My favorite time. And, I am lucky because it happens twice a day.

Just arriving home from a brief walk in the rain. Thunder and Lightning. Few people out & about. Fewer cars on the street.

Walking soaked sidewalks, my pilgrimage from where I am dogsitting for July to where I have been living for the past 3, almost 4 months.

Past closed shops and open bars – patrons spilling out the front door.

Stepping upon hieroglyphics in yellow spray paint; arrows, geometrics & letters, courtesy of the utility companies.

Walking home with a light Heart from the apartment of two new Friends and their 4 year-old boy. The boy had crashed after we had rough-housed & laughed a bit. The two dogs slept at either of my feet while I spoke with their people.

I chatted with M & B for a couple of hours, topics ranging from childbirth, 2012, the devastation visited upon indigenous peoples, diet & nutrition, American obesity, religion (Catholicism & Buddhism) and, finally, alien visitation (past & future–and a sneaking feeling of a present).

It has been a long time since I had a conversation like that.

And, walking home from a prior dinner with a Friend who lives downstairs in the house where I have been living since March, his Girlfriend and her Friend/”Hermana” with whom they were trying to set me up.

Walking home with a heavy heart because G had been an Industrial Designer in her native Columbia. Her Friend/”Hermana” M-H had been a Fashion Designer. They went to the same college. They are now cleaning rich peoples’ houses. Their English is good; better than my Spanish.

I am an Anthropologist, a Stranger in a Strange Land. In this World of stuff & noise & pop culture & BS & keeping up with The Joneses or the Jimenezes or the Chenses. In this World, but not so much of it. In this World by which I am fascinated but understand very little.

It is now 1:23, another favorite time of day….

Walking in the rain. Connected with Nature. Not minding getting wet. Walking between the raindrops.