Vulcan area

Today we drove to the Volcan area where we will stay a couple of days.  Drove through astonishing beautiful scenery but no areas to stop on the highways for pictures.

However, had the fish for dinner.  Ferocious looking fish I must add.  Blanca told me I was ordering breaded fish but admitted she must have been mistaken.  :-)

The other place is a delightful restaurant with authentic Italian food by a woman from Italy.

We can't see the volcano today because it was too misty.

We also strolled around the grounds of the hotel where Blanca and John had their honeymoon 30 years ago.

Visiting and shopping..

Today Blanca visited with a number of her friends and then we did some shopping.

We went back to the local beach and goodness what a different type of beach seeing it now with the tide in.

Cashew tree!

Isla Iguana

The best pictures are on my camera because I didn't want to carry my tablet around with me much, but it was a magical day in a very beautiful location.  Alas, despite much precaution I still got a sun burn.

Topped off the day with a lovely supper.  A friend of Blanca, cousin to the owner of the restaurant, and a very wealthy man, secretly told them to put our meals on his account.  What a nice man!  What a nice surprise!

My choice had been Hawaiian pork chops, beautifully presented.

Another unique day..:-)

Today in Blanca's village I attended the funeral mass of an old family friend of Blanca's.

It was an all day event which included the following:

 Attending the visitation where respect and prayers were given ( the casket was in the parlour).  We were served a wonderful chicken dish with rice.  They were cooked on the outside gas grill and the rice pot was covered with banana leafs.

There were prayers before the mass and at the end the men carried the casket to the cemetery.  Obviously I did not take pictures.

Some pictures are of Azelda ( wife of Blanca's nephew) and her house.  Also views from the home of Blanca's niece.

Also Blanca noticed thieves stealing guava from her family's land.  She confronted them and asked if they had permission.  They didn't.  She sshooed them off.  She said it wasn't unusual, especially when there is a funeral where most of the village attends.

One more picture from a few days ago...

This is Blanca and I 'touching the stones' of a building from the 1500s.

Not something most tourists do...

As a present and treat for Mila we got her 8 chicks.  She had mentioned to Blanca she wished she had some.  Because of her allergies Blanca made me go and get them (3 varieties).  Blanca did tell the shop assistant to help me because I was 'a gringo who knows nothing about chickens'.

Mostly a business day for Blanca with me accompanying her but we did get some laundry done and I successfully obtained money from the ATM as a test whether I could.

I nipped away from Blanca for a short time to revisit the Cathedral square and then later a couple of other ones.

I laugh.  We had another great lunch but this time we sat down and there was a brief exchange of Spanish.  A few minutes later our lunch arrived: chicken rice, potato salad, plantains and some wonderful tropical juice.  Blanca chose well for me!

Each meal, including the drink (with our senior's discount) came to $4.12 (American).