Our trip yesterday was about 7.5 miles round-trip, starting along the valley floor and then up, up, up through the rainforest to a waterfall. Mud. Vines. Lots of local flora, including bananas, guava, cacoa plants, yucca, maracuya, and many others I cannot spell.
Our local hosts, Jose and Mercedes and family were gracious. Kids were terrific, especially our guides--Patricio, 19, Jinson 14, and Jonder 11-- who joined us with the dad on the hike and kept us from falling and slipping with their encouragement and a gentle hand when needed. Our medical colleagues, Austrian dentist Andreas and German dental student Oliver, were much more fit as we plodded along.
The waterfall was reached, finally, by rappelling down a short vegetation-filled embankment--maybe 25 feet--to the base of the fall, which was itself maybe 30 feet high.
A meal of empanadas and papachinas (some sort of local potato variant) and horchata tea (made from local flowers and herbs--not Mexican horchata) was waiting for us from Mercedes on our return., before we walked back home along the river.
GRACE in the water of the fall and the water from the sky. Grace in the warm and lovely people we have met. Grace for simply being here.
-Marc
Marc & Danielle, Just getting a chance to read your blog and get caught up on your adventures so far. I definitely am experiencing it vicariously through you. Such a wonderful opportunity for everyone involved. Keep the posts coming, when you can. Love, Ann DeHovitz and family
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