Jimmy Carter in, I am out

Monday 26, January 2004

Jimmy Carter arrived yesterday and has been making the rounds. His visit, about one year ago, did help unlock a little bit the stalemate of the strike. This one might be as important as there are now open criticism from within the Electoral Board of unscrupulous activities. But I really cannot say much tonight as I have not watched the news or read today's papers. Bad blogger, bad, bad blogger.

The reason? I am on the road again until sometime early next week. So blogging will be erratic, in particular considering that I will be out of the country. This by the way was rather interesting source of experiences: trying to get 500 dollar cash in a country where currency exchange is forbidden and where people that have dollars are trading them at almost twice the official rate. Yet, airports still have a lot of activity, dollars still manage to be exchanged. And the high cost of the dollar of course will have to be recovered for people that travel for business, as it is my case. What will we do? Well, for one thing we might have to pass the cost on customers. Does Chavez care? Not a bit, since he can get all the dollars he wants at 1600, instead of the 3000 I had to pay! This is no way to run a country! But of course, I have written a one year blog already (January 6th was the official first post!) trying to demonstrate that Chavez is not running the country.

At any rate, I will be out of this mess for a few days. Even if I will not be able to afford much more than McDonald-like joints, at least it will be something to take my mind away from all the misery and drudgery that sometimes is just too much too bear. And I am a privileged one, with a job and food on the table. I really feel bad when I think that just for cheap hotels and cheap food I will be spending one month of minimal wage in 2 days!!!! If only people that support Chavez would realize how deep in shit he is taking them down! I really do not think that a few Cuban doctors are really compensating for the harsh inflation that they have experienced in the last two years. Oh well...

Anyway, I will try to watch the news and Carter's results. If any. But posts will be brief, which might be a relief for some :-)

One real regret is that I will not be able to do my usual provision of books. But who knows, if I have a few dollars left, there is a decent bookstore on my return airport.