We are learning to take the rainy season seriously. Last Friday evening, Brett, Sadie and I went out to dinner at an Asian restaurant in Antigua. (Willa had been invited over to a friend’s house.) While we were eating dinner, it rained quite heavily, but we didn’t mind too much since we were cozy inside and eating good food. When we were finished eating, the rain had stopped, so we decided it would be a good window of time to walk home.
When we had completed about 5 of the 20 minute walk, the skies opened up and it started pouring again. The smart thing to do would have been to find a place to duck into (restaurant or ice cream shop) to wait out the rain. But we were tired and full and just wanted to be home, so we kept walking.
Despite having 2 umbrellas and 1 rain jacket between the 3 of us, we soon became soaked. And it got worse. As we neared the last intersection before turning into our neighborhood, we saw what looked like a fountain in the middle of the street. The sewer had overflowed with all the heavy rain and not only was there a fountain shooting a few feet in the air, but the intersection was covered in about a foot of rushing water.
At this point, we were still thinking we could make it home, although cars and tuk-tuks were turning around in the street. We found a place that was a bit more shallow towards the middle of the block where we were able to cross (still in a few inches of water), but when we got to the other side, we realized that our street had become a rushing torrent of water. Knowing that there was an even lower portion a bit further on that is prone to flooding, we stood in a high ground at the corner, trying to decide whether we should continue on. There is no other entrance to our neighborhood. While we were deciding whether or not to continue, the water kept rising until we realized that we needed to move.
So we did the prudent thing, we sloshed back over through the gushing, flooded intersection and headed 2 blocks back to higher ground (in general Antigua is fairly flat, but there was enough of an incline to make a difference here.)
After about a block, we were able to get back to dry ground, although by even more soaked, if that’s possible. We made our way to San Martin, a bakery/ cafe, knowing that we just had to wait it out. As we turned into the entryway of San Martin’s there were about 20 people waiting out the rain who smiled very sympathetically at our plight. We squished our way into the cafe, leaving a trail of water behind us and found a table and had some hot chocolate to warm up.
After about 30 minutes, the rain had subsided and we were ready to try again. From being so wet all this time, Sadie and I were really cold with chattering teeth. This time we were able to cross the intersection but the road below the intersection was still flooded. We made it the rest of the way by walking on a short wall that goes partway though and hugging the high ground as best we could. There were a few steps through swirling water and then we made it to the turn into our neighborhood, where the ground was drier.
A hot shower and dry clothing never felt so good.
Here are photos from another heavy rainstorm, though not as heavy as that night.
Moto that got stalled out 
When cars go by they make a wake. 
Minibus trying to make it through. 
The motor got wet and stopped.
Los Gringos Aguacateros 