Friday, May 12, 2006

Coconuts



We don't work in foreign countries as that would be illegal. What we do do is trade for coconuts. So far I have repaired canvas and done a few dental cleanings for coconuts. And after seeing coconuts going out at a sometimes alarming rate its nice to see a few come in now and then. The highlight was this young man Ian, whose family we have shared a few anchorages and marinas with over the last few months This was his first visit to a dentist and he did great. Imagine telling your friends that your first experience with the Dentist was on a sailboat 9 miles up a river in El Salvador...... Mark

Thursday, May 11, 2006

Barillas Marina....El Salvador







I am a little behind on the blog, but we have been busy in paradise since we arrived on May 2nd. After 500+ miles and 96 hours we arrived safe and really tired at our mooring 10 miles up a jungle river in El Salvador. What a wonderful place! An 80 mooring marina with a swimming pool, jacuzzi, wired palapas and clubhouse serving the best watermelon smoothies in the world. The second day we took a mile walk down the road to see Pancho and his babes. All of which are spider monkeys. There are 16 living in among the banana trees in a Salvadorian family's backyard. The day we went for a visit a little girl of about seven called for Pancho and we waited with bananas in hand as the monkeys swung down from the trees. They were amazing and adorable. They took the bananas right from our hands, peeled them, ate them and threw the peels down with disdain. Below are a few pictures of these photogenic creatures. Also a few pictures of Barillas and some of the friends old and new that we have been hanging out with here. Last week we had an Asian themed potluck. Mark even made hand-written fortune cookies for everyone.