Thoughts of a minibus traveller

Many Guyanas  "Please a tousand" the Indigenous child said in the open air restaurant/bar area to the coastlanders and any other person who would listen. A colleague assisted the child. The hotel is nice, A/C and running water. I am in a village, Indigenous community. I am not writing the name because I did not seek permission from anyone I met or didn't met to write about the place, or about them. The village centre seems to be around the airstrip, like other villages. Much like how other places might be built around rivers, the transportation hubs. I can't see any creek or river. "Today is holiday, only one person come to work.. Toshao say we must employ local people" the owner of the hotel said. I am not sure if he considers himself local. The woman who cleans the hotel, who comes to work every day, is the only Indigenous resident of the community with whom I speak. There is a nice small shop, unpainted boards. Big TV.  Grill to do 'roast'. I th

  Rubbish  Diwali morning early and I come out to go mandir. Place quiet, nice and cool.  Aunty V is out with her dogs - one on the chain, one with three legs running around. Someone had chopped off the fourth leg, Aunty V took the dog in and looked after it.  Is a kind of blessing, to witness this kindness to the animals. Walk towards the seawall. Rubbish all over.  The Diwali motorcade was successful the night before, thousands of citizens  coming out to support and enjoy the spectacle.   The citizens left the rubbish all over. Not sure which HIndu scriptures say that people should worship and then litter the place. Seawall would have been nice to look at.without the rubbish. Laxmi Maa with the rubbish  Minibus passes the Kitty roundabout. There are Diwali decorations , the pink lotus. Important symbol - the lotus- for growing in mud while not having mud on it.  The ground is littered .. plastic bottles, bags, cups. Signs of the prosperity in Guyana and more to come.   And then I l