles as mini-greenhouses and the entire area just felt so relaxed and safe.  We checked in, received the key to our bungalow (two beds, one bath, & an extra cot ran $105 plus IVA for the night), and opted for a lakeside lunch.  

Lakeside…

Good times…

We began to feel as the owners had designed the lodge for families that needed that feeling of being able to wander without worrying.  A playground was built right next to the lodge, sizeable and fun for all of the kids, and they could wander freely with no worries about traffic or safety.  The air was so clean, the environment so calm, and the food good (mostly organic, too).  From the local coffee to the Hibiscus juice, nothing that I wouldn't try again.

We planned on spending the weekend with friends, and they arrived soon after lunch was over.  We decided it was the perfect time for a hike (as after dark would have been tricky) and set off on a 2 kilometer hike through the cloud forest.  While I wish I'd thought to bring my hiking boots (turned out Pete had grabbed his, not mine, as I thought), it was certainly doable in sneakers (but very muddy, so closed-toe shoes definitely recommended). And while 2 kilometers may not sound like much, it was very hilly, lots of slick and muddy areas, and especially disconcerting when halfway through the LG decides he has to go to the bathroom that minute.

Leaves are very, very big here…

We survived, of course, and followed up the hike with drinks and then dinner by the lake (pretty much the only place to eat…and that was fine by us).  Dessert was amazing and I highly recommend the mocha cheesecake.  While Peter and I retired to the bungalow to put the LG to bed (poor guy fell asleep sitting up on the couch), the girls spent hours carousing outside and in with their friends.

Solar power heated water…

The next morning brought breakfast by the lake and an early departure for us.  Nick had a birthday party he couldn't miss (the 5th in 10 days), and he simply couldn't miss it. Kelsey stayed behind to enjoy a bit of horseback riding, and then drove home in her friend's car. It wasn't the longest of overnights, but so good to get out of the city, and a place we can see ourselves returning to many times.  They also plan events centered around holidays, to include a Halloween/Oktoberfest celebration the following weekend.  If you have flexibility in your travels, always worth it to check out what might be happening during your visit.  Oh, and bring your long-sleeve shirt, long pants, and jacket.  You won't need them in Managua, but a visit to Selva Negra is not complete without them…

It’s like Christmas!

Perhaps because nearly every box in our house is labeled "X-mas," or maybe because we keep finding unexpected 'gifts' in our boxes.  If you are curious, yes, our household effects arrived today and we are mighty stoked.

At the not-so-crack of dawn, a moving truck of appropriate size pulled up, out jumped 6 guys, and within minutes we were staring at 6 very large, very full, wooden crates with Peter's name plastered all over them.  It started out very nicely, with Peter directing boxes hither and yon, basing directions on box labels (note to selves:  when you have two girls, label boxes accordingly, not just "girl's room").  I happily attacked Scramble on the couch, as the whole answering the door thing just tuckered me out. 

Then I realized if I didn't start unpacking, someone else might, and everything might really turn upside-down then.  I started with the easy stuff, boxes labeled "X-Mas."  I am so excited, as we finally have a dedicated holiday item closet near our bedroom.  I couldn't wait to line all of the Easter, Halloween, and Christmas items neatly up on the shelves, and started ripping off the brown paper covering the boxes of decor.

Apparently, however, in some areas, X-mas also means pool toys.  Books can also be X-Mas, as well as anything related to other holidays, towels, sheets, you name it.  However, pool toys are good, as they can go right out on the terrace where they will soon have their own storage bin while they wait…

Speaking of the terrace, look what else arrived!  We have the sweetest little private road where Nick can happily ride and scooter for hours.  Don't think it took him more than 10 minutes to get his helmet on and get going once he got off the bus.  

And perhaps better than the bike or at least excitement nearly on the same level?

Oh, yes, the trampoline! Our backyard paradise is now 1/4 complete…just need to get the playhouse built, the garden started, and maybe one more addition.

Want one?!

Naturally, we found a few things that maybe shouldn't have been packed…but would moving be as much fun if we always remembered to empty the sugar bowl and remind the movers not to pack opened bags of buggy-like looking wild rice? I think not.

And now for a rest in my own bed, the first I have had since May 29th…ah, life is good!

Catarina began with a bang, and ended with several

whimpers.  We headed out with 4 of us on Sunday to visit this town that is fabled to have an abundance of gardens and nurseries, as well as a majestic view of Laguna de Apoyo.  While technically only 30 minutes from our house, it probably took a good 45 between the time on the highway and once we turned off onto the road to Catarina. The highway is officially a highway, but speeds race from horse and wagon to frustrated driver in a race car;  how fast you can travel depends on which one is in front of you.

