Plaza El Valle
Vase planted by Crane Stookey, February 2000
“I was on a two month trip as part of the crew on the Corwith Kramer, a National Sea Education ‘tall ship’, which is used to teach marine biology to North American college students. When we arrived on the beach, people were hauling in a net. Two very long lines, far apart along the beach, going way out into the water. We helped them fish. At the right hand, eastern end of the beach, is a steep knoll with palms and dense growth. A path leads up to it from the end of the beach. At the top of the path, just as it descends to the other side, I turned uphill on what might have once been a path but peters out quickly. I went as far as I could until I came to barbed wire. Then I backtracked into the undergrowth and planted the vase through thick roots in rocky soil. I sat for bit and did ton glen. Just as I was trying to raise bodhicitta for the benefit of all beings, a lizard jumped on my arm and I jumped up and threw him off. Oh well. A green lizard came down a tree and under his chin was a bright red translucent fin. When I got back, a little tan dog came running up to me full of joy. We played and he wouldn’t leave me alone, squirming into my lap as I tried to write this. Also, I noticed that the fishers on the beach had caught nothing that day.”
