Sam's Letter Misfortune Bad Bajans! History and Transportation Housing Fauna Submarine Trip Croton Inn Not-so-good Tour Good Tour		Butter a Little Firm My butter hardened around the edges again a bit Sunday. I had decided to take the National Transportation System Sunday tour. A different tour on the first, second etc. Sunday of the month, $15 BDS, be at Independence Square (in downtown Bridgetown) at 2:00 pm. Carol, the rat, could have clued me in, but she just wished me bon voyage and settled down for the day with one of my mystery novels. I left early, just after 11:30 and of course the bus was right on time and it took no time at all to get into town. That's because it was Sunday and no businesses were open (except in the tourist secion, St. Lawrence Gap). This bus took me to the street just behind the east side bus station, as close as it ever gets I think. An aside or two. I'm thinking now that the Fairchild station on the east side is for national busses, the blue busses. And the Cheapside station on the west side is for the yellow busses. And the white van taxi-busses have a vacant lot here and there. You know it takes a while to learn what's what in a new county, so, of course, what I'm telling you is always my best guess and opinion at the moment. End of disclaimer. The driver told me just to walk around the end of this grubby-looking market area and I would be at the station where I needed to buy my ticket. The curb is high, my dress was narrower than I thought and I went splat right on my behind, in my sister's linen dress and next to a large muddy puddle, which soaked my wonderful Puerta Vallarta bag and everything in it. Sigh. Got picked up by a strong Bajan, didn't disturb at all the eight or so guys sleeping off Saturday night on a few bus benches. Ah, well. Into the bus station for a little clean-up. Like bus stations in most poorer countries, this one had no toilet paper, no paper towels and no soap. Perhaps this is a way to judge a country's development. Are the number of folks way down on the economic strata few enough that the bus companies can afford to keep them in toilet paper? Well, it's a little akward as a thesis, but with some work I bet I could get a grant. Even with all this, after buying my ticket, it was still only 12:15 when I arrived at the pick-up point. A nearby taxi driver said to go stand by the post and the bus will be along "very soon." "Well, I'm on to that game," I thought, "I have 2-1/2 hours to wander down to the waterfront, take some pictures around downtown, get a cold drink, etc." But with everything closed, there wasn't much to see, and no cold drinks to be bought, so half an hour later I was back. And right away a tour bus pulled up. "Is this the 2:00 tour to Foul Bay?" "Oh, yes, just get on." And so I did. Along with about 20 older Bajan women and one youngish man, whom they called Urkel (!) who seemed to be the darling of all. It quickly became clear that this was a regular social occasion, these Sunday tours. Many were in Sunday finery, almost everyone had snacks and drinks, even little bottles of wine. And there was much raucous joking around which I understood very little of because it was all in the West Indian dialect which most Bajans appear to prefer. After a while the Sno-Cone man came by and we all bought Sno-Cones. Then about 1:30 the families started arriving. Mom, grandmas, all children from about 15 on down, and a spare auntie or two. Dad didn't come, he went home to listen to the cricket game and drink beer in peace and quiet. Here and there a couple or two couples having an outing together arrived. By the time we were finished loading up, there were seven full busses of sightseers. And here's how it works. The bus drives VERY FAST to the first site, which is a park on a bay on the south coast. The driver says 20 minutes. About half the people jump out, grab a table or spread a tarp and start handing out sandwiches or chicken, open the chips, open the Sprite, munch, munch, munch. Another quarter of the people run down to a row of bushes and start picking plums. I sit on the bus with the other LOLs. The driver honks the horn, everyone scampers back and tries to find the correct bus and correct seat and correct children. Then, on VERY FAST to the next site, Three Houses, which is a park on a hill. Thirty minutes here. This is where the people who brought lunch in a little tray eat--rice and peas (really beans, remember), macaroni and cheese pie, etc. Then on, VERY FAST to the last site which is a park on Conset Bay on the east coast. This time the drivers all go sit in the shade and the food is mostly pudding cake. A little longer, the drivers aren't ready yet. Then it's almost sunset, drive VERY FAST back to Bridgetown and it's 7:00 p.m., tour is over. If you're not a Bajan, you only have to do this once in your life, and you don't have to do it at all because I've done it for you. But I did see some hills, a bit of the east coast and learned that Sundays are for church, picnics, going to the beach and washing vehicles, all vehicles, cars, trucks, busses,etc. Washing vehicles seems to be a nice little side business and I'm very sorry I didn't find out how much it costs to get a dump truck washed. I also saw several pick-up cricket games. And, I've been listening to cricket in taxis, at the store, and in our common room, so I think I have given it a decent chance and here's my opinion. Cricket is not for me. My guess is you have to grow up with it to appreciate it. Or understand it. As evidence, here is an entire paragraph from the paper reporting on a cricket game. After chastising a player named Bradsaw for running too slow and playing "schoolboy cricket," the paper concluded: "His No. 11 partner predictably didn't last the over. He edged to first slip where Felming took his fourth catch of the innings, the second wicket of the day and the third off the innings for the bent-elbowed Kyle Mills who earlier removed Daren Powell to How's low, flying gully take." See what I mean. Monday is my only "real" tour, aside from the submarine, so I expect to at least understand what the guide is saying, we're going to Harrison Cave and Orchid World. Tell you about them next. Next