Oasis Log: Rio Dulce, Guatemala '07
So far, there haven't been very many emails because there wasn't anything interesting or exciting to report. We have been doing mainly the same mundane things you do at home, where ever you call home. Be it Texas, California, East coast or Canada. Only we've been doing it in a 3rd world Paradise! The only traffic signals with-in 200 kilometers of here only flash red and most drivers we've been with don't observe them anyway!
We do our local shopping in Frontera, about a 15 min. dinghy ride from our marina. It has only a 2 lane road through it that is shared by 18 wheelers, cattle and lumber trucks, and us shoppers! Since the locals have built stalls on what might be called the sidewalk and there is no provision for parking, you might imagine the congestion when a couple cars park to shop and all the major traffic is trying to get by around them and pedestrians! It is quite a mess and gives us seniors a bit of exercise running back and forth across the street!
But, starting with our river home. We live at Mario's Marina (www.mariosmarina.com) and get most of our local news through a highly flawed source at Rio Dulce Chisme.com – Home. Here is a video of our Halloween Party:
Also you can check out a fellow cruisers blog site for some of the controversies that can occur when a micro population of both North & South Americans(including Canadians) and Europeans even some friends from Africa all try to live together on a 4 mile stretch of river!
You might think that there's not much to do except sit around on a small boat and look at each other. Not so! First thing every morning(except Sun.) at 7:30 is the Rio Dulce cruisers net on VHF channel 69. this is where such important issues as the restaurant specials at the various marinas are announced, you may announce your coming and goings also if there are folks willing to carry flat stamped mail to the states or Canada or even Europe. Also discussed are any security issues, you should hear the 'flap' over how high an anchor light has to be, and don't even go near the subject of requiring life jackets in dinghies! By 'nets' end, it's time for breakfast. Then the rest of the day........
Starting with Saturdays, There's the cruisers Swap meet in the morning where all kinds of stuff appears out of peoples bilges and bodegas (that's a storage shed or room) gets displayed and sold or traded. We even have local artisans bringing clothing and jewelry. A launcha from "Casa Guatemala" (pork,chicken,cheese, and eggs) a lady selling the must delicious 'coco bread' a dried nut peddler and once in a while a shrimp peddler round out the affair. This is usually followed by a very good piece of Mario's pizza and then off we go to town as Sat. is also restocking day in Frontera. So the best selection of fruits and veggies is available.
Sunday there is football(or rugby or soccer)on the TV in the palapa by the pool. The Cayuga club, which is the name of the restaurant at Mario's has Mahjong, Bridge,Domino's, and Poker depending on who and how many folks you can put together. Their is also a TV there which is for non-sports types and usually has a movie playing.
Monday is the day Jeanie has her Bridge lessons and since the restaurant is closed, the cruisers have a pot-luck which is open to anyone on the river. These cocineras (cooks) really pull out the stops and with two or three tables piled high with food, nobody ever goes away hungry!
We have been taking lessons in Espanol on Wednesdays and Fridays now for about eight weeks and have learned a lot. In two or three years, we might even be able to carry on a conversation with a 'local'? We keep telling ourselves that because we're older, it's harder to learn, but also, the Guatemalans seem to speak a lot faster than what we were used to while in Mexico in '86.
As you might be aware of by now, there is a lot going on here to keep us busy. I've barely scratched the surface. Throw in a couple boat maintenance issues and a week can get pretty filled up. And while I'm on the subject of projects, our time here has been well spent. The projects that were put on hold when we left Texas have been mostly resolved with the generator being the only untested one left. But as Captain Ron says, "If it's going to happen, it's going to happen out there!" and we're planning to head for the Bay Islands, primarily Roatan, Honduras.
Mario's Marina is doing to a huge Thanks Giving spread on Thursday. These gals are working on only two of the five turkeys that were cooked in a huge fire pit and were delicious!
Then Friday we plan to pull the dock cord. Our current thoughts are, weather permitting is to cross the Livingston Bank Saturday at the7:00 PM high tide our 1st leg will be a 3 hour run to Tres Puntas and from there to either Belize(for passport renewal)first or start harbour hopping Eastward along the Honduran coast. We figure to take a look at the weather first thing in the morning and if its favorable, we'll hop to the next bay and then the next, ending up in La Ceiba and a short jump to Roatan. We try to avoid doing overnighters
