Iguanas or gekkos. Which do I find the most fascinating? I must admit that even within these reptiles I have my favorites. But how to choose a species? Allow me to introduce you to the contestants.
Kitchen Gekko. This small gekko lives behind the refrigerator and stealthily roams the kitchen looking for mosquitoes, tiny flies, and even tinier ants. She barks at us if we stay up too late of if we don’t remember to turn the lights off. I imagine that she is a mother. Who else would care how late we stay up?
Garden Gekko. A guy surely, this gekko hangs in the basil outside and stealthily goes about his business. He can hang motionless on the most slender stalk of aloe vera if he thinks we have spotted him. Is he shy or just looking for an opening in the screen so that he can come in and visit the Kitchen?
The Evel Gekkivo, the daring gekko of Builiding B. He continually defies the odds by leaping from the second story window box with grackles in hot pursuit. He spreads his gekko body in free-fall. You can almost hear him scream “Look, ma! No hands!”
Guan Jose, truly the father of the tribe. While bigger iguanas live on other parts of the island, Guan has his turf clearly marked. He lives under the bodega and comes out to chat with Jose Luis and Nellie if they want for company in the store. His toe nails are massive but he has lost part of his tail in some long ago battle.
Junior, a smaller less regal image of his father. He lives in a crack in the wall by the bodega and is constantly wary. They don’t call iguanas “Mexican chickens” for nothing. The passing workers look at him hungrily.
Donna Guana, a silly goose of an iguana. She lives under the sidewalk near our building. She hides under the step if she thinks you have spotted her. Sometimes her tails is still sticking in the air, in plain view. Doesn’t she feel the draft?
Guard Guan, the keeper who lives by the gate. She keeps tabs on the comings and goings of the compound and is quick to relay the choicest bit of new gossip. "Did you see what that woman in 1-A was wearing today? I’d make more of an effort if I were her. Have you seen her cute husband?”
Elvis, the big guy in the storm drain up the road. He surely has been having late night snacks of fried peanut butter and banana sandwiches. His suit is stretched tight. His pompador full and flowing. He just needs a microphone and some rings. You can hear him singing “Don’t be cruel” late at night.
Wednesday, February 6, 2008
Monday, February 4, 2008
Steve and Sydney Stardate: Super Bowl Sunday
Today is the big day, surprising how this event is such an opportunity for the tourist industry on the island. I’m sure it is that way all over the world, hell, everybody likes a party! We’re going to have a Super Bowl party at our place; I have my Cheetos and coca cola! We will watch the game in Spanish which I find more interesting than English. The new ads should prove entertaining!
I am attaching a photo of some new construction. (Sorry. The photo did not transfer.) I believe it represents quite a bit of this culture. The first thing you notice is a lack of equipment. No backhoes, concrete pampers, mixers, or scissor-lifts. Nope, nothing but strong backs. Instead of throwing technology at a project they use manpower. Happens to be their most abundant resource. The second thing that caught my eye was their use of existing resources: note the Goodyear tire in the wall. Now, that is some kind of window casing! Leave it to them to figure out how to fit a window pane, which will likely open and close! The use of available stone is also evident, not much is imported on this build. Last, how about the lack of wood! Everything is concrete, cinderblock and stone. Scaffolding is about the only wood used so far, and that will be dismantled and taken to the next job. No siree, this climate eats wood for desayuno. The only thing that lasts is concrete. Guess when you live in a hurricane climate double wide trailers aren’t the call! At first the grey of the project left me cold, like it represented despair or poverty. I don’t think that’s the case as you note the sweep of the staircase, the turrets and windows. It will be interesting to watch the progress, they will stucco the whole thing and then paint it some lively colors. I’ll post an update in about a month.
We learned yesterday that our furnace malfunctioned last week. Thanks to Senior Steve for responding after Diana (housekeeper) reported it to him. A new igniter did the trick. What a lousy time to have your heat source go out! Thanks again, Steve, we certainly appreciate your assistance. The only heating and cooling we have used are windows and ceiling fans. Too hot, open a window and crank the fan up a notch; too cold, reverse procedure.
Sydney just made a great batch of avena (oatmeal) for our desayuno. Topped with some Yucatan honey…wow! Arturo told us the hurricane earlier this year destroyed a lot of the crops that the bees need and that bee farmers have been importing sugar to augment the bees’ diets. Sounds plausible…Anyhow, this avena burns clean and we won’t have to eat all day! Speaking of which, we are both losing a layer or two of insulation and hope to be lean and mean upon our return! Adios, mia amigos, this is Capt. Kirk saying good-bye!
