Sippy Cup

     This year's 5Fs festival was a different festival (read party) than last year.  The new bar at the airport may have contributed to the shift in the party.  The race course is on the west side of the island next to the airport and the new bar. It appeared most of the cruisers came to Farmers Cay to watch the Class C Sloop races, or, to visit the new bar.    The "airport" bar has a great location, right on the beach, and they have built a large deck out onto the beach.  The proprietor, Tyrone, has  probably spent some time in the states for he speaks very good English.  The bar's interior is very nice by Bahamian standards.  When we arrived on the Monday before the festival, the crews were working 10-12 hours a day trying to finish the bar.  Friday morning, the day of the festival, some of the finishing touches were still being applied to the structure.  And when it came time to party, the crew put their tools away.  There is still much work to be done.  However, the place looks great. This is what the Exumas needed, a nice beach bar that you can drive your dinghy right up to.  No more climbing down into your dinghy from a dock towering 8 feet above the water and to make it more fun, try doing it in the dark.  This new bar has all the features I've been searching for in the Exumas.
     On Friday morning, Sharon and I took our dinghy over to the airport and beached the dinghy near the bar.  We decided to go into the village on the east side to see what activities were going on and who (cruisers) was in town.  After an hour or so, we made our way back to the airport to catch the 11 o'clock races at 12 o'clock.  Remember we're on island time!  It was 12:30 and still no races.  I decided to get a Kalik (beer) at the new airport bar.  That's when my dream tuned into a nightmare, the bar from hell.  I made my way to the bar, but before you can order a beer, you must by tickets from the cashier.  Okay where's the cashier? Finally, I get to the cashier to buy three 1 dollar tickets - the price of one beer.  But wait, we have more delays, the cashier then spends the time to write on the back of the tickets that the tickets are for 1 bottle of beer and the beer brand - what!  All I want is a beer, what's with all the delays.  Finally, I get to the bar and ordered a Kalik, and here's the final knockout punch, they bust the cap on the bottle and pour your beer into a freaking plastic cup for your protection!  Next, they'll want to put my beer in a spill proof sippy cup!