3rd Day Thoughts

Parts of Caymans reminds me of South Africa.

In almost all ways this is a diverse human place. Many peoples from many places and ways of life. Philippinoes, Jamaicans, Canadians, English are most common. Americans come in 5th or so except for tourists which everyone hates/loves because they are daft but bring money. Ahhh money. The Caymans is (like the British US after the civil war Cayman Islands is singular...) "rich" by Carib standards, but there are lots of folks economically living as they would, say, in rural Jamaica...loose chickens and broken cars in the yard...mostly toward island center.

Tourists are daft because they don't follow common traffic laws or respect street crossings, etc. Saw a young American girl (maybe 12) drop a piece of paper on the ground and then get yelled at by mom but no one picked it up...nearby Caymanian rolled her eyes. Stuff like that...which is probably more tourist than US...but it requires a good bit of local tolerance even from folks who aren't in the tourist trades.

Outside of "Town" things are almost totally local. 7 Mile beach is astonishingly expensive...think US $7 beers and 5 dollar cokes. Dinner can easily be $50 US per person for a nice piece of fish and some vegetables. Many bankers and high-end tourist types frequent many high cost/high quality restaurants. There are "local" places that are a lot less.

Even in the mist with gray windy days in the low 70s the place feels like 24 hour vacation. Chillaxing is the norm. Families walk and everything/body is safe and tolerant. Did see a fatal motorcycle accident site...fancy fast racer-styled bike probably going too fast.

Caymanians are very religious. it is not unusual to have pictures of Jesus and the crucifix on government office computers as screen savers...particularly for clerical workers. It is something like a Southern gospel faith as I mostly see it...but again, much diversity.

British, Canadians and Americans are quietly heathens for the most part. Some here a long time have adapted their spirituality to something like the local traditions...weekly Bible study, lots of Bible references, etc. It is not an in-your-face religiousness like U.S. conservative modes...more like revival/gospel styled, I'd say....more "I'm a sinner" than "I know how you should live!"