Villa Mercedes

Villa Mercedes, tucked into the side of the mountains looking down into Santa Emilia, is home to both local champion and dear friend Ronaldo. In the gorgeous countryside Ronaldo cares for his coffee plantation and the small impoverished town below. Having worked as an Air Force pilot his fiery attitude frequently comes in handy when dealing with often stubborn local government officials. Yet this hard shell melted away when our group of 16 was invited for an impromptu Thanksgiving dinner at his home. As the house was filled with laughter and wonderful smells, we even began to forget about the looming hurricane on the horizon.