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Crater lake nearish Alegria. Walkable, probably, but Ronan's visit down from Arambala included free transportation for my lazy self.

Posted on June 15, 2009 | Permalink | Comments (0)

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Seems like everyone in Alegria sells plants of some kind.

Posted on June 15, 2009 | Permalink | Comments (0)

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She was a giggly one. We turned it into a mini photoshoot, and she cheerily passed on her address for prints. Don't know if it was only for this special Sunday or if it's every Sunday, but she set up on the corner nearest Mi Pueblito vivero & restaurant, across from Brenda's little coffee shop. Delicious pasteles.

Posted on June 15, 2009 | Permalink | Comments (0)

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Posted on June 15, 2009 | Permalink | Comments (0)

Olympus OM-2N | Kodak Plus-X

Posted on June 14, 2009 | Permalink | Comments (0)

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In Santiago de Maria, a.k.a Santiago. This woman cracked me up...I had come to Santiago because I heard there was a food festival, with music and whatnot, but it was unimpressive. There WAS music blasting from the pavilion, but stuff like "Eye of the Tiger," complete with shadow-boxing by the local drunks. And she sat there with a big grin, tapping her toes, commenting how nice it was to sit and hear la musica, like she was at freakin' symphony in the park or something.

Anyway, after gently chiding me for my poor Spanish and saying I needed to practice, she admitted she couldn't read, and that I was lucky to know how. And then rather than just telling me her name, painstakingly wrote it in my notebook. She gave me a gentle, dry kiss on the cheek when she was finished listening to the music. Heartbreaking. MARIA, in a slow, childish scrawl. Maria is wonderful.

Posted on June 14, 2009 | Permalink | Comments (0)

Olympus OM-2N | Kodak Tri-X
There was some sort of evangelical church festival in the plaza for the weekend. Lots of ranting and raving, and coming together against homosexuals and other such sinners.

Posted on June 14, 2009 | Permalink | Comments (0)

Olympus OM-2N | Kodak Plus-X

Posted on June 14, 2009 | Permalink | Comments (0)

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...while staring deadpan at the chinita.

Posted on June 14, 2009 | Permalink | Comments (0)

Olympus OM-2N | Kodak Tri-X
So I asked the cobrador twice to tell me when we reached El Triunfo so I'd know where to transfer. I certainly HEARD him say yes. But when we arrived at the junction, he jumped off and allowed a crowd of food vendors to fill the aisle. This sweet woman helpfully asked the vendors if we were in El Triunfo.

I pushed past the women with some difficulty, then required the driver to clamber out the passenger-side door to get my backpack, and as I was racing across the Panamerican Highway to catch the next bus, I saw the cobrador chilling on the corner. He barely nodded as if it to say, "hey...haven't I seen you somewhere before?" Thanks, dude.

Posted on June 14, 2009 | Permalink | Comments (0)