Our Man in Antigua

a punch-out in the park by the fountain this morning….a guide slugged a photographer(a negative attitude?)…ambulances roared up, PNC descended and a crowd formed…the cops took four or five different versions, compared notes and left…the photographer, with cotton stuffed up his nose left in a huff(not the ambulance) and the Andean band cranked up…ah, Fridays in the Park, eh?

the constant hassle with which version and which revision of the ‘Our Man in Antigua’ little travel guide has been put to rest, thanks to the advice of Sophos Books in the City…no more ‘First or Second Edition’ stuff..revising it/printing it will be easier henceforth…just the date of the revision inside: hey, cut me some slack…I’ve never done this before. I’m winging it, ok?

http://www.amazon.com/Our-Man-In-Antigua-Edition/dp/1468122940

the local food/beverage folks aren’t happy with the May numbers…folks who were regulars left, it’s an off month for tourism and so on and so forth…maybe June and the outa school crowds will add some shekels to the cash box but then they’re mostly back-packers on a limited budge…and the onslaught of the seasonal rains isn’t exactly helping. I was asked why i hadn’t been seen at my usual watering hole this week…the rains, dude…they hit about 4pm and don’t stop til 7 or 8…perfect timing for the Happy Hour, right? let’s see..i can go to town in the rain, get soaked, get high on a couple of drinks and then get wet coming home?  or I can sit on the covered/dry patio and watch the rain, listen to some opera and keep my tootsies dry? maybe if the drinks were free and the barmaids topless…or vice versa.

Again, more kudos to James Durham aka Bull for his superb source for pork products from Tecpan…the ribs are defrosting, the dogs are hovering and the barbie is prepped for later…the barbecue…you know, the recycled auto wheel on legs..I actually knew a “Barbie” in Vegas…and a sweet lady…yep, there’s photos somewhere..send a self-addressed stamped envelope..if I’m out later there may be other stuff…don’t count on it.

Late night ketchup…odd how some eateries that have been ‘hot’ are now cold…Cafe Bourbon empty and it used to be packed when Piano Mike and Moriah were playing there…Sobremesa empty, Fusion jammed..party of 10 or 12..big smile on Alex’ face…El Caz Italiano ground zero, as usual, for the shiny SUV/security guard crowd…’been hearing good things about the Sunshine Grill on 6th Avenida norte, corner of the alley Los Nazarenos…great breakfasts and i’ve seen them hand-tossing the pizza dough…tis been said that it’s better to eat the pizza there than wait for home delivery.. and yes another bar on 4th calle, between 5th and 6th…middle of the block…Central Pub or Pub Central…big on Budweiser…how many more bars/pubs/can this place hold/stand/put up with? Tacodiscontento empty, as usual…Las Cebollinas the same but both have deep pockets, as with Polio Compero. The economics of this place never fail to amaze me, the sheer number of restaurants/bars…Nadoosh, on 6th ave norte? outside wall painted over and no sign that they were ever there(smart move..get out)that block is a dead zone…Kafka gone, Da Vinci gone..Dakiri or whatever looking equally dead..funny how things shift..the owners/landlords smile and take the long view..vacant? so? make me an offer..