Getting lucky

There we were again at the beach because (insert excuse.) We have enjoyed going because it’s Samana Santa (Holy Week) and the entertainment can be a lot of fun. I don’t necessarily mean just the chiquitas, but the beachs’ oddball entertainment. The best part was, that a couple of the beach lovelies finally came on to me. I was so excited but didn’t know what Rosalie thought was so funny. Anyway, after all that, we still didn’t get our money’s worth.

After all the excitement we went home and I took some heart meds (tequila) to try and calm down and eventually volunteered to make dinner.

A few days ago we went to the beach for dinner (another excuse) I ordered a shrimp fajita which we ended up sharing. It was so good that I decided that I could do better.

On this day, we went to the various stores to get our shrimp and veggies and stowed them in the cooler in the car. After the beach, and when we got home, I went to work. After chopping, dicing, sauteing, burning to a crisp and over-salting, I presented Rosalie, who had sobered up a little by now, a Fajita a la Chris.

When we ordered it at Papa Gallo’s, Gabino fired it up all professional-like. Me: not so much; the darn thing wouldn’t flair up. I was using good quality tequila so that was probably the problem. Perhaps I need to use some of Rosalie’s low-quality rotgut with the higher octane to make a bigger bang.

Even though I do say so myself, it was pretty good. We have enough shrimp for the next day so I will try again then.

After expert advice from Rafael, I made another fajita but it still wouldn’t light. Perhaps we should have turned the fan off first. Oh well, next time.

In conversation with Rafael we learned that the beach bands are all different. It’s obvious when you think about it, but we just hadn’t thought about it.

We know when we see a mariachi band because they are dressed to the nines and sweating in the heat.

Bandas are the guy in the last blog who beat the hell out of their drums, play a shrieking wind instrument and generally create quite the racket.

Trios are three guys (who’da guessed) playing guitars and singing; mostly love songs.

Norteños are a larger band and have an accordion playing along.

Our favourites are the solo artists who stop by the outside restaurants and sing whether you ask them to or not and then pass a hat around for payment. No matter if they are good or bad we still pay them. One of these is Gerry who came by our last home a few times last year to play for us; he is good.

One good thing about the Mexicans on the beaches; they take their garbage away with them unlike the Norteño kids in Florida.