Post of the Day--Cuckoo for Coconuts

Last Sunday we spent the day around Miches.  First, we went on a little adventure to Bahia de la Ghina (or Bahia Gina, as Wil calls it), one of the protected areas where Wil works.  We went by motoconcho.  It was another muddy mess.  But, eventually I walked along the fence lines to stay mostly dry...

This is looking back from whence we came...really only a short distance was treacherous mud ruts.  Those are the times when I walked :)

 This is looking out toward the bay.  It was quite a pretty location.  Unfortunately, I couldn't get any closer due to the mud.

 There were a couple of workers near the boat that Wil talked to about the area.

The lone boat and the setting was quite nice.  We only stayed a few minutes.  It was just a chance for Wil to check in with the workers there, I guess.

We went back to the office in Miches.  On the way back, my motoconcho driver (he works with Wil) opened up to me about his marital problems.  I really felt bad for the guy--first of all for the situations that were ending his marriage; and secondly, that he was opening up to a complete stranger about them.  Poor fellow.

We finally headed toward la playa (the beach)!  Yay!  It was actually sunny for a little while.   Be forewarned, I took no pictures of the beach that day...wah wah!!  It's just the same-old, same-old beautiful tropical beach.  Ha!!

Our excursion was definitely more focused on coconuts that afternoon.  As I showed you in the tree-planting post, Sandy likes to find and tap coconuts for the water and soft flesh.  We met a boy, Joaquin, on the beach, and he accompanied for the entire outing.  Wil had done a presentation at his school, so Joaquin felt comfortable with us.  He was a sweet kid, and enjoyed helping Sandy with the coconuts.

Sandy and Joaquin went ahead of us to hunt for coconuts while Wil and I meandered.  They found several, but when we joined them, they had their sights set on a particularly prime tree.

This was the tree they whose coconuts they desired.  Wil and Joaquin gave it a go with a large pole.

Then Joaquin climbed the tree.  Fairly quickly it became clear that he was going to have difficulty reaching the coconuts safely, Wil and Sandy called him down.  Then Wil, Sandy, and Joaquin tried with the pole.  I approached to help.  It is funny because often when I want to help here, I am not allowed because they want to protect me or they don't think I have ever done anything like that before.  Anyway, I convinced them that my height might help steady the pole.  Hmmm...guess what?  It worked.  I set the pole and twisted until the coconuts fell!  Victory!

Wil makes quick work of a fresh coconut!

When they cut a coconut to drink, they make a little spoon/scoop...very clever!

Sandy had just whacked the end off of the coconut, and it was so full of water that it literally burst in his face.  Lo siento, Sandy!

I take my swig under the coco tree.

Wil hams it up after cleaning out the soft gooey coconut.

 And still more cheese from Wil.

 A freshly cleaned coconut!

Sandy shows the process of opening a fresh coconut off the tree.  First, he used a machete to taper off one end of the coconut.

You can see him tapering the end here.  Then he cut off the tapered bit creating the hole in the coconut.

That's what I'm talkin about.

Wil having a sip.

I have some of the delicious soft coconut.

Showing off my finished coconut.

One of the coconuts had something inside that I had never before seen.  It was like coconut foam.  It sounds weird, but it was delicious.  I kind of chewed it for the juice and then spit out the foamy part, but it was good stuff.

Obviously, we were not the first coconut hunters on this beach.  Here is just one of many piles of the coco shells.

A little while after we enjoyed our coconuts, Wil received the call about his Dad's accident.  At the time he was in disbelief and did not know details, but he wanted a nap.  We left him under a tree and went for a walk down the beach.