Unfortunately, it's my last day in Caracas. Having been working long hours, usually from 5 AM, the time flew away like a rocket and in a few hours I'll leave with a lot of material, memories and photos. However, I'm not going to sum up my trip now, because I need cold view on the whole thing to make my mind completely.
Today at 5:30 PM I'm flying to Curacao! The island, known mainly for tourism and the famous liqueur, is going to be a small stop on the way back. I'm spending one night in Willemstad, to fly to Amsterdam tomorrow.
All I have to do now is pack, send postcards (yeah, on the last day) and also buy something for my family. For that, I'm going to Gran Abasto Bicentenario - a Bolivarian supermarket. Yeah!
I'll try to write more from Curacao - maybe with photos ;)
środa, 5 września 2012
piątek, 31 sierpnia 2012
Regresando a los años noventa
Today, Venezuela has the real GDP per capita at its levels of 1960s. What I took from my sources is the information that in the 1970s, after the oil shock, or oil bonanza as it is frequently referred to here, its GDP per capita was at the level of West Germany. So now, basically, the GDP per capita is lower than it was in Germany in the 1970s.
People who know me a bit better already know that I regard GDP and GDP per capita as numbers that show absolutely nothing and they are only used by some people, especially leftists, to psychologically masturbate with them. But I'm writing about these figures just to show you on what level of development Venezuela actually is, following more than 30 years of constant crisis. But that's merely an introduction, in order for you to understand what I would like to tell you.
As said in the subject of this post, I'm feeling like I was coming back to the 1990s. During those years, Poland was struggling with all the state services; we commonly had a black-out or water shortage. I remember those times, having to read books using candles, waiting long hours for the water to come back etc. Unfortunately, it's what happens in Venezuela now. The level of state services is very, very bad, as well as the development of infrastructure. In their place, there are sometimes private services, which doesn't mean they are better, because there's no competition. Here's a photo of a common (private) street bus:
And another problem is that there's no water in the pipes since 2 days. I mean, there is water, but only reglamented; from 7 to 8 in the morning, 12 to 1 in the afternoon and 8 to 9 in the evening. However, today for instance, the water started at 8:05 PM and finished at 8:20 PM...
Now, a small addition to what was written yesterday:
- Almost all the Venezuelans have a Blackberry phone. They are using it all the time, because it doesn't cost anything to send a message - like with WhattsUp, you just pay for the Internet connection. So in the metro, as well as on the street, and in offices, it's very common to see a person typing in her or his phone. What actually shows the level of informality is that they don't regard using a phone in front of another person as a problem. What I mean is that people meet, for example for dinner, or for a couple of drinks, and at least 20-30% of the time is occupied with typing in the phone. In Poland it would be regarded as either sign of being very bored or a sign of very high disrespect at the same time.
- The Venezuelans are late all the time. Not all of them, of course, but it's a common "sin" here to be late. In Poland many people are late, and some of them do it all the time, but it is still regarded as a sign of disrespect and being very out of order. Here it's assumed as a natural thing.
- It doesn't really comply with the fact of having informality at a very high level, but it's interesting anyways. There's a gesture in Venezuela, which is flicking your fingers, and it means "a little bit". However, the same gesture in Poland (completely the same) means "fuck you". So the first time I saw this gesture I was stunned, and it took some time before I started understanding that it's not profanity. :)))
Words and gestures may not be profanity, but how to describe this taxi?
People who know me a bit better already know that I regard GDP and GDP per capita as numbers that show absolutely nothing and they are only used by some people, especially leftists, to psychologically masturbate with them. But I'm writing about these figures just to show you on what level of development Venezuela actually is, following more than 30 years of constant crisis. But that's merely an introduction, in order for you to understand what I would like to tell you.
As said in the subject of this post, I'm feeling like I was coming back to the 1990s. During those years, Poland was struggling with all the state services; we commonly had a black-out or water shortage. I remember those times, having to read books using candles, waiting long hours for the water to come back etc. Unfortunately, it's what happens in Venezuela now. The level of state services is very, very bad, as well as the development of infrastructure. In their place, there are sometimes private services, which doesn't mean they are better, because there's no competition. Here's a photo of a common (private) street bus:
And another problem is that there's no water in the pipes since 2 days. I mean, there is water, but only reglamented; from 7 to 8 in the morning, 12 to 1 in the afternoon and 8 to 9 in the evening. However, today for instance, the water started at 8:05 PM and finished at 8:20 PM...
Now, a small addition to what was written yesterday:
- Almost all the Venezuelans have a Blackberry phone. They are using it all the time, because it doesn't cost anything to send a message - like with WhattsUp, you just pay for the Internet connection. So in the metro, as well as on the street, and in offices, it's very common to see a person typing in her or his phone. What actually shows the level of informality is that they don't regard using a phone in front of another person as a problem. What I mean is that people meet, for example for dinner, or for a couple of drinks, and at least 20-30% of the time is occupied with typing in the phone. In Poland it would be regarded as either sign of being very bored or a sign of very high disrespect at the same time.
