I was in session when I heard a knock at the door. It was Major Hood, the woman who runs the clinic. She informed us that it was hailing afuera and we should take a look. Hail storms happen once a year in the city, usually at the beginning of the rainy season. We ran to the window and sure enough the streets were quickly filling with water. We were unable to leave the building due to the river that was raging past the front door. I looked for a rubber raft in the storage closet but found nothing. Lidu and I waited for 30 min. but my hunger overtook my left brain (logic) and I prepared to exit the building regardless of what was happening outside.
Lidu and I tyed plastic bags around our feet and left the building. We were greeted by shin deep water, full of sewage...I even saw a partly intact piece of dog poo float by. GRosS!! At this point we needed to continue towards the metro...oh and my bag leaked and one of my shoes was soaked. GRosS!!
We made it to the metro and entered the train. Halfway to the next stop the train car suddenly stopped. We waited for 30 min. without movement and unable to exit. Finally the trained moved but in the wrong direction. Yes, we were moving backwards! We came full circle and landed on the same platform where our journey had begun. No problemo!..we ran to another platform to try and catch another train that would require more connections but we were hungry and distance was not important. This was our only option.
We made it to our first connection and exited. As we turned the corner in one of the many metro tunnels we were greeting by hundreds of people all carrying statues of Saint Judas!! Some of these statues were equal in size to a 3 year old child. It was such a surreal experience and I felt as though I was walking in a dream with an army of identical Saints marching towards me. The fact that I was soaking wet (did I mention I had no umbrella) kept me aware that the events were actually happening. Lidu and I charged foward locked arm in arm so we would not get seperated. Hijole!!
Next train was even more exciting. The line waiting to enter was 6 deep. We squeezed into the crowd as the train arrived. Still locked arm in arm Lidu and I were pulled by the crowd onto the train. When this happens it feels as though some large magnetic force is moving your body without consent. Regardless of what you say, physically do or wish for you end up where the crowd places you. As we were being pushed onto the train the doors on the other side of the train suddenly opened. This is a rare occurrence, in fact I have never seen this happen before because these doors open to the tracks below. The crowd continued to push and we continued to be moved until suddenly we were being pushed out the other side. I had no intention of falling out of that train to the track below, especially on the day of Saint Judas. Standing on the edge of the open doorway I fought the kinectic energy of the crowd by holding onto a bar with one hand and Lidu with the other. Lidu and I could not believe how close we were to the edge and it seemed impossible to fight the force of the crowd. Everyone wanted on this train. Alas we survived and maintained our position on the train with Saint Judas.
After the long metro ride(s!) we ended up getting slightly lost in the city, finally taking a taxi to the home of a friend.
I used my trusty cell phone to call Marlies and ordered up some Pasta Box, which was waiting for us when we arrived. This is not the first time Pasta Box has saved my life and most likely is not the last.
Lidu and I really had a great time that evening trying to find our way home. We found humour in most of our events and laughed with others on the metro because of the craziness that was all around. It is strange how normally metro rides are such silent experiences, no noise except for the rumbling of the train and people selling random items in the aisles. This day of locura brought people together in more ways than one. Like the guy from whom we solicited a little help. We did not know if we could make it out of the metro car at one of the stops because we were packed in like sardines. So he agreed to help push us out when the doors opened, others joined in until we popped out the other side like greased pigs. Days like this make me grateful for the days that are a little less eventful but they also make me love the people I encounter and this city even more.
