Distance = 19 km (11.4 miles)
While driving to the trailhead, I gave everyone a short lecture on black holes…because, why not? Lots of downhill walking today as we take winding dirt roads and start to leave the coffee plantations. We got our first view of the Pacific Ocean this morning!
For lunch we stopped in at Rancho Turistico Mirador Buena Vista Tarrazú a nearly inaccessible no-frills restaurant that serves great food and has a tree house-like view of the town of Quepos and Manuel Antonio National Park. Imagine that you are walking in France in the middle of nowhere and you come across a one-star Michelin restaurant. That is what it felt like.
After lunch we took a detour along a narrow jungle path back to the road that took us down into the small town of Naranjillo. This small community runs a sheltered tent area where the women of the village cook meals on a wood stove for tired hikers. I had to pinch myself. I felt really privileged to be taken in and looked after by these people. There was no internet so we had our cold showers, washed some clothes, played cards and drank wine and agua dulce until dinner. Sleep comes with the now familiar sound of rain tapping rhythmically on a tin roof.
Ruth and Dale's Book of Marvels 
Don’t forget that our group is helping to fund tent platforms for future hikers and a new generator. This new Camino is brining much needed income to a community that can only offer jobs picking coffee (and that is in the fall). If anyone wants to help out, they can make a tax deductible donation HERE:
https://www.classy.org/fundraiser/3729270 Many thanks!!!
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