November 29th - Tree trimming, checking out hotels, and out for supper

This morning's excitement was our neighbour's tree trimming session.  As usual with park activity, a crowd quickly gathered to spectate, discuss, and offer sage advice.

The Tulip tree blooms continously all winter, and provides shade to Jack's site during the heat of the day.

However, it has not been trimmed for a decade, and has an issue with termites.  Every morning, they have to sweep the sawdust from their site.

The Tulip tree blossoms

Mario sharpened his machete, took a rope, and climbed up into the tree.  The rope was not a safety line, but tied to pruned branches to keep them from doing damage on the way down.

I used to think that a machete was a light duty tool, you know, for slashing your way through the underbrush, like in the movies.  It was an eye-opener to watch Mario, a very experienced man with a machete, cut through an eight inch thick limb, one handed, while sitting in an awkward position on a tree branch twenty feet in the air.  It took him only a minute or two, and the resulting cut was nearly as smooth as if you'd used a chain saw.

Cutting up the branches prior to hauling them away in the trailer behind the long-suffering quad.

Friends and relatives are planning on coming down over the winter, so we did some driving around, checking out accommodations.  This is Villa Bella Vista Del Mar, located in "Gringo Gulch", in the north end of Rincon de Guayabitos.  Very nice norte americano level accommodation, with kitchenettes, and a great beach, albeit at $80 USD/night, with a three night minimum.

They were in the process of initial cleaning and opening up, so Nancy was not able to get any pictures in the rooms.

The other end of the spectrum is a three story walk-up on the main drag in Rincon, where reportedly, for $350 USD/month, you get a simple but clean one bedroom, with your own bathroom, a balcony, and wifi!  A little noisy perhaps, but in the centre of the action.

Nancy spotted a friend

We're remiss in our dining out; this is really the first time we've gone out with friends we met caravanning down to here last year.  The restaurant is La Piña Loca; the large open courtyard area in the back is full of construction materials, and not yet open.  Rincon is abuzz with construction activity as expansions and maintenance proceed at full tilt, seeking completion as the high season looms.