Some missing links
23 June 2015 | Nassau
Jane
From Bonaire to Santa Marta Colombia.
This route is in the top 5 worst sailing routes in the world. Almost constant high winds, 40 – 60 knts and a build up of high seas make it a pretty mean passage. We took a leisurely route, sailed the rhumb line and arrived in flat calm seas under engine. We soon found out that this was unusual.
We stayed in the Santa Marta Marina next to the beach. The anchorage was far too rolly and the marina was cheap for a marina. It was also a prestigious place to have your outdoor wedding reception. We watched with amazement as on Saturday morning in 30ktsgusting 50kts of wind the flower arrangements arrived and started to be unloaded. The tall elegant glass vases were quickly changed for squat round arrangements and some extra heavy glasses brought in. The stage was set up for music and dancing and the guests started to arrive. The ladies were extremely elegant in long evening gowns, perfect hair and make up and glittering jewellery. They took their places at the tables and gritted their teeth, trying to smile and have a conversation in the howling wind. The band played Colombian dance music and guests formed a protective wall around the bride and groom as they gamely had their first dance together as man and wife. You know, I still have very mixed emotions about all this. I could have cried for the poor couple and her poor, much poorer father, this was a very expensive reception, but a small very bad part of me thought if this was a film it would be pretty funny, but this was real for these people. I hope that one day the happy couple will be able to look back with pleasure on their special day, they won’t forget it.
We have gatecrashed two other weddings on our travels, the first one on a sandy island in Cambodia where plastic chairs were brought for us as honoured guest. I joined in the dancing, mainly twisting wrists and curling fingers and Tony was invited to sample the local hooch. It was a no expenses expended wedding as the people had nothing but were willing to share it with us. The next wedding was in Luanprabang in Laos. On open courtyard with the bride and groom looking like the royal family in The King and I. The bride was in heavily gold embroidered silks and wore an amazing pagoda type headdress. She was exquisite. Her groom wore a perfect white suit. We were invited to sit at a table and the happy couple came to all the tables and poured a tot of whisky for everyone individually. It’s the drink of choice in that part of the world. All you have to do to get in is stand around and look interested in what’s going on and someone invites you in. Oh, there was one more wedding that we observed in France. We were sitting in a square opposite the town Hall when the wedding guests started to arrive for the civil ceremony. We stayed to see the bride arrive. In England, even in a civil ceremony, all the guest are in their best and the bride will have spent months getting everything right. Most of these people were wearing track suits. We were a bit baffled, watching them greeting each other and smoking their Gauloise. One girl kept nipping out of the Town Hall for a fag, (cigarette for Americans) wearing jeans and a t-shirt. Turns out she was the bride. This is why we travel, to experience different cultures and try to work out what’s going on.
Next exciting episode will be the six day trek to Cuidad Perdada, the Lost City.
The photo is Tony, the barber and Jesus.