We’ve decided to go to church today and the only game in town is the Catholic church so we head in and arrive about 8:45 am for the 9:00 am mass.

Except it’s not 9:00 am mass. From 8:45 am to about 10:00 am it’s the women reciting the rosary and Hail Marys. I am the only male in the church until a guitarist arrives just before 10:00 am. Forgive me Lord, I nodded off a couple times.

Around 10:00 am a woman soloist starts singing with the lone guy on guitar accompanying. She is truly spectacular and the sound is great too. We know some of the songs. As she is singing, the rest of the band wanders in as does the rest of the choir. All seems very casual. Gradually, the soloist gets joined by one or two others. Gradually, the size of the band grows. They sing more songs.

Lots of coming and goings and the church gradually fills up until close to 11 am when one of the church elders announces the arrival of their special guests today, the Prime Minister Skerrit (pretty much a crook we are given to understand) some of his ministers, including the finance minister and the Customs Department, who have a large section reserved for them, which turns out to not be big enough, that’s how big the Customs department is.

Governments are the same everywhere.

I guess it’s around 10:30 when the priest makes his appearance and starts doing priestly things. Arranging cups, waving incense around, carrying a large gold cross that Christy tells me is the symbol of the bread (Eucharist). The altar boys and girls usher in the ministers and the customs people. More singing, more priestly things, a couple of readings.

Finally he commences the homily around 11 am. Unfortunately the combination of acoustics and his rapid Dominican accent make it almost impossible for us to understand what he is saying. He seems to be chastising the government right in front of him and the crowd is very much approving, breaking into laughter and Amens frequently. I like this guy, wish I could understand what he is saying.

Eventually he wraps up. Now comes the collection. No problem, more singing, we make a fairly generous contribution. Now comes the news, including a detailed accounting of their recent collections. Interesting.

Are we almost done yet? We’ve been here 3 hours already.

Nope. Communion. Christy goes, I defer.

More talk from the priest, ANOTHER collection, we don’t donate the second time, most others don’t either.

Then the priest starts talking about some finance issues with the church. Needs new microphones or something. The Finance minister gets up and says they are donating $100,000 to the church! Everybody is cheering but I’m thinking – “the government can’t give you something unless they take it from you first”.

OK, we’re done now, right?

Nope, blessings now. Blessings for first timers and people who haven’t been there in a while. We go, get blessed and sprinkled with holy water.

Done now?

Nope, birthday blessings. Everybody with a birthday goes up and gets blessed, sprinkled with water.

Now we’re done? Yes, now we’re done. Just gotta make our way out of the church, behind the VIPs and the customs people. 4+ hours.

Back to Milu for lunch which is great as we’re both hungry.

We hang out most of the afternoon and eventually go to the PAYS BBQ. We sit with 3 amiable Americans: LH, Peter and Roland as well as a German couple Frank and Heidi(?). All very nice and fun. Peter, Roland and I chat a lot as we’re close to each other and it gets loud so hard to hear anyone else. Have a bunch of laughs. The three of us go back for seconds, then thirds. They are happy when I tell them it’s all-you-can-eat.

I see Kevin wandering around and go say hi. Christy does too, then we depart just as the dancing starts. We’ve seen and done that before. I’m ready for sleep, my shoulder hurting.