The bar was packed with teenagers doing jell-o-shots and sleazy-looking island boys preying on the beautiful young female tourists. The place has more than one bar, and people were dancing and singing in every corner of the bi-level establishment. It was an unbelievable scene, one that I wish I had known about before Natalee left on her trip. I did not want to stay inside, so we hung out around the street corners.

In less than two hours, we probably experienced at least ten to fifteen offers from various drug dealers who wanted us to buy from them. Some government control, I thought. Out of curiosity, my brother asked one of them what he had. "Whatever you need, " he answered. "I have it or I can get it." We managed to strike up conversations with some of them who confided that the "higher ups" wanted them to always remember one thing: while peddling their drugs, they were never to commit a crime against a tourist, especially any American around the cruise dock areas. Later that evening we went back to the hotel and planned our next strategy.