#5 Learning Culture and Some Great Food!!!

After finishing my blog writing on Monday mornings, my routine is to then drive to Banana Bay for lunch. Monday is their slowest day so it's perfect for me. Today it is only 19 degrees, cloudy with a good chance of rain. It is actually a nice break from the heat. 

Last Monday I had these wonderful crab cakes. I'm working my way through their menu. 

This is my island drink for this year. It is called an Arnold Palmer, guess he was the first to make it or something. I don't do history. It is half iced tea and half lemonade. Very delicious and I highly recommend you try it when the temperatures get back up there.......

I also had this bowl of conch chowder which resembled soup more than chowder. It was a tad too spicy and some of the conch was a tad too rubbery. Need I say that I probably won't order it again?

I spent most of Tues. and Wed. with these two. They came to my place as the knitting class was canceled until Jan. What a time we had!!! We got laughing so hard and for so long my neighbour upstairs actually came by. I can't remember a time when I laughed so much.

One of the topics of conversation was local vocabulary. I learnt all of the names of sexual body parts. Mistresses are called sweethearts.

Mixed breed dogs are called potcakes. Interestingly I was ready a book of short stories from Grand Bahama and Abaco at the same time and it talked about potcakes too. Stray dogs eat the peas and rice stuck to the bottom of pots that are cleaned out outside and that is how they got their name.

We discussed abortion. It is illegal here but the morning after pill is available at all pharmacies. Go figure that one out. I find logic often missing here in this occasional time warp. Spousal abuse was another hot topic. Women not leaving as they simply don't have anywhere to go and no money to get there. 

Each island has its own culture to the point were those on Cat Island consider themselves Catalonians not Bahamians. 

It would have been a pretty quiet lonely week without these two women and I thank them for their company. The one on the left spent two and a half years in Sudbury and is planning on returning soon. She is quite the crocheter and has a business making made to order items. 

I phoned in an order to Mario's pizza for lunch and it said it would be ready in 20-25 minutes. We sat here for probably close to 45 minutes waiting. This is the Bahamas. During that time a very tall Bahamian man came in who knew one of my women friends and I discovered that he worked for Suncor in Alberta and they paid him full salary for the winter months and the wise man comes home for that time. He walked out with an armful of pizza boxes and when I complained that we still hadn't gotten ours his response was, "Well, if you were white like I am not black like you are, you would have your pizza!" which of course brought on roars of laughter. I prefer racism when it is right in my face and there is racism here galore. Whether you are white or black, there is racism.

As I walked into Solomon's my local grocery store I spied this table of poinsettias and thought, "Oh, yes. I would love a few of these!!!" Then I got up close to see the price. Are you serious??? That's $59.29 Canadian. None for me thanks....I'm going back today for some provisions and wondering if I will still see the table full or .......

My Island rhythm is generally to stay home one day and venture out the next. Trying to decide where to go last Friday, I suddenly realized that although Port Lucaya was right around the corner, I'd never wandered around so off I went.

Oooow, interesting. I didn't purchase here but found a popcorn store later that actually had chocolate popcorn so that was a must!!

Back in the day before Dorian, six years ago, this place was full of people at all hours of the day. Now, as you can see, it is pretty quiet. There are a number of fine jewelry stores and when you walk in you feel like prey ready to be devoured. Everyone is super friendly and wanting you to try things on and buy, buy, buy. 

The pale painted buildings are very Bahamian looking. Quiet, peaceful and laid back.

Now that is a beauty!!!

There are numerous open air bars. I need a chauffeur so I can try some local drinks!!! When driving you need more than two eyes. I'm getting more relaxed but it is a tough place to drive as I've mentioned before.

It is certainly sad to see so many closed establishments....

I'm also getting more comfortable eating in restaurants alone. I stopped in at Agave where I've eaten on other trips for lunch and decided on this seafood pasta. It was excellent. Enough for anther supper as well.

I was the only patron. Not a good sign. I mentioned it to my server who eventually sat and talked to me for a long time. He thinks Celebration Key is taking life and business out of Port Lucaya and Freeport. He is finding it very difficult to hire staff as 1200 locals are working at minimum wage at the new facility. Again, one of my big problems with Celebration Key is that local people are not allowed in just like they couldn't go into the casino to play when it was open here. By the same token, I can't go into the local gambling shops and play slots. I'm white and a tourist. It is everywhere and I'm just going with the flow and taking notes......lol.

I had to add this pic to show you that not everything is lovely here. This laundry room that I use is spooky. I have closets bigger than this!!!Yikes!!!

 And this gorgeous bush is right outside of the laundry room. Ugly beside beauty. Life.

Which cleverly brings me to my latest puzzle, The Tree of Life. I was going to take this one to Mexico but alas...I've done it now so if you are coming to visit pls be sure to bring me a 500 piece puzzle!!!

Jerrisma has gone to Vegas for 10 days and I miss her so much. She drops in or calls every day. Sure hope she is having a great time. She was so concerned that it was going to be too cold there....... Now that is funny!!!

On Wednesday my life will change. I've been here for a month on my own and on Wed. Tehya and Ray arrive. I'm going to take a trial run to the airport this morning to make sure I can get in and get out without driving over the spiked strips that rip your tires apart. It will be so different with others here. The fridge will finally have food in it. I must take a pic of how it has looked for the last month. I still haven't cooked except for two lobster tails each boiled for 5 minutes. I still don't feel like I want to jump right into this really well stocked galley kitchen and cook up a storm. We will see...

Thanks for encouraging me and reading my blurps. Have a good week. Share the blog. Have fun. Relax and enjoy!!!

Blessings....