Birthday Party in Punta Gorda

About 10 days ago, my buddy Rocky (Roque) who works in the restaurant here at Fantasy Island, invited me to his home for his 23rd birthday party. This is the 2nd time in 3 months that I have been invited into a local home and I consider it such an honor. There were some communication problems over the last week, and this morning, I was certain that I would not attend, since Rocky had failed in his email to give me DIRECTIONS to his home, and did not reply to my answer that I needed them. He basically said that I was invited at 8pm, Saturday and bring rum. Just no address, which might be a little bit sophisticated here anyway, or directions which also, since the roads don't seem to be marked, would have been difficult. So tonight at dinner, I asked some of the other guys working in the restaurant if they were going and they hooked me up with Rocky via cell phone and he sent a taxi for me, and another waiter - a really nice kid, always smiling and giving me a thumbs up, but he has no English, and well, you know, I have 3 words of Espanol. The taxi ride there, fast and all over the road with the radio blasting away Latina music, was otherwise very quiet with NO conversation between us.

Rocky and his mom cut the cake.

Below is Rocky all decked out for the party.

I was hesitant to go, as that end of the island has had some drug murders recently, and even the taxi drivers have someone ride 'shotgun' with them, never driving alone. I carried very little money and questioned myself as to whether to even take my camera, but was glad that I did and that I went.

That's Rocky with Jandra on the left and I don't know who, on the right. Jandra later asked me to join her group when she saw that I was sitting alone.

Oscar, one of the bartenders here, and his girlfriend-

Rocky's mom in the kitchen. Note the lack of ceiling - a very cool construction -

This is a shot looking up from the living room, showing the open attic area, hand made trusses, and there are no soffits on the house at all.
Punta Gorda is a wonderful small community on the north east end of the island, and I had only ridden past that area with a Gringo ex-pat that I met here who was kind enough to give me a tour one day. The residents are all Garafuna, who were originally slaves who came here after being dropped off at some island in the Eastern Carib, and settled here. They speak their own language, but most also speak decent to very good English as well as Spanish.

Old, fat but happy Gringo -

I had a good time, and most everyone treated me with welcome smiles, especially Rocky's family. The party was in full swing when I arrived and found Oscar there with his girlfriend and he hooked me up with a pineapple, coconut, apple and rum drink. Soon Rocky's mom, Rosaria, was sending him and his sister out in the crowd with plates of birthday cake and later, fried conch treats, plantain chips, and some unidentified red meat - presumably beef. I tried everything and enjoyed watching all these kids dancing and singing and really having a good time. Rocky, or someone else always seemed to be at my side so I was not alone, but eventually was sitting alone for a bit and a very nice girl invited me to join her group's conversation.

I am ashamed that I cannot tell you this guy's name, as we shared a ride to the party and he has been smiling at me and giving me a thumbs up for 3 months now, but we just cannot TALK to each other.

Later, Rocky and his girlfriend for the night - a cute, tiny little 19 year old and I took a walk down to a bar and dance club and then walked the other way up the road to his aunt's bar. The music was way too loud for me, so I sat on a bench outside and watched all the dancing. His aunt makes the local's drink called geffity, which is peanuts and roots from the jungle soaked for a month in rum. Is like rocket fuel, but has medicinal qualities they claim. He had brought me a pint of it a few weeks back, and everyone here has advised me to take a small amount for this ongoing chest cold.

And, I must add that just before I departed again, Rocky leaned over to me and said that his gf had asked him to ask me if I wanted her to be my girlfriend. Not bad, for a 57 year old guy, huh? I am invited back on Wednesday, weather permitting, for lunch and a swim.