On the way we stopped to see my sister-in-law and I opened one of my suitcases and took out some of the stuff that Big Sis sent for her.

It wasn’t until the next day (today!) 5 am, after we ate Suhur (meal before the start of the fast in Ramadhan) that my mom asked me if I had any dirty clothes.

Yesterday when I dragged myself upstairs I was so excited to tell my sisters that I wasn’t interrogated and no clothes were forcibly wrested from me. I slept. So I am announcing it to the WORLD!

By the way…Ramadhan (muslim month of fast) has started. We did our first fast on Thursday so RAMADHAN MUBARAK!

So, I’m spending the night by Chennette‘s and somehow got conned into hanging out her last load of laundry on the line outside (never mind she delivered my dirty clothes back to Big Sis’ house). There’s a guard (more like watch lady) on the compound at night and it seems her granddaughter (according to Sister, the Elder) is sleeping on a table on the back, right outside Chennette’s back door.

I went outside, careful not to disturb her but she greeted me after I hung the second piece of clothes. Please note that this conversation is occurring as I walk in and out of the apartment with clothes to hang and she takes a bathroom break at some point.

Girl: You wear pants and skirts?
Me: Yeah! (I did think about this because I rarely wear skirts)
Girl: Oh, but I never see you wearing pants!
Me: (Realization dawns. Remember I am sleepy and this just happened 15minutes ago so it’s LATE! She’s looking at the laundry and thinking I’m Chennette!) Oh, you mean my sister. I’m not her. But yes she does wear pants and skirts, just skirts more often.
Girl: Can I get something to eat?
Me: (Thankfully we have something to eat. With Chennette’s travels this is not always a certainty but Chennette made me some cheese biscuits because I was starving as usual so I put three on a napkin and gave it to her).
Girl: Can I get some drink?
Me: Is water okay?
Girl: Drink?
Me: (*click* Drink in Guyana usually refers to soft drink or soda or pop or sweet drink…) Is water okay? We don’t have drink?
Girl: ok!
Me: (I fill her a glass of cold water and give it to her).
Girl: The biscuits come from a chicken place?
Me: What? Why?
Girl: They smell like they come from a chicken place.
Me: No, she just made them for me. They’re a bit salty.
Girl: She made them? oh!
Me: (Up to here I’m thinking I’m having a regular normal conversation with a little girl…not too strange).
Girl: Why you so big? Why you don’t drop some size?
Me: (I was a bit lost at first because I couldn’t understand what she was actually asking. Was she saying I was too big or I needed to be bigger) Well, if it was that easy to drop weight, I would have already.
Girl: You won’t be able to find anywhere to sit!
Me: (I must admit I wasn’t sure if she was saying I’d be too big to sit anywhere, or too big to find someone to hook up with so I told her I don’t understand. I am really trying to paraphrase what she was saying and on discussion with Chennette we decided it was I’d be too big for seats. So far I comfortably fit into airline chairs and other tight fits. In fact, I lost THREE whole pounds in the 6 weeks since I’d seen one doctor). I don’t understand.
Girl: You don’t speak/understand English?
Me: Yes! It’s Guyanese I don’t understand. (It’s true! Sometimes I don’t understand Big Sis’ niece and nephew and the phrases are different. Well I did get a look for that!)
Girl: You could buy me a phone?
Me: No…
Girl: You don’t have a phone?
Me: No…(okay I was stunned and Chennette says I should’ve asked her why I should buy her a phone).
Girl: Why you doing your washing so late?
Me: Because that’s when she has time to do it. Our mother bring us up so.
Girl: Why you bringing one piece of clothes? Why you don’t bring it all in a basket?
Me: Because I don’t know where the basket is and I don’t want to disturb her.
…
Girl: Oh, you have a washing machine.
Me: Yes.
Girl: When I grow up I want to work like you.
Me: What you mean?
Girl: I want to do what you do.
Me: What do I do?
Girl: You deal with papers.
Me: Um, that’s my sister. I’m a teacher.
Girl: Where do you teach?
Me: Trinidad.
Girl: English, Spanish…?
Me: Maths
Girl: No, you teach in English?
Me: Yes. Trinidad speaks English.
Girl: My mother says (only?) America does/doesn’t speak English. (I was confused!!)
Me: No, Guyana speaks English. Trinidad speaks English.
Girl: Is it America?
Me: It’s the Caribbean.
Girl: (a look)
Girl: I want to go to Trinidad. Will you take me to Trinidad?
Me: No.
Girl: I want to go Trinidad.
Me: Why?
Girl: To study.
Me: Well you can go Trinidad when you grow up.
Girl: No. My mommy says only children can go Trinidad.
Me: That’s not true. Adults can go Trinidad. (Hmmm considering she hasn’t heard of Trinidad and now she wants to go? Does somebody want Chennette to “adopt” her??).
Girl: *disbelief*
Me: (Anywayz, now I’m a bit *worried* to say the least. Can’t wait to finish hang out the clothes…success!) Well I’m done. Good night! Just leave the glass and we’ll pick it up in the morning.

