Well, we have been pretty busy these last few days. We went to San Juan with Awilda to help her deliver some pasteles, pick up yuca and other supplies and talk with Carlos, the lawyer in charge of the property proceedings. While at the meeting with Carlos, Britton asked Awilda for the deposit back and…after delaying and trying to put it off, she finally wrote out a check a day later after he asked her again about three times. It is a great weight off our shoulders, but I am sure that the weight has now been placed firmly on hers. But really, I think we have been pretty patient considering we gave the money over a year ago with nothing to show from it…They can’t sell the property and don’t know when they can. Soon, it is alway soon, they say, but never is. Paso a paso (step by step).

So we are still in line if we are interested in purchasing it at some unforeseen moment in the future, but we are also now free to look without worrying about getting our money back, and she is free to look for a buyer who can buy it without a properly filed title. (Good luck!)

After that drama and awkwardness, we decided to get together with Dios Dado, the man we met on the airplane on the way in. We met him in el centro de Lares at the famous Heladeria where they have a variety of ice cream flavors including rice and beans! As we were trying to find a parking space some dude in a big ol’ pick up truck backed right into us and then ran off! Luckily it only left a minor scratch in the front fender where the rental car was already scratched. Hopefully the rental car people don’t notice. Crazy drivers, seriously!

After enjoying our ice cream and hearing a history lesson about the area from Dios Dado (who is very knowledgeable and a former history teacher), we followed him up to Arecibo to park our car in front of one of his friends’ house. They invited us in to have lunch. I think that was the best meal we have had since we have been here, and we have had some tasty food. They fixed up some habichuelas, arroz, ensalada, tostones, chuletas de cerdo, jugo de naranja and quesitos! It was awesome. I now know what really good Puerto Rican food should taste like. It is a lot different than the vegan versions that Awilda has served.

After telling chistes, talking about antiques, and telling travel stories, we headed off to some of the north coast beaches. Dios Dado took us to Arecibo, Manati, Barceloneta, and Vega Baja. It was a windy day and the waves were high. We saw an old abandoned mansion that Britton says would be great for playing paintball (they call it “Gotcha” here). It was an awesome day. Thanks Dios Dado!

Even the trees are dancing!

Later that evening we drove back “home” through the fog and rain. It was kind of cool knowing we were basically driving through a cloud at the top of the mountain. Sometimes I think about that part in “Batman” where his cave mansion appears after a curve in the road on a foggy night. That’s how it was last night. Anyway, it has been a very interesting trip so far, and there is more to come! Stay tuned…