Rain, Rain Go Away...
Trip Start
Aug 09, 2009
1
93
108
Trip End
Oct 23, 2009
Paramaribo, Suriname
Sunday, January 17, 2010
A tropical deluge has just exploded water all over the city today but that is ok. For one it keeps some of the mosquitos away that my Good Knight mosquito cream can't seem to repel. And being a lazy Sunday afternoon, nothing is open. So it's not like there is a whole plethora of stuff I am missing anyway so relaxing it is.
Eating is a problem, too on Sunday here. The only joint open is that ubiquitous shrine to all that is wrong with America...McDonald's. I will just confess my sins here...I broke down and actually ordered a Big Mac combo meal. As much as I hate to admit it, the meal wasn't all that bad. Totally not my kind of food but in a pinch it did ok and hit the spot. Having eaten all that grease I now know exactly why we are so supersized back home. I am so glad my system is not used to this type of food that is more a gut bomb than anything else and that keeps me from eating it regularly.
While lounging around at the guesthouse with all that McDonald's weighing me down, three dudes from Slovakia amused me royally this morning with their questions about Guyana. Since Guyana was next on their agenda they wanted to know how safe it is. Being honest, I told them that Georgetown is not safe, especially after dark and that they need to be extra careful. They scoffed at my advice and told me they are used to the gypsies back home. Trying to explain to them that street violence is a whole different ball of wax than gypsies pickpocketing tourists was like hitting a brick wall.
They then volunteered that their first time in America via a stop in Miami was in the works later on in the trip, and I told them to be careful there as well when they told me they want to see "the hood." They then went on to explain that I am hypersensitive to crime and that they "know the situation in America and Guyana." I don't know...maybe it is because I live in the US and know how dangerous places can be, especially for foreigners. Look, I realize they grew up in a communist coccoon and now live in a socialist welfare state that insulates them from the realitie of the world. I am just trying to keep it real and keep them safe.
As for this weather today...I could sit outside on this veranda all day enjoying it. When the rain stops a nice breeze picks up and since the sun is hidden, the temps stay pleasant enough. Though I am not drenced in sweat for once, I still am slathered from head to toe with my Good Knight mosquito cream. God how that crap burns when I put it on. Is is supposed to do that? Mosquito cream aside, how nice this day is just to sit and veg in a balmy breeze with not a care in the world other than if this McDonalds inside me is going to play nice or not.
