Sunday walk about. Big plans. At last I’ve managed to remember my camera. Got up quite early, especially as I had had an evening out with a few of the guys from work. The plan we had made earlier in the week was to meet up Sunday morning outside our apartment block at 11.00, go for a walk, big lunch followed shopping. That’s three men, Peter, Steven and myself out on the town for the day. But a shopping trip all sounds a bit feminine does it not? Don’t be fooled, we have an excuse. We’ve each got individual self contained apartments but no cook, so need to fend for ourselves. Tough life. However all is not lost. The supermarkets are full of a good variety of food stuffs as are the local veggie markets.
Well 11.00 arrived as did the rain. It had starting round 07.00 with loud thunder and lightning and rained ever since. It was bad enough for me to ring Peter to confirm if we were still going out. It was not torrential or so heavy but enough to make walking wet, and very unpleasant. The sidewalks are rough and lumpy at the best of time and rain only adds to the mess and hides the pot holes, making it a bit dangerous…. . The local soil is a predominantly light loamy dusty stuff which in the dry is plain dusty and slimy in the wet. In other words horrible. You either cough in the dry or slide in the wet. There are very strict rules about littering, basically you don’t do it. Not even throwing away cigarette butts, but of course the rain make puddles and the puddles got thousand and thousand of fag ends to float around the sidewalks. I’m told there are some major fines to be had if you are caught. I hate smoking anyway but this just reinforced how messy the whole habit is.
Anyway it was Sunday and no work so we decided we needed to get out. No walking, but took a taxi to a local market. Had a wonder around, first supermarket complex was still in process of opening and looked sad and bedraggled with the rain and puddles outside. Inside the atrium was leaking as well. Not a good start to our day. On we went to another place. I actually had no idea where I was, going from shop to shop, market to market, just continued to follow Peter and Steven. Both seemed completely at home wondering round shops and supermarkets and the veggie market. I took a few pictures and at the veggie market the ladies selling insisted on being in my photo. Great, got big smiles but they asked for a copy. Even offered to give me some money for them. Needless to say I took the money and ran…. No, only joking, I’ve got to go back next week with a couple of prints. Earn some brownie points for that.
So good morning with a long walk, even though earlier we had all complained about the rain. All this took us to the front of a lovely pizza house. Needless to say good food topped off with a cold beer.
I’ve added a few photos of the place. Not the best shots but it gives you some idea of how it all looks. Rain and damp areas do not help when taking pictures. One very interesting thing. I’ve marked up one photo which shows a yellow pipe going from one block to flats to another. That’s is the communal gas line. I was also informed that hot water is delivered t each flat also by pipe line. Very old fashioned idea. Never seen it before.
Now while all this was going on, walking, running round taking photos etc I had been in phone contact with a guy called Mark Taylor. So back tracking a bit. Prior to coming out here I had been doing Internet research on the place and found his blog. From that I got in contact by email and asked about the place etc. Mark was really helpful. So while keeping in touch we arranged to meet up. So happened he was just back in town and we got together for a couple of hours in the afternoon. All in all a good day out.....
Photos below enjoy......
Mark and Sandra Thanks for a great afternoon.
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