Thursday, March 8, 2018

Happy International Women’s Day!

Again I woke up with tired eyes and a slight headache but after taking half an Excedrin Migraine I was feeling fine again.

I traded emails with Jose Cruz (my Cuban chess player friend from Miami) and he told me about an Environmental Crisis that was declared in Medellin.  I understand due to air contamination officials are recommending people stay inside or wear face masks if they go out.

I invited Jose to come to Envigado to play chess since we’re at a slightly higher elevation.  He agreed and told me he’s leaving his apartment now.

I walked to the park and waited an appropriate amount of time and then walked across the street to the bus stop.

Jose called and told me he missed the Envigado stop on the metro so he would be a little later than expected.  I walked over by city hall and sat down on a bench.  About 20 minutes later I walked back to the bus stop.  Jose called again and told me he’s in the park.  I asked how he got passed me and he said the driver never announced this was Parque Envigado so he got off a few blocks further away and had to walk back.

We played 2 games in the park – he won the first and I won the second.  By that time the shade we had been sitting under had changed to sun.

We walked across the street to Carbon de Leña where I had a Caesar salad minus the ham and Jose had the pork.  Including my mango juice and the tip my lunch came to 20mil.

I told Jose I had seen a billiard parlor where men play chess in the back.  We found it only a block away and there were lots of boards and seats available.  Jose talked to the “host?” “waitress?” and found out that they charge 800 pesos per hour to play.  That’s what, 30 cents?  I think we can afford that.  We played two more games and I won them both.  By the time we left at 4pm it had cost 3,100 pesos including Jose’s coffee and the place was packed with chess players.

Outside Jose caught a taxi back to his apartment and I walked a couple blocks away to the florist.  I didn’t see many desirable flowers left and there was a line of about 6 people ahead of me.  At on point I saw some guy leave with a beautiful boquet for 70mil.  Thirty minutes later when it was my turn I told the lady I wanted a similar one but I only had 68mil on me.  She said don’t worry and she made a similar bouquet for me.

When I got back to the apt MT was visiting and I gave Teresa her flowers and she was very happy.

Just before going to bed I asked her if she wanted to put the flowers in water but she said the arrangement is so pretty she doesn’t want to touch it.  She said she’ll sprinkle some water on them.

T-shirt of the day: El Gringo.