Life in the jungle can be quiet at times. The question I was asked most frequently during our recent visit to Austin was “what is your day like?” This week the excitement entailed watching a rain storm (I am grateful, our plants were thirsty). Lisa washing the truck in preparation for its sale (thank you Lisa, it’s been hot here!) and a trip to Chetumal.
All shiny and clean, inside and out.
Yesterday the Laguna was flat with no breeze so I headed out in my little blue kayak. Thirty minutes later, I turned around to race a storm home. The sky to the north looked ominous. The wind picked up and I surfed homeward. What fun with the wind in my back. How quickly the weather can change on the Laguna.
On Wednesday we went to Chetumal, our nearest city and state capital. Halfway, there is a security checkpoint. We are near the border with Belize, so this is routine. We are used to being stopped in our big black pickup, but assumed it would be smooth sailing in Lolita. Not!
Our new little car.
The security guards are dressed in black, long sleeves, bullet proof vests, boots, the works, and standing in the sun on a blacktop highway. I don’t know how they don’t pass out. We were signaled to pull over and asked the usual, “where are you from?” We said that we live in Bacalar, but the officer persisted in wanting to know where we were from. We told him, Texas and for some reason he proceeded to tell us all about his 15 day vacation to Florida. His eyes were wide and animated as he talked of Miami, Key West, Ft. Lauderdale…his enthusiasm for our country was palpable!!
While this may have been an odd security checkpoint conversation for us, to him it appeared an opportunity to share his experience with someone who understood. It was sweet and comical. What a hoot. We laughed for miles.
DOS TORTAS
the adventures of dos tortas 
I have had similar things happen at checkpoints.
A friend of mine, years ago, was on a train somewhere in Peru. It was a time when we had one of our more crazed governors. A Peruvian woman asked where she was from and my friend told her Arizona. The other woman laughed and said, “With your governor, no wonder you’re down here!”
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It is surprising how the world knows our politics. Actually, it’s no longer surprising. The world keeps getting smaller. Our politicians stupider.
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Checkpoints are commonplace in Turkey. The local police are usually just looking out for dodgy cars (of which there are many) and those driving without insurance or a license. They tend to just wave foreigners through. It felt odd at first. We just don’t have this kind of thing in the UK.
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Especially to share vacation highlights!
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Fun story!
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Thanks for stopping by.
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