So, the electric just went out after I typed a good amount of this post... if it goes out again, this is all that will be posted. (It takes 10 minutes just to get here, add frustration and impatience on top of that and I need not explain myself any more.)...

The electric goes out often here (on average about once a day). Villages just south of here recently were electrified, and it has only been in Uvita a few years, so this is what we get (and it's not at all of a hassle unless I'm online).

It looks like Beta will be hitting Nicaragua soon, and we're expected to get 10 to 15 inches of rain here. With all of the flooding that's been going on in this region, we can only hope that everyone stays safe. Many of the bridges across the country have been displaced by rivers, some taking weeks to repair (and I'm referring to major highways). People have lost their homes. One village in Nicaragua was covered in 15 feet of mud, many dead. I am lucky to have a roof over my head, but I can't help but be fearful when it's held up by a few 2x4s. Luckily we are at the foot of the mountain and a good distance from the river (I'd guess about 200 meters).

A lot of the pictures that are in this post are much darker than the originals, but it's such a pain in the ass to redo them so I am posting them as is. My lack of patience is generally limited to the computer these days.

The first picture (above) is from last night, when I was high on caffeine attempting to fall asleep.

Carly comes with her mom a few times a week and is always at my side. She's the cutest little person. She always asks now to go in my room and put on the sombrero and glasses and to take photos, or to draw (I brought a bunch of oil pastels and colored pencils). I asked her mom the other day how to spell Carly, and she doesn't know. I was pretty surprised. I knew she was illiterate, but I still assumed that she could spell her daughter's name. Just me being ignorant. Her family is from Nicaragua and they are working here as illegal immigrants. She makes 800 colones an hour for cleaning here. The literacy rate in the country is high, but this is a smaller village so there are quite a few folks who are illiterate.

Steve owns the lot next to the hotel. The good clothesline is back there, it gets good circulation and sun when it comes out. There is usually one or two toucans on that property.

This bug was my friend for an hour. He hung out on the bar and posed for a bunch of photos. From the side, he looks exactly like a leaf. Is it a grasshopper? A locust? I think these bugs are also in Florida.

Carly again
Walking down the street in the rain after lunch one day. This is where the paved road ends just past the hotel. Most of the roads across the country that are unpaved are similar to this.

This is the "pumpkin" I carved this year. Steve went to San Isidro today and brought it back for me. It's not a pumpkin, but it's close enough. I tried to carve a toucan, but it looks more like a penguin. Then I broke the beak off when I was trying to make it look better. Last year's pumpkins were so much better.

The original photo has streaks of rain and I'm telling you it's better.

Me and my umbrella, walking around in the rain taking photos.

I'm so sick of being in front of the computer. One more bit before I go. We have many interesting people that pass through or stop by. This is one of the most popular hostels/ hotels in the southern region of Costa Rica. I have made acquaintenances with a famous French film director/photographer that lives just north of here in Dominical named Christoff (I don't know his last name), he comes by about once a week to hang out. I plan on picking his brain in the coming months (though he's taking off to New York and France in November). He's having a benefit party in the mountains on December 23rd to exhibit indigenous artwork and the tribe he spent time with (he didn't mention the name). I doubt I'll get to make it, but damn I want to go.

Also, Jamel Mohamed was here last night, he has set out to walk across the world (obviously bypassing the oceans someway or another). He has been on his journey for four months now and walked here from Mexico. He expects the journey to take 12 years. All of this is to benefit children affected by war, he has a website set up, jamelmem.org. All on foot. Damn, this makes me realize how lazy I can be (and how absolutely dedicated and insane this guy is).

Ciao.