Blogs from Central America Caribbean - page 2105

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There are more pictures of the house and views of the land surrounding us this week, and pictures or two of our new neighbors. No, we don’t own all the land (actually just a thumb’s worth compared to the area in general) but I feel we do “own” the stunning views from our property! This was a good week overall. The workers finished making the patio and laying the sod in the front and side yards. I love instant grass by the way. Why seed when someone else can grow the grass for you!? So, all we have left now is to put sod in the back of the house above the retaining walls so the mud doesn’t keep streaming down during rainstorms and we can set up a backyard seating area, complete with tables, potted ... read more
Workers
Gravel being put in
Angel Valley Farm B&B with new patio and grass


Vista del hermoso paisaje de Jarabacoa... read more

Central America Caribbean » Guatemala October 7th 2005

In Guatemala I go directly, after being scammed at the border, towards Lago Atitlan. This is a huge crater lake, so after a bus to Panajachel I hop on a boat towards San Pedro. On this boat I meet nice 2 Swedish chicks and a few unfriendly Israeli girls. I sign myself up in San Pedro for Spanish lessons including a stay with a family. Very exciting but also makes me feel if I'm trespassing in someones life/world. My 'new mother' is very nice but doesn't understand I don't like beans, she makes it every day in a different way and looks hopeful at me while eating. I do finish my plate every time, out of respect, but had to let her down: I still don't like beans.. at all. So here I am every day ... read more
Lago Atitlan, peaceful prettiness
first bananana encounter
'sexual' fountain Antigua

Central America Caribbean » Jamaica October 7th 2005

Another day starts as usual - mass at 7am with Fr. Melodramatic, making want to amputate both of my ears. This is followed by yet another ride through the mountains, this time to Montpelier. No, not the home of our first President, but rather the home of more than 100 Haitian refugees seeking political asylum. And 100 is probably a modest estimate - last year there were more than 800 refugees, entire families crammed into barracks filled with bunk beds and blue tarps to separate each family. It was absolute squalor today, so I cannot even imagine what it must have been like a year ago with 700 more people living there. Overgrown gardens and soccer fields stand as a testament to the fact that the people living there were entirely unwilling to perform any sort ... read more


I PROMISE TO HAVE PICTURES UP SOON…JUST HAVE TO FIND A COMPUTER WITH DSL THAT ACCEPTS MY CAMERA”S USB DRIVE (I already tried downloading one…it would be helpful if I had a jump drive if anyone has an extra, wink wink ;))haha! Living in Jamaica is definitely the hard life. Right now, I’m preparing to go to Doctor’s Cave beach, the most famous in Montego Bay, Jamaica. Earlier this week I visited the beach and had a great time. I spent five hours soaking up the rays, and enjoying the crystal blue water. The water was about 15 feet deep and I could still easily see the bottom. About 75 yards out, there were huge blow up trampolines anchored to the sea floor. Not long after we arrived a local man and worker at the beach ... read more
Jelly Coconut
Alby Jr.
citrus

Central America Caribbean » Jamaica October 5th 2005

A beautifully horrifying day. Up at 6:00am for mass then off to the AIDS hospice where Sr. Tekewitha works. I was nervous as we walked to the door because this was the kind of work I had come here to do even though I had no idea if I would enjoy it or not. A sense of calmness and peace descended over me as we walked into the hospice, but that same peaceful feeling wore like make-up on the faces of many of the patients: a false exterior, or so it seemed. So many brave faces to cover so many scared and tired souls. Tired of living in a culture, a country, and a world which largely shuns them. A world that is fearful of them and the death they seem to embody and, in some ... read more


Yes, another blog entry. The pictures for this entry are pretty random, but basically were taken this week while our workers were putting in our new patio and grass. So, why another blog update so soon? Well, because I am sitting in an office near the San Jose airport, waiting for over an hour to meet the inspector who will go over Beth and my goods that finally arrived from the U.S. I was on time at 2pm as requested, but the inspector was late of course. This is the part of moving to a foreign country that I hate—form, waiting, and more waiting! Honestly, I was a bit disappointed with the moving company in the U.S. I will be sending them a nasty letter. I won’t name them here (for fear of a lawsuit), but ... read more
Two of our workers
Another view of the yard
Our cars

Central America Caribbean » Jamaica October 4th 2005

Well, thank goodness the drive to Montego Bay was as hellish as I was expecting! Not only was it painfully long, but the “highway” which runs across the island just happens to be the same slow roads that we traverse on a daily basis. Some parts are straight and have two lanes in each direction, but the vast majority of the ride is through dangerously curvy mountain roads, over humongous pot holes and sections where the road doesn’t exist at all, as it is in the process of being rebuilt. The main problem is that the rain, which comes every day, has the bad habit of flooding the roads, so huge segments will be entirely underwater when you try to drive through. I believe Nancy inserted a picture somewhere on here of the “swimming pool” which ... read more


Today, I took a trip down to one of the many “farmacias” or pharmacies in town to get a refill on a prescription that I had filled originally in the U.S. The thing about it, though, is you don’t need a prescription in most cases. Just tell them what you want, and you’ll get it. Usually, I’ve found it is best to bring in the old pill bottle or box and just show it to them and they’ll give you exactly the same thing or a generic version. While, as I’ve said, there are many farmacias in San Ramon, I like the one I usually go to called “Farmacia de Jesus,” complete with a big statue of Jesus Christ on one of the walls of the shop. For about the same price as an insurance “co-pay,” ... read more
The ferry that took across the sound
Crude map of where we went
Vendor selling pork on a stick

Central America Caribbean » Jamaica October 1st 2005

Whittled away another night playing canasta (God, how old are we?!) after a rousing evening of Friday night mass (with the carousel-singing-sister) followed by Jamaican jerk chicken wings and guava-pineapple juice. This is the high life!! We spent the previous three days being consumed by feisty mosquitoes. I now know how it feels to be eaten alive - 67 bug bites on my legs, 29 on my arms, and various others on my head, neck, and even the bottom of my feet. HOW DID THEY GET THERE?? Anyway, today more than made up for the pain of previous days as Sophia, Jornah, Nancy and I made the trek to Dunn’s River Falls in beautiful Ocho Rios. Another life-threatening drive through high mountain towns and the curvaceous area of Fern Gully landed us amidst the gorgeous seaside ... read more




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