Chicken Island

This weekend I'm reminded of when we first moved to the island. It was in the beginning of April 2012.  Five years ago. A lot of water has passed under the bridge since arriving here. At first, it was an exotic place to be sure. Beautiful vegetation, awesome sea views, potent pain killers (the rum drink not the opioids - though the opioid kind can also be found here I'm sure) .

The first place we stayed was called Pavilions & Pools. Basically small studio/one bedroom apartments with a limited kitchen - kinda like Guest Suites sans glitz.

One of the best features of this hotel was the fact that each one of the rooms had an individual swimming pool in the back. Not a huge swimming pool. I wouldn't be practicing for the olympics in it but they were a nice feature nonetheless.  

I remember this place well - not because of the amenities, not because of the great views and not because the bathrooms attached to these little apartments were actually outside (greeting geckos in the middle of the night). I remember this place well because of the chickens. The roosters to be a bit more specific.  

You see, on this island roosters run wild and they're awfully proud of that fact. I know that because they shout it at annoying volumes through the entire night. You could be inside with the air conditioning running (air conditioning is loud here) and you could still hear them. 

Before being initiated to island life, I would have told you that roosters crowed very early in the morning. Of course it has to be true. You see it in all of those fabulous cartoons you watched as a kid. Now I know better. 

To compensate we resorted to wearing ear plugs to bed at night.  Still, it could wake you up out of a deep sleep.  

I think eventually we got use to it. Now I don't think about it much. 

Just so you know. If you ever plan on moving to the Virgin Islands the roosters rule the roost. I don't even think it's legal to kill them. Though, I've often thought of it. One night I ran down in the back yard with pockets full of stones at about 3am to run them off. I shut them up but I don't think I hit anything. I was aiming at the ground.  

That's another thing. People tell you chickens can't fly. All I have to say is "How the hell do they get up in the trees?". Last I saw they weren't hoisting each other up on a dumbwaiter. I imagine they have some sort of limited flight capability cause I haven't seen them flying overhead either. 

For now, we just kind of put up with it.  We live with chickens clucking and roosters crowing and dodging them in the middle of the road.  They hang out in parking lots, on the beach, at restaurants or anywhere they darn well please.  

Okay - Enough about chickens.  On to something more productive or at least less frustrating. 

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