Boca De Valeria and Broadway

We took tenders this morning into Boca De Valeria where we were met by at least fifteen children lined up on the dock.  Two young boys promptly took my hands and we were escorted inland toward their village. The oppressive heat was bearable because of the sheer beauty of the land surrounding us. 

 

 

Down the dirt path towards the village, we stopped to take pictures with a monkey, a sloth and even what we think was a chinchilla.  There were little girls in native dress and a lizard on every little boys arm.  Even though the little boys escorting me didn’t speak English, they had certainly worked out how to tug on your heart strings.  Eventually, my hands got hot and I dutifully gave them a dollar after which they promptly headed back to the pier to find the next sap with a pocket full of money. 

 

In the village the huts were small, but there was a school and a restaurant, though they were tiny and unexplored by the guests from the ship.  Most of the guests brought pencils or candy which the children grabbed and wrestled over.  Thoroughly drenched with sweat and in the beginning stages of dehydration, Jason and I decided to head back to the ship and the promise of blissfully cool air conditioning.  

 

  On the way back to the dock, I bought a wooden fish carving.  One of the beautiful little village girls adopted me and I gave her a pony tail holder and a dollar.  She was very nice, but she too abandoned me after I gave her money.  We did catch a glimpse of a satellite dish behind one of the huts, but no other place was equipped with electricity.  We met the rest of the cast on their way in at the dock.  We thought maybe the locals would enjoy a little impromptu singing.  Clearly no one cared.  Not at all bothered by the locals indifference, we headed back to the ship where we ate lunch and showered.  Absolute heaven!  When our cast-mates came back aboard we rehearsed for our Broadway show that went up tonight.  It was a success!  Everyone loved it!  I sang Send in The Clowns from A Little Night Music in a modified key because my voice is still giving me grief!  Grr!  The girls also sand You Could Drive A Person Crazy.  Poor Jason had to play both of the Sondheim pieces and I accompanied the rest of the show.  We finished the night up with a rousing round of karaoke in the bar with the guests and it was a hoot!  All in all this day was a smash hit.  I hope tomorrow is just as good.  I miss you all!