Our guide led us down a narrow street in Cartegena where we encountered a man sitting on the pavement painting local scenes on little rectangle mirrors. He promised to demonstrate his technique by finishing a mirror in "two minutes, uh, maybe 20 seconds." He worked rapidly and a steady hand, working mostly with his fingers but adding a few fine brush strokes near the end. Everyone seemed mesmerized. I don't think anyone was timing him. When he finished he drew applause from the tour group. The guide translated the deal for him: one mirror for $7, or two for $10. The bargain hunters in our group knew a deal when they saw one. I don't think anyone bought just one mirror. Ours grace the wall in the foyer, a reminder of our trip to Colombia. I wondered if our guide gets a cut, or if the painter is his brother-in-law.
We were not even certain if the building was still standing. The staff at our hotel, The Diwan, knew that the hospital, once part of Port Lyautey Naval Air Station where her father was stationed, was being razed to make way for a Four Seasons so the concierge drove the four of us there so we could stand near the spot. It was a poignant moment. Do you think we got there just in time? https://www.facebook.com/groups/3211569802202093/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Naval_Air_Station_Port_Lyautey
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