We started our day bright and early at 8:00 am with a "simple" breakfast of made-to-order eggs, bacon, sausages, potatoes AND yogurt, fruit, and granola. To say the least, it was probably more elaborate than the breakfasts in "el otro lado" ("the other side"/the US).
After eating our body weights' equivalent in breakfast foods, drove down to a beach called "Cerritos" for surf lessons and tide pool exploration. Everyone adjusted surprisingly well with the help of the amazing structure, even standing up and riding waves. After two hours in the crystal blue water, we ate homemade lunch which included chicken pasta salad, guacamole, ceviche, melon with chile, ham with asparagus, and hibiscus water. With the help of our tour guide/biologist we navigated the tide pools, examining the marine life which included sea anemone, sea urchins, and crab exoskeletons.
We had a quick turnaround to shower and get ready for our volunteering experiences at El Hogar del Niño and La Sociedad de la Palapa. At El Hogar del Niño, we played games with the children, brushing up on, or even learning, Spanish in order to form connections with the kids. Despite the language barrier, we bonded over games such as kickball and duck duck goose. After three hours with the kids, we sadly parted with our new friends and drove back into the city of Todos de los Santos for dinner, stopping along the way at a vendor to pick up locally-made pastries and sweets. Next, we arrived in town and explored the streets' little shops until we met up for dinner at Landi's,
We ate taquiseras (taco bar) which included mole, prickly pear salad, cochinitas (pulled pork with spices), beans, rice, a creamy poblano dish, and more guacamole (this time, it was spicy) and hibiscus water (which is apparently amazing for kidney health!). We've now returned to our casita to take a midnight swim and prepare for the day ahead.