lost and found

Here is where I tell you about the fantastic day that we spent in the La Fortuna rainforest. The Lost and Found hostel where we were staying was like a huge tree house in the forest. They had a lot of food ingredients stocked away and we were able to make some delicious vegetable omelettes and toast for breakfast. Then we rested for a bit in our cozy bunk in the dorms while it rained outside.

Determined to get out, we geared up for a hike despite the rain. Nadiv tied a rope around his middle on top of his poncho and resembled a shepard. I had to return to the room five times to retrieve things I forgot. We set off for the top of the mountain with some wooden hiking sticks.

The hike up to the mirador was muddy and drippy but beautiful. We were truly in a rainforest and surrounded by lush green trees. The rain came in waves and there was wind, too. It was really good that we had our walking sticks because part of the trail was up a rather steep incline and we had to foist ourselves up. The mud was also very slippery and the sticks helped to stabalize. I did slip on my butt on the way down.

We saw:

• bright orange fungus
• a rainbow at the top
• lots of mud
• cloud cover

We did not see:

• the vista (on account of all the cloud cover) (this being a cloud forest and all)

The afternoon was spent reading, watching movies, and hanging out with the other hostel peeps. The rain got harder and harder and the wind picked up. It was really loud and cold. I made mac-n-cheese for dinner and Nadiv reported several days later that it was the worst macaroni he has ever eaten.

Happy Hour!!! This was one of the funnest happy hours I´ve been to. A lot of people came to hang out in the bar area because there was not much else to do on account of the rain. We played a sick hand of Uno (with a new German rule that makes it super fun) and drank and then began the fooseball tournament!! I will fully admit here that I have really never played fooseball before and am therefor terrible. However, I was paired up with Ben, one of the volunteers at the hostel who does not wear deoderant, and he was pretty awesome! We won!!!!! I got a beer bought for me for each round that we won, and I gave them all away. It was really exciting and now I fancy myself a beginner plus.

Possibly the best moment in the evening was when Nadiv thought these girls Amalia and Emily were a couple and he kept dropping a bunch of hints that he had worked in gay bars in San Francisco and was familiar with this and that lesbian bar and then finally he asked if Emily´s parents minded that she was dating a non-Jewish girl. Turns out they were not a couple and not even gay. I was busy winning the fooseball tournament at the time but I can assure you that when I finished and came to hang out, this is all we talked about for thirty minutes.

Then there was more hanging out and some drinking games and Nadiv had too much to drink. Later, I read in bed next to him while he lay moaning on his stomach. (My assistance was refused several times because, I quote, "This is not my first rodeo.¨) Eventually he started snoring so I figured it was ok to turn out the lights and go to sleep.

The wind and the rain continued their loud howling all night long.