Since we don't know the language and can't read the signs and a lot of the labels on things, we've developed a form of communication to describe many of the things we encounter in our daily lives. It's all kind of an organic thing. No big plan in place or anything like that, but I've noticed that we have our own names for things that helps us communicate.
It all started with "Backwards R"....which is what we call orange juice; because Backwards R is the only orange juice worth drinking around here. Finding it can be a challenge since there is one supplier of BR to all of the local grocery stores (big or small), so either they all have it or no one has it. Since we've been back after Christmas we have started stocking up on it when we find it.
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We have the statue of "John Travolta"...an important historical figure and landmark.
There is "Flash Flood Market"....the place where we get our produce. We have no idea what it's really called but we know how to get there. Our name, "Flash Flood Market" derives from the fact that if you are in there when a torrential rain happens, you can expect to get caught in a flash flood. That happened to us back in the fall. There were some pretty ominous clouds off in the distance when we were parking but we ignored them. We were at the back end of the stalls meandering slowly to the door to the street when it occurred to me that the drumming sound on the roof was some pretty serious precipitation. It has one of those wavy metal roofs....nice and loud! I figured it was time to vamoose (since this might be "Collapsing Roof" Market for all we knew) but there was no way out into the street.....er....actually....river, since the street was under a good foot of water by the time we got to the front of the building.
We hung around one of the front entrances watching the water in the street rise higher with each passing minute. People inside the market were getting plastic bags from the vendors and tying them around there shoes before wading out into the water filled street. It wasn't long before the water level rose above the curbs and began to encroach upon the doors to the market. We looked behind us and saw that some vendors were now standing on top of their tables because the water was rushing from cracks in the concrete floor.
As we watched the water get higher and higher, we had to make a decision....stay or make a run for it. The car was parked at the corner of the building about 40 feet from the entrance. There was still a band of dry ground extending about a foot from the wall of the building. It might be possible to make it to the car without having to wade through the garbage filled stream in my sandals.
We decided it was now or never, so we bolted for the car. John ran ahead, got soaked halfway up his calves getting into the car which he drove up as far as he could on the sidewalk to let me in. My feet got a little wet but not nearly as bad as his.
The drive home was crazy! Water flowing everywhere. People baling out their basement shops as fast as they could move their buckets. A few well placed storm drains would be nice. If you have them...appreciate them. I was amazed at how fast the streets turned into rivers.
It all started with "Backwards R"....which is what we call orange juice; because Backwards R is the only orange juice worth drinking around here. Finding it can be a challenge since there is one supplier of BR to all of the local grocery stores (big or small), so either they all have it or no one has it. Since we've been back after Christmas we have started stocking up on it when we find it.
We have the statue of "John Travolta"...an important historical figure and landmark.
There is "Flash Flood Market"....the place where we get our produce. We have no idea what it's really called but we know how to get there. Our name, "Flash Flood Market" derives from the fact that if you are in there when a torrential rain happens, you can expect to get caught in a flash flood. That happened to us back in the fall. There were some pretty ominous clouds off in the distance when we were parking but we ignored them. We were at the back end of the stalls meandering slowly to the door to the street when it occurred to me that the drumming sound on the roof was some pretty serious precipitation. It has one of those wavy metal roofs....nice and loud! I figured it was time to vamoose (since this might be "Collapsing Roof" Market for all we knew) but there was no way out into the street.....er....actually....river, since the street was under a good foot of water by the time we got to the front of the building.
We hung around one of the front entrances watching the water in the street rise higher with each passing minute. People inside the market were getting plastic bags from the vendors and tying them around there shoes before wading out into the water filled street. It wasn't long before the water level rose above the curbs and began to encroach upon the doors to the market. We looked behind us and saw that some vendors were now standing on top of their tables because the water was rushing from cracks in the concrete floor.
As we watched the water get higher and higher, we had to make a decision....stay or make a run for it. The car was parked at the corner of the building about 40 feet from the entrance. There was still a band of dry ground extending about a foot from the wall of the building. It might be possible to make it to the car without having to wade through the garbage filled stream in my sandals.
We decided it was now or never, so we bolted for the car. John ran ahead, got soaked halfway up his calves getting into the car which he drove up as far as he could on the sidewalk to let me in. My feet got a little wet but not nearly as bad as his.
The drive home was crazy! Water flowing everywhere. People baling out their basement shops as fast as they could move their buckets. A few well placed storm drains would be nice. If you have them...appreciate them. I was amazed at how fast the streets turned into rivers.
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