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Published: September 29th 2005
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My room in Santa Barbara
Air con stuck on wall which, let´s say, was not quiet. Santa Barbara to Encontrados
We decided to go to Encontrados to see the phenonemal storms which apparently occur nearly every night of the year. What should have been a 2hr journey took 5hrs due to a gasoline spill in a tunnel on route. When we finally got moving on the alternative route, the bus driver was good enough to take us all to a bar.
On arriving in Santa Barbara we stayed in a hostel, come air con factory. There were wires everywhere and each room had a box the size of two monitors stuck onto it chugging out cold air. The bathrooms were something else. See photo.
The next day we had to take a Por puesto to Encontrada from Santa Barbara, and therefore we got chatting to 2 locals in the car who insisted that when we arrived in their town they would buy us rum and beers in their local. Little did we know this was a sign of the hospitality to follow.
After several hours in the bar, being bought drinks by, it turned out, an ex policeman, a bottle of rum was sent over by another guy in the bar, who owned the
The whorehouse
Corridor leading to our rooms with mice! transport compàny of the town. He was obviously the big cheese of Encontrada, and therefore someone we were intrigued to talk with.
The big cheese, Ivan, then took it upon himself to introduce us to the Mayor and all of the town´s big wigs. Whilst holding his 2nd bottle of rum and accompanied by his ëntourage, he drove us to the main plaza and made a phone call to get the fountain turned on for his very important visitors. He then took us to bingo, introducing us to most of the women of the town. And from then, we got in nearly everyone´s truck and moped to be shown off and introduced to all. It became quite surreal as we were the talk of the town. Everyone knew Gringo´s were in town, everyone knew where we were and everyone wanted to meet us.
Our group had become a little disjointed due to all the alcohol. Jason had gone off, only to accidently get chatting to one of the local pimps accompanied by his whore. Sal was buttering up the VIP´s and Gary and I were trying to win at Bingo. So, when Jason, Sal, Gary and myself all
finally met up again it seemed pefectly natural to invite the pimp and the whore to dinner. After all, we were staying in the town´s whorehouse, run by a lesbian called pussy cat. All perfectly normal.
Being centre of attention was becoming a little hard work, so we decided to chill out on the street corner. But quickly we became the main attraction again. Children as well as older men stopped where they were going and crowded around us, just to get a look at these Gringo´s. At one point the crowd was 3 or 4 deep back. It was absolutely lovely and a completely novel experience. They just wanted to speak with us, look at us, and be with us. One girl of about 8yrs sat down next to me and when her friend tried to sit next to me she got cross and told her that she was sitting next to me! After a while the kids did a bit of break dancing and took us to their football field where they hang out.
Sal had arranged to meet the Mayor the next day as he was personally going to organise a boat for us to
Bar in Encontrados
Ex policeman from Por Puesto who plied us with drinks take us to stay in the Congo, a village 3hrs away by boat, on a lake, for the best views of the storms.
However, before that, the previous Mayor and now Chief of Police, drove us to the town´s Cultural office, which consisted of a train and a mandatory video on the storms. That seen, we needed to go to the supermarket (accompanied, of course, by one of the Mayors people) and drive to the river, where we would catch the boat which would take us to the Congo. The Mayor gave us a Chaperone, called Lennin, a local fireman, who turned out to be an absolute star and ended up inviting us all to his wedding.
The Congo is a village of c. 150 houses on stilts in the middle of lake Maracaibo. Because we ¨knew¨the Mayor, we had the ¨comissario¨ family cook for us, which means Chief of Police, the richest family in the village looking after us. The wife would cook us breakfast every morning and serve us coffee whenever we decided to pop by.
That evening, Gary went for swim in the river, once on the hunt for beer, the second time because
his matress got blown into the water. The water was not the freshest, in fact one wonders where all the shit from the toilets and rubbish goes....But Gary insited it was lovely. We woke at 3am from our mattresses on the veranda to a small storm.
The next morning we were given a tour around the lake, stopping to swim in another fresh water lake for our shower. None of us had brought swiming stuff so we went in with all our clothes. Not the best way to feel clean. After this, we got back in the boat to be shown some oil fields, dolphins and a small fishing community where a family of 12 live, in one ¨room¨ which is used for all their means. Truly amazing. What practical lives they have.
On the way back to our house we visited various different family´s for coffee. All seemingly brothers or cousins of our new friends. That night, Lennin cooked a delicious meal of fresh crabs and rice accompanied by 2 more bottles of rum. At 2pm we were woken up by the most incredible storm, this time with rain and thunder. Jason got so inspired he sang
Encontrados
Transport owner with entourage, getting the fountain turned on for us. Note the bottle of rum on the side. his own version of ¨Thunder and Lightning, the way you touch me is frightening...¨ Cannot remember who sang it but he was hilarious and a moment I will never forget.
It was time to leave the Congo, but not before being proudly shown around a pig farm enroute back to Encontrados. Arriving at the gas staion about half way through our return journey we were told there was no gasoline due to their being no electricity. This either meant sitting it out and waiting until the electricity started again or hitching a lift.
Of course, the ever working Lennin sorted us out with a lift to take us back. We all piled into the back of an open truck for a fantastic, fast, wind-on-face, ride. Of course, totally illegal in the UK, but perfectly normal here.
On arriving in Encontrados, we were met by a welcoming party. The Mayor sent his truck to pick us up and take us to his retreat. But we were desperately in need of a shower and some food at this point, so we were quite keen to catch the 4pm bus back to Merida. However, this was not to be. The
Mayor wanted to show us his farm, which included a cheese factory and pigs. There are two guys who work in the cheese factory and they would use their bare hands to break down the milk to form these huge kilo moulds of cheese. There were no measuring jugs and just a couple of plastic bowls and jugs for their equipment. Once we had completed the tour, the Mayor told us his house was ours to use. At last a lovely, warm shower. It had been 5 days!
Supper that night was compliments of the Mayor. Gary was sent with some of the Mayors boys to choose vegetarian food and alcohol. He also ordered one of his sheep to be killed for the non vegetarians. Sal and Jason bravely watched the slaughter.
The night was pretty special, not only did we get to know the local farm kids, through a pillow fight, but we ate well and danced, salsa style, in the Mayors living room. Everyone slept well that night albeit in different styles - Gary on the toilet, Jason in a double bed with Lennin who remained in a press-up position all night. Magical.
The next
Transport to the Congo
The life jackets provided were very amusing morning Lennin woke us up to a cooked breakfast and our lift back into town in order to catch the bus to Merida.
A completely unique experience, very special and unforgetable.
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Thunder Lightning .....
check out the lyrics: http://www.stlyrics.com/lyrics/beverlyhills90210songsfromthepeachpit/knockonwood.htm