I am attaching a photo of some new construction. (Sorry. The photo did not transfer.) I believe it represents quite a bit of this culture. The first thing you notice is a lack of equipment. No backhoes, concrete pampers, mixers, or scissor-lifts. Nope, nothing but strong backs. Instead of throwing technology at a project they use manpower. Happens to be their most abundant resource. The second thing that caught my eye was their use of existing resources: note the Goodyear tire in the wall. Now, that is some kind of window casing! Leave it to them to figure out how to fit a window pane, which will likely open and close! The use of available stone is also evident, not much is imported on this build. Last, how about the lack of wood! Everything is concrete, cinderblock and stone. Scaffolding is about the only wood used so far, and that will be dismantled and taken to the next job. No siree, this climate eats wood for desayuno. The only thing that lasts is concrete. Guess when you live in a hurricane climate double wide trailers aren’t the call! At first the grey of the project left me cold, like it represented despair or poverty. I don’t think that’s the case as you note the sweep of the staircase, the turrets and windows. It will be interesting to watch the progress, they will stucco the whole thing and then paint it some lively colors. I’ll post an update in about a month.
We learned yesterday that our furnace malfunctioned last week. Thanks to Senior Steve for responding after Diana (housekeeper) reported it to him. A new igniter did the trick. What a lousy time to have your heat source go out! Thanks again, Steve, we certainly appreciate your assistance. The only heating and cooling we have used are windows and ceiling fans. Too hot, open a window and crank the fan up a notch; too cold, reverse procedure.
Sydney just made a great batch of avena (oatmeal) for our desayuno. Topped with some Yucatan honey…wow! Arturo told us the hurricane earlier this year destroyed a lot of the crops that the bees need and that bee farmers have been importing sugar to augment the bees’ diets. Sounds plausible…Anyhow, this avena burns clean and we won’t have to eat all day! Speaking of which, we are both losing a layer or two of insulation and hope to be lean and mean upon our return! Adios, mia amigos, this is Capt. Kirk saying good-bye!
Isla Files 2.4
Isla Files 2.4
Every morning we wake to the sounds of the island. It is so much better than waking to an alarm clock! There are 3 main song birds on this island:
The black bird (mirlo) that is really more like a grackle. It is pretty big, with a sharp beak and beady yellow eyes. It’s song is high-pitched and shrill and it is a voracious hunter. We watched one go after a gekko the other day. It chased the gekko under one of the idle air conditioning units and strutted back and forth, waiting for the gekko to make one false move. Just when you think the coast is clear….wham!
The “mocking” bird. This gray and white bird knows 9 different “songs of the island.” It is about the same size as a robin and does not seem to be as aggressive as the black bird. I think it is really some sort of a fly-catcher. It is fun to watch these birds sit on the wires outside our apartment. They jockey for position and are quite territorial. I cheer for them when they go after the little biting flies (chaquistas) that torment me when it rains.
The dove (paloma). These beautiful gray and white doves remind me of home. They coo softly in the morning and again just as it is getting dark.
We asked Arturo about humming birds (colibri) as we have not seen any evidence of them on the island. We haven’t even seen any humming bird feeders. Arturo says they are “Not so much on the island. Maybe one or two in April.” I guess Isla is not on their migratory path. I am surprised, too because there are so many beautiful flowers on the island. We do see lots of butterflies (mariposas) so we are confident that the pollen is taken care of!!
On an unrelated note: Alici Ricaldi won the election. I guess all those people with the Gilbert Avalos t-shirts didn’t vote for him after all. Election day is very serious here and I think that the majority of people vote. Armed guards patrol the outdoor polling stations.
Every morning we wake to the sounds of the island. It is so much better than waking to an alarm clock! There are 3 main song birds on this island:
The black bird (mirlo) that is really more like a grackle. It is pretty big, with a sharp beak and beady yellow eyes. It’s song is high-pitched and shrill and it is a voracious hunter. We watched one go after a gekko the other day. It chased the gekko under one of the idle air conditioning units and strutted back and forth, waiting for the gekko to make one false move. Just when you think the coast is clear….wham!
