This morning we arranged for a whole day rental of one of the marina’s cars and trekked across Nassau to get all our errands done. Yuland, one of the marina hands, strongly recommended the Johnson and Johnson Barbershop just a few miles away. This was not to be confused with the Johnson Family Enterprise Barbershop and Tattoo Parlor, which is farther way. He said they could take care of our kind of hair, but to go in the morning, as they got busy, and definitely not to go at 2:00 o’clock, when the barbershop’s favorite soap opera came on TV. Yuland gave us exact directions, which included passing the Ultimate Liquor, Snacks, and Auto Parts store. How could we pass this up?

We arrived promptly at 9 am.  As are most Bahamian businesses in Nassau, the outside was heavily fortified, and we were buzzed in. There was only one barber and one customer when we arrived, and so we had minimal wait. However, as our clipper cuts proceeded, the place rapidly filled up with 4 barbers and numerous patrons who trickled in over about 15 minutes. There were two TVs going with different sports channels, and the granite-topped counters were filled with sailing trophies. These are likely from the Family Islands Regatta which is held in Georgetown each April. There was lots of lively conversation among the patrons and barbers, of which we understood about half. Our haircuts were excellent and only $10 apiece.

Now feeling much lighter, we traveled to Central Gas, and got our empty 10 gallon tank filled, and our second partially-used one topped off. $18.00

Just by chance, we passed the Marathon Mall, and decided to stop in. It looked much like a mall you would see in any small town in the US, and with similar stores. Paula got some shoes with better grip for beach walking than her current flip flops, and Tommy window-shopped, as the they didn’t have sandals of the type he is looking for.

We also came across the first instance of solicitation we have experienced on our trip. As we entered the mall, a young woman was sitting on some nearby interior mall benches with a young boy of about 4 years of age on her lap. The child had a soft cast on his elbow. She walked right up to Paula and said that her son was having surgery on his elbow tomorrow, and she wanted Paula to “sponsor” the surgery. Paula told her that she was sorry to hear her child would need surgery and hoped he would do well but ignored the request for money. We had been previously told by islanders that health care is free in the Bahamas, although one can receive faster and “better” care if one utilizes a parallel “fee for service” system. After we were finished wandering, we exited down the same hallway. The young woman was still there with the playing child, and she gestured angrily at us which cemented our suspicions that this was a scam.

We next drove to the fish fry, where we found that a large parade of preschoolers was taking place in an adjacent park, and had shut down West Bay Street, the main thoroughfare. The children were dressed in school colors with ornate signs. The waitstaff at the restaurant told us that the parade was in support of child health and safety in reaction to several recent deaths of small children due to domestic violence.

The power had also just gone out over much of this portion of Nassau, for unclear reasons. The restaurant was still able to serve since they had a generator for the kitchen, but we chose to sit outside on the upstairs veranda where there was a cool breeze and a view of the parade.

We also met a couple from Texas off of one of the cruise ships, who were interested to learn that Ardastra Gardens (home of the Marching Flamingos) was within a short walk.

Next, we went to the Montague Fish docks. Paula wanted to buy snapper and spiny lobster (featured picture). The marina staff had advised us that in order to get a fair price, we should not smile and not be too friendly. Everything was beautifully fresh, and the snapper fisherman gave us a good price for our three fish (worked out to about 6.50/lb) but the lobster fisherman, in response to our request for 4 (sold as tails only), replied that we could only buy 3, or 6 (for double the price). Paula thanked him but said she would go see if one of the other fishermen would sell her 4. He changed his mind as she began to walk away and sold her the desired four.

Our errands now complete, we just had to replace the aprox 2 ½ gallons of fuel we’d used in the rental car and head home to put the seafood in the fridge. Here in the Bahamas, you do not pump your own gas, and the price today was $4.63/gallon.

Once back at the marina, we met and talked with a couple whose Island Packet 40′ was tied to the gas dock fueling up before they motored to their assigned slip. Like us, they had been anchoring in the Exumas for an extended period and were happy to tie up in a marina. They are originally from Anchorage, Alaska.

Tonight’s dinner was the leftover vegetables in sauce from the pot roast of a few days ago, which Paula fortified by stirring in steamed green beans and garlic pan-seared filet tips cut into chunks. She used her two-day old baked bread to attempt the famous Paul Peeple’s deluxe garlic bread. Tommy said the garlic bread was okay, but still didn’t hold a candle to Paul’s. He will just have to wait ’till St. Augustine to enjoy that particular taste treat again.