Arts & Entertainment

The breeze is cool and energizing. At times, the wind in the Gulf can be wild and strong with gale force strength but most days it's quite calm. Looking up at the luxury condos along the beach I can see life stirring as some folks come out on their balcony, sipping an early morning coffee.
The waves lap the shore as they have done from the beginning of time, throwing up here and there some seaweed, sea shells and Portuguese man-o-war. The water changes colour blue – green – grey with no sign of oil despite the recent oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. It's peaceful and calm and I love it. It reminds me of a walk on the seawall in Georgetown with the Atlantic lappping the shores in a creamy foam and sand crabs scurrying into their holes - scenes reminiscent of my childhood in Guyana.
The weather is warm in the winter varying between 45° – 75° F This place has a history of hurricanes. The last major one that hit South Padre a few years ago was Dolly which did quite a bit of damage, including taking off the roof of the house in which we are staying, and every other roof on the island, so I am told.
Soon after we arrived, my wife and I felt an earthquake tremor one evening that lasted about five minutes. It was scary and my wife said it was the first earthquake she had ever felt adding that the last time she ever felt anything close to that was when she first met me! Since the first tremor, we have felt at least two milder ones. The locals don't seem to notice the tremors perhaps having become immune to them.
South Padre is sub-tropical. We pick fresh grapefrui from a tree in our yard every morning. I hung a hammock on our front porch and swing in the wind. Sometimes, literally out of the blue, sky-divers come floating down, the ladies screaming their heads off as their parachutes bob about in the wind. They land on a beach nearby. Outside in our yard there are palms, coconut palms, hibiscus and tropical flowers.
The shrimps from the Gulf are large and delicious. Fresh and juicy at bargain basement prices, I have never tasted shrimps so meaty and tasty, unlike the small, blue, chewy frozen shrimps we often get in Canada, and for which we have to pay an arm and a leg.
Fishing and the Gulf of Mexico go hand in hand, one of the reasons the recent oil spill off the coast of Louisana was such a tragedy. If you love sea food as I do, come to the Gulf.
Not far from South Padre, lies the border of Mexico. Mexico has been getting a lot of bad press recently – gang wars, drug wars, kidnappings, murders, violence...signs of the desperation of many in that poor country. Tourists are advised not to visit Mexico but I have been a number of times to Neuvo Progresso, a border town nearby. There have been gun battles and bombings there but the shopping and entertainment are good. There are cheap dental services, prescribed drugs (some folks stock up on their viagara for years), Mexican cultural shows, and drinks galore – tequilas, margaritas, pina coladas to knock you out quickly if you so choose.
My wife and I have been teaching some dancing here, starting with the Texas two-step. The dancers are enthusiastic, half of whom are locals and the rest visitors from all parts of the States, and as far north as Canada. We will probaly follow that up with some country line dancing.
Well my pen is running dry and my morning coffee is calling me. We think of you folks up in the frozen north – this winter reportedly is cold and bitter. The most I can do is send you warm wishes from the Gulf of Mexico. February will soon be here and then it will be spring and time for our return to Canada. In the meanwhile, keep warm and if the creeks don't rise and the sun still shines I'll be talking to you.

February 2, 2010 issue
Arts & Entertainment
Greetings to the north from a warm place
	I walk on the beach at sunrise almost every day here at South Padre Island on the Gulf of Mexico in Texas. The sun rises lazily from out of the Gulf with the early morning clouds in attendance, like a bride and her bridesmaids The pelicans hover over the water and the sea-gulls swoop down in the sands to pick out their breakfast. Out in the Gulf, two oil rigs are anchored offshore. Two tankers, the mother ships wait nearby, ready to collect their cargo and take it into Port Isabel.
Along the beach stroll the early morning dog walkers, together with shell collectors, the joggers, beachcombers, and a few photographers. Fishermen have walked out into the water and cast their lines. Whiting and red snapper are among the local catch. Locals and visitors alike (Winter Texans they call us), we are enjoying another beautiful sunrise.

*Sunrise on the Gulf of Mexico on South Padre Island, Texas, with two oil rigs in the background and a fisherman casting his line from the shore.* Pix by Bernard Heydorns
The breeze is cool and energizing. At times, the wind in the Gulf can be wild and strong with gale force strength but most days it's quite calm. Looking up at the luxury condos along the beach I can see life stirring as some folks come out on their balcony, sipping an early morning coffee. The waves lap the shore as they have done from the beginning of time, throwing up here and there some seaweed, sea shells and Portuguese man-o-war. The water changes colour blue – green – grey with no sign of oil despite the recent oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. It's peaceful and calm and I love it. It reminds me of a walk on the seawall in Georgetown with the Atlantic lappping the shores in a creamy foam and sand crabs scurrying into their holes - scenes reminiscent of my childhood in Guyana. The weather is warm in the winter varying between 45° – 75° F This place has a history of hurricanes. The last major one that hit South Padre a few years ago was Dolly which did quite a bit of damage, including taking off the roof of the house in which we are staying, and every other roof on the island, so I am told. Soon after we arrived, my wife and I felt an earthquake tremor one evening that lasted about five minutes. It was scary and my wife said it was the first earthquake she had ever felt adding that the last time she ever felt anything close to that was when she first met me! Since the first tremor, we have felt at least two milder ones. The locals don't seem to notice the tremors perhaps having become immune to them. South Padre is sub-tropical. We pick fresh grapefrui from a tree in our yard every morning. I hung a hammock on our front porch and swing in the wind. Sometimes, literally out of the blue, sky-divers come floating down, the ladies screaming their heads off as their parachutes bob about in the wind. They land on a beach nearby. Outside in our yard there are palms, coconut palms, hibiscus and tropical flowers. The shrimps from the Gulf are large and delicious. Fresh and juicy at bargain basement prices, I have never tasted shrimps so meaty and tasty, unlike the small, blue, chewy frozen shrimps we often get in Canada, and for which we have to pay an arm and a leg. Fishing and the Gulf of Mexico go hand in hand, one of the reasons the recent oil spill off the coast of Louisana was such a tragedy. If you love sea food as I do, come to the Gulf. Not far from South Padre, lies the border of Mexico. Mexico has been getting a lot of bad press recently – gang wars, drug wars, kidnappings, murders, violence...signs of the desperation of many in that poor country. Tourists are advised not to visit Mexico but I have been a number of times to Neuvo Progresso, a border town nearby. There have been gun battles and bombings there but the shopping and entertainment are good. There are cheap dental services, prescribed drugs (some folks stock up on their viagara for years), Mexican cultural shows, and drinks galore – tequilas, margaritas, pina coladas to knock you out quickly if you so choose. My wife and I have been teaching some dancing here, starting with the Texas two-step. The dancers are enthusiastic, half of whom are locals and the rest visitors from all parts of the States, and as far north as Canada. We will probaly follow that up with some country line dancing. Well my pen is running dry and my morning coffee is calling me. We think of you folks up in the frozen north – this winter reportedly is cold and bitter. The most I can do is send you warm wishes from the Gulf of Mexico. February will soon be here and then it will be spring and time for our return to Canada. In the meanwhile, keep warm and if the creeks don't rise and the sun still shines I'll be talking to you.
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