Saturday, November 30th, 2013

Last night I went to bed at 11pm and didn‘t get to sleep until well after 3am.  It seems obvious to me the Excedrin Migraine not only didn’t help but may have even hindered my getting to sleep.  The very intermittent fire crackers didn’t help either.  The last time I heard them and checked my watch was at 2:15am.  I finally got up at 8:30am.  Tonight is supposed to be the night that there is fireworks all night and no chance to get to sleep.

I walked over to Salsamentaría Bolivar but they didn’t have any small bags of milk for my cereal so now it’s time for plan B.

I found Bob at the corner store and I asked him when he could show me where the woman is that washes clothes.  First he informed me she didn’t wash his clothes, only ironed them, and he wasn’t impressed with the results.  He also told me it was Gonzolo at the Tinto store and the overweight whistle guy who helped him get his clothes to her.  

I had a hankerin for a sugar donut to go with my coffee so I walked down to a small bakery across the street from Hotel Golden Palermo where I found a sugar donut even bigger and tastier than the ones at Paisa Pan.  The price was 2mil, just 300 pesos more than Paisa Pan, for the coffee & donut.

About 1pm I found Jhon in his office and he told me he didn’t see Damaris this morning but he saw the other lady.  He told me earlier in the week Damaris asked about why I haven’t been back to the bakery and he said he didn’t know but he did tell her that my being able to talk to her via the iPad translator is important to me and she has to take it seriously.  And of course he gave me some more advice on how to deal with her. 

On my way through Viva Mall I noticed the popcorn stand that used to be on the landing between levels is no longer there.

I stopped at ML and they were setting up a few small tents outside and what looks like a long buffet table inside.  I stopped at SanJote and confirmed that yesterday Gloria ordered the Solomito, Bien (well done!?).

After about an hour I continued on to Avenida Nutibara where I walked about 4 blocks down from Sport Wings where I found Waffleria. I stepped into the little place, didn’t see any menu and none of the 3 couples there were eating anything resembling waffles so I figured I struck out and I left.

I went back to Wing Zone and had one of the best burgers I’ve had in Medellin.  It came with only 9 French fries but they were large and crispy on the outside and sufficiently filling.  I used a 13,900 coupon I had been given previously and with an extra Coke it cost me 17,500 plus a 2mil tip I left for a total of $10.26.  (I’m beginning to see a pattern here; Cokes cost 3mil each even if they are from the fountain.)

On my way through the park on the other side of Avenida 80 I saw they have Carrera 81A closed off to vehicle traffic with a couple of small tents set up, a small sound stage, and a couple of whatever you call tents with no sides (more than tarps).

I stopped at Fresco Pan for a cup of coffee.  By now it had been raining for a good part of the day so it was definitely cool outside now.  When I stepped inside the bakery the heat hit me.  I told the girl working there that in one step you go from cold to hot and she came out and tried it herself and agreed with me.  Later I asked her what her name is and it’s Andrea.  There was obviously a wedding going to be starting at the church shortly.

On my way back to my apartment a lady in a car asked me something and after my usual “I don’t speak Spanish” I understood she needed help backing out of her parking spot so I told her how far she could back her car up before pulling out.  Not 2 minutes later a car stopped in the street just short of the “tents” and a guy stuck his head out the window and asked me something.  After my usual “I don’t speak Spanish” I noticed the guy getting out was in a suit and a woman was in a dress so I asked them if they want the church?  He said yes so I told him “sigue derecho” (straight ahead) and “dobla derecha” (turn right), he thanked me and I continued on my way back to my apartment.

At 5pm it finally stopped raining.

At 5:30 the intermittent firecrackers started.

About 7:30 I went down to the fiesta and they eventually had live music.  I watched a futbol game, bought a bag of potato chips and had 3 Cokes.  I met a nice lady Olga, about 50 years old that lived in New York for 17 years.  I visited with Bob and later Pablo showed up.  Bob told me he had Thanksgiving dinner today at EAFIT with his friend David.  He said he met 8 female English teachers.  2 were married, 2 were gay and the others were single.  He gets all the luck!  He told me most of the English teachers don’t even speak Spanish (one is even Korean).  They use total immersion – not speaking any Spanish in class.  I think I’ll try that for a month; I won’t take any notes I’ll just try to go through as many lessons as possible and try to absorb all I can.

I can hear firecrackers all around me; I wonder how long that’s going to go on.