There may have been more conversation but it must be blanked from my mind. I relayed most of it to Chennette so she might remember if there is anymore.

But…yikes!

I’m not sure what to say.

Chennette says I didn’t respond to her questions properly but I’ve not been properly prepared for this. I haven’t heard “stories”!

Been sick the last month…very horrible…slept non-stop and it wasn’t restful.

Still enjoying this unemployed feeling tho. Got last paycheque. Hope to post *something* of substance one day. I posted pictures on flickr the other day….I will try to put links…feeling tired….must sleep….plane in 8 hours

I also left things to be copied for the students who worry they won’t get a replacement teacher.

But FREE!!!!!!
Happiness.

Okay.
Of course I am a bit worried. Everybody likes money coming in. Not having an income any more is sort of worrisome but this is better for me for now! :)

And I’m technically on paid vacation now :)

Well, I’ve finally gone…but in Barbados.
It turns out there is one in Barbados. And downstairs is an Apsara!

So, is it a chain?

Oh well.
So finally, I’ve crossed waters to get to Tamnak Thai.

There were so many things on the menu that I wanted.
Pad thai.
Green papaya salad.

But I got some kind of cashew nut and prawn dish.
I love cashew nuts in stir fries and curries.
It’s such an unexpected lovely flavour.

Chennette got Prawns in Red Curry.

We got fried tofu and spring rolls as appetizers.

And for dessert…well…usually we try to get “authentic” dishes for dessert too but they had Death by Chocolate Cake and Crème Caramel.
Who could resist?
Incidentally dessert cost less than the ice cream we got at Il Tempio (!!!).

The Crème Caramel tasted different from ours. Theirs was more custardy? Ours was lighter. Probably type of cream used. We didn’t use heavy cream…!
I’m not sure (but Chennette is)

The cake seemed to be a combination of chocolate cake, chocolate torte and chocolate ganache? all with mint flavouring.

YUM!

Here’s dessert!. Follow the link for the rest of the pictures.

Chennette took a picture of her main course, Prawns in Red Curry:

Well, it seems Bajan macaroni pie is a tad bit different.

Anywayz, the last thing on Chennette‘s list of things to do in Barbados was to eat macaroni pie and flying fish.

A few days after trying to get it at Cave Shepherd (and a failed attempt to go drive around the coast…we slept), we went to this little diner close to the grocery store.

So, I got macaroni pie and fried flying fish (hmmm) and cole slaw.
She got macaroni pie and fried flying fish and fried plantain bites.
It was very nice and cheesy and had a tinge of red.

I liked it!
We spent about B$28-$30¹ on this and two bottles of water a bottle of coke.

*nice*

And, since I had my camera, I took a couple pictures :-)

1. US$1 ~= B$2

You know how Chinese food differs not just by region but also by the country it was imported to?
Well we had a very tart (was it lemon, orange or sweet and sour) chicken in Trinidad, recently. It wasn’t what we expected, good but as I said unexpected. I can’t remember what it’s like anymore…except I know it wasn’t the Sweet and Sour stuff I got in massachusetts.

We figure it must be from the restaurant in Mid Centre mall because where else did we used to go and eat chinese food.

Anywayz, after my day in Bridgetown, since Tamnak Thai was not open yet, we went to the International Mall, open until 9PM!

Now that’s nothing to sneeze at. We were both studying in places with malls that closed early or stores that close early. And I think malls close early here in T&T too.

Well.

I wasn’t impressed.
It felt like how the inside of Gulf City used to be (it had like all the temporary stores in the middle). Note, just the inside stores, nothing else.

And it was very small. It looked much bigger from the outside. She said it seems the grocery took up most of the space.

But we were hungry and so went to check the chinese buffet. The buffet wasn’t open but they were open.

We had sweet and sour fish, shrimp stuffed mushrooms and some appetizers I’m sure but I can’t remember what. I think we paid about US$50 for our food. I *think*

I really loved those mushrooms. They were kind of spicy and unexpected. The fish was good too. Very red. She doesn’t think her camera takes such great red pictures.

Shrimp stuffed Mushrooms	Sweet and Sour Fish

I also took a picture of her Blackberry :-)

I didn’t do much.

I slept.

:-)

Chennette picked me up in the airport, without water :-(
I was dying of thirst!

The next day I did what I usually do.
I slept!
Woohoo!

Chennette also took me to a Bajan grocery. And boy is Barbados expensive! But on that positive note, I got sushi nori, japanese rice vinegar, toasted black sesame seeds, wasabi powder…and…a vanilla bean pod! :)

Yay!
What shall I cook?

We also fulfilled one of the three things on Chennette’s list to do in Barbados (in honour of her student days, I think). We went to Chefette’s, Barbados’ fast food place.

The next day we dragged ourselves out and caught a Z-van into Bridgetown.
That’s when we bought the camera (*sob*), thus checking off something else on her list, i.e., we went to Cave Shepherd!

Actually we went into two Cave Shepherds (the one in Warrens and the one in Broad Street, Bridgetown).

