Mackerel continued...

The day after my stingray encounter, my heel is sore but not particularly painful, despite having what is essentially a pencil sized spike stuck in there about two inches (I can see a two inch bruise forming next to the puncture itself). Thanks to my helpful friend at the palapa, all I need is a 2x2 piece of gauze and some tape, and I'm ready to happily limp around. Lucky for me too, because during lunch Amy and I visit Dan's guitar playing bandmate, a fiery and mischevous Argentinean street artist named Juan, who is playing guitar at a local eatery with another Argentinean mate of his. We start chatting and Dan somehow manages to get us all invited to Juan's house down in South Playa Guionnes for a fish fry later that evening.
Some hours later, Amy and I are sharing a ride with Juan, his lovely wife and 16 month old baby as we head south of town towards their house. After parking at the beach and walking along the sand for about 1/2 a mile, we turn inland for a block or two until we arrive at their humble but cozy house tucked into the jungle. Another friend is already there, El Tigre is his name, and together with his wife and 4'ish sone they are starting to prepare for the feast. El Tigre worked cooking for resorts in Mexico, Spain as well as Costa Rica, and he definitely doesn't disappoint.
The menu: Beet and lettuce salad with a lime juice dressing; Tuna, Mackerel and Snapper, sliced open and stuffed with fresh herbs, garlic and onions, cooked whole and spoked in banana leaves over a bed of hot coals next to the fire. We share wine, laughter and plates= this is a fingers only meal, and it's absolutley delicious. Amy and I are thrilled to make new friends, and practice our spanish. As the evening winds down, Juan, Dan and myself have a jam session out on the porch in this incredible jungle (Juan points out an absollutely HUGE yellow spider that's made it's home in a tree just feet from the house - "I can't kill it" he says, "She's too beautiful")
As we make our way back to the beach for the 45' walk back to our room, we arrive on the sand to see the moon, swollen and blood arange yellow and red, dropping into the sea. About halfway home, Dan and Maylin pass by on Dan's enduro motorcycle, Maylin wrapped in a blanket and easily hanging onto dan bleary eyed and sleepy. We wish them good night and walk on in the dark, with the light of the stars reflecting off the whitewater of the surf, full of good spirits, amazing memories and great food.
Burke