Gringo pickup

Saturday. Another early bus. This time to the Lago de Yojoa that is between the coast and the Salvadoran border. Before actually arriving at the lake we stopped at a waterfall with a swimming area above it. After a veeery long walk uphill both ways to the park with our veeery heavy packs on, we swam, we hiked to the waterfall, we swam some more, and then we looked for unsuspecting pickup trucks to give us a ride back to the main highway. Instead, a gringo offered us a ride all the way to the hotel. Kevin lives in Comayagua, Honduras working on helicopters on the army base there. He told us all about his travels and adventures here and elsewhere as he drove, much faster than the buses, but just as crazy! We ended up getting very lost before finally finding the D&D Bed and Breakfast and Microbrewery where we intended on staying the night.

We invited him for lunch because he said he had no other plans, and we then ended up taking a rowboat ride together, too. With the very high tech equipment we were given, it was nigh impossible to row in a straight line, or even a zigzag, without the frequent circle. We all gave it a shot, laughing and critiquing, and moving very little. We then took off the oars and tried it canoe style, providing great entertainment to some local boys who must have thought we were completely incompetent. We were trying to get to, and then across, the lake, but we finally set a more reasonable goal of just arriving at the end of the river so that we could see the lake. I must say that by the end, I had the best and most consistent rowing skills, so that was validating.

By the time we arrived back at the B & B, it was too dark for Kevin to tackle the mountain driving, and then it started raining, so we just sat and chatted with another couple from England until we could reasonably go to bed (9 p.m.). The best part was that, when we arrived, they said they were all out of rooms, but they were accomodating enough to let me sleep on the sofa and Eli and Christie on extra beds in the living room. The perk: we only paid $2!

In other news, in case you were wondering, I heard that the mango ale and the raspberry ale were very good, and I can attest that the blueberry pancakes were excelent.