"We're going to Livingston!!" I scream into the salty morning air.
Visions of shacks, palm trees, and beautiful blue beaches lapping at my travelled feet fill my imagination.. Emmanuel and Jenny aren't so sure, but my mind is set, I'm getting on the next boat out come rain, hail or shine.
I sit on the concrete floor of the dock and wait, steadfastly holding my ground and ignoring the others groans of dissapproval. "The water smells like sewage!".. but I wont budge. The locals stare at us and we stare back. Time drags as the sun burns our dehydrated bodies.. Eventually a rickety white boat that will be our ride out of this town arrives, and we are hussled aboard. Big black african women wearing large straw hats and bright dresses shuffle on to get a good spot. Their pressence seems odd, I'm not used to seeing black people in my travels, only brown or foreign. I figure they must be tourists.
The boat quickly fills and we are on our way. Nobody speaks, we are all too tired. I take a few snaps and watch the waves from the boat foam and crash while the others sleep...
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We arrive to a tourist tailored island full of black African-Central-Americans selling shells and trinkets, riding bikes, carrying boomboxes playing rap music while smiling big toothy grins at the new arrivals.
"What are we got here?! Who are these mon? tired souls brings me the sea y'see! You need a shelter we give you the place bro! Right you come with me mon!" The big guy intercepts us as we step off the boat. He's right, we need shelter..
"And you need some weeda mon, gonna get the sensi yah?" Right again.
I feel we can trust him and follow his lead.
"I run this place, come on little, we take together to the place you want! Not wanting waste all day looking, rite?" He looks at Jenny, "You tired mama, you too, I show you just the place"..
Too exhausted to argue or even try our options we follow him to a small hostel. The place seems nice enough, showers, and rooms with fans.. we get two rooms, one for me and the other for Emmanuel and Jenny so they can finally have some time alone. A shower is in order, then some food and then to explore the island.. It is another world.
The culture is 'Garifuna' a race born from the descendents of African slaves brought by the French and Spanish. Freed to create their own culture and language, a sing along mish mash of three different tongues. This is where the black women had come from. This is where I would finally see the caribbean beach..