Our instructions for finding this place were very explicit, but didn’t seem to make any sense when we were looking. A right corner, tennis courts, horses…What I pictured in my mind bore no resemblance to reality. Actually we didn’t see the tennis courts until we overshot the place and backtracked. It was beginning to rain.There was a man working on a rock wall so we stopped and asked him if he knew of a place called Finca xetuc. He said yes, this was it.He opened a ramshackle garage where we parked the bike. Our host, Jim, came out and greeted us warmly. He led the way into his compound full of dogs and on into his house.We had booked a room he called The cave. He led the way down a set of spiral rock stairs explaining as he went that this was his safe room during the war. The cave was spacious with a private bathroom, but no ventilation so it smelled a bit dank. (my nose is so sensitive!)Once we deposited our stuff and changed our clothes we went upstairs and met Jim’s wife Nancy. She offered us coffee which we gratefully accepted. Jim had built a small fire in the huge fireplace and we sat in the livingroom talking with him and listening to a thunderstorm as it raged outside over the lake.Jim and Nancy had made a delicious gourmet dinner of beef medallions coated in peppercorns cooked to rare perfection, salad, roasted pepper soup, roasted potato and broccoli souffle. For dessert there was something like a creme brulet. Very sweet.Of course I was already full by the time I’d eaten the soup and salad! Partly cloudy 31
