Beach Days

In the interest of not making all my blog entries sound depressing and negative, I will tell you about Beach Days. I was never a "beach person" before (all that sand, salty water, dead fish, sunburns, unflattering beachwear)......but I am now. Beach Day is something our whole family looks forward to. We usually go once a week, and everyone in our little community knows about it, and sometimes it's just us and other times it's a lot of people.

We drive our 4x4 truck a ways out of town, and turn at an ancient sign that's very easy to miss.  Then we're bumping along on a sand road, past scrubby little bushes, and tents where people actually live, and the occasional camel. It's so bumpy that if you don't hold on, your head will hit the roof of the truck!  The kids love it of course.  Eventually we come up to a gate, and an African guy will come running out in his flip flops from some ramshackle building, to collect our 500 ougiyas (a little less than $2), which is our parking fee.

Everyone usually arrives within an hour of each other and we set up our stuff.  For the next two (or three, or four) hours we sit and talk, we venture into the waves, and help the kids build sand forts and sand walls and collect shells.  Sometimes families bring thier dogs, and one family always brings their houseboy. (yes, you read that correctly)  We love it that he's there, because he does nothing the whole time but watch the kids like a hawk.  He lets us know when a truck is driving along the beach, because beach drivers don't ever slow down when they see people.  He also helps carry stuff when we pack up.

As you sit there and watch the waves, the constant wind keeps you from melting in the sun.  If you stay long enough, you can watch the sun set over the Atlantic, and it's amazing.  Everyone goes home relaxed, tired, and ready for a shower and some dinner.  I love Beach Days!!