Sunday Walkabout - Fighting Fish
I took my usual Sunday walk about and decided to cross the floating bridge and see what was on the other side that I had missed being in a car. I ended up walking on Avenida Espana pass the Naval base (after I was back home and looked at the map I realized I could have taken a much shorter route to someplace). It was a long walk going past the Naval base at there was only a long wall most of the way and the highway on the other side. Thank goodness I put a little sun block on my face and shoulders or I would have probably been quite burnt as there wasn't any shade.
The first place available to get of that smoldering hot highway I turned and went on my little exploring trip. I was looking for a good Colmado to have a nice cold beer and wipe the dripping sweat of my brow.
There was a large group of men surrounding a pick-up truck welling and jumping around so I decided that I'd stop and see what the commotion was.
If I had my camera there would be a few pictures one of which I will try and explain. A small sized red pick-up truck with about 15 men of various ages all surrounding it. There were about 3 young boys standing in the bed of the truck. there was a nice looking family sitting on the bumper of the car parked in front of the truck. A mom, dad and 3 small children. All were very animated and watching the top of the cab of the truck. On the cab was a large gallon sized jar. In this jar was two small black fish, beta fish. The fighting ones. Everyone was watching intently as these fish were preparing for battle. This is the description of the picture, if there was one.
So I stood near by observing this event. People were betting, just like at a cock fight. These fish were bighting each other. It looked like they were going at each others tails (my glasses need replacing so I couldn't make out exactly what part the fishies were biting).
This went on for over an hour. When the fish seemed to stop going at each other one of the men would pick up the jar and shake is ferociously. up and down (poor fishies heads getting banged around that way), then in a circular motion as to create a whirlpool in the water. then the jar was placed on the top of the truck and the people waited for the swirling fish to get their senses about them to start eating at each other. Then as the fish fighting slowed down the poor fish were put in another shaking and whirlpool.
this went on for ever. Many of the people seemed to get tired of the fight. The family left. the 3 boys were gone. Just the die hard men that bet their pesos on the death of a fish remained.
It rained two times, hard, and they grabbed the jar and went inside the Colmado to continue the fight. When the rain stopped they went back to the truck.
I was tired of waiting to see the outcome of this fight so I walked on. the rain made some big puddles, small pools, in the street so it took me a while getting around some of them. I could just imaging me walking near a puddle and some fun loving person decides to get the Gringa wet (I remember this happening when I was young and daring in USA when I was hitchhiking to Massachusetts). So I waited until the road was clear to pass by the larger puddles.
Finally I came to a cross road area and asked at a tire place which was the best road to take to get back to Colonial Zone. stupid me, they said it was really far and I forgot that to many Dominicans a few blocks is far. The moto concho offered to take me to the Zone for $100 pesos. I said no way. Did he think my head screwed on (lol!). So I finally got him down to $40 pesos and I hopped on. I never took a moto concho in the city before and reminded him that I like my flesh attached to my body and not spread across the street so he drove really slow for me. We passed a few people I knew and of course they all had to yell out their car windows about seeing me on a motorcycle.
Then to top it off, the zone was only about 10 minutes ride on the moto! I could have walked that, but oh well, it was refreshing on the bike. Which was the climax to another successful and eventful Sunday walk here in Santo Domingo.
The first place available to get of that smoldering hot highway I turned and went on my little exploring trip. I was looking for a good Colmado to have a nice cold beer and wipe the dripping sweat of my brow.
There was a large group of men surrounding a pick-up truck welling and jumping around so I decided that I'd stop and see what the commotion was.
If I had my camera there would be a few pictures one of which I will try and explain. A small sized red pick-up truck with about 15 men of various ages all surrounding it. There were about 3 young boys standing in the bed of the truck. there was a nice looking family sitting on the bumper of the car parked in front of the truck. A mom, dad and 3 small children. All were very animated and watching the top of the cab of the truck. On the cab was a large gallon sized jar. In this jar was two small black fish, beta fish. The fighting ones. Everyone was watching intently as these fish were preparing for battle. This is the description of the picture, if there was one.
So I stood near by observing this event. People were betting, just like at a cock fight. These fish were bighting each other. It looked like they were going at each others tails (my glasses need replacing so I couldn't make out exactly what part the fishies were biting).
This went on for over an hour. When the fish seemed to stop going at each other one of the men would pick up the jar and shake is ferociously. up and down (poor fishies heads getting banged around that way), then in a circular motion as to create a whirlpool in the water. then the jar was placed on the top of the truck and the people waited for the swirling fish to get their senses about them to start eating at each other. Then as the fish fighting slowed down the poor fish were put in another shaking and whirlpool.
this went on for ever. Many of the people seemed to get tired of the fight. The family left. the 3 boys were gone. Just the die hard men that bet their pesos on the death of a fish remained.
It rained two times, hard, and they grabbed the jar and went inside the Colmado to continue the fight. When the rain stopped they went back to the truck.
I was tired of waiting to see the outcome of this fight so I walked on. the rain made some big puddles, small pools, in the street so it took me a while getting around some of them. I could just imaging me walking near a puddle and some fun loving person decides to get the Gringa wet (I remember this happening when I was young and daring in USA when I was hitchhiking to Massachusetts). So I waited until the road was clear to pass by the larger puddles.
Finally I came to a cross road area and asked at a tire place which was the best road to take to get back to Colonial Zone. stupid me, they said it was really far and I forgot that to many Dominicans a few blocks is far. The moto concho offered to take me to the Zone for $100 pesos. I said no way. Did he think my head screwed on (lol!). So I finally got him down to $40 pesos and I hopped on. I never took a moto concho in the city before and reminded him that I like my flesh attached to my body and not spread across the street so he drove really slow for me. We passed a few people I knew and of course they all had to yell out their car windows about seeing me on a motorcycle.
Then to top it off, the zone was only about 10 minutes ride on the moto! I could have walked that, but oh well, it was refreshing on the bike. Which was the climax to another successful and eventful Sunday walk here in Santo Domingo.
Labels: beta fish, moto concho, santo domingo, walk
posted by Janette at Monday, June 23, 2008
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