I survived tubing on the Rio Celeste

 This morning my painting a hummingbird must have given me good karma because a lovely hummingbird greeted me near my room. 

We went for a short drive so we could walk to the waterfall. 

The steps down to the waterfall were intimidating but at least there weren't a lot of other people.

Most of our group kept walking but the 3 of us older folks returned and had drinks. Werner and Anika talked about car racing interminably (in German). I look forward to having a decent conversation with someone, someday. I wandered to the few stores around there and bought a pair of "pura vida" socks with sloths on them, surely made in China.

After lunch four of us went tubing on the Rio Celeste for $55. A 24 year old local man was our guide. I had visions of a peaceful experience I had in the Yucatan. It was level 2 rapids and we had to wear helmets.

I found this picture and it was a bit like the couple of hours which I found uncomfortable and often terrifying.  Once in a while it was relaxing but there always seemed to be more rapids ahead. My neck hurt like crazy and I felt completely helpless, although the young man, Antony, was mostly steering my tube.

He asked if I was Simone's mother. Actually I could have been her grandmother.  All I had to do is look at the ages in order to not have committed to doing it: 25, 27 and 32. They had a great time and went solo. We stopped and swam and all 4 of them climbed up a scary hill and jumped or dove into the water. The invincibility of the young (except I never felt THAT invincible)!

Okay, I survived and will never do anything like that again. ¡Nunca jamás!

Yes, it was pretty but how can you enjoy that when your brain are about to be splattered against huge rocks?

On the bright side, sort of, my bandage came off from a hit by Julia's foot while inner tubing (I am so sorry to pollute the river) and my wound looks so good, I don't need to bandage it again!