Sunday, December 7th, 2014

Today is the 73^rd anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor.

Teresa wanted me to wear a long-sleeved shirt to Medellin, which I did, but we also brought along a short-sleeved shirt just in case I might want to change into something a little cooler.

Teresa, Laura and I left the finca about 10:30 and took an express bus to Estrella which is the southernmost point on the metro line.  We took the metro to Parque Berrio then walked across the street to a large church.  We got there at 11:40 and attended mass from noon to 12:30.

Teresa wanted to have lunch at Frisby but I wasn’t confident we could find one because so many stores and restaurants are closed on Sunday.  I saw the Colter tower so I knew I could find the mall with the basement food court and I hoped they would have a Frisby. On a table selling movie DVDs I noticed Interstellar, still in theaters, is one of the offerings.  On the way Teresa asked several people and 1 block down a side street we found one.  I had the Frisnack, Teresa had Combo #1, and Laura had a Friburrito for a total of 41,300.

We took a bus from across the street and it took us all the way to Parque Ajedrez in Santa Monica barrio where her painting teacher lives.  We were joined there by her sister Vicky, her daughter Daniela, her 23 year old daughter Laura and her 9 year old son.  Daniela drove us to Los Mejores where I took out a little cash and we did some window shopping.  First we stopped at McDonald’s and Vicky brought out a small plastic bag with a bunch of bottle tops inside that were 2 for 1 McFlurries.  I paid for 3 of them and we got 6.

In Bon Bonite Teresa found a pair of shoes that I didn’t care for but she really liked so I bought them for her for 184,900 for her Christmas present.  In Tennis Laura found a cute pair of boots that I said would look good on her in jeans so I bought them for her for her Christmas present for 189,900.

Teresa finally convinced me that we should stay overnight at Vicky’s so we stopped in Exito where we bought milk, granola and a bottle of Rum for 50mil.

On the way back Daniela took us for a ride down a couple side streets near the park whose houses were decorated with lots of lights for Christmas.  

Teresa, Daniela and I walked a block away to a small store that had a grill outside.  Teresa and I shared a couple sausages and then a chicken shish-kebab.  Vicky and Laura joined us a little later and also had some of the street food.  I paid about 18mil for everything.

We went back to the house and the adults and kids started putting lit candles on pieces of cardboard next to the sidewalk.  A little later adults started putting together little cardboard boxes to put the candles in.  

They had a large speaker inside that facing the front door that had what looked like a cell phone attached.  A while later they took the speaker outside and connected it to a laptop.  It seems like they turn it up loud so their music can be heard over the neighbor’s loud music.

At 10:45 they put up a couple sawhorses with a long piece of plywood on it for a work table.  Then they lit a grill and fanned the flames for sometime to get it down to coals.

In the park across the street I saw what looked like a large barrel with a fire under it and fire in it.  At one point there was a large flash of fire that reached the height of the trees.  I was afraid someone got burned but I didn’t see any activity to suggest that.  It happened twice more during the night.

Everyone was helping with the cooking, or talking, or dancing or drinking or putting up the lighted lanterns.

I saw someone point up in the sky and I looked up and saw what looked like a small fire with 6 tiny lights slowly revolving around it.  I watched it for some time until it must have been thousands of feet into the air.  There was a full moon and it seemed like it was heading right for it.

Teresa was dancing with a few people (men and women) and I learned that not only does she love to dance but she has appeared in shows and one of the guys she most enjoyed dancing with is a dance teacher.

A little old hunchbacked lady got me up and gave me a dance lesson but because I don’t understand much Spanish, a few times I didn’t know if I was supposed to be moving opposite her or in the same direction.

At midnight we were each served a little plate of food.  My plate included some type of sausage.  Later I was offered some chicken but I declined.

Teresa had been drinking rum and water and occasionally encouraging me to take a sip.  

By 1am I was tired and ready to leave.  Teresa seemed to be drunk but still was able to dance.  I suggested we go and she agreed.  It took another hour to get Teresa, Vicky, Laura, and Daniela all free (not dancing) together at the same time so we could leave.  In fact, Laura and Vicky didn’t come with us.  My best guess is she stayed overnight there and came over to Vicky’s house in the morning.

Vicky has a first floor apartment in a gated community.  We went to bed as soon as we got there and were soon asleep.

T-shirt of the day: Dress your bad feelings.