Interesting Facts about life in Guantanamo

1. Like on the show "Lost"- we just go in the same circles all the time
2. 1 main road along entire base (Sherman Ave), about 7 miles long.
3. Like the Cheers song "where everybody knows your name"
4. Zero stop lights, Max driving speed 25 mph
5. Most drives are under 5 minutes, farthest drive: 15 minutes to the farthest beach.
6. ZERO traffic. Even during "traffic hour" and NO freeways!
7. Local phone numbers are 5 digits long
8. To get the right information, don't reference, just ask - then take the most popular answer. There is no one true source for information.
9. 1 phone company - expensive and poor service.
10. Like a small city with: a college, church, soccer/football field, running track, 2 gyms, 4 restaraunts, 2 pubs, 3 mini marts, playgrounds, 2 pools, waterslides, hiking trails
11. Free outdoor movie theater- showing newest movies every night
12. 1 store - combined grocery and retail. Like a mini-mini Wal-mart
13. Hospital, school, auto shop, car wash, library, coffee shop
14. Cafeteria (the Galley)-breakfast $2.35, lunch/dinner $4.65 - several buffets, very yummy!
15. For fun: mini golf, go karts, paintball, frisbee golf, golf course, driving range, marina with sail boats and power boats, wake boards, bikes - mostly all free to play!
16. McDonald's, Subway, Taco Bell, Pizza Hut, A&W are here.
17. Ship (the Barge) restocks island with all food/merchandise. If they run out before the return, you're out of luck.
18. Desert climate - hot, humid, dry, breezy. 80's and 90's with a lot of wind.
19. 7,000 residents. Philipinnos, Jamaicans, Americans, in that order. (approx. 1,500 military + dependents, 500 u.s. civilian gov't employees, the rest are Philp, Jamaican nationals)
20. 2 radio stations - "Radio Gitmo" - you either like it or you listen to it anyway! But usually good music
21. Free bus transportation; Taxi rides about $2-3
22. 7+ beaches. Small rocky coves with crystal blue water. No sand. Lots of shells and reef. Raved as the best snorkeling and scuba diving.
23. Iguanas, crabs, snakes, hautias, and HUNGRY mosquitos.
24. Iguanas are everywhere!!! The cause of every traffic accident
25. Base produces its own water, electricity, and eliminates trash locally (burning method)
26. Once you live here, you forget what the real world is like :)