Wed. March 10
Today our street got paved. Let me back up a little. This is election year. It will take place in May. So as you all know, productive things start happening. Signs are everywhere. As many people cannot read, the parties are designated by colours. There are red, white, green, and blue signs, that I have seen. I guess, actually, it’s the same for us. We have party colours.
Anyway, I don’t know what kind of help the local man gives but I have seen his signs on houses that are being built and on cars (does he pay for them or pay to advertise???)
Well, work began on the roads. Many loads of the light tan coloured, very porous rocks were brought in and the graders came and then big heavy rollers that shook the whole earth. Then the rain would come and wash much of it away and they would fix it again. Finally, everything was ready and on Wed. the pavement arrived. It was a neighbourhood event. Everyone picked up their chairs from the sides of the road and stood to watch them do the work. I was surprised that they actually got all traffic to stop while the work was being done.
I wish my camera was not broken because I don’t know if I can adequately give you a picture of these streets. The cement block or wooden shanties line the street on both sides, often with little side paths off to houses behind these houses. There is barely room for 2 cars to pass each other. Now we have one lane of pavement down the middle with space left on each side for the water to run off or for gates to swing open. If 2 cars meet, each will have to pull over so one side is running in the gutter area to get by each other.
I can only imagine, therefore, when it rains that more water will run into the houses that are street level and do not have a raised door sills. I know it will bring lots more water into our yard when we have a downpour.
You have got to realize, too, that all these small houses do not even have running water or toilets…BUT now we have pavement. Such is ‘progress’.
Sunday 14th
The fact that ‘March breaks’ are upon us is evidenced by the increased numbers of people everywhere. Soon we will have ‘Holy Week’ which I have heard is more like ‘un-holy week’. Apparently many people will come from the interior to vacation at the beach and there will be much drinking, promiscuity, indecent behaviour and sometimes some deaths as a result of this stupidity. I was told to avoid the beach for these days. Many of the local people , if they can, leave and go to the mountains or away from here.
Wed. 17th
We took some of the children (any who showed up by 1:30) to march in the St. Patrick’s Day parade on the beach in the afternoon. It is sponsored by Jose O’Shay’s restaurant (Irish). They had a great time and the people sure loved them and made a big fuss over them. I heard comments like-“oh, they’re so cute.” “Look at the sweet uniforms.” “Aren’t they darling?” Everyone stopped them to have their picture taken with them.
They (the restaurant) gave them all hats and necklaces. The people danced with them in the big tent set up on the beach. There was a guy singing Irish songs for the entertainment. It probably went on well into the night, but we only stayed till about 3:15. A lady rushed up to us as we were walking to the van (17 of us in the mini-van) and gave us a bag full of juices and cheezies for the kids and a man handed us a big bag of suckers from his store as we passed. I think the kids were thrilled. It sure was a different experience for them.
Today our street got paved. Let me back up a little. This is election year. It will take place in May. So as you all know, productive things start happening. Signs are everywhere. As many people cannot read, the parties are designated by colours. There are red, white, green, and blue signs, that I have seen. I guess, actually, it’s the same for us. We have party colours.
Anyway, I don’t know what kind of help the local man gives but I have seen his signs on houses that are being built and on cars (does he pay for them or pay to advertise???)
Well, work began on the roads. Many loads of the light tan coloured, very porous rocks were brought in and the graders came and then big heavy rollers that shook the whole earth. Then the rain would come and wash much of it away and they would fix it again. Finally, everything was ready and on Wed. the pavement arrived. It was a neighbourhood event. Everyone picked up their chairs from the sides of the road and stood to watch them do the work. I was surprised that they actually got all traffic to stop while the work was being done.
I wish my camera was not broken because I don’t know if I can adequately give you a picture of these streets. The cement block or wooden shanties line the street on both sides, often with little side paths off to houses behind these houses. There is barely room for 2 cars to pass each other. Now we have one lane of pavement down the middle with space left on each side for the water to run off or for gates to swing open. If 2 cars meet, each will have to pull over so one side is running in the gutter area to get by each other.
I can only imagine, therefore, when it rains that more water will run into the houses that are street level and do not have a raised door sills. I know it will bring lots more water into our yard when we have a downpour.
You have got to realize, too, that all these small houses do not even have running water or toilets…BUT now we have pavement. Such is ‘progress’.
Sunday 14th
The fact that ‘March breaks’ are upon us is evidenced by the increased numbers of people everywhere. Soon we will have ‘Holy Week’ which I have heard is more like ‘un-holy week’. Apparently many people will come from the interior to vacation at the beach and there will be much drinking, promiscuity, indecent behaviour and sometimes some deaths as a result of this stupidity. I was told to avoid the beach for these days. Many of the local people , if they can, leave and go to the mountains or away from here.
Wed. 17th
We took some of the children (any who showed up by 1:30) to march in the St. Patrick’s Day parade on the beach in the afternoon. It is sponsored by Jose O’Shay’s restaurant (Irish). They had a great time and the people sure loved them and made a big fuss over them. I heard comments like-“oh, they’re so cute.” “Look at the sweet uniforms.” “Aren’t they darling?” Everyone stopped them to have their picture taken with them.
They (the restaurant) gave them all hats and necklaces. The people danced with them in the big tent set up on the beach. There was a guy singing Irish songs for the entertainment. It probably went on well into the night, but we only stayed till about 3:15. A lady rushed up to us as we were walking to the van (17 of us in the mini-van) and gave us a bag full of juices and cheezies for the kids and a man handed us a big bag of suckers from his store as we passed. I think the kids were thrilled. It sure was a different experience for them.
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