Retrospective wisdom

All business done in La Paz, Baja California, Mexico and although still operating with one hand only, a return nevertheless to El Triple for more retreating.

Water tank filled and supplies purchased in Walmart.
Where the carrots were selling for 0,90 Mexican Pesos per kilo.
That's € 0,05 or $ 0.07 per kilo.
$ 0.03 per pound...
Who is making money there ?
Eduardo, the friend who is the manager of Walmart La Paz, showed images he filmed that very morning when the doors of his shop opened.
Hundreds of people stormed inside to get carrots.

About 10 kilometers north of La Paz is a "Puesto de control militar" where cars, buses and trucks are checked for drugs and weapons.
Usually a soldier wishes to enter the Fuso Szulc, will have a quick look around and the journey is allowed to continue.
But not so yesterday.
Three soldiers searched the Fuso Szulc for half an hour.
Meticulously.
A chat with the friendly commander revealed that the day before an American camper with a young couple was stopped and searched.
In the RV the soldiers had found hidden in the walls and floor 1.500 kilo of marijuana.
The smuggling couple is expected to go to jail for 70 years.

The dirt road to El Triple had changed because of the heavy rain fall due to the recent hurricane.
Although the road had no mud anymore, the erosion was sometimes dramatic.
Water that had washed away the road.
Or had made deep gullies.
The Mexicans simply had been driving their cars and trucks around the obstacles knocking down some bushes.
The Fuso Szulc had no problems although frequently the 4x4 option had to be used.
Most difficult was when the road was moved outwards and was in a steep angle.
Driving there gives the feeling the rig will fall on its side.

The landscape had changed dramatically as well.
What used to be a barren desert where seemed to be only suffering cactuses and dead bushes, the high volume of downpour had made the landscape come alive.
Green, green as far as the eye could see.
With flowers, butterflies and bumblebees.
Even lizards and rodents that know how to survive a deluge.

Seeing the friends again who live in the area of El Triple.
Ramon at La Aguja who had stayed with his family and survived the hurricane.
He explained that it had not been so bad at all.
Not too much rain, not too much wind.
Leonardo who had been hiding in the nearby Ejido, the agricultural community, where had been no damage at all.
And Miguel who explained it all had been not much more than a light storm.
So in fact the conclusion was that the Fuso Szulc could have stayed.
There had been no need to go and find shelter in La Paz.
But that is retrospective wisdom.
The hurricane made landfall about 100 kilometers (62 miles) north of El Triple and destroyed everything in its path, including three towns.
If the landfall had happened at El Triple and the Fuso Szulc had stayed, there would not have been very likely a posting today.


El Triple has not much changed.
It is greener.
The nearby dry river bed is filled with water.
The beach has a new, fresh layer of sand.
And the pelicans still patrol the shoreline.

It is a return to the peaceful life.
The harmony.
To live another special day.
Not in the least because today is 9-9-2009.



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