Is this a typical Saturday?

Yesterday marked two weeks since we've been in Cabarete.  When we first arrived Matt was wondering "what are we going to do here for five months?".  I'm a beach bum at heart so I saw no problem whatsoever.  But this did cause a little bit of "discussion" between us.  I was telling him to let go of his expectations and just enjoy.  He was asking me how much we would loose if we cut our stay short.  Well....I think it's safe to say he's past this.

Saturday morning we started out by walking about 20 minutes to the Saturday market.  It's a lot like a swap and shop.  Some Dominicans go there, but mainly expats.  We met up with our Canadian friends David, Louise and Robin.  Everyone had told us the cinnamon buns were very nice so Matt and I both bought a bun and coffee and we all sat at a big table that would hold about 12-15 people.  Before long Pat came along with his little dog Oreo and joined us.  And then Lynn came in her motor scooter.   Everyone of these people is a true individual but I have a feeling that Lynn's story is the most amazing....although she would hate for me to say that.  She's a Brit, probably in her early 60s.  From what I understand she has spent most of her life volunteering, mainly in Africa and the DR.  When she was ready to retire she went back to the UK, but found she couldn't afford to live comfortably there.....so back to the DR.  Now she has a nice little home somewhere near us although I haven't seen it.  With all the rain, the roads to the house have been flooded so to get out she hikes through a cow pasture, wades through 6" of water part of the time, crawls through a couple of barbed wire fences and eventually can make it to the main road to catch a gaugua.  Saturday was a celebration for her because the water on the road went down enough for her to take her motor scooter out.  As isolated as she lives,  Lynn still seems to know everyone!  So at the beginning we knew about six people at the table, but after Lynn came we knew almost everyone.  The highlight of the market is the Getrman woman's baking.  She was a little late arriving and came in carrying in about 8 beautiful cakes and several loafs of bread.  Immediately there was a crowd at her table.  We didn't buy a slice of cake because we'd already had a cinnamon bun, but Pat shared some of his cake with me.  It was beautiful, but actually tasted better than it looked - if that was possible.  Sad news around her is that the German woman is leaving to go spend Christmas at home so we'll have five weeks before we see her at the market again.

After the market we caught the gaugau to Sosua Beach with Louise, David and Robin.  Later another couple joined us....they were brave as they drove their motor scooter.  It was an incredible day.  The beach was gorgeous and uncrowded.  There is a reef in the center of the bay for snorkeling.  We rented chairs and an umbrella and settled in.  The vendors were a bit of a pest, but not bad.  When we'd visited Sosua before I saw vendors selling conch salad from a big tupperware bowl.  I had thought to myself that all those folks buying it had to be crazy.  Well the report from all the Canadians is that it's quite safe and very good  So that was my lunch....a cup of conch salad and a nice big beer!  It was different than the conch salad I'd had in the Bahamas, but very tasty  And I survived to tell the story.  At four o'clock it was time to leave the beach and head to happy hour.  After a couple of mojitos and some fish fingers and fries (which was the daily happy hour special) it was time to catch the gaugau back to Cabarete so we could be home before dark.

When we got back to the condo, exhausted after this big day, we started logging in our expenses for the day.  Keeping track of our spending is something we've vowed to do so we have a clear idea that we're not outspending our pension check (if it ever comes!).  Will this day had cost us about $30 - amazing!

And every day there seems to be a new plan in the works.  Louise is organizing a bonfire at LaBoca, Matt wants to take a bus to Santo Domingo and spend a couple of nights (if we can find a sitter for Herman), I would like to rent a car and drive to Las Terrenas for a weekend.  I've also heard that it's beautiful up in the mountains and that you can get a group together and hire a driver for about $10 a person to take you up the mountain for a little tour and then have dinner at a great restaurant looking down on the valley.  And we're planning a progressive dinner party to celebrate Christmas.

Sorry there are no pics of this great day.  Matt was a little concerned that it might not be a great idea to carry along anything valuable.  Next time we'll bring the camera for sure!

After a couple of busy days we're looking forward to spending a quiet Sunday chilling at our condo.  Maybe a little beach time and then watching football.  But then as soon as I write that, I remember that Sunday is supposedly a great day at LaBoca as a lot of Dominicans make it their party day.  Oh....and we met someone at the market who sings at VoyVoy! on Sunday starting at 5:00 and that it's always a good time......  So we'll see what this day brings.