What is it with me and bikers??

11.11.11. I should always remember what I was doing on that day. Just like I should remember what I was doing on 10.10.10. Hmmm... I guess I was in Slovenia?? Yeah, real memorable that was.

But this time, I'm sure I will remember because it was St Maarten's Day, and just like in Australia the whole island got a day off. Well, except for me. Which is fine, since technically I shouldn't be given a day off to celebrate a country that I have no affinity with whatsoever. So I worked.

Well, I didn't start by working exactly... I was at work by 7am but we were readying ourselves to ride to the monument that divides the Dutch and French side, where there was official business to be done for St Maarten's Day. Not before the horses all escaped their pen early and we had to round them all in again though!! I told them to fix that fence... So, finally, we rode there, me on Rocco again (who loves to kick the others but is otherwise a very good horse) and 6 others all in matching red, white and blue t-shirts.

The procession was simple enuf, although the sight of firearms on one section of marching police meant that some of us dismounted in case they fired into the air and freaked the horses out... that didn't happen, though, so on we leapt and back towards home in the wake of the motorcycle policemen and busloads of goverment officials. I had no idea what was going on, all I know is that the band they had playing the national anthem was SHIT.

My legs were a little itchy from the pummelling they received last night from the mosquitoes... man, they ATTACKED!! Couldn't sleep with a sheet cos it was too hot without the fan (because the electricity wasn't working when I went to bed), and when I woke and the fan was working again, I was literally scathing with scratches... it was hideous.

Work was soooo dead today, we had 1 booked ride which didn't turn up and so I just wandered around doing every measly job R assigned me super slow, cos there was nothing else to do. I asked if I should use the spare time to train young Chico in the water, to which I got minimal response... not quite sure why that is, but a short while later Ju, who does the handyman work, was jumping on Chico and taking him out for a ride. Hmmm....

Finally, a French lady friends with the other French lady that boards her horse at the stables came for a ride. She had been before and enjoyed it, so wanted to come back to have another go. Still beginner, I put her on a careful horse and we took it easy. So it was a little surprising when I asked her if she enjoyed it, she said that last ride they did a bit more "interesting" stuf and it was a little slow. Fuck that woman, you can't ride and you paid (locals rate) for a one-hour walking trail. So that's what you get, you tightass-no-tipping-French-person. No time for them.

Also had absolutely no time for all the holidaymakers on the beach for their day off... which included some seedy men checking me out and making my attempt at having a lunch break swim impossible. Gross. I could feel them looking, and I wasn't showing myself off either. One tried to speak with me and when I was curt, he asked why I was annoyed... I told him I just wanted to be left alone, and he apologised, trying to make me feel bad for hassling me. Oh just fuck off, it ain't gonna work. No one at work was game to speak with me, I had to explain to the girls it wasn't them I was annoyed at...

Was told just before that ride that we had a few interested people from the local bikers club who had hired out the place for a St Maartens Day party, and wanted to ride. So I quickly fed the horses and sorted them out to do a nighttime ride with these hooligans. R came to help just when I'd finished and was amazed that it was all done already. I kindly reminded him that I did not come from the Caribbean so things get done when they need to with me.

Soon enuf, the Harleys started blazing in, parking on our front lawn in droves, all clad in black leather and matching t-shirts. As menacing as bikey gangs go, these guys were midscale, but the sheer number of them surprised me. Probably about 100, all looking for some beers and music, the latter of which we couldn't supply until someone physically drove to Ju's place to get his DJ gear because our sound system decided to konk out on us.

I hung around, chatting to some bikers and trying to avoid the drunk old man hanging at the bar giving me life advice - "Always take the money" thanks gramps - before the lady organising the event broke the news that she and the other organiser were the only ones keen to go riding, and they weren't allowed since they were controlling the event. Ahh, women, what would we do without them??

So I unsaddled all the horses and finished things up for the night, still sweating. God, when does it end!?! They insisted on giving me the tips they'd have given me to take them, as an apology to not going for the ride - I refused at first because I felt bad (the bar girls went crazy - take the money, take the money!!) but then they spoke to R and he said to give it to me so I took it. Easiest $40 I ever made. From memory.

Then the bellydancers came. Always a big fan of bellydancers, I was glued to the show taking photos and mental notes about how I need to dance when I do a bellydancing burlesque routine... then I came across L with his son (previously thought to be a daughter), who turns out to have the child with one of the biker women. It'd been a while since we'd had a catch-up so we drank a few beers before things wound down for the biker event, and I called it a night. About this time I found out aforementioned old drunk man was the boss' father. Ha! Wonder if he'd think it was inappropriate that he was suggesting I just "sit with him in the shower"... gross.

It was kinda cool seeing Seaside like that though, with bonfire blazing on the beach and Harleys parked all over the lawn, leather jacket-clad men and women dancing with bellydancers and a tip jar in the corner of the bar. (now that's unusual!). Was a bit of fun, and once the music got cranking it was quite a party. The moon was out and almost full, the breeze was blowing... quite a beautiful setting.

Got talking to L more about the rasta belief, it's really quite interesting, and also about how to get more tips and make people feel like they have to give them. I dunno, I just don't think I can do it, make someone feel bad for not giving me a tip... fair enuf if it comes from someone who looks like they're local, but for me, I think they just look at me and think, "Well she's clearly not from round here, maybe she's just on an exchange or internship or maybe her husband is rich or her family paid her way over here..." But I don't think they'd be inclined to pay much in tips to me. So I guess I just have to keep being my amazing self and hope people can see I need those tips!!