Wednesday morning we met the group, it was an odd number so we ended up working as a threesome which was good fun (Ashley went with Brother Jorge on bible studies). We went at a snails pace because we had the oldest brother in the congregation working along with us (slow walking is good especially in this heat). I think he is about 80ish but not sure because that detail got lost a little in the translation.

… i sat there absolutely enthralled with the whole tortilla making process …

It’s not uncommon for people to invite you in to sit down (they bring out the chairs) and talk with them about the bible. As was the case this morning, we sat down at two houses and were there for about thirty minutes. They all seemed interested in the “odd” one momentarily (me) that is untill they find out he doesn’t speak mucho spanish. Oh well I don’t mind providing a bit of amusement at my personal expense. At one place we went too the woman was making tortillas whilst the brother preached to her, I sat there absolutely enthralled with the whole tortilla making process. First they take the corn (when old and dryed out) and grind it in to a powder. Then it’s mixed with water and made in to a dough, then small amounts are are rolled into a ball and placed into a tortilla press. The press flattens out the mixture into a flat circle. The pancake like tortilla is place on a hot plate specifically designed for cooking them. The hot plate is shaped like the top of a steal drum (the musical instrument) with a fire built underneath. It’s made out of a terracotta like clay material, they must crack after a while because I’ve seen a few broken ones in the rubbish heaps around the place.

We did a bit of relaxing this afternoon, beside going to the lavanderia and hitting the internet joint to catch up on the news we didn’t do a whole lot.

… clothes stick to you like glad wrap …

The book study was at 6pm and it’s not far from where we are staying so it seems a waste to spend money on a taxi, so we walk to it. But I’m beginning to think a taxi might be a wise move because the humidity make you sweat so much that your clothes stick to you like glad wrap… not a good look. It was still daylight after the group so I was busting to get wetter in the surf since I didn’t get one earlier in the day.

… the board came back around in the wave …

So I grabbed my board and paddled out into the line up. On the way out a wipe out set came through at the most inopportune time while I stuck on the sand bar in waist deep water, the set crashed on my head while i was trying to duck dive it and ripped the board clean out of my hands. The board came back around in the wave and collected my upper leg with two of the fins. Those two fins ripped out leaving me with two fin cuts and only a solo fin in the board. The cuts didn’t really bother me… I was just ripped off that I didn’t get some wave time in… the surf was epic.

So my surf was cut short (pun not intended but amusing none the less) so Ash and I hit the streets for some eats at around 8pm. On the way back from dinner Ashley reckoned he saw Taj Burrows (one of australia’s or arguably one of the world’s best surfers) going into the same restuarant that we had just eaten in not more than an hour ago with about six other guys. Could it really be him? Nah what are the chances?