Before buying the camera we tried to get the last thing off her list but unfortunately the cafeteria on the top floor of Cave Shepherd was closed. It closes sometime before 3pm on a Saturday I guess. She wanted me to have “traditional food”, i.e. macaroni pie and flying fish.

Oh well. We just would have to find somewhere else to do that I guess.
But it was supposed to be cheap there and as students they would rush down there to get cheap food.

Here’s my Bridgetown flickr set.

And, in case you’re interested, a picture of Chennette and me in Bridgetown :)

Well, some of you may recall the grand announcement made some time ago, that Chennette and I had finally decided AND ordered our camera…yay!?

Unfortunately that plan fell through due to some shipping/delivery issues.

You may also remember that we heard tell of a Nikon D80 in Cave Shepherd, Broad Street, Bridgetown, Barbados and I was seriously encouraging Chennette to go check it out and feel it and hold it.

Well she never did.

And, this being even more recent, you should know I was in Barbados for a whole week, culminating on Thursday/yesterday.

From the title of this post, and the series of recollections you can probably tell where this is going.

On Saturday, we went into Bridgetown. It was Chennette’s first time back since her student days. And I finally made the simple connection between Bridge, town and Bridgetown :-) Please note that *I* never said I was smart. Sometimes people think I am but I’m not sure who has been deluding them.

We went into Cave Shepherd.

Inside Cave Shepherd was the camera section with some Point and Shoots and some Canon SLRs (Digital Rebel XTi and a 20D I think), and Nikon DSLRs (D200, D50, D40) and lenses and flashes and various other accessories.

We got the prices.
We held them.

I walked around the store freaking out because there was my D50 (with the kit 18-55mm lens). It was THERE! It was also about $300 more than it costs say in a US store. But when you factor in plane tickets…Chennette said it was an acceptable price.

We went back and I bought it.
No extra lenses, no extra batteries, just a SD flash card and a camera bag.

EXCITEMENT!

I was so nervous you wouldn’t believe.
Didn’t know how to hold it, how to hold it, my camera bag and my handbag.
So we went and stayed on the board walk snapping pictures…on AUTO of course.

I couldn’t believe it.

We walked over the bridge and took some more.

We went to Chinese.

Chennette kept her mouth shut and didn’t share this exciting piece of news with you.

The next day Chennette made Tuna and Potatoes and I took some shots there too.

A couple days later we went out for lunch and I took pictures (the Tuna day we went out for dinner and it was so dark and I didn’t know my camera very well).

All the while I was reading the manual…or making my way through it very very very slowly and maybe skipping some bits for later.

Then, I walked on to campus and snapped pictures the whole way there.

That night, as I was taking pictures off my camera from the walk, I noticed a spot.
I moved the picture around, it was still there, so it wasn’t my screen.
I opened other pictures from that set, it was there in the same place. So, it wasn’t that picture.

Did *I* do something.

I looked thru the pictures from the previous days.
It was faint but I wasn’t sure.
I looked at the pictures from the first day! There was a spot!

I looked at the picture from inside the store of the salesguy…it was there!
So, it wasn’t me.

I freaked.

Chennette, always reasonable, was like you have to go to Cave Shepherd tomorrow with it!
And me, freaked as always, wanted to know *how*? I am leaving tomorrow.
Take a taxi.

*sigh*

Such a troubled night.

I went in.
I took my laptop to show them the pictures.
The same guys were there.
They switched lenses with the D40 and took pictures with both cameras.
The spot was still on my D50′s pictures and not on the D40 so…it was the sensor.

After consultation with someone over the phone, I was offered two options.
They could clean it (there was some mumbling about sending a camera for repair that only got sold a few days ago. they didn’t think it was right…in a good way i mean) if I left it for a few days.
Or they could refund.

Since I was leaving then I took the refund.

It was very hassle-free.
I’m glad I bought it in a shop.

They took my email address and will email when they get the D80s they’ve ordered.

I’m so disappointed.

It’s rather surreal.
I went on vacation without a camera.
Got a camera for vacation.
Came from vacation without camera.

It’s like the perfect test run of owning a DSLR.
I was practically done reading the manual too.
Now I want it!
Even more.
And I could live with the D50!!!!

You probably don’t believe me.
I mean…where’s the proof?

Well never fear.
I may no longer have the camera.
But I do have PICTURES!!!!!!

*sobs*

I’m in Grantly Adams International Airport (Barbados).
Leaving soon.

Man.
I feel so silly in this airport…like…if I’ve never travelled before.

Oh well.

INTERNET!

1. that is, my sister’s apartment in Barbados²
2. not Barbados³ itself of course, just my sister’s place as she doesn’t have internet…Barbados does
3. since i’ve never been to Barbados⁴ i can’t pass judgement on it⁵
4. itsy child visits where i lost a bucket and spade don’t count and neither do stopovers where i stay in the plane
5. but you just wait, in a week’s time i will have been⁶
6. i’ll also be safely out of Barbados in case i want to start badtalking⁷ Barbados
7. but why in the world would i want to?⁸
8. certainly not because i’ve heard strange stories⁹
9. and even if i did, i’m going to give you a chance