water

Isn't this just the most entertaining land! I just got back in from getting water. And things never seem to happen as you think they're going to.
Here, of course, one doesn't drink the tap water, you buy water in great big blue bottles. Tonight I suddenly remembered that I needed water, so I grabbed my empty and went up and around the corner to a little "tienda", a sort of corner shop that someone has set up out the front of their house. While I was waiting my turn, along came a lady who asked me if I needed water. Yes, I said. "Vamos" - let's go, she said, so as I wasn't making much progress where I was, I went, not having any idea where I was going! Down the stairs, past my front door, and along a few houses, and I realized she was a neighbour. So into her house we went, and I'm still wondering where the water is coming from. The house is quite luxurious by Caracol standards, all ceramic tile and everything quite lovely. And I can't see a supply of big blue bottles anywhere. So then she shows me a separate tap at her kitchen sink, she has a filter system. She gets out a glass and pours me a taste test, I approve, so then she gets a little jug and starts filling my big bottle, bit by bit. And while she did, we chatted. Turns out she worked in the US for 25 years, and tomorrow is going back for a visit, staying until November.
So she filled my bottle 3/4 full, all I was able to carry home, and off I went, with my filtered water from a kind and generous neighbour, my new best friend who is leaving town. What a place!