JOHN, ROBBIE and MAIA

Friday, 30 December 2011

SAMVARA - CHRISTMAS 2011 Part 3

Robbie and Maia shout, "Happy Christmas, Grannie!"

Our annual trip to Samvara is really all about Christmas. Our families are in England and in Kenya, so we cannot enjoy the usual family Christmas. Nevertheless we keep the families in mind. The photo above shows Maia and Robbie holding a banner which says, "Happy Christmas, Grannie!" The wonders of internet and e-mail meant that they shouted their message at about 6:00 pm on Christmas Eve and Grannie received it in England when she awoke Christmas Day. Grannie in Kenya probably did not receive this until a day or so later. We were also able to exploit John's Porta internet chip and a very weak signal on Christmas Day to Skype with Carol and Grannie in England.

A fishing boat returns to Don Juan at 6:30 am

Samvara is close by the fishing village of Don Juan. As fishing villages go, it is big with maybe as many as 50 fishing boats, which stay out for 12 hours at a time, and return to Don Juan with their catch or feed one of the larger fishing vessels from Bahia, which are usually just visible on the horizon. When the boats return to shore, the frigate birds and pelicans have a super time, robbing the fishermen of their catch. The fish are quickly loaded into lorries and packed in ice, or if there are special fish caught, these are sold on the beach. Interestingly very few of the fisher families are from Manabí province. They are mostly from inland, many from Ambato. Their fishing incomes support their families back home. This non-resident style of life is also a temporary one and few of the Don Juan houses are permanent. Indeed one time last year, we watched as gale force winds and very high tides washed away at least half of the houses built precariously on the top of the beach. The few belongings the families had were taken to higher ground and the simple wooden houses rebuilt when calmer weather returned.

Although we can enjoy the Don Juan beach, or others nearby, the children are often just as happy in the swimming pool. Both Robbie and Maia can now get about quite safely without floats.

Samvara has plenty for kids to do. There is a little boating pond with an island. There are dogs to walk. A death slide, swings hanging from huge trees, and indoor games. There is even a shed full of rusty bicycles - poor Benno has more or less given up on the bicycles because they need so much maintenance and cleaning in the salty atmosphere.

Some very nervous children - and nervous Paul who is just about
to fall in!

Paul, Ximena and Sisa accompanied us again this year, and again with Paul's parents, visiting from Bracknell in England. Sisa has her 6th birthday early January. Pauline and Brian, Paul's parents are at the other end of the scale, but are super-mobile and ready for anything! They are lovely folk, and very generous. We were privileged to have them with us again.