Many will tell you that there is something unusual about this place and how it affects people. Visiting yogis tell us that there is an inordinately high level of prana (life energy) present here. I could personally attribute it to an aging brain, but like many in my midst who are much too young to do so, I find myself forgetting things more often than before moving here, as well as sometimes abandoning all hope of accomplishing whatever I had set out to do on a given day - which could be due to friends dropping by unexpectedly (as they more often do around here,) or yet another power outage, a dramatic and sudden change in the weather, the arrival of the cleaning ants, or simply sunshine and snorkeling conditions that are just too perfect to resist for the sake of routine or schedule. As an old beachcomber I met in south Florida back in the early 80‘s used to tell me, “Around here, one day melts into the next.” Whatever it is that causes this phenomenon, with or without the help of the “natural mystic,” visitors and residents alike seem to experience “missing time” and finding that their walk on the beach, hike through the jungle, or bike ride to town somehow lasted much longer than expected. And because of our close proximity to the equator, the sun sets very early all year round. So be sure to carry a flashlight, as the road is not always well illuminated. And to those who do choose to venture down the proverbial rabbit hole: you may want to mark your path along the way or at least ask Alice for directions. As piano man Jim MacDougall would tell you as another night of music winds down in Puerto V, “Be careful. It’s a jungle out there!”