The “mocking” bird. This gray and white bird knows 9 different “songs of the island.” It is about the same size as a robin and does not seem to be as aggressive as the black bird. I think it is really some sort of a fly-catcher. It is fun to watch these birds sit on the wires outside our apartment. They jockey for position and are quite territorial. I cheer for them when they go after the little biting flies (chaquistas) that torment me when it rains.
The dove (paloma). These beautiful gray and white doves remind me of home. They coo softly in the morning and again just as it is getting dark.
We asked Arturo about humming birds (colibri) as we have not seen any evidence of them on the island. We haven’t even seen any humming bird feeders. Arturo says they are “Not so much on the island. Maybe one or two in April.” I guess Isla is not on their migratory path. I am surprised, too because there are so many beautiful flowers on the island. We do see lots of butterflies (mariposas) so we are confident that the pollen is taken care of!!
On an unrelated note: Alici Ricaldi won the election. I guess all those people with the Gilbert Avalos t-shirts didn’t vote for him after all. Election day is very serious here and I think that the majority of people vote. Armed guards patrol the outdoor polling stations.
Saturday, February 2, 2008
isla Files 2.2
Isla Files 2.2
Moon-lighting, Isla style: Second shift onion crew.
Isla, like nearly every other incredibly beautiful place in the world, is growing. There are currently 4 major construction jobs on the island, a very small base population, and many tourists. In some ways it reminds me of the Wood River Valley in Idaho. There is a lot of work but a limited population to supply the workers. “Help Wanted” signs are in many windows. What to do then if you need something done that you cannot do yourself?
Wednesday afternoon as we stood outside the bodega talking to Arturo about a dive, Jose Luis took off up the road chasing a passing bicyclist. After some heated discussion with the gentleman on the bike, Jose Luis rejoined our group. He apologized and said that was the brick man that he had been trying to get in touch with. He and Arturo then commiserated about how difficult it is to “get good help.”
Later that evening about 8 guys showed up, some with tile-setting tools. They proceeded to swarm the small bathroom in the apartment next to ours. Tap, tap, tap: 8 guys removing and replacing tile until late into the evening. They came back on Thursday and Friday nights to continue working. Most of these young men come from the state of Chiapas or the Yucatan. They are very small and quiet, shy. They don’t speak much Spanish but favor their native Indian dialects. Most of them probably have not gone to school. They look so young.
Last night we came home from town at around 9:00 PM. They were gathered on our steps, sharing a late night snack. They apologized for being in our way. “Esta bien. No hay problema.” we told them, feeling bad about disturbing their break. Keep in mind that these guys have already worked from 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM at one of the larger construction jobs. They wear flip-flops, Crocs, cheap sneakers. Blue jeans or shorts. T-shirts or none at all. We watch them in the bodega. They eat almost nothing and live in open-air camps near the construction projects. Where do they get the energy to work like this? How can they continue? Stepping through their gathering on the steps I feel big, clumsy, privileged.
Moon-lighting, Isla style: Second shift onion crew.
Isla, like nearly every other incredibly beautiful place in the world, is growing. There are currently 4 major construction jobs on the island, a very small base population, and many tourists. In some ways it reminds me of the Wood River Valley in Idaho. There is a lot of work but a limited population to supply the workers. “Help Wanted” signs are in many windows. What to do then if you need something done that you cannot do yourself?
Wednesday afternoon as we stood outside the bodega talking to Arturo about a dive, Jose Luis took off up the road chasing a passing bicyclist. After some heated discussion with the gentleman on the bike, Jose Luis rejoined our group. He apologized and said that was the brick man that he had been trying to get in touch with. He and Arturo then commiserated about how difficult it is to “get good help.”
Later that evening about 8 guys showed up, some with tile-setting tools. They proceeded to swarm the small bathroom in the apartment next to ours. Tap, tap, tap: 8 guys removing and replacing tile until late into the evening. They came back on Thursday and Friday nights to continue working. Most of these young men come from the state of Chiapas or the Yucatan. They are very small and quiet, shy. They don’t speak much Spanish but favor their native Indian dialects. Most of them probably have not gone to school. They look so young.
Last night we came home from town at around 9:00 PM. They were gathered on our steps, sharing a late night snack. They apologized for being in our way. “Esta bien. No hay problema.” we told them, feeling bad about disturbing their break. Keep in mind that these guys have already worked from 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM at one of the larger construction jobs. They wear flip-flops, Crocs, cheap sneakers. Blue jeans or shorts. T-shirts or none at all. We watch them in the bodega. They eat almost nothing and live in open-air camps near the construction projects. Where do they get the energy to work like this? How can they continue? Stepping through their gathering on the steps I feel big, clumsy, privileged.
