Vinicio Espinosa

A Place Stuck In Time

I've just been to a place stuck in time. It reminded me of summers in Ecuador, when we'd go to small towns on the coast. Dirt (and some dirty) roads, old and simple buildings, precarious vehicles (and horses and motorbikes and pedi-cabs), all baking under a scorching sun, high humidity, and lack of nearly everything: sanitation and maintenance above all. But most importantly food: large store fronts in old houses and buildings showcase a lot more space than content. The odd cans of sardines, tomato paste and oil perched among basic school supplies and a couple pairs of pants and shirts hanging on the side. All this inside the size of a small 711 store. It's nearly empty yet people line up to get a shot at the new arrivals. And no matter how remote the town, rum was never (NOT ONCE) in short supply.