living in lockdown.....
In my life, I have lived through hurricanes, blizzards, tornadoes, and blackouts, but what I am witnessing and hearing here in Tegucigalpa is absolutely beyond anything else I have seen. We have been in "lockdown" since 4:00pm Monday afternoon. It was then that the government declared "toque de queda" (curfew). Well, after lots of calls to TV and radio stations by people saying they needed to buy food, medicines, gas (for cooking and vehicles) the decision was made to lift the curfew for 6 hours today. The supermarkets, pharmacies, and gas stations were asked to open and from !0am to 4pm people could go get what they need. Talk about crazy! Of course, Lori and I need a few things also so we decided to go out and get a few of the basics (eggs, milk, bread, etc). We left our home at just before 10 hoping to get to the store before it got nuts. We live just a couple blocks away. Well, we didn't beat the rush. The La Colonia supermarket was already crazy with people. We drove past it with the thought of going to Pricemart (the local Sam's, Costco type of store) and when we got there, they were not open yet, but the line outside waiting was already a few hundred people long.
We decided to go back to the house and walk to the La Colonia as the traffic was already crazy. When we got there, there were no shopping carts and no baskets left. We had brought our shopping bags (we're so environmentally conscience!!) with us so we proceeded to get the things we needed. Now keep in mind that we were at the store before 10:30, just 30 minutes after it opened. Most of the milk was gone. Good thing we drink 1% as it was all that was left. The shelves that have eggs were empty, but Lori found a few dozen in another spot and got some. We also got a few other things then proceeded to get in line. We went to the furthest registers from the doors (my wife is so smart) and we waited for probably 30 minutes to check out. And we did good. By the time we were leaving, the lines for the registers were from the front of the store all the way to the back. While I was waiting, Lori went to get a couple other things and she saw where the lines were. Most everyone was taking it all in stride and being patient and polite and the general atmosphere was a peaceful chaos.
There are reports about a great deal of vandalism that occurred throughout the night. They are showing video on television of some of it. A few grocery stores were totally cleaned out.... and I do mean totally. Cash registers and all. Thee are also quite a few reports of what I posted about last night happening in many "barrios" (neighborhoods) throughout Tegucigalpa. They are also saying that the temporary suspension of the curfew is providing the chance for the Mel supporters, La Resistencia, to reorganize their efforts and that a massive march is going to happen this afternoon. That simply means there will be more violence and clashes with the authorities.
Here are a couple pics from our trip to the store.....
Lines at the gas station....
The line waiting for Pricemart to open. This was quite a ways away from the front door....
Lines at the registers in La Colonia....
People were using laundry baskets, empty produce baskets, anything they could find to get their groceries as there were no carts available....
We decided to go back to the house and walk to the La Colonia as the traffic was already crazy. When we got there, there were no shopping carts and no baskets left. We had brought our shopping bags (we're so environmentally conscience!!) with us so we proceeded to get the things we needed. Now keep in mind that we were at the store before 10:30, just 30 minutes after it opened. Most of the milk was gone. Good thing we drink 1% as it was all that was left. The shelves that have eggs were empty, but Lori found a few dozen in another spot and got some. We also got a few other things then proceeded to get in line. We went to the furthest registers from the doors (my wife is so smart) and we waited for probably 30 minutes to check out. And we did good. By the time we were leaving, the lines for the registers were from the front of the store all the way to the back. While I was waiting, Lori went to get a couple other things and she saw where the lines were. Most everyone was taking it all in stride and being patient and polite and the general atmosphere was a peaceful chaos.
There are reports about a great deal of vandalism that occurred throughout the night. They are showing video on television of some of it. A few grocery stores were totally cleaned out.... and I do mean totally. Cash registers and all. Thee are also quite a few reports of what I posted about last night happening in many "barrios" (neighborhoods) throughout Tegucigalpa. They are also saying that the temporary suspension of the curfew is providing the chance for the Mel supporters, La Resistencia, to reorganize their efforts and that a massive march is going to happen this afternoon. That simply means there will be more violence and clashes with the authorities.
Here are a couple pics from our trip to the store.....
Lines at the gas station....
The line waiting for Pricemart to open. This was quite a ways away from the front door....
Lines at the registers in La Colonia....
People were using laundry baskets, empty produce baskets, anything they could find to get their groceries as there were no carts available....
posted by Mark at 12:38 PM
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