Saturday, Feb 6, 2016

We met up with our friend Miriam this morning who is helping us find a long-term rental. Heidi, Easton, and I looked at some rentals along the ocean and, after seeing what is available, it is going to be a challenge finding an updated, 3 bedroom, ocean view condo at the price we are willing to spend.

We saw three types of units today. One type is updated, well furnished with a few glitches in design or layout, with good, but not great ocean views. The next is not updated…old counter tops, cabinets, and fixtures, but good furnishings and pretty decent water views. The third is unfurnished with significant renovation/remodeling needed, and a so so view. This third type would reflect a significantly lower rent than the other two.

I don’t think it is impossible by any stretch of the imagination to find what we are looking for. It is just going to take time looking and being alert when the right unit becomes available. And right now, we have time on our side.

When we came to Bahia a few weeks ago, I considered it nothing more than a landing-place for us to find the right place to settle…which wouldn’t be in Bahia! It’s funny how things change. I have come to really like this town. It’s not perfect by any stretch, but it is starting to feel like a favorite t-shirt. The one I like to wear that has a few holes worn through the fabric, with faded print from some random logo. It fits well and is just so damn comfortable.

Bahia is becoming easy to wear.

I walked to the town bank’s ATM machine today and withdrew money for the first time. I was nervous about whether I would be followed by thugs and robbed on the way back home. Well, not really nervous, but letting my imagination create wild scenarios as I walked to the bank. I had visions of having to run all the way home and get myself behind the locked gate of my complex before I was shaken down.

The fact is, it was perfectly safe. At the bank, there are 3 machines all side by side running along the sidewalk outside the bank. While I was withdrawing my funds, other people came and went as they got their own money. When I left, I saw a police man hanging out on the sidewalk across the street from the ATMs. Seemed to me that there would be no thugs robbing anyone today…and I was really glad because now I could just walk, not run, home ;-P

Chao!