Arrivals

I am no longer living alone–three of my friends/apartment mates arrived late last night. They had a rough day of travel that saw a missed connection set them back over five hours. To make matters worse, when we trudged through the pouring rain, just after midnight, we found the electricity off on our block.

As the weary travelers pulled out cell-phone flashlights, the first thing they saw of their new home was a scorpion! I’ve never seen on running free like that and had to wonder if he’d been in my place the whole time or if he was also seeking refuge from the rain.

I’m sitting in a cafe at 9:30 eating some sort of banana pastry and drinking some of the strongest, thickest coffee I can imagine. I guess they didn’t understand me when I asked for leche. My friends are still in bed so I’m alone with my thoughts from the past couple of days.

When it rains here, it doesn’t play around. Whatever it was that Mexico had during their match, we had it here yesterday. Hard rain, all day.

Have we been transported to 1982 Spain? This is wonderful soccer being played, a joy to watch. Goals galore.

Costa Rica! Wow! I do recall saying they would have something to say in this group and they have. Funny, I had to leave at halftime of that match and Uruguay was up 1-0. Back in my apartment, I heard a huge cheer go up over the city. I assumed Uruguay had gone up 2-0. While walking back to the bar, I came across two guys wearing they sky blue jersey and watching the match. The TV was on a replay so it wasn’t showing the score. I was about to confirm with them it was 2-0, when live play resumed and the 1-2 score popped up! I quickly walked away, glad I had hesitated before asking them.

It looks lie the Van Persie–Van Gaal relationship will work better than the Van Persie–Moyse one.

I was surprised Japan didn’t finish off Ivory Coast, but man, what a difference Drogba makes.

Previously I mentioned that some 17 of my friends have rented a large house, about a 20 minute walk from the center of Pipa. Yesterday I visited them. All I can say is that if this place were transported to the Hollywood Hills, celebrities would fight for the chance to spend millions on it. It is spactular. A large infinity pool sits on the edge of a steep hill, overlooking Pipa and the ocean beyond. The place has no walls, only huge sliding glass doors which are perpetually open.

It comes with not one, but two cooks who made us an amazing breakfast (fried cheese, fresh fruit, eggs, tapioca rolls, and a few different fruit juices, which they squeezed themselves. I had the lime–crisp and tart.) For lunch there was spaghetti in a homemade Bolognese sauce. On the roof of the place,we played soccer-foursquare.

 

Their place it immense, expensive, and a good ways from the bustling center of Pipa. My place is tiny, cheap (@$25 a night), but just of the Main Street, in the heart of the action. Mine also has ants, a smell of mildew, no air conditioning, and three beds (one a pullout couch) for six of us.

I ate dinner last night at Golfinho’s, which has sort of become my home as it is the only place (other than that huge palace on the hill) that has wifi. I ordered a dish that my Word Lens app translated to “Ribs of Ox” but was basically spare ribs. They were served with rice, beans, salsa, and french fries and were more than I could eat.

It is Fathers Day–so have a great one, all you fathers. I miss my wife and kids. That is always a price of traveling without them. I am looking forward to tournaments five or six years into the future when my son will be old enough to make these treks with me.

Have I mentioned I have my suitcase!?!? Yes, Brock, one of the guys staying in the huge place, went to the airport to pickup his family and while there, enquired at the lost luggage desk and voila! I am fresh and ready for this day and tomorrow’s big match.

Well, it looks like the sun is trying to fight through the clouds, it is not raining now so I’m going to go on a bit of a walkabout.