Arriving

Had an uneventful flight with 2hr stopover in Miami. Was met at the classic third world airport by Jeannie Dietrich for the 20min taxi ride to the Condominium. Met three other Orthopedists who are on this trip. We walked down the beach to a lovely open air seaside restaurant and ate and told orthopedist stories 'til late into the evening. I stayed last night in a neighbors luxurious condominium. This am took a miles long walk down the beach with Terry and Jeannie, then fresh coffee and pastries at a bakery in town. They have been coming here long enough every shop and restaurant owner knows them and greets them with excitement and hugs of affection.

It is HOT here and 100% humidity. There's usually a sea breeze, but it has been oppressively still. Walking outside just a few minutes all your clothes are literally wringing wet. ...so the pool, and the air conditioned condo and couple showers I took today were lovely.

This is the hospital...a picture Karen Stagg took...I got here after dark and haven't seen it yet.

This afternoon we took the 3+hr taxi ride south through the countryside, with amazing roadside sites and lots of traffic. The roads are rough, much like in Costa Rica and the poor springs on the van made my butt object and squirm. We arrived just after sundown and the hosptial, which is still being built. We're all...13 of us...staying in a duplex on the hospital grounds. It's clean and neat and the local ladies had food waiting for us, cooked in the duplex's kitchen. I'm bunking, literally, in a small room with four guys.

Tomorrow we see patients.


This is the view I woke up to this morning....oh poor me.

Thank you for your prayers.