Day 12

Today was filled with new and exciting adventures.  The plans included shopping in the morning and a surprise birthday party in the evening.  What a fun day!  We began our day early as we headed for Valley of the Angels for a morning of shopping.  Although Mandie and Kathi went on Saturday, Mrs. Pat and I missed the opportunity due to the Honduran sickness.  Nevertheless, the Saturday trip was cut short, so all four of us were excited for the adventure.  We traveled down beautiful winding mountain roads, passed many donkeys tied to trees, and eventually found ourselves in a small village lined with shops and restaurants.

Mandie and I spent the morning in and out of shops.  We had several conversations in which Mandie chose to either be very fluent or understand no Spanish, depending on which she thought would be more convenient for the situation. It was actually quite comical.  We bought several things, and when we were content with our purchases, we found a unique restaurant on the corner of the plaza square, chose a table outside and ate a long lunch while we talked and enjoyed “people watching.”

One our favorite past times of the morning was to find a street curb in which something interesting was happening across the street.  We would act nonchalant as we snapped pictures of the events taking place in front of us.  We actually got some wonderful candid shots!

After lunch and a stop at our favorite coffee location, Espresso Americano, we headed to find Mrs. Pat and Kathi.  We reconnected, shopped a while together, and then headed back to town.  On the way home I found it interesting to notice so many donkeys tied to random trees.  It is as though they are dogs, and their owners just tie them randomly on the side of the road until they return.  My thought…”I would forget where I left my donkey!”

Mandie: This was my first trip to Valle de Angeles in which I was not responsible for a group of Americans, a handful of children, or shopping for specific gifts for friends back home. It was wonderful to just be free to enjoy the town with no agenda. I got a migraine while we were there and had the chance to fell asleep on a sunny spot of grass while the medicine kicked in.  There’s nothing I like better than a nap in the sun. Courtney finished her last errand and then we headed back to town. I also got to eat my first plato tipico, which is a big plate of all the common Honduran foods: chorizo, beef, fried plantains, stinky cheese, beans, rice, salsa, and tortillas. It was absolutely wonderful. What a perfect day! Heavenly!

When we returned, Mandie and I laid in bed and looked at the pictures of the morning; however, our picture fun ended as we both fell into a deep sleep. We’ve been going strong for a while now and I think we both needed a nap.

After our naps, it was time to begin the preparation for the surprise birthday party for Kathi at Mision Caribe.  We had all of the decorations, and the guests were instructed to arrive before 6. (And Mandie’s instructions included…”This is an American six o’clock not a Honduran six o’clock!”) The plan was for Mrs. Pat to need Kathi to drive her to the store, and while they were gone, Mandie and I would decorate while the guests arrived.

After they left, the decorations began to blossom.  Since we did not have a helium tank to blow up the 60 balloons, we graciously allowed the guests to help us inflate them.  We put up streamers, taped balloons to the ceiling, and prepared for the big surprise.  And surprised she was!  She was grinning from ear to ear – she had no idea!  We had a great Honduran dinner of fried chicken, mashed potatoes, gravy, and green beans, followed with a beautiful cake and flan. Everyone enjoyed chatting and catching up on each other’s lives and then began the Honduran tradition of palabras or “words”. It happens at almost every birthday party or going away party. All the guests take turns giving “words” to whomever the party was for. Everyone had beautiful things to say about Kathi.

After palabras we played fusebol, had balloon fights, and slowly said goodbye to everyone. In spite of our long nap  and relatively easy day, we are exhausted and headed to bed as soon as we wash the dusty day off. Fortunately, there’s water tonight, which means hot showers! :)