Who WOULDN'T WANT to live here?

To travel and live in a 3rd world country you need a good sense of humor. That combined with sarcasm makes for some fun times. Laura and I have a very similar personality, I know, you love her already, huh? Today we decided to go for a walk from our house around where we live and document what we see...

First step is to leave the house, which often times is difficult because we know what is waiting out there for us. This afternoon we mustered up the courage to venture out on the streets of Santa Cruz. Here's our house...

Our little neighborhood is quite nice. We pay for it though. The fees to live here are high and without splitting it 3 ways there is no way I could afford to live here, but we do split it and we like it. The neighborhood is very small. There is no way you can just walk around INSIDE the condo complex because it would take 2 minutes. So we head out the entrance to the condo...

Here it is - Condomino Britannia. Today we decide to turn left and head on our walk.

Laura is standing at the wall of the condo and our house is right behind her. I'm on the road that leads to our complex. This section of Santa Cruz is not paved and when the dirt roads become potholed the solution is to take bricks and trash and fill in the holes. Yes, you are seeing a STREET. Oh, you want to see the same street from a different view... ok

Here's looking the other direction. If we go straight from here we would head towards our school, grocery store and downtown. Instead, today, we decide to go the other direction and do some exploring...

Not sure what is happening here, but this "factory" is directly behind our condo on the other side of the dirt road.

This is the other side of our condo, see that little shack looking thing? The guards sit in there and keep an "eye" out along the dirt roads.

Across the other dirt road, behind our condo is this lovely property. Not sure why they have 5 dogs running around, maybe they are guarding something special in there.

Walking along, we stop to admire the trash that has accumulated on the side of the road.

Here we are at the 5th ring of the city. I have no idea why the city department of transportation would decide to just stop paving RIGHT here.

 The city is made up of concentric rings starting in the city center which is surrounded by the first ring. 

We are now at the 5th ring (which isn't really a complete ring) and Av. Grigota and heading away from the city (South West corner of the map)...

This house is on the corner of the random dirt road we live off of and the 5th ring. Oh wait, what is THAT - over there... Look 

A turkey? Yup.

Getting ready to go on Av. Grigota, which is actually called the doble via La Guardia out this way...

This is a MAIN intersection in our town.

Each of the "highways" in the city have a median with a sidewalk, and as we were waiting to cross into the middle this semi passed by. I'm sure it meets all highway regulations and remember safety first.

Here's the paved sidewalk in the median. Nice. Now, let me share some of the "attractions" on each side of the road.

This must be the distribution plant for Arcor, which is a company that makes candy and other sweets. Arcor - magical moments await you.

Just a little restaurant on the corner. Wish you could hear the music blasting from the giant speakers out front.

Need your car washed? I'm sure it's cheap.

Yup, this is on the side of the "highway".

The road to Motel Parus looks nice. Should I book you a room for when you come visit me?

Did you need an industrial sink? I know a couple of good shops.

One of my super pet peeves of this city is that someone has decided to put SPEED BUMPS in the middle of a HIGHWAY! I know, this isn't I-95, but it is the fastest roads here, so why in the world would you put in speed bumps???

I should show you some halfway normal stuff... this actually looks like a real gas station.

Of course, across from the gas station is the agency of beer, oh and some more sinks.

Because I have such a positive outlook on life and although I am super sarcastic and love to see the "funny" side of things, I know that life is what you make of it and I love my life. On our little journey today we also saw this -