- The Venezuelans are late all the time. Not all of them, of course, but it's a common "sin" here to be late. In Poland many people are late, and some of them do it all the time, but it is still regarded as a sign of disrespect and being very out of order. Here it's assumed as a natural thing.
- It doesn't really comply with the fact of having informality at a very high level, but it's interesting anyways. There's a gesture in Venezuela, which is flicking your fingers, and it means "a little bit". However, the same gesture in Poland (completely the same) means "fuck you". So the first time I saw this gesture I was stunned, and it took some time before I started understanding that it's not profanity. :)))
Words and gestures may not be profanity, but how to describe this taxi?
czwartek, 30 sierpnia 2012
Informalidad
Let me start with something nice. Here's the view of the Avila mountain from Ecoanalitica office:
And now to serious business. My time in Venezuela is unfortunately limited, thus I don't have much time left. On Wednesday I'm flying to Curacao. For everyone concerned about my life - I finally got to find a place to stay on this island through Couchsurfing, so I'm not going to be hanging out at the airport for 20 hours!
But let me focus on what is the most important thing from the point of view of this post: informality. Venezuela is a very informal state. What I mean by that is:
- almost everybody uses a "tutoyer" when talking to someone else. It's not something known in English, so I'll explain. In Spanish, as well as in Polish, you can either say "you" in a sense of the second person ("tu"), or "you" in the sense of "sir" or "madam" (third person, "Usted"). So what they are doing is they're using "tu" to almost everybody, it's common to say "tu" to your boss (even if he or she doesn't give you a permission) or anyone you've just met. It surprised me a lot that everybody that is at least a bit older than I am uses "tu" in my direction, I always respond with "Usted";
- pointing to people with your fingers is common and quite popular, as well as a physical contact. It's not as obnoxious as in the Balkans, but still more common than in Poland;
- the clothes people wear e.g. for the TV are almost universally informal clothes (you rarely see a person in a suit or outfit), only some people in the offices are dressed formally;
- most informality you can see in the streets; lanes don't matter, hardly anyone uses the direction lights and the horn is always in use.
Something that is not connected to informality, but rather strange and funny, is the habit Venezuelans have to form queues for everything. What I mean by that - if there are more than 10 people in a metro station, they start to form queues for assumed metro doors; if there are at least 5 people at a bus stop, they also form a queue. Which doesn't happen on bus stops, but does in the metro, is that when the train actually comes, everyone suddenly forgets he was in a queue and starts to push to the front as hard as he can. :)))
Sometimes the queues have a point - like in this photo. A queue to a SENIAT building - people waiting for their pensions and other social benefits:
I filmed a very nice situation, to show you how one fills up a car in Venezuela - but unfortunately the film is 109 MB and the site won't permit me to upload it :/.
Nevertheless, I hope I stopped your attention for a while, though. Buenas noches!
P.S. there's no water at my place, I have the runs (I don't know what have I eaten), and today in the morning there were queues in front of gas stations. That pretty much sums this country, doesn't it? ;)
wtorek, 28 sierpnia 2012
Sigo investigando... pero no solo materiales, sino la comida!
I'm sorry I haven't been writing too much lately, but I didn't have time nor power to do so. What you have to know is that I'm not on vacation here (if you don't know by now ;), but it means both that I have my days filled with "exciting adventures" such as taking photos of written materials, and really exciting ones such as talking to people who are close to the economic development of Venezuela. Additionally, I don't have vacation from my work - so whenever someone wants to know something about bidets (www.bidety.pl) I receive calls from Poland. And that itself means I pick up calls at times such as 2:42 AM (9:12 AM in Poland) or 4:53 AM (11:23 AM in Poland)... Then I get up at 7 and go to my actual work here in Venezuela. You can imagine how this kind of lifestyle affects my living strength.
But enough about not so nice things. Let's focus on what is nice. Like food:
This is chupe con camarones - a soup I ate at a Peruan restaurant. It was a very tasty soup with shrimps and a bit of rice. Thing you can see to your left is a very hot sauce I used to spice the soup a bit (really, VERY VERY HOT SAUCE, and this I'm telling you as a person who loves spicy food). Top right - chicha; a fruit drink a bit similar in taste to Polish compote...
and this is a meal I ate at a restaurant called Mundo de Pollo, thus: "World of Chicken". Grilled chicken, corn dough and a salad with avocado and palmitos. Palmitos are insides of a rainforest tree. To the right - malta; a drink 100% the same as our "podpiwek".
When it comes to tastes, there's one funny thing you should know. Today in the morning I ate an omelette with papaya, having to see fresh papaya for the first time in my life. What is interesting is that inside of papaya there are small, round seeds, looking like caviar. Their taste is 100% the same as bittercress (pol. rzeżucha)!!!
