The day after I had the unfortunate attempted mugging, I really needed some love. There is a small island in the middle of the Rio Cuale (river Cuale). At the far end, is a park. To get my much needed love session, I decided that playing with cats in the Cuale Island park would be just the thing.
Finding the Park
This is the same park that I wrote about in yesterdays post about the Three Hens & A Rooster Market. The simplest way to locate this park, is to get yourself onto the Malecon. Walking towards the Romantic Zone, you will cross over a river that enters the ocean. There is a large staircase that goes from the Malecon, down onto the island in the river.
Take this staircase down and follow the path, under the two pedestrian bridges and past the flea market. Keep going and you will find yourself in a really beautiful little space.
The Park
Up until last year, this park was really struggling. A group of resident north American immigrants, took it upon themselves to revamp the park, and give it some life. They have been so generous with their time and funds. The area is now full of gorgeous blossoming plants, cacti and succulents. They also pay for the water to keep all this greenery thriving.
People who take care of this space, have placed little paths, art structures and vignettes all through the park. Each time I go, there seems to be a new little garden or setting. It’s really quite amazing and wonderful to see.
The Cats
There has always been a large population of feral cats here. They have been fed and cared for for years by a group of people devoted to their well being.
If you arrive in the morning, when they are being or have just been fed, you will see a large number of them. The cats are so sweet. Most are quite timid, however there are a few who will let you approach for a photograph or two without running away.
The day I needed lots of love, I was so blessed to find many of the cats about. They had eaten their brekkie and were lounging in the sun, preening and cleaning or just plain napping. I found an older kitten who was playful and we had a few good games of ‘get the leaf’. Until she decided to play ‘get the hand’ instead. 🙂 She was absolutely so sweet and I love her to bits.
Spending time with these lovely creatures helped distract me from the events of that shitty day. They made me laugh and giggle and brought happiness to my heart.
Thank you my dear little furry friends.
