Music, Tortillas and Rain

Since there was a bigger group at school this week, and the weather was better slightly better, we were able to get out and about a little more.

Thursday afternoon, we went for a hike up into the jungle.  We swam in the river and had a great lazy afternoon just floating in the natural pools and hanging out.  Although it started raining while we were there, the canopy of trees provided a nice shelter from the rain.

This was probably the most relaxing afternoon I have had so far.  It was great to just kick back and enjoy being surrounded by unspoiled nature and the listen to the sound of the waterfall.  Unfortunately, this one wasn't big enough to slide down :)

Sarah, Josue, Me

Thursday night ended up being pretty gross and rainy, but we decided to tough it out and go out for a bit.  We kept it pretty low-key and just went to Ex-Pats to hear the annoying American who butchers great American classics.  Seriously, he's terrible.  I guess he tries to put his own spin on things, which is just not good when you're singing an off key version of Elvis, or Clapton or Skynyrd.  Most of the people here, locals and gringos, seem to like him...I think it's just that they have been out of the US for too long to remember what those songs are actually supposed to sound like, but I keep my opinion to myself.

The whole group

Friday night it POURED. Like Really Poured. So we all went to the school to learn how to make Baleadas.  They are a super common traditional Honduran food, made from a tortilla, refried beans, and a touch of cheese or sour cream-ish stuff, then folded in half and eaten.

finished balls of masa

Josue really wanted to teach us to make the tortillas from scratch the way real Hondurans do, complete with slapping the masa (dough) back and forth between your hands to flatten and shape the tortilla.

I have to admit, I was pretty dang good at that part.  Josue said that made me half Honduran and that it makes up for the half Jorge is lacking.  After cooking we ate LOTS of Baleadas.  Here are some pictures from the night:

My first tortilla-not too shabby

 After we finished eating we headed home to change and get ready to go out because it was the last night in town for 3 of the girls.

Remember how I said it POURED.  Check out how high the water is on my legs.  I am just walking down the middle of the street after the rain subsided. Crazy, huh?!?

We headed to the local Applebees--I know, I know--to listen to the band we had heard last week.  They are a funny group of men who dress up like women, refer to themselves with feminine adjectives and word endings and hit on all the men at the bar.  They are quite amusing and not terrible to listen to.

Amanda, Amanda, Sarah, Me, Jenna

From there we headed downtown, the nightlife doesn't start around here until about midnight and goes until 5am.  I must be getting old, because I can only manage to stay out until about 2 or 3.  We went to a disco because some of the girls wanted to dance.  Pretty similar to American clubs: super loud music, creepy men, girls in skimpy outfits.  Could have been in any city in the states. After a night full of dancing we headed home around 3, in the midst of yet another rainstorm.