Wednesday, January 30, 2008
Isla Files 1.29
Politics, Isla style. The election for the municipal offices is on Sunday, February 3 and the competitors are in full campaign mode. Because most people on the island neither have a TV or radio or get a newspaper, the conventional style of campaigning (as we know it in the US) doesn’t really work here. What’s a politician to do?
During the weeks leading up to the election the most common approach is to put speakers in a golf cart, taxi, or private car, slather that vehicle with political signs, and drive around the neighborhoods with the sound blaring your political message. The 2 main candidates on the island are Gilberto Avalos and Alicia Ricalde. Their efforts are everywhere. Every sign post, retaining wall, vehicle, and storefront bears witness to the occupants political preference. Forget your measly yard sign or bumper sticker!
Another good approach is to hand out t-shirts and hats. Everyone on the island is wearing a t-shirt with his or her favorite politician’s slogans proudly displayed. On a recent ride into town traffic was at a standstill in front of the Ricalde headquarters, campaigners lined both sides of the highway literally pushing clothing, pamphlets, and pens into the hands of motorists, cyclists, and walkers. Someone gave me a pen attached to a pamphlet and another person tried to give Steve a ball cap. Ever the federal employee, he declined to offer endorsement, you know that old Hatch Act! I kept the pen and gave the pamphlet back.
In the evening a movie of the Ricalde platform is broadcast on the side of her headquarters. It is kind of like a drive-in movie screen. I am not quite sure what separates the 2 candidates. Both of them talk about supporting tourism and working for the people. The only candidate that offers the slogan of “education is the solution” doesn’t appear to have the financial backing to launch a full-scale campaign. Isn’t that always the case? Also, no one seems to have a particularly emphasis on the environment.
I asked Enrique (our dive master last week) what he thought of the whole thing. He said “Everyone knows that candidate X is a liar.” Will that mean that he is not elected? Only time will tell.
During the weeks leading up to the election the most common approach is to put speakers in a golf cart, taxi, or private car, slather that vehicle with political signs, and drive around the neighborhoods with the sound blaring your political message. The 2 main candidates on the island are Gilberto Avalos and Alicia Ricalde. Their efforts are everywhere. Every sign post, retaining wall, vehicle, and storefront bears witness to the occupants political preference. Forget your measly yard sign or bumper sticker!
Another good approach is to hand out t-shirts and hats. Everyone on the island is wearing a t-shirt with his or her favorite politician’s slogans proudly displayed. On a recent ride into town traffic was at a standstill in front of the Ricalde headquarters, campaigners lined both sides of the highway literally pushing clothing, pamphlets, and pens into the hands of motorists, cyclists, and walkers. Someone gave me a pen attached to a pamphlet and another person tried to give Steve a ball cap. Ever the federal employee, he declined to offer endorsement, you know that old Hatch Act! I kept the pen and gave the pamphlet back.
In the evening a movie of the Ricalde platform is broadcast on the side of her headquarters. It is kind of like a drive-in movie screen. I am not quite sure what separates the 2 candidates. Both of them talk about supporting tourism and working for the people. The only candidate that offers the slogan of “education is the solution” doesn’t appear to have the financial backing to launch a full-scale campaign. Isn’t that always the case? Also, no one seems to have a particularly emphasis on the environment.
I asked Enrique (our dive master last week) what he thought of the whole thing. He said “Everyone knows that candidate X is a liar.” Will that mean that he is not elected? Only time will tell.
