Thursday morning came started with a dull grey sky, promising perhaps some rain. My son, Will and I were up extra early to grab a quick coffee and a leftover pancake for breakfast with the intentions of leaving unseen before the kids were up. They were disappointed that we weren’t taking them on this adventure.
Well, we didn’t succeed as getting as far as the gate before we were spotted by Don Manuel. We weren’t to leave until he held prayers for us... Will and I both felt better for it.
We headed up the hill, ready to do battle with our neighbours’ rat-dogs (so named by other neighbours who have been bitten by these ankle biters – crosses between street mongrels and chihuahuas). These dogs tend to attack everything and have not had their rabies vaccines. They are usually in a pack of 8 to 10 dogs. But we need to pass in order to get to the main highway.
Strangest thing...they were all sitting on the neighbour's porch barking at us, but they didn’t chase us like they normally would have. This was just the beginning of strange events.
We passed the neighbour’s bull on the way down the hill and he didn’t even glance at us. Perhaps it was too early in the morning.
We were within a 100 metres of the highway when we saw the small truck turned bus passed the entrance to our road. A few seconds later we noticed that he had backed up and was waiting for us! Will mounted the truck and I handed the backpacks up, expecting I would climb aboard too. No! I was lifted onto the truck by two guys riding on the back!
And off we went. Fellow passengers are all very amiable and talkative except the two kids sleeping next to their mom. Under the bench seats were bags of crabs, lobsters, mussels and fresh fish all going to the market in Sutiava on the outskirts of Leon. The big excitement was When a few of the crabs escaped and were running around loose on the floor of the truck. They were quickly caught and re-imprisoned in the sack with their buddies.
We went on our merry way stopping periodically to pick up more passengers and cargo. We kept looking for barricades but saw none and no other people on the sides of the roads until we approached Sutiava 30 minutes later. As we got closer to the market we could see more people moving around. It wasn’t until the bus let us off that we could see the first barricade. We were greeted by a few people who were surprised to see us.
We were approached by several men want to give us a ride on their tricyclo (a special 3 wheeled tricycle that has a bench across the front) who would take us to the centre of town for a price. So we negotiated a price (higher than normal price, but this is wartime…) for him to take us as far as he could go. The first barricade he had to peddle two blocks around to bypass it.
The streets were covered in broken glass. The tricyclarios, had swept a path down the street so they could pass without ruining their tires. I felt sorry for the animals that might have to cross these streets.
We crossed three more blockades that consisted of a wall of stacked concrete blocks that an opening was made for the tricyclos could pass one at a time under the scrutiny of the men manning the blockades. A lot of them said good morning to us and some apologized for the problems we were encountering! Not what I was expecting…
There were more blockades with the walls of stacked concrete blocks and a ditch dug behind them a metre wide and a meter deep. We managed to cross two with the final one where we got out and waited while the tricyclo was lifted across the blockade and the ditch then we climbed the wall and I was lifted over the ditch. I guess I look more fragile than I am…
The final one we decided we would walk the remaining 8 bocks to where my bank is and hopefully it would be open. When we turned the corner where the bank is located there were a dozen private guards with guns standing outside. At that moment I did not know if I should be worried or grateful.
It turns out that I was very grateful. I knew the most of the men because they had worked as guards for me when I was building the walls to the compound! They too, were surprised that we were out and about. I did feel safe going in and getting my pension out in order to buy the supplies. It was still early, at 8 am!
We walked two blocks down the same street to my Internet provider. I needed to pay for the services. There was a group of the technicos standing outside waiting for the door to open. I knew most of them as well. We were invited in to wait for the cashier to arrive. When she came we paid and decided it was time for a coffee and we knew of a bakery/coffee shop around the corner.
Sadly one of our favourite places had been closed. So we walked another two blocks to a McDonald’s. Yes, we have those disgusting places here too. I dislike their coffee so we had an orange juice and an egg McMuffin that sat in the pit of my stomach for the rest of the day!
By then it was 8:30 and the pharmacies would be open. So we walked back to the main street and 3 blocks up to the pharmacy where we were fairly lucky and were able to purchase most of what we needed. On the way out we ran into the techno guy that cleans and repairs our computers. We had a nice chat and then we crossed the street and down one block to another pharmacy and bought the products we were missing. Chatted a few minutes with the pharmacist who hadn’t seen is for a while.
Then we walked two blocks down and turned to go towards our grocery store where we might get a few supplies. Since we still weren’t sure how we were getting back with about 300 pounds of supplies, we were thinking small for the time being.
We passed a lot of damaged and burnt out buildings. It was really sad to see centuries-old buildings ruined. The street had been damaged too and scattered with broken glass so as to make walking difficult. We carried on for another 6 blocks (these blocks are long blocks, measured in metres so are not what you may be used to seeing) to the corner with our grocery store. It had been all boarded up with only a small opening for clients to pass through.
You are going to think that we don’t do anything but drink coffee, but we decided to stop inside at the cafeteria and have a coffee and take the time to plan out what we were going to get and the logistics of getting it home.
While we were sitting there it occurred to me to call our friend Erwin and see what he thought and if he knew a way to get us home with the supplies. He said he would have come and have coffee with us and plan with us what could be done.
He arrived and said he thought that between him and our other friend, Luciano, we would be able to figure this out. We called Luciano and his plan was to go by motorbike and search out streets where we could pass around the blockades.
We did our shopping including things were didn’t think we would buy because we didn’t have a cooler with us. Erwin bought ice and said we would go to his house and get his coolers so we could keep things cold. Then we headed off to his house and met Luciano on the way. He told Erwin which streets to use.
Erwin loaded the car with the coolers while we visited with his elderly aunt who has not had much company these days since everyone is afraid to go out after 3 pm. Of course, we had to tour the gardens and take some plants with us!
Then we headed across the city on a jigsaw route to get the other supplies we needed. When we got there they had blocked off the parking lot as they were afraid of the men in Hiluxes. So we parked on the street in front of a cheese vendor. He watched the car for the equivalent of a couple of dollars while we shopped. In less than 15 minutes we returned, bought some cheese and were on our merry way.
Then it was time for lunch! Where, was the question. Mid-city, McDonald’s. Both Will and I chimed “Not Mickey Dee’s!” But we went anyway because Erwin was driving. Chicken dinners for everyone! My stomach still hates me!
Then it was off to the gas station to fill up and head out of town. Usually, the run doesn’t take long but because of the zigzagging around the blockades, it took twice as long. We finally arrived home just after 2:30 pm. We had been on the road for 9 hours, usually a 3-hour trip!
We put the supplies away and had an early dinner. The others cleaned up and I headed for my little bed, hoping to have sweet dreams…
To be continued next post...