We are eager to explore our new surroundings having arrived in the dark the night before. We are not disappointed. Our garden cabana room opens on to an Orchard of tropical fruit trees, all labeled, some we have heard of such as mango, rambutan, tamarind but many are new to us. The orange trees are heavy with fruit though unfotunately too sour to eat as they are. The tropical trees sweep down to a lagoon with boats to hire.

Several times a day, the gardeners cut up some of the fruit and lay it out on bird tables and there's a constant variation of brightly coloured birds squabbling over it, A couple of toucans land on one of the trees.

Just outside our room there's a small swimming pool where we can cool off in the afternoon heat. We find out in the evening that the frogs and toads find it equally inviting.

We discover a small place in the village which does simple meals from one of the houses so we drop in for drinks during the day to order our dinner for that evening The couple, Jorge and Vilma have two tables in the garden. Elaine orders cevice while I go for fish with rice, plantains and salad,

When we return that evening, the candle is burning at our table and we are the only diners. We have a lovely meal and Jorge explains that my fish is from the river and is called a gasper. The locals eat this fish but it is deemed inferior by normal restaurants and they don't serve it. It is slightly chewy, the nearest I can compare it to is monkfish, lightly spiced and very tasty.

I Google this later and find out that it's a prehistoric fish which looks like a cross between a crocodile and a pike.