A week zips by

I intended to blog often, so family can share with us, so first impressions are recorded while fresh, etc.  Well what if you just get too busy!  I suppose I should be thankful I am growing through trials and stresses.  Missionary work is work after all.

More on the week later, but first a few words and pictures from our first trip to a real beach.  The coast along Santo Domingo is lava ledges buffeted by waves. No one swims, plays or boats for fun that I have seen.  Last Saturday we went to the east, about an hour's drive with the Glaziers and the Swapps,  two other couples living here on the Temple grounds.  They were scouting for a hotel or resort for family visiting around Christmas time. If you are following on a map we went to the beach in the Juan Dolio region.  The beaches are relatively narrow;  buildings, including private homes lie close to the water's edge.  Here are the pictures:



The Sca Restaurant is a home right on the beach converted to a restaurant.  It allows you access to their beach, pool and changing rooms, included with lunch or dinner.  We are anxious to try it out with some friends or family.




Cindy checking it out with Elder Swapp and Pres. Glazier.




The beach is pretty nice, with shade and access to some good smoothies.

After Sca we went to a resort caled Barcelo Capella, an all inclusive with medium amenities and a bit broader beach.  It was fun to walk around and see the grounds and flamingoes. 

Cindy and Sr. Swapp on the beach, just looking for our families, honest.



The central yard and decorative pools.

We had the best lunch yet at El Meson, near the Barcelo, all couples shared entrees and had some good bread and garlic butter.  A very nice day trip and a good break.

When we arrived back at the Casa, we found that some of the missionaries in the training center had gotten sicker.  It is typical to have several get gastro-intestinal distress  upon their arrival from Provo, but this was getting ridiculous.  We ended up taking one to the hospital that day and another on Monday or Tuesday, I forget which.  Many others were sick, you can imagine the mental state up there.  I consulted the MTC in Provo and ended up treating everyone up there for Amoeba, today all are nearly 100%  Between this and the usual questions from the 1000 or so other full-time missionaries scattered around this island and the Caribbean I was kept jumping, reading and praying.  I hope we will settle back to routine now.

This morning we took the drive to the National Botanical Garden, the drive went well, only one wrong turn that we recovered from with no problem.  The Garden had a photography display going on of life in the park.  The fountains and plants were very nice and we rode a little guided train around to see more, it is a large area. The Japanese Garden was very nice, wedding photography was going on there. On the way home, just north of the park we drove through a nice neighborhood with big homes, Sammy Sosa's home is in there somewhere.

Near Garden entrance, this may be the national clock, as it doesn't move.

Our favorite thing to eat is mangoes, the gardener headed over when we were too close to these.

The national tree of Panama, it has some Spanish name, nothing sticks too well yet. 

The pond is a bit green, too much sun and no flow.

I think I snuck this photo without causing any cultural offense, I pretended I was getting the tree.