We traveled as we tend to do here, which is to go in a general direction and look for signs.  Peter then inputs the coordinates of the location into the GPS for a return trip (occasionally he has in advance), but for those less skilled in that arena, or on vacation, one can simply turn where it says "Catarina" on the highway and soon arrive in the small town that winds uphill.  

Like many towns here that we have explored, the roads appear to the be the size of a one way road in the States, but manage to have cars, as well as tuk-tuks and large trucks going in both directions.  After driving up, up, up the road to Catarina and passing many small nurseries and craft stores, but no real place to stop, we drove straight into *the* parking area for Catarina.  As with other touristy areas here, there was someone selling the infamous yellow parking tickets.  We paid the 20 cordobas (80 cents or so), drove into the area, and Peter managed to squeeze into a normal, but tiny space.

We ambled out of the car and could immediately see why this would be such an attraction.  Even from the parking lot, 50 yards or so from the overlook, we could catch glimpses of Laguna de Apoyo.  We headed over, past more stores of handicrafts (wooden toys, brightly colored dresses, handmade sandals) and recommended restaurants to view the, well, view.

The view….

As soon as we reached the sidewalk, we found ourselves climbing down the hillside. Stairs of sorts are built into the hillside in most places, except where Nick wanted to climb. In those areas, we found jumps of 4 feet to 20 feet down to the area closest to the guardrail.  Oh, of course, the boy jumped down as many as he could, giving me just slight heart palpitations.  I'm all for free play, it's just those landings that include jumps of more than 15 feet or so (or 5) make me a bit nervous.  We tried a few photo ops and you can see for yourself how they came out.  Yes, the hair, I know.

The .5 person in this was not thrilled by the photo op.

The upswept hairdo fell down, and sadly, I didn't realize until post-photo. Oops.

After a few minutes of walking, admiring the horses, and watching a vendor hawk rental binoculars, we decided it was time for a late lunch.  We stopped by the cafe puported to have the best view and were promptly serenaded when we sat down. 

They were great and we tried to tip appropriately. I handed them 100 Cordobas (approximately 4 USD) and they promptly tried to give us change. We said to keep it, of course, and finally they acceded. If you are curious, $4 is just 84 cents shy of the daily minimum wage.

Dragon fruit juice, yum.

We enjoyed our surtido (sampler), though found that with the view came a lot of bees via the open window.  Peter and I both had a chance to finally try jugo de pitahaya (dragonfruit juice) and we were pleasantly surprised.  Dragon fruit has been a bit tart in the desserts we've tried, but was clearly sweetened just a tiny bit and was very pleasant to enjoy with the plantains, rice, veggies, and chicken.  The only issue came when we tried to pay and ended up using all of our handicraft cash on lunch. The propietor of the cafe had failed to mention that their credit card machine was broken.  Unfortunately, ATM cannot fix everything in Catarina, as the nearest one is 30 minutes away in a neighboring town.

After lunch, we attempted a walk around to look at the different crafty stalls.  Kelsey had to loan us cash for lunch, so we had but a few cords left that would not buy even smallest trinket.  However, as it turns out, we were not long for Catarina.  She was tired, Nick was finished looking at the view, and we decided to head home.  As we were walking out, one of the infamous bees from lunch headed our way.  Kelsey tried to brush it away, but it stuck around and slammed a stinger right into her arm.

The poor thing burst into tears, and while I promptly pulled out the stinger, the spot started to swell and her arm ache.  Luckily, there was a shaved ice vendor standing not 5 feet away, and Peter barely had to say a word before he handed him a chunk of ice.  I applied it to Kelsey's arm while she wailed and hoped for the best.  While it certainly didn't kill her, by the time my mother died she was extremely allergic to bee stings and given how far we were from anywhere, I can't say I wasn't a little nervous.  Two minutes later the shaved ice vendor, who had continued to slave away over his ice grater, passed a handful of shaved ice to Peter for Kelsey and promptly rejected Peter's offer of the meager 13 cords we had left after paying for lunch.

We bagged the ice, bagged the rest of the trip, and headed home.  45 minutes later Kelsey was feeling much better, and there were no signs of any reaction.  While it wasn't our best day to explore and Catarina was a bit hot, sweaty, and crowded, we managed to enjoy a good lunch, a great view, and experience a kind-hearted gesture from someone who probably could ill afford it.  Hopefully, we can actually enjoy shaved ice next time, and just hurry away before the vendor can argue about the extra large tip.