Guess what? No, guess.
I think I just saw nothing made out of something, in a business sort of way.
I'm renting a place temporarily. That's fine.
It's short-term. That's fine, and it's a good place, as places go around here, possibly a little on the uphill side of cheap, but I do have furniture, a sink, a little two-burner stove, and a refrigerator.
No private bathroom though, and that's annoying, but is a minor issue considering that I plan to be here no longer than a month or two.
Tomorrow I will see the end of my first month come and go. OK, one down, maybe one more to go.
Not wanting to find my room rented out from under me, I paid my next month's rent today, even though it isn't due until tomorrow. And, since handing over $350 cash is handing over a substantial amount in these parts, I asked for a receipt. Natch. Wouldn't you?
The owner doesn't speak English, and besides not speaking much Spanish yet, I have some ongoing but (I hope fixable) hearing problems, so the owner's eldest son functioned as translator. I got assurance that the owner would bring me a receipt when she came up to clean my room.
But she didn't.
I was in a hurry to get out of her way, and lunch was imminent, so I cleared out, expecting to find a receipt on my table when I got back.
Nope.
Following that, insert long silence here, with possible minor grinding of teeth.
Later in the afternoon, the aforementioned eldest son was in the building (one of three non-adjacent structures comprising the one hostal)*, so I went downstairs and asked him.
Not so productive.
The stories I got (from this one person) were that...
- They know who I am and how long I am going to stay.
- This is a family business and not to worry.
- They are out of receipts until this evening.
- If they give me a formal receipt, then they'll have to charge me tax.
- Although I registered as a paying guest here, and provided my passport number, if I register for a second month it will be extra work because they will need my passport number.
- Everything is fine.
All within the space of half a minute.
In the other corner, fighting on my behalf is what? I have keys to the building and to my room.
I guess that means something, right? I hope so.
* You could say it's a hostel, or a small hotel, or both.