The Glorious Week Off

We are actually back at base from our week off and I feel remotely human again.

I had gotten sick with a cold just before we left for our time off and unfortunately, Veve picked it up.  We spent most of our week being sick but Port Salut was the perfect place to spend it.

The trip there was interesting in itself.  We went to PAP to find the elusive air conditioned bus for the 5 hour trip to Les Cayes (close to Port Salut).  We found it and it only cost us $10/pp!!!! But is was crowded.  When we got close to Acquin, there were 5 or 6 people on the road throwing bottles and rocks on the road and at the bus.  The bus driver stopped the bus and he and 3 of the male passengers got out to kick ass.  They gave chase to the hooligans but in the process left the door to the bus open.  Had they been robbers, this would have been the perfect time for one of them to board the bus and take action - but luckily, it turned out they were demonstrators.  It seems there was some issues with several politicians in the area that had people angry.  Anyway, the bus driver and male passengers got back on and we went on our merry way.  The talk on the bus was quite annimated though!!!!!!

When we got to Les Cayes, it was 5pm and it turned out that we had missed all the tap-taps and were forced to take motos (motorcycles with drivers).  It was the craziest hour ride of my life and if possible, I never want to do it again.  These guys are insane, they will pass cars on the shoulder and follow other vehicles with only feet or inches to spare.  This cost us $40 - it just doesn't make sense - a 5 hour bus drive is $10 and a 1 hour moto ride is $40.

The hotel was great!  It had a small private beach and a nice little restaurant but my favorite thing was the hammocks.  They have 2 hammocks under a gazebo but the hammocks are actually 2 large retangular bean bags - they were incredibly comfortable so if we weren't in bed watching movies recovering, we were laying in the hammocks listening to the surf.

We were feeling good enough by Tuesday to venture out for dinner.  It was at this quaint restaurant that only had 3 tables and the owner was the chef and server.  His name is Walter and he is an expat from Switzerland.  We had a great conversation with him.  We ended up having a bottle of wine and a drink with dinner and low and behold, the next day we felt like crap--------it was not a hang-over though!!!!!!!!! Cause it lasted 2 days!!!!!!!

Friday was a national holiday and we had to leave paradise as the hotel was sold out for the weekend.  Another guest was also leaving and he offered us a ride so we traveled in style and ease.  He ended up taking us all the way to Tante Mary's in PAP.

We had the chance to meet more family.  Oncle Edvar came over for a short visit on Sunday morning and then we headed out to see Zita's god-daughter, Maryse and her mother.  They were incredibly nice and once I have a better connection, I will post pictures.

And now, we are back at base for another 2 weeks.