Weaving, horses, and a sunburn

Today has been another day in the paradise also known as San Pedro.

This morning I got up, went for a swim (yes Alison, the hostel has a dock...still tiny room with bathroom down the hall, but this particular one also has a dock on one of the world's most beautiful lakes. And all this for $4 a night) and then a leisurly breakfast.

I met 2 Isreali guys from the hotel next door and Angelica, a wacky journalist from Vancouver Island, for an amazing horsebackriding trip. Here I am, on the scrawniest horse I've ever ridden:



For all his scrawniness, he was a pretty good horse, with lots of pep. We rode for about an hour through gorgeous mountain forest to a private beach, where we swam for about an hour before heading back to town. Was pretty lovely! Sorry to keep gloating about the prices here, but it only cost $6!

Then I had time for a quick lunch before heading to Olympia's house for my weaving lesson. I still don't really know what I'm making...it's about 5 inches wide, and quite stiff fabric, with a rainbow pattern. Too stiff for a scarf, too wide for a belt..I think it will be purely a souvenir.

First, the picture from yesterday I wanted to post, of the 2 hour process of getting the vertical strands set up (note for Dani, that's Olympia's swift, and she was very impressed to hear about the kind we have that open like an umbrella):



That's Olympia. And here's me today, actually weaving with an indigenous backstrap loom (ok, the strap is made of bailing twine, but still, bailing twine made into a loom by a real person of Mayan descent. (Also, the photo was taken by Olympia's little girl, I'm pretty sure her first experience with a digital camera).



Speaking of her little girls...my goodness, for someone who isn't a big fan of kids, I'm in love with Lesly and Caitlin (the most Canadian Mayan names I've ever heard!). Lesly is 9, and she's quite the artist. She made me a picture of Canada, including "La Casa de Laura" (Laura's house). She also wowed me with her recitation of all the colours and numbers in English.



Canada looks pretty sunny eh? Gail, I won't tell her about the pending snow!

Thanks for the comments everyone, particularly from Mom and Spike, who seem to be having a bit of trouble. Hope you guys get it figured out! Lots of love to all.