Under the palmtrees

We have spent this week lounging by the beach. In the mornings we eat breakfast outside our room, ten meters from the sea. Tea, but without milk, since president Chavez has introduced popular and populist price controls on goods like milk and eggs (cheered by the crowds) until it has predictably resulted in that these goods disappear from the shops. So far we have only been able to buy two litres of milk during our time here. Its a lottery, if you happen to pop up in the shop when there is a delivery, you grab two subsidised packs of milk and smile.
Otherways our days are nice here in Pampatar. The fishermen maintain their boats, bring in their catch and a nice mix of families play in the sand. The atmosphere friendly, relaxed. Several rich people from Caracas return regularly to the posada La Bufonera, to relax from the tension in the capital. We spent an hour one morning watching one of the posadas house cats play with a cockroach. One of the house cats look like Hitler.
The girls love to play in the sand and in the sea, and Lily has made some friends by the beach, but unfortunately only day visitors in Pampatar. The children in the public playgrounds are nice, but the playgrounds rusty and littered. Alice´s world is smaller, with more limited need for friends in her age. Emily has been marvellous in adapting to the simple life, her experience from Oyugis has made it possible for her to make excellent meals on our simple stove. We have found a nice flat to rent in the rather elegant and guarded block of flats named Terrazas de Pampatar, overlooking the Carribean sea and with a big private swimming pool. We are scheduled to move in the 1st of Nov.