Are you lookin' at me? Are you talkin' to me?!?
We are tied up at a dock for the first time in so many moons. Actually, just about two moons, but it feels like longer. Time has started to warp, people. Here at the Bahia del Sol Hotel, Marina and Casino (I doubt this last one, because I have seen neither chip nor playing card since we've arrived) we are relaxing and refueling after we were blown just a leeetle too far off course by a leeetle too much wind.
Yesterday Chris got into a leeetle mishap in our trusty dinghy and ended up with wounded pride and a dunked outboard engine. Luckily, we took to the ever-wise internet for advice, and Chris managed to get the soggy thing up and running in no time. Unfortunately in the process a bolt sheared off and the engine was leaking a leeetle oil. The internet, though again wise in its advice couldn't provide us with the tools that we needed, so we went for a more local solution. Across the estuary from the marina is a jack-of-all boats we'd heard of named Santos, so we tried to hail him on the radio. No luck, but a fellow yachtie heard our call and informed us that Santos was in San Salvador for the day, but his dad, Santini worked on outboards and could probably give us a hand. We headed over and Santini got to work while Chris assisted in his leeetle shop. Santini's granddaughter was there too, but she just played with the pet parakeet and stared quietly at us. And then she bossed around her brother. She let Chris put the bird on his finger, but only for a minute.
We were out of the shop in about a half and hour, and it cost $15. Can't beat that kind of service!
We debated going into Zacatecoluca, which is the nearest town of size, but it is a 1.5 hour busride, and we just couldn't work up the will to do it, so for the rest of the day we stayed around the marina to watch the spectacle that was going down. This is what happened: there was a film crew from the TV station and at least four or five musical acts that were shooting videos here - at the hotel, around the docks, etc. There were coordinated outfits, cordless microphones and video hoochie girls. There was a full band with horns and conga drums, but they weren't really playing. There were choreographed dances and lots of gyration. There were tight white jeans and a lot of hair product. Then there was a guy who looked like a latino Danny McBride. We weren't really sure where he fit in. It was awesome, in the literal sense of the word.
We went to dinner at a local comedor for pupusas, which are like the national food of El Salvador. YUM! Deeeelicious. I had two, Chris ate five because he is hollow. We had dinner with some other folks anchored out here (and Santos!) and we had two "small world" moments. 1. The couple on one boat is from the same town as two of my best friends and knew one of their fathers. 2. Chris thought the other man there (also a cruiser) looked really familiar, and eventually realized that he had helped de-water and towed his boat while in the Coast Guard.
Woah.
Tomorrow we are off again...bound for Costa Rica!
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