On the Roadside

Roadside on the island of Antigua / August 2011

This was supposed to be one of my Foodie Friday posts.  I remember getting this bright idea precisely when I snapped this photo on an Antiguan roadside that I was going to write about what this woman was making.  I was on my way to a helicopter ride and my super friendly taxi driver was telling me all kinds of interesting things about Antiguan traditions and I was taking feverish notes.  He slowed down, shouted something in patois, and then I asked for permission to snap the photo.  But now I can't find my notes and I have searched high and low for them.  I'm so frustrated I could cry, but I love this photo so much that I refuse to let it just sit. 

If my memory was better, I would be able to get all of this information off of the tip of my tongue, but I think I have too much stuff going on in my head so I. can't. remember. anything.  Not my taxi drivers name, the name of the traditional dish My Roadside Lady was making, or the name of a similar dish in South America that the helicopter representative told me about that his mother used to make.  Of course, I can't remember Helicopter Guy's name either.

So instead of letting this photo get moldy, I thought I would share it anyway.  It reminds me of so many West Indian women I've seen in my travels and in my life...both in paintings and on many a Caribbean roadside.  There is a radiant smile underneath that stoic look and it makes me smile knowing so. 
Now let me go look one more time for those doggone notes...