Sunday Swim

Antonio (left) and Guebuza (right) with a captured river crab

For the past months, Alto Molocue has been making that unfortunate transition from the pleasant wintry coldishness to the pre-rainy season super dryness. This unwelcome change in seasons not only brings swealteringly hot days and increasingly uncomfortable hot nights, but also covers the surrounding area in intentionally started wild-fires and the resulting constantly falling ash. When I was already sweating uncomfortably by 8:30 this morning, I knew that something had to be done to ensure that I did spend all day suffering. So I got up and went over to my neighbors house to brainstorm with my 8 and 12 year old neighbors Guebuza and Antonio. Quickly we decided that the best way to avoid the heat was to go for a swim; so I ran home, grabbed my swimsuit, picked up Eric and Sticky, and we set off.

Once everyone saw Eric with his camera, chaos ensued and
mobs of posing children started to form. Imagine what would
have happened if we had then started to bare our pastiness

Apparently most of Alto Molocue had the same idea, so as we walked along the river looking for a good place to swim we encountered beach after beach of children, women, and men bathing, washing clothes, and swimming. Though I love interacting with my fellow Molocueans, being a white person here normally attracts a high amount of unwanted attention. Now add in the fact that going  for a swim would expose my uniquely hairy chest and more white skin than they'd ever seen before, and all of a sudden privacy becomes a priority. Explaining this to Geubuza and Antonio was especially difficult, as they didn't understand why we wanted to be hermits and begged to stop and swim at each beach we found.

Seeing Anontio and Guebuza swim next to Sticky brought new
meaning to the words "doggy paddle." I tried teaching them
a proper swim stroke, but I guess french teaching skills don't
translate well.

Eventually we discovered an isolated swimming hole, and excitedly took off our shoes and shirts and jumped in. Though it wasn't necessarily the cleanest river (the prevailing stench of #2 was everywhere along our path), having cool water wash the sweat off your body is an unbelievably satisfying feeling. Even Sticky jumped in and paddled around for a bit, after standing on the banks whining for a while. Having it been a while since I'd given him a bath, I happily counted this as a wash instead. Of course, the moment he got out of the water, he promptly rolled around in the dirt to dry off, making sure my canine owner hygiene duties stayed unfulfilled. After a quick 30 min swim, we all were feeling a pretty hungry and reluctantly decided it was time to head back home for lunch in the sweltering heat.

Coming back into town refreshed and clean made the rest of the day past quickly and in comfort. Though it was still super hot, there was little need for the recently necessary twice a day bucket baths. With the dry season far from over. I'm sure to be back into the Rio Molocue before long.

Photos were taken by and are the property of  Eric Wilburn. Thanks bro!