Travel Reference
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to where I could hardly see with rage. I waded in with fists flying and connected with skin
and bone in the most satisfying manner. Suddenly, the two barmen and some other local,
tough guys were all over us, tearing us apart, and yelling in Spanish. I heard girls scream-
ing, and the whole place became suddenly quiet as if in shock.
When we had been separated and were all heaving for breath and glowering menacingly
at each other, I said loudly to the barman, “They started this; we came here as guests to
your island and to have a fun evening here. I don't know why they started to fight us!” We
were taken aback when the barman agreed, and rounding on the local scrappers, screamed
something in Spanish at them. They looked down-cast and beaten. They had lost all their
steam and looked like a group of whipped curs. They were then ordered out of the disco
and escorted to the door by one of the barmen.
“I see the first time he threw some beer on you, señor; I am hoping there ees no problem,
but dose boys like banditos, no bloody good!” he said to Gavin. “They are trouble makers,
always dey fighting. Many times we must throw them out of here,” he said in his heavy
Ecuadorian accent.
Gavin and I were presented with a beer each on the house, and we made our way to a dif-
ferent table. We could feel the eyes of the people on us as we made our way through the
tables; not all of them were unfriendly. As we went past the table of yachties, one of them
leaned out and said, “Nothing like a grand entrance, you guys! Come and join us, it's safer
in a crowd!” We all laughed loudly at that and drew up chairs and joined them.
The dance music started loudly, and it seemed that the fight had cleared the air somewhat;
everyone was suddenly in a festive mood. Soon the floor was alive with sweating couples
dancing to the noisy beats of a popular Latin hit. Gavin and I sat and joked and chatted
to the table of visiting sailors. We were delighted when two lovely ladies made their way
across to our table. They stood smiling down at us and said something in Spanish, their
pearl earrings swinging and dazzling in the soft, paraffin lights suspended above. I caught
the word “bailar” which we had heard associated with dancing, and without any hesitation
we went onto the floor with them.
Suddenly, a huge cockroach landed on my partner's lovely, naked, brown shoulder and she
screamed in shock and laughter as I hastily leaned forward to flick it off. It landed on the
floor, and she immediately stepped on it. This, we noticed, happened fairly regularly, and
people were constantly having to flick these vermin off their shoulders onto the floor where
they were enthusiastically squashed by the quickest foot.
The evening flew by, and it seemed that these two lovely, young ladies really liked dancing,
or they liked twins, for they were always smiling and willing to dance with us. Maybe the
fight had inspired or thrilled them. They were unable to understand too much English, and
