Off to the chiropractor, etc.
04 August 2017 | Spanish Waters, Curacao
Bill/sunny with winds
It's now Friday afternoon and it's been a busy few days. Yesterday, I finally had my appointment with the chiropractor. Tracy and I had done a good bit of research on the Curacao bus routes so I knew exactly where I needed to go(she let me go by myself!) thanks to the doctors offices emails. Now to find the right bus. I knew I was to take the 6A bus into town(Willemstad) but what next? In the end, we found that the 2A,2B, and 2C busses all went on the same route, each about an hour apart. A bit of over kill but maybe there's enough ridership to warrant it.
I caught the 0900 bus that didn't show up till 0920 and headed for town. The 2B bus was set for 0945 but the 2A bus would leave at 1015 so no problem. We pulled in(on the 6A) at 0940 and I walked right over to the 2B bus and got on paying my $1.70guilders(about $1.00US) and fired up my IPad and then used a program called "Sygic", a program designed for travelers showing all the streets and many of the companies on them. We'd plotted where the doctors office was and I set a "pin" on it to make it easier to find along the intended route I was taking. Promptly at 0945, the 2B took off with me looking out the windows and staring at the computer screen to make sure it was taking me where I needed to go. Since my appointment wasn't till 1230, I had plenty of time should I end up in the wrong place. Having looked and studied the route on the Curacao bus website, I knew where we should be going. Where we went had no resemblance to where we were supposed to go according to their site. Sometimes to the left of the route and sometimes to the right but at least in the sort of right direction. In the end, we went right down the street where the office was(at the end of "Corriweg" where it becomes "Kaminda Brievengat) and I got off the bus just after it passed the office. I hiked back to make sure I was in the right place and then spent some time(I had plenty to waste as it was just 1010) walking around the neighborhood looking for a place for lunch and where I could kill some time. In the end, after going through one of the busiest grocery stores I've ever been in (Bon Bini)I walked back to the doctors office and signed in filling out their paperwork as a new patient. It was just 1110, so I still had 80 minutes before my appointment. Maybe they would take me in early was my thinking. That was not to be as people came and went when their appointments were and I sat and waited. An employee came by and gave me the password for their internet so at least I could do some surfing as I waited. Promptly at 1230, I was called in by Dr. Kurt Snel(it's his clinic) and the fun began. He asked lots more question as to what my problems were, what meds I was on, any new ones, etc. In the end, he had me on the table with my face in the padded hole as he push pressure points on my neck, messaged and cracked my back having me turn this way and that. Then onto the neck and on and on. Even my hands and wrists got snapped just in case I guess. My problem might not have had anything to do with why I was there but I've been to numerous chiropractors around the globe and he did a really good job, not rushing about his tasks. My problem? Pain in the upper sections of my arms. They have been quite painful for about 6 weeks and I don't know if I simply pulled the muscles hauling things or if something had gone out of whack in my back. As for my right knee, I wasn't letting him anywhere near it as it's getting better as the days go on. He even pulled out a "gun" of sorts(Tracy tells me it's called an "accuator")that had a rod on it that pounds the area where the doctor puts it. Whack, whack, whack every time over all the areas at the top of my arms. In the end, I did feel much better and that's why I went. Now for his bill. He's more than any I've ever been to at $70 for my 20 minute or so exam. It's was cheaper in California, and South Africa with the cheapest in the Philippines at just $17.00 for the exam. Expensive but if it works, it's money well spent.
I stopped by the Bon Bini Cafeteria and had some nice lamb stew for lunch and then caught the bus back for town, following it on Sygic just in case though all buses end up in Willemstad at some time to drop off and fill up. I got back just in time to miss the 1330 bus and waited for the 1430 bus and was back on Zephyr by 1510, six hours after I left. A long time traveling.
Last night, "The Pier", a local restaurant offered up a Thai Curry dinner for all the cruisers. At $20 guilders($11.70US), it's not a bad deal and about 40 or more show up so the place does a good business. They do it every Thursday to keep us coming back. Last week was Grouper and before that a Hamburger with fries. We're surprised the restaurant right next door hasn't done the same thing. Forty or more extra customers a week is a nice shot in the income, not to mention all the booze everyone drinks as we wait for the meal. As for the Thai Curry, well it was quite tasty but it was more of a Thai Curry soup with a small serving of rice on the side. Having eaten it so many times over the last ten years, I just spread the rice into the center of the plate and then poured the curry from its bowl on top and stirred it up with people around the table watching since most are new to this dish. Bowls were quickly emptied all around our table of 17. We were off and back at Zephyr by just after 2030 with the kids waiting for us.
Today, Friday, we took the free bus back to the grocery store to just get topped up on what we might need for the weekend. Tracy even found Pepsi(imported from Jamaica) at a better price than Coke(imported from Venezuela) for a change. I grabbed a couple of bottles to add to our stocks. It's rare to find Pepsi, let alone at a cheaper price than Coke. The Coke that's made here in Curacao is more expensive than what's imported. Go figure.
We noticed earlier today while charging up our batteries from the Yamaha generator that the plug and first foot or so of the cord was getting quite hot to the touch. I'm off to town tomorrow to find a new plug just incase I find it needs replacing. Better to have the replacement part in hand before you need it should it actually be needed. I've plotted out on Sygic again where the hardware stores are. It looks like I'll be back on the #2 buses again.
Early this morning, it poured buckets. There had been a forecast of a 50% chance of rain so I made sure to close all the hatches and port lites before heading to bed and I'm glad I did. Tracy got awakened by the storm(about 0300) as there was some lightening and thunder involved along with a LOT of rain. Strangely, I slept right threw it. We had several inches of water in the our dinghy as the Sun came up. Tracy bailed out a lot of it before we even tried lifting it off the deck where we stow it at night. She sits on fenders keeping her off the deck and then we strap her down just incase the wind comes up which it always does. Winds right now are 17-20 knots as we sit on anchor. I guess our Rocna did as it is supposed to do and that's to dig in. Since we came back from emptying our black water tanks on Wednesday and reanchored, we haven't budged from what we can tell.