Today was my last day at Casa Damasco, this is the week of last days everywhere and it isn’t fun. When I got to Casa Damasco I found out we had another death over the weekend, this was not surprising as we all knew this man’s time was almost up. It is always sad though to see an empty seat at lunch time, actually we never have an empty seat as there are always new drop ins and today was no exception. The couple that run the place were not there when I got there which was a bit of a relieve to me as they were the only ones that knew that today was my last day so I figured I could slip out without having to go through all the good-byes. Which is was I did. As I was leaving I said my “normal good-bye” to a gentleman that was sitting right by the door in his wheel chair I noticed he was looking really down. I’ve noticed that in the last 3 weeks he has not been looking very healthy, today he looked a lot worst. I put my hand on his shoulder and asked how he was doing, he looked up at me with incredible sad eyes and said “feeling very bad” I asked what was wrong and he just shrugged his shoulders as if it was nothing, but it was too late I had seen the look in his eyes. It was a look of acceptance, whatever was going on he was willing to accept and not fight it. As I walked out the door I knew I would most likely not see him again, ever. I didn’t bound home as quickly as I usually do, I shuffled along slowly pondering my time spend at Casa Damasco during my stay here. I came to the graveyard that I have passed many times and decided I wasn’t ready to go home so I stepped inside and wandered around for almost an hour. The graveyards here are beautiful; there are sculptures, carvings, paintings, candles and flowers. It’s more like a museum than a graveyard. I didn’t go through the whole place but the oldest grave I saw dated back to 1889.
As I was waiting at the docks for my boat ride home I had a very Mexican moment. There were about 4 small taxi boats docked waiting for their turn (they all take turns) and in 2 of them the captain was sprawled out having a nap totally oblivious to the loud banda music playing from the other 2 boats and the pelicans squawking and the bustling noise from the fish market. They both looked so content and comfortable I suddenly had a huge urge to curl up and have a nap right there, and I could have, nobody would have thought it odd at all. That is what I will miss when I go home, although there is loud ciaos everywhere people can still find peace and quite to have a nap, whether it’s in a hammock or a boat. It’s a different kind of peace here, it lives through the ciaos. I think maybe peace is the wrong word, bliss is more like it....yep, and it’s bliss. I’m livin in bliss. As I walked to my house from the docks I pass 2 decked out cowboys that looked like they came right out of one of John Wayne’s movies, they both put their finger to their hats and tipped their heads and said hello, I recognized them as they are part of one of the beach bands. Further up I pass about 4 gentlemen sitting alongside a fence chatting away, 2 guitars leaning up against the tree that is shading them. I look at my watch and see its 3:30; looks like the cowboys are taking the day off early. It could be because it’s very very hot today or because there are no longer as many tourists on the beach to sing too. (Tourist season is over) I get home and find 2 papayas on my step....thank-you senor papa, I will certainly miss you. I decide to take a walk on the beach to see if I can soak up some of that warm salty ocean air, maybe if I soak up enough of it some of it will come home with me. I pass the meat market and am given a gift by one of the guys, 2 mangos. There is no way I can ever give back to these people what they have given me. I feel like such a traitor for leaving now. Oh well....maybe I’ll feel better if I find a sand dollar. It bugs me how tourists come here for about 3 -4 hours and find beautiful sand dollars and I’ve been here all winter and haven’t ever found one. I think perhaps the tour guides plant them on the beach before they bring the tourists over. I don’t find one today either but I do find a clam shell that’s still closed am rather excited about my little snack I’ll have later when I meet a friend and she tells me that if it’s not a good clam it could make me sick....and a whole bunch of other stuff that I couldn’t understand so I reluctantly throw it back into the sea. So much for my snack.....guess I have to have Strawberries and creama again. Did I tell you, its strawberry season? Well it is and I am liking it. On almost every corner somebody is selling frozen strawberries and creama, like a Popsicle in a cup....sooo good! Did I tell you these people are geniuses? I can’t seem to get enough creama. When I get home I might have to buy a cow and get my own creama and some roosters so that I can sleep, I’m not sure I can sleep without roosters crowing all night. Interestingly enough I have adapted to drinking instant coffee as well, real brewed coffee is hard to find unless you go to a expensive poshy coffee shop (which I did treat myself to once in awhile in the beginning) I never did find real coffee here on the Island but it didn’t really matter because the creama is so thick, rich and creamy it makes a cup of instant coffee taste like a $5 starbucks late. (No I’ve never had one...I’ve heard) You should see me on my roof under my mango tree in the morning with my coffee, I am so content and happy.....livin in bliss I tell ya. When I go to bed at night I’m already thinking of the coffee I’ll have in the morning. OH......another great thing I’ve discovered, Shrimp tamales....oh oh, finger lickin, nose drippin good! Wow! A wonderful discovery; makes me wonder what else is out there that I have just not stumbled on yet. There is more, I know there is. By the way, I’m eating my fruit now with chilli powder and salt....who knew? They are both a little different than the stuff we have at home. Al teases me all the time that I’ve become Mexican, maybe it’s a good thing I’m coming home soon....I’m one step away from wearing rhinestones on my fingernails and I’m getting curious about the deep fried pig guts that they’re selling on the streets. Really curious.
