Summer is Over

So it turns out that all those storm drains around town are just for decoration. Here's a picture of what 6 de Diciembre looked like yesterday after the first downpour of winter.

I went in to work on Saturday to get some quiet time to work on a project. It started to rain while I was there in the building alone. It rained harder than it's ever rained since I've been here. I debated whether to wait out the storm in the building, knowing that if the power went off, I would be stuck there. All the security systems are electrical. No power--no exit. I decided that despite the fact I was risking missing the staff dinner with President and Hermana Sloan, I would get soaked if I left. So I stayed.

When the rain abated somewhat, about an hour later, I decided it was time to go. I deployed my broken Ecua-brella (they're always broken), and took off. At the first cross street, I had to hop over the gutter wash. At the second, the gutter wash was about three feet wide. No way I could hop over that, and there was no narrower spot either up or down the street. Oh, well. I stepped into the stream with one foot, soaked it really good, but managed to keep the other foot dry. Not that it's particularly useful to have one wet foot and one dry foot.

When I reached 6 de Diciembre, the main street which also hosts the Ecovilla bus line, I also reached a dilemma. The bus routes feature high curbs to keep other traffic from weaving in and out of the bus lanes. The high curbs on the bus side and the curbs on the sidewalk side, not to mention the decorative, non-functional storm drains, all conspired to create a river running between me and the bus stop in the center of the street/river. Again, no relief in sight up or down the street. And you cannot get a taxi here when it's raining. So I carefully considered all of my options, and waded into the river, praying that I wouldn't be swept off my feet. I took the picture from the bus stop.

My shoes will be dry in May.