A City Within A City

The day was not as mad as we expected it to be yesterday. There were times when it seemed mad, but for the most part, the arrivals were spread out enough to give us some time to try to organize things. It looks like a city popping up within the Resort. People are bringing things that you would expect to see in permanent housing: fences, upright refrigerators, outdoor sinks, hard cover canopies, sheds and just about any outdoor item they could find from home. Some are pulling into their spaces so that their doors are across from their neighbor - especially where families are involved. In fact, we have a rig next to us that has a grandfather and grandmother next to their son's (or daughter's) family with their rigs set up to create a huge common area between them. They have all kinds of patio equipment, bikes and golf carts there plus a boat. The summer program here is taken seriously by the guests. We would guess that probably 99% of the people that arrived yesterday are Cuban - consistent with what we were told. It felt like we were in Havana during the check-ins, and they speak a different dialect of Spanish, and speak so fast, that it makes it almost impossible for Josie to understand them. In fact, we have a staff member - Maritsa - who is Cuban and is really the only person that can talk to most of them.

We didn't hear any partying last night, but then we have our fifth wheel closed up while the A/C is on. It is also early in the season, so it will heat up pretty fast. It's good that we won't be here for that part. Supposedly, the "temp" manager will be in Monday to help with things until a new permanent manager is found. The new permanent manager, whoever it ends up being, will certainly have to know how to communicate with the Cubans that come here. That's probably why it is so hard to find one. The flavor of America is truly changing - in Arizona and California we had the Mexicans, and here the Cubans. You have to give them credit for one thing - they come with cash in hand to pay these high prices for the Summer Program. Very few credit cards are used by them. We don't know if they save all year for this, or just own very good businesses in Miami.

Our contract for the job in Virginia should arrive today, so we will sign that and send it back to them. We also had a final call from Horizon RV Resorts yesterday with an improved package for us at the park in San Marcos, TX. Of course, they knew we have already committed to VA, so they knew it was a long shot to offer us the new package. We have left the door open with them and expect to hear more from them late in the summer when winter jobs are being filled.

It would be nice if we could see some more of the local attractions before we leave, so we will try to accomplish that on our days off. Our "Thursday" is today, so we are counting down to more free time...