Isla files 1.28 (Steve)
Steve and Sydney Stardate 1.29I have been retired almost a month. It really doesn’t feel like retirement because I am in Mexico, living the dream, as opposed to home, living the life. Irregardless, it’s damn nice! Let me recall for you my day yesterday:Got up about 7:30am, had coffee in bed while I read for about 30 minutes. Listened to life outside: road noise, discussions in Spanish down at the little store, birds chirping, geckos barking periodically. Sydney and I went for our run, counterclockwise today. We run on Monday, Wednesday, Friday…our first long run last Saturday morning, 1 hr 10 min. Today we do the usual: about 35 minutes. The big Iguana is sunning himself, out from under his home in the sewer drain in front of Garrafon. We stopped and did a little beachcombing on the North side of the island and watched the nice white foam of the waves. Just like a campfire: memorizing.We shower and I prepare our breakfast: yogurt over sliced banana with almonds on top, sliced apple, toast from the bread Sydney made, orange juice, coffee. No vitamins today. We eat on our patio, watching the turquoise of the Caribbean and the palm fronds in the breeze. It is now almost 11:00am. We have read, run, showered, eaten. We are ready to head into town with our laptops to check-in with the world. We also need to leave so Veronica can do some cleaning: she cleans on Monday and Friday, which also means doing our laundry which we leave in a plastic bag. We ride our bikes into town which takes about 20-25 minutes. A little longer today because we stop at one of the speed bumps where there is a political rally ongoing. Some volunteers are handing out hats, pamphlets and pens. Some are dressed in chicken(?) costumes. Sydney stops to get a pen. I decline a hat. We both have no idea who the candidates are or what platforms they represent. The election is this Sunday, Feb. 3, which is the only day of the week that most of these people won’t be at work. It is also Super Bowl Sunday.We arrive at Adrian’s Internet shop, it’s about noon. We log on and spend about an hour. I check our bank accounts: no deposit yet from my annual leave buyout. We have about $460 in checking-enough to get us through. We also have $300 in USD to exchange for Pesos. The rate today is $1 USD to $10.70 Pesos, so we opt not to exchange and instead withdraw cash via an ATM from a checking account. It is now after 1:00pm, we go next door to the big market, which is not quite as big as the Co-Op market. Sydney gets some vanilla, Hershey’s chocolate, some sponges, and a few other things. I get some more candles and a bag of peanuts which are coated in soy sauce. God, they’re good! I might add, this is my second purchase of candles, we love our evenings by candlelight. Our condo didn’t come with end tables and lamps. We unlock our bikes from the post which holds a trash basket and ride down to the Farmers Market, about 4 blocks away. I get us a plastic bottle of squeezed orange juice while Sydney buys some avocados, cilantro, bananas, peppers, celery. The celery she selects the two stalks she wants from the bunch, just buying those two! We would like a pineapple but none of them look very fresh. I take a picture of the butcher who is in today cutting meat. Fresh air meat market!We put our purchases in our backpacks, which also hold our laptops, and ride the outskirts of town to a little rise where there is a statue of a turtle and a fisherman. It is about 1:45pm and we stop to drink our orange juice and eat some of the soy sauce peanuts. A little charge-up before pedaling home. We arrive home about 2:30pm, Veronica has come and gone. Sydney comments on how nice and clean the tile floor always feels after she has cleaned. We put our purchases away and lay down for, as Sydney calls it: “a little rest time.” We each read for about 30 minutes until we fall asleep. It is now about 4:00pm. We opt to read some more instead of heading to the pool or beach. We sit out on our patio, catching the downhill western slide of the sun. We read probably an average 3-4 hours a day. It’s great, never have I had so much disposable time to read!The sun sets about 6:00pm here. It also rises at about 6:00am. 12 hours of light, 12 hours of dark. Gotta love a balanced day! I go in and make a batch of guacamole, a good one this time since we bought some cilantro earlier today. Cilantro makes guacamole, I’m convinced. In the waning sunset light we have a cribbage match, with a glass of white wine, guacamole with saltine crackers. Sydney gets to deal, her turn. She is ahead 4 games to 3. Damn! She is now ahead 5 games to 3. My deal next time…It’s about 7:00pm. Time for dinner. Tonight Chef Boy-R-Sydney has brewed up a nice batch of black bean soup. So many different spices and tastes! Terrific smells while it was cooking! We have some curried rice from last night along with it. And some of her bread, too! Water is our beverage tonight. Tonight we don’t have our candles or our music, we eat ala natural! We both have commented on what a perfect addition the portable speakers are that Morgan got me for Christmas! They work for our IPod or laptops. And they are still running on the original batteries! Since Sydney cooked, I do the dishes. All 5 of them! I also make the coffee, which has an automatic timer which makes it brew at 7:00am. It’s now about 7:45pm, time for bed. We take our turn with the Sonic toothbrush. Close the patio sliding doors. We each lay on our double bed, reading for probably an hour. Since we don’t wear wristwatches, we never really know what time it is. I usually check the clock on the coffee maker to see what time it is. I imagine we turn the light out about 9:00pm. And there it is…Monday, January 28, 2008, is history! Did we get a lot accomplished: probably not. Did we enjoy ourselves: definitely! Thanks for reading. Adios, amigos! Esteben
Monday, January 28, 2008
Isla Files 1.27
Yesterday was our first taste of Mardi Gras on Isla. We were sitting out by the pool and Veronica came running up the stairs from the bodega. She told me that the kids were going to be doing a street dance in front of the store in about 10 minutes. It was difficult for me to understand her but I definitely got the “kids dancing in the streets” part. Soon the entire street in front of the Casa was filled with families. Jose Luis’ son Vlad had a new horn on his car and he was clearing the way. Mom’s were busy helping children of all ages into costumes, adjusting this, straightening that. The little girls were especially priceless, dressed up as little pirate can-can dancers. A hatch-back with a generator strapped to the top and huge speakers in the back provided the music. The local motorcycle policeman even showed up to make sure that no one got too perturbed by the fact that this main street was temporarily transformed into a stage. It was great to see the one Mom with the bull horn and Veronica with her camcorder. Proud parents are the same everywhere!
