sights and sounds

Roosters crowing on my patio announce the coming of the day. Water dripping of the roof after a late night rainstorm. The constant whirring of the fan that keeps my room a bearable temperature. Early in the morning women proudly sweeping the dirt off the sidewalk in front of their homes. Children dressed in trademark white shirts and navy pleated skirts or pants atop of bicycles on their way to school. Piles of trash waiting to be picked up on the streets. Money changers standing on the banking corners waiting for customers. A blaring horn signaling the noon hour all across the city. Men drinking cerveza in the downtown cafe during lunch. Women cooking and selling food on every square inch of available sidewalk. Students selling artistic creations on the edge of Poet's Park. University students carrying Jansport backpacks. Colorful historic murals decorating cement walls. Taxis honking as they approach intersections looking for fares. Cathedral bells ringing.