Our Man in Antigua

Antigua has a golden hour or so, first thing in the morning but…you’ve got to be in the avenidas by 6am, when the streets are clean and the air is fresh. There’s a few walkers and the school girls in their plaid skirts are going where ever it is they go and the muni crew in their green t-shirts are marching with their palm fronds to sweep the central park. If its rained in the night(and it has)there’s a few puddles here and there. The bouganvillea in its intense red/purple hues is almost incandescent, hanging over a wall here, a wall there. By seven am, it all changes: the chicken buses growl, the tuk-tuks snarl and the cars arrive.and arrive…and arrive…the air isn’t so sweet any more..Bodegonas’ open and the delivery trucks do their deliveries..the newspaper vendors look for biz and there’s only two shoe shine folks in the park(so far)..the old guy in the straw hat and one of his younger competitors. Pollo Compero has a line of cars outside, people inside getting their daily ration of salt, fat and carbs, with a little caffeine thrown in. Another day has begun, whether you like it or not. 

Victoria’s Secret has a new WonderBra…called the ‘Rawhide’ model….’rounds ’em up and moves ’em out’…yes, a very obscure reference to Clint Eastwood’s TV climb to fame…as far as Antigua goes, September wasn’t exactly a banner month for biz…if anyone broke even, count yourself lucky and October seems doubtful…hey! Oktoberfest!  bring on the Bud Girls, the Brahva Babes, the Gallo Chicas…dress ’em up in lederhosen(only)and roll out the barrel…

i’m starting to think(so to speak)that i may have a slight case of SAD…seasonal affective disorder per the lack of sun light..the days of gray, doom and gloom are getting to me. LM of DaVinci says he saw the sun today..i didn’t..but i did get to see the lovely Ms C and smooch her hand(twice)hey, i’ll take what i can get..

I’m liking Peter the G’s/El Caminantes approach to entertainment…Feast of the Flesh? yeah…T&A always works…always..speaking of that, ‘walked by Ricardo’s Tabacos y Vinos earlier and noticed an outstanding new addition to his crew…’outstanding’ in every sense of the word..the painters on 5th…the guys doing the watercolors? recently expanding beyond the usual Volcan Agua/Arch stuff and doing some spectacular country scenes…i’d buy one or two but…if you buy from one guy, then you’re stuck unless you also buy from the other guy..

didn’t get the sense from the street vendors that this weekends visitation of cruise ship tourists was a success, but then..no one’s doing a lot of biz…Almacen Broccoli/Troccoli doing better tonight than anyone else..Como Como closed..por que? everyone else doing a deuce here,there..(two to a table)lookin’ like October/Novembers gonna be crunch time for a lotta joints and I don’t mean Captain Crunch…ads being stopped, rents not being paid, lotta places for sale(as if)…hmm..how ’bout a Maximon festival here?  smokin’ and drinkin’…create a look-a-like contest, bring on the Bud Babes…

the sweet smell of a fire tonight, coming out of the Cloisters…felt like winter,somewhere else..the grandmother who does the most excellent empanadas ever…on 4th, out of her street side window..as good as Epicure’s croissants, crust-wise…Ixchel Spanish School opened on 4th norte this weekend..wtf? this end of town is so dead that even the homes offering space to ‘pensionistas’ can’t fill ’em..I’d say that their business is dying but..being a pensionista myself, i won’t go there..