Green Everywhere

Every time I look down the valley I am surprised and delighted all over again by the green. Even in town there is a garden on every roof and vines dripping down walls. Color is everywhere. Signs, clothes, and street vendors. Tall buildings (well, tall meaning five stories) and narrow streets. My friends spent the first few days saying how overwhelming the noise and the people and the colors were. To my great surprise I never had that reaction. I stepped off the plane...well it was night when I flew in so more accurately when I set foot on the street the next morning for the first time I accepted  everything I saw, felt, and heard. A little scary, yes, but not overwhelming. Just the nervousness of finding an ATM, then finding my hotel again, then a place to eat, etc. Luckily I ran into the two most delightful and helpful people imaginable.

One thing that did terrify me and still does is the traffic. I'm sure I will get run over at least twice before I leave. I'm nearly used to the honking now. At least I don't jump as often. It doesn't help that the streets are a combination of paving stones, gravel, and dirt. Small children can swim in some of the potholes. The traffic lights here are traffic directors that I'm convinced have a high mortality rate.