Puerto Vallarta, Jal. MX…one of the exciting activities we do (retirement wise) is monitor the many varieties of neighborhood functions and activities that seem to be changing constantly. We have street soccer nightly from ages 8 to 38, at least 2-3 construction projects going on simultaneously, local parades of sunbathers to and from the beach in an amazing collection of accessories on their backs, street vendors and their attention getting announcements, lost delivery vans/trucks/pickups who roar down our street (dead-end) then turn around and sheepishly “creep” away, and the list goes on. If you’re “into” people, as Dolores and I, it is an endless source of free entertainment.
The LP Gas Truck plays he´s recorded message announcing his arrival and every dog within blocks starts howling and the donkey (burro) braying; the fish monger sings his early morning arrival announcement, the whistle of the water truck and the word “Aqua” hollered loudly, the local fruit vendor in his pickup announcing todays varieties, the bread vendor in the evening shouting “pan” while balancing his offerings on a large tray on his head and carrying a X-stand to place the tray on for a interested client, and the occasional Knife sharpener alerting you to his presence by playing a flute (shades of the 30´s when I was growing up in the states). These are some of the endless sounds you hear every day in Mexico.
This year we watched our neighbor from near Vancouver, B.C. work on adding security features to his home directly across the street from us. He has owned his home in PV for more than 12 years, working slowly and surely to continue expanding it each year. We first saw it as a one-level home with garage and living quarters and it now is 2.5 levels. This year he became concerned with the possibility that persons could enter his place from the backside and more probable from the front. This has been proven more than once when the street soccer games were sometimes interrupted as an errant kick placed the ball on the second floor patio and the boys were able to climb from the porch railing of the adjoining condo to retrieve the balls when our neighbor was absent. To prevent this he installed cement blocks at each corner, and as an afterthought, added iron gates to prevent anyone from exploring the home and reaching the third floor level. Just before returning north he held a large party with the neighborhood residents to proudly show off his handiwork.
Dolores and I were sitting and reading on our veranda last evening when the noise from an enthusiastic soccer game abruptly subsided and while we watched a short extension ladder materialized against the front of the home and a very cautious player was able to perform the necessary aerobatics to regain the ball – see the pictures I was able to take from my nearby camera. By the way, not only was the game able to continue, but three balls were recovered by this maneuver.
So much for security…soccer rules.
 |
| The Climb_Please Hold the Ladder |
 |
| Success |
 |
| RESTART THE GAME |
No comments:
Post a Comment