TASASTE - Again! July 2012

Robbie and Maia came home from their Aire Libre campamento (see previous posting) and we were all away again, soon enough, to the coast. Even Toby Thomas came along! We are lucky to be able to often use Phil and Mercy Cooper's small house with its almost private beach, close to the tiny fishing community of Tasaste. We did not see much of Wolberto and his family this time - their new baby boy was born the day before our trip down and so the family were staying for a week or so elsewhere. Our nine days on the coast were spent in the best of ways - sleeping or reading stories in the hammocks; walking on the beach, usually accompanied by some of the many beach dogs; playing in the sand; visiting Alessandro and Cari at El Peperoncini and greeting their new baby, Daphni, and enjoying one of his special pasta meals; spending a day with Benno in Samvara, eating pizza and lazing in the swimming pool; going as usual to Canoa, so Maia could have her braids done expertly; and trying to keep wasps, mosquitoes, crickets, frogs, bats and other wildlife out of the house at night. Although this part of the Manabí coast is undergoing some rapid and truly horrible development, for the time being we are privileged to be able to enjoy this remote paradise. Here are some photos:

Picnic on the way down. The journey takes no more than 5 hours in the car. (10 hours for John on his bike the week before!)

 Robbie in the Samvara swimming pool. Both Robbie and Maia are now quite competent swimmers, and Robbie is a great body surfer in the sea, expertly picking the right waves.

 Maia's braids being done in Canoa. Actually they later fell apart very quickly - the little rubber bands did not get on at all well with the sea water, when we got back to Tasaste!

Toby and friend, in the waves. 

 More dogs, perhaps a little less sophisticated than the Dalmatian in the prevous photos. These rocks here were once excellent oyster beds, but they have long been cleaned out.

 The little house - casita - nestling in its piece of coastal dry forest. The house has no electricity and  water has to be provided by a visiting lorry tanker, whenever there are visitors, such as ourselves. Most of the water, which is fortunately very cheap, goes on to Phil's ambitious planting project - almonds, cashews and macadamias, as well as some lovely palms.

 Robbie and Maia, and Toby Thomas, posing in front of El Arco de Amor, in front of 'our' casita. At low tide, this landmark can be visited on foot from Tasaste.