An interesting afternoon...

(the pics are off the field beside our house and our street - so not near the center of town where I was....I didn't have my camera.) But on the right - that is not a river it is a 2.5 foot deep drainage/sewer that is completely submerged.)

So I meandered into town this afternoon to sit at a bakery and catch up on some grading. (Yeah for the last time of ever having to mark Grade 11 History Exams!!!!) When I finished up I slowly walked down the street, heading in the general direction of home, but with no real intent of making a speedy trip. A few raindrops began to fall and before long I realized that this was not going to be just a quick shower - we were going to get a downpour. I pick up the pace and found myself in the local supermarket. And it poured and poured...hundreds of raindrops upon the metal roof (I love that sound) while I tried to look like I was buying groceries when really all I wanted to do was pay for my turkey bacon and leave.

But the rain didn't stop. And more and more people collected at the door and we all watched as the water level on the street rose higher and higher. Within less then half an hour the water had begun to creep up the entrance to the store. More people began to collect at the door - all of us hoping it would let up so we could leave. Alas, it did not...but instead the water level rose higher and higher until you could not tell anymore that there was a street - it was just a very large pond/river.

By this time I was bored out of my brain - and so I sat down in the restaurant and had a coffee while I worked on some more Spanish. (I know, I know...nerd...) It continued to rain, and when I had had enough I decided I would try to make my escape. When I returned to the front door they had placed sort of sandbags around the entrance and water was actually IN the store. We are talking like 2.5 feet of rain in less then an hour. I waited for someone to head outside - and finally a drunk man decided he was going to go for it. The doors opened and out he flopped - literally, because he fell and landed facefirst in the street-pond...after which he floundered around a bit, got his feet under him, and proceeded to fall AGAIN. (Much to the amusement of all of us waiting inside.)

Then the sun came out and the rain stopped. I decided it was my time to make a go of it. Slipping off my trusty Canadian tire flipflops I hopped over ther sandbags and onto what had been the sidewalk. Not a joke - the water was just under my knees. I waded through the pond the the amusement of other Hondurans around the corner. Eventually I made it onto drier street and padded home in my bare feet.