Santo Domingo #9

Last day, this afternoon we’ll catch the plane.

In the morning we go to the Mercado Modelo. The heat is even more stifling than in previous days (or perhaps we begin to feel the dejection for the nearby end) so we sacrifice the best angles if they involve drawing under the sun.

Inma and I find a shadow and draw what we have before us. A couple of kids come near us to browse what we’re doing. Inma makes portraits of both them (they can be seen here) and buy them juices and cookies. Juanqui, one of the children (I guess this pet name must come from Juan Carlos) tells me that the scrubbing man –which I have drawn twice– has brawled with the one sitting near him. I ask who won and he tells me the sweeper with a grin that means very of coourse. This surprises me because I see them talking and although I couldn’t tell what they’re saying,  the tones and the attitudes tell me that the sitting one is the man in charge. I wonder if it is an old fight now forgotten, or whether it is more desired than real.

The dog couldn’t care less about all this.

This gorgeous and vibrant drawing is what Inma did while I made my black and white one. Even if it seems incredible we were about one meter far from each other looking on the same direction. I swear.