A Day in the Mangrove Swamp

November 21, 2007

Try as I may, I cannot seem to post pictures, not even one at a time. The connection here is slow, sloow, slooow, and the pix simply will not load before the connection times out. Still, I am grateful that we have this wonderful tech and will continue to do the best I can with what I've got, and apologize for no pix which I know are the best part.

Today, Mark and Martha were up again at five or so and so was I. As I descend the stairs to the main level where I pray the coffee is already made, I pass a window where M and M are already sitting on their patio while the groundskeeper is already sweeping the driveway! We are talking before six! I guess they have 24-hour staff. As I creep down the stairs, clinging to the wall because there is no railing, I look out the window just as Martha looks in and we both start and then laugh and touch hands through the window. I gesture that I am in search of java and they end up joining me around the pool where we are looking desperately for monkeys. They had seen a "troup" the day before at that hour but the monkeys didn't linger then.

But today none are evident. Eventually we go back inside where by now others are stirring and breakfast is becoming a distinct possibility. Ohbytheway, we need to be ready at 8:40 because we are being picked up by van for the mangrove tour, booked by Kelly--we again the willing participants.

But for now, here it is already the second morning and I have seen no monkeys! I am in despair! Inside, everyone is milling about, Mark is playing guitar in the great room, and even a few kiddoes are walking around in typical zombi fashion, having been roused for the 8:40 pick-up.

Bored, I wander out to the pool to maybe take an early morning picture and Gilbert, the pool guy, says Look and in the trees I see a white-faced monkey and then another and then another. Afraid to breathe for fear of spoiling the moment, I ease open the patio door and mouth to Mark "MONKEYS!!!!"after which the entire family spills out onto the pool deck with me shushing them and them squealing LOOKLOOKLOOK!!! For about five minutes the monk-faced little old men checked us out from the trees and even the roof above and although we had been told not to feed them, Gilbert appeared with a banana which he handed to the alpha male (okay I'm guessing that he was the alpha male, but all I know is the others weren't messing with him) who then seemed to give permission for the others to come right up poolside.

For at least thirty minutes the monkeys gathered, swinging from the nearby branches, hovering on the deck railings, and staring each of us right in the eye as if to say "what are you looking at?"
We had been told not to feed them, so the one banana was the only incentive to hang around but I think we would have become best friends if our driver hadn't appeared with a few others in the van and we, embarrassed that we were holding them up, had to take our leave and bid a tearful adios. I pray that they will return tomorrow.

More tomorrow.