I expanded my bread baking efforts today by adding oatmeal (avena) to the mix. It is great to bake bread here because you can watch the dough rise. My main problems today were running out of flour and figuring out a way to keep these tiny little ants out of the raising dough. Our little store was out of flour but not to worry. Nellie sent Jose Luis in to town to get some. She told me to come back in about 20 minutes. We don’t use plastic wrap here but I solved the ant problem by covering the dough with pot lids. I also think that I figured out the oven. The dial reads counter-clockwise from “5” to “1” with the 5 in the 12 position and the 1 located where you would find 3 on a clock. I think the 5 stands for 500, 4 for 400, and so on. I put the dial half way between the 4 and the 3 hoping that I had landed on 350. Since everything is in centigrade here and this stove is at least 25 years old, I can’t be sure but the bread turned out great so maybe I am on to something. This morning I shared some slices of bread with Jose Luis and with Judy and Bill. Judy says my bread is “to die for.” I will take that as high praise. Bill says he would like some bacon tomorrow.
Steve and I went in to town last night to check on the Mardi Gras festivities. The square was humming and it is the first time we have ever seen the doors to the church closed. We passed the local priest on the way in and he did not look at all happy. Alcoholism is a big problem on this island and I am sure that big street parties like this only make matters worse. The street dance in front of our casa is more my style.
Today we went beach combing on the east side of the island. We found some very nice shells and a 5-gallon plastic container, maybe a gas can. I attached it to my bike with my bungee cords and brought it home. I figured that Luis or Francisco (the 2 grounds keepers) may have a use for it. If not, it is near the trash container. Steve said I looked like a true island woman with tons of stuff strapped to my bike!
I expanded my bread baking efforts today by adding oatmeal (avena) to the mix. It is great to bake bread here because you can watch the dough rise. My main problems today were running out of flour and figuring out a way to keep these tiny little ants out of the raising dough. Our little store was out of flour but not to worry. Nellie sent Jose Luis in to town to get some. She told me to come back in about 20 minutes. We don’t use plastic wrap here but I solved the ant problem by covering the dough with pot lids. I also think that I figured out the oven. The dial reads counter-clockwise from “5” to “1” with the 5 in the 12 position and the 1 located where you would find 3 on a clock. I think the 5 stands for 500, 4 for 400, and so on. I put the dial half way between the 4 and the 3 hoping that I had landed on 350. Since everything is in centigrade here and this stove is at least 25 years old, I can’t be sure but the bread turned out great so maybe I am on to something. This morning I shared some slices of bread with Jose Luis and with Judy and Bill. Judy says my bread is “to die for.” I will take that as high praise. Bill says he would like some bacon tomorrow.
Steve and I went in to town last night to check on the Mardi Gras festivities. The square was humming and it is the first time we have ever seen the doors to the church closed. We passed the local priest on the way in and he did not look at all happy. Alcoholism is a big problem on this island and I am sure that big street parties like this only make matters worse. The street dance in front of our casa is more my style.
Today we went beach combing on the east side of the island. We found some very nice shells and a 5-gallon plastic container, maybe a gas can. I attached it to my bike with my bungee cords and brought it home. I figured that Luis or Francisco (the 2 grounds keepers) may have a use for it. If not, it is near the trash container. Steve said I looked like a true island woman with tons of stuff strapped to my bike!
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