A Soccer Game, Some Frisbee and a Little Crime - Part I

And on to the weekend we go.  Friday morning I began my day at the REU mentor symposium, but forced my self to retire to the lab to work on my “Request for LSAC Approval.”  A document which is being completed much in retrospect, as I’ve already cored 68 trees.  Got through a bunch of tough questions and did some running around getting things for permits and stuff.

After all that is was time for a coffee break.  Drank and read for a half hour or so before making it down to the field for a game of ultimate.  My team kind of got it handed to us.  On the upswing, we played again this afternoon in what is becoming a 5:00 p.m. tradition.  We lacked this so much last summer and I’m glad to see us all get out there and sweat our asses off.

I spent Saturday morning coordinating people for our trip.  Got the great news that Taylor secured nine tickets in a row.  Nine tickets that we would later find to be center field and in the third row...for ten bucks.  We decided to take the 11:00 a.m. bus to the city.  Case and Steph went into town earlier to buy bus tickets and .  As Taryn, Megan and I waited at the bus stop, Case and Steph’s bus whizzed by as they wave with utter confusion on their faces.  Apparently we didn’t jump the gun quick enough to adequately wave the bus down and they just kept on keeping on.

Fearing that we would be camped out at the bus stop for the next ninety minutes, we were relieved to see another bus to San Jose pull up 10 minutes later and made sure to flag that puppy down.  Got some good reading done on the bus through the park and had some good ripe plantain chips.

From the bus stop the three of us (Taryn, Megan and yours truly) grabbed a van taxi (reminded me of the one dad had in those first few years of life) to Hotel Aranjuez, a place I’ve stayed twice and where the four girls were splitting a room.  My accommodations were provided by the wonderful people at Wellesley College in the form of a couch on the west side of town.  At this point I was also getting a little worried that I hadn’t hear from Taylor or Fei.  Checked email but got nothing.  Sent a good deal of emails to Taylor working out contingencies and last resort plans.  

(L to R) Stephanie, Taryn, Megan, Case

From the hotel the five of us went to the super-touristy market, which was interesting for about a half hour.  The next hour sort of dragged as the girls ran up and down the aisle deciding which earrings, scarves, bags or t-shirts to buy.  The only thing I would’ve bought would be like a salsa bowl or a hammock, but that’s all business that can be done on my way out of the country.  

We had a beer and a bite to eat at a little restaurant were the tables were approximately 60% too small to fit two place settings across from each other.  Odd, but on the plus side I had a good burger and women’s billiards was on ESPN across from my seat.  Still no email from Taylor or Fei, so rather than forgo dinner and catch a bus to the suburb of Tibas, I joined the ladies for dinner at Cafe Mundo.  Chicken and spinach pizza with great toppings and crust...sauce and cheese left something to be desired.  

Once I track down some pictures of the rest of the evening I’ll finish this guy up in Part II.  Maybe tonight, but likely tomorrow afternoon.  Thanks for the read!

BP