December 17th/18th 1981

The hammock did not prove a great success from my point of view, since I slept little.  This is largely attributable to the fact that I was cold tho’, due to a poor arrangement of the blanket around me.  And after that?  Very little to relate really.  I’m annoyed with myself (+ Val is too) that I put the film in to be developed, since it means hanging around in a place we really have had our fill of.  Still, there are worse places to be stuck – a tropical paradise, sun, sand, and sex.  Anyway…

After breakfast – a couple of pineapple rolls from the bakery – we spent the rest of the day sitting outside the café where we were camped, just sitting, reading, talking, occasionally taking time off to swim.  Chatted with various people – mainly a couple of American guys + a Spaniard, + then later a NY Jewish couple.  All fairly inconsequential, just passing time.  In the evening we ate lobster with tomato salad.  It was OK, but not wonderful, + we felt we were overcharged.  Then, in the evening, we moved house + social scale once again, moving down to a tent on the beach, + then spent the evening talking + playing cards, tho’ at a different café.  I slept well in the tent, Val less so – we seem to alternate.  Then, again, breakfast + coffee.

We’ve now switched patronage to our new café – a) they seem nicer b) they’re looking after our bags c) their coffee is better d)  their coffee is cheaper.  More reading – Val is on Solzen, me on “The Plumed Serpent” by DH Lawrence – then a swim, then a trip to the bakery, where we met not only the American we’d met last night, but also the NY Jews – Richie + Risa – + also Henriette.  They were all sitting round drinking coffee, so that’s what we did too, for the next hour or more.  A really nice bakery, all out in the open, with a friendly + unusually sardonic old Mexican lady.  Shopped, then visited R + R’s café, first to borrow olive oil, then to swim, then to sing.  That was fine.  Richie is a good guitarist, + we were able to find a few songs to sing, some of them working really well.  Then moved to join a couple of guitarists next door, but Val + I could only really listen then, since it was a guitar jam session.  In any case, Val did not feel well, so went to lie down.  Later, a fabulous meal, an omelette with onions + tomato, cooked outdoors.  Later, coffee.  A good day.

Never have got on with hammocks all that well.  The promise is great – especially with the normal advertising accompaniments: white sand, cocktail, etc – but I find the reality uncomfortable.  I still remember the pineapple empanadas however, which were, hot from the oven, entirely wonderful.

Nice to meet up with others for socialising (though I don’t know why I felt the need to define R + R by their Jewishness.)  And especially good to make music together, even if my contribution is to provide words… which others can do anyway.