San Cristobal: A Remote Island with an Unexpected Beauty

Yesterday we braved the waves and slowly took our time to navigate around the reef and eventually found ourselves setting foot on Isla San Cristobal (named after Christpoher Columbus who landed here).

San Crisotbal is largely peopled by the Ngobe Tribe.

We met a couple kids on the dock and handed out lolli-pops.

We walked up the path to a little store (and by little I mean it looks like a drive through window--well a walk through--where you can buy a few things you see behind the counter) They didn't have any water so we bought a cold coke.

Kids followed us.

The village is poor. Very poor. Most of the houses don't have complete walls. But bananas and chocolate grow everywhere.

We walked to the soccer field and Lee played with the kids. Its his favorite thing to do.

We saw this tiny girl carrying a heavy water bottle.

And then we saw a familiar face. An older Ngobe man we'd met in town on the main island.

He invited us in.

We sat in really comfortable rocking chairs while his grandchildren played all around us and his wife popped in and out showing us things she made. I bought a seed and shell necklace from her. We chatted for a while and the old man explained he was working on a new bathroom for his home. We may go back and help him with it. We may even move in next door for a month.

I want to spend more time with these people.

I want to learn more about how they make chocolate

and how they make things from the thread they make from the long leaves of the pita plant.

And I want to get to know these people better. I want to understand the way they live.

I want to get to know their names.

Finding Beauty in Unexpected Places,
laura

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