Costa Esmeralda

Yesterday we had a long (9 hours) travel day. While we didn't travel a huge straight-line distance we did travel a huge lateral distance (curves, turns) and a huge vertical distance (up and down mountainous terrain, over rough narrow roads, and over topes too numerous to count.

The mountainous sections wind through some truly impenetrable jungle in a few places. In some other places (usually close to towns and villages) sections have been put into cultivation for bananas, oranges, limes, corn and sugar cane. The orchards usually host the family's cattle as well. Most cattle have Brahma in their bloodlines, presumably for their tropical tolerance. The cattle feed in small groups of two or three while egrets walk between their feet or catch a ride on a back.

Fences are often made by cutting green sticks, typically 8 ft long, and driving them into the ground to support wire. Green sticks give Mother Nature a chance to have a little extra fun. They all take root, branch out and become living fences!

The land flattened out into sandy agricultural fields and small cities along rivers. Soon we were paralleling the ocean and soaking up the Gulf's balmy breezes.

Our RV park was a welcome sight. Our “happy hour” found the group relaxing in a palapa next to a beautiful (if windy) beach on the Gulf of Mexico.

Dinner was a trifecta of gulf shrimp; A cold shrimp salad, shrimp marinated and sauteed in garlic, and shrimp fried in a light cornmeal batter. Each was a home-run!

Everyone went to sleep with windows open to a 77° F sea breeze. We were lulled to sleep by sounds of surf and a tropical wind through the coconuts.