And last thing about food. Yesterday, coming back from the National Library (which is a true disaster), I was very hungry and couldn't find a proper place to eat. An Argentinian restaurant I found on the way happened to be too expensive (at least 130 VEF for a meal, which is an equivalent of 15 USD or 50 PLN), so I went to McDonalds. I know. I hate myself for this, too. But it was worth it at least for this photo:
An "imperialist" restaurant that has its products "Made in the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela"? That's unheard of! :)))
Today I have been wearing a shirt I got from CEDICE, saying "vote without a gag" ("vota sin mordaza"). That produced a funny situation, because not only people were stopping to read what is written on my shirt and laughing, but also two of them asked me for directions! What you have to know, there aren't many "gringos" around here (interestingly so, noone till now named me a "gringo"), and gringo walking in the street produces confusion, rather than a thought "oh, here's a walking money mashine" (here everyone wealthy enough has a car). So wearing this shirt I automatically entered the Venezuelan community, which is quite funny :). Then in the afternoon, I happened to meet Capriles Radonski's supporters in the street. Here's a photo with them:
Finally, here's how one of the books by Chavez finishes:
Patria, socialismo o muerte! EXPRÓPIESE!!!
But enough about not so nice things. Let's focus on what is nice. Like food:
When it comes to tastes, there's one funny thing you should know. Today in the morning I ate an omelette with papaya, having to see fresh papaya for the first time in my life. What is interesting is that inside of papaya there are small, round seeds, looking like caviar. Their taste is 100% the same as bittercress (pol. rzeżucha)!!!
And last thing about food. Yesterday, coming back from the National Library (which is a true disaster), I was very hungry and couldn't find a proper place to eat. An Argentinian restaurant I found on the way happened to be too expensive (at least 130 VEF for a meal, which is an equivalent of 15 USD or 50 PLN), so I went to McDonalds. I know. I hate myself for this, too. But it was worth it at least for this photo:
Today I have been wearing a shirt I got from CEDICE, saying "vote without a gag" ("vota sin mordaza"). That produced a funny situation, because not only people were stopping to read what is written on my shirt and laughing, but also two of them asked me for directions! What you have to know, there aren't many "gringos" around here (interestingly so, noone till now named me a "gringo"), and gringo walking in the street produces confusion, rather than a thought "oh, here's a walking money mashine" (here everyone wealthy enough has a car). So wearing this shirt I automatically entered the Venezuelan community, which is quite funny :). Then in the afternoon, I happened to meet Capriles Radonski's supporters in the street. Here's a photo with them:
Finally, here's how one of the books by Chavez finishes:
czwartek, 23 sierpnia 2012
Tráfico es loco!
Let me tell you something about how the traffic works in Venezuela.
All the junctions that don't have traffic lights are completely crazy. When I talked to the driver that took me from the airport to the flat I stay in, he said "when I was making my driving permit they told me that in case of any accident, the one on the right is right". But they seem not to care about things like that. Changing lanes, as well as bearing right, is always done without turn signals. Also, crossing another street seems to be done in the manner of "whoever is stronger". Venezuelans also seem to overdose the horn, especially bikers. What surprised me most is that ambulances aren't being let to pass - they have to wait behind e.g. busses stopping at bus stops. Apart from using chanticleers they always use microphones, saying things like "please, sir, move aside, we need to pass, it's an emergency. But noone seems to care. The underground is also crazy, with a lot of people travelling, sticking together like sardines in a can. Once the metro stopped suddenly in the middle of a tunnel, and people started using emergency signal. The driver was securing them saying "please don't use the emergency signal, I really can't move now, you'll know when the train will be in motion"...
However, despite the excessive amount of cars in the streets, traffic is going surprisingly well. I mean, everyday there is a lot of traffic jams, but almost exclusively in the junctions with traffic lights. This is how it looks (Bellas Artes):
And this is how looks the presidential campaign. The red tent with music is chavista, the blue one is of Capriles (Plaza Francia):
All the junctions that don't have traffic lights are completely crazy. When I talked to the driver that took me from the airport to the flat I stay in, he said "when I was making my driving permit they told me that in case of any accident, the one on the right is right". But they seem not to care about things like that. Changing lanes, as well as bearing right, is always done without turn signals. Also, crossing another street seems to be done in the manner of "whoever is stronger". Venezuelans also seem to overdose the horn, especially bikers. What surprised me most is that ambulances aren't being let to pass - they have to wait behind e.g. busses stopping at bus stops. Apart from using chanticleers they always use microphones, saying things like "please, sir, move aside, we need to pass, it's an emergency. But noone seems to care. The underground is also crazy, with a lot of people travelling, sticking together like sardines in a can. Once the metro stopped suddenly in the middle of a tunnel, and people started using emergency signal. The driver was securing them saying "please don't use the emergency signal, I really can't move now, you'll know when the train will be in motion"...
However, despite the excessive amount of cars in the streets, traffic is going surprisingly well. I mean, everyday there is a lot of traffic jams, but almost exclusively in the junctions with traffic lights. This is how it looks (Bellas Artes):
poniedziałek, 20 sierpnia 2012
Apoyando a un chayote
Today was a very long day again.
In the morning I went to IASE, which is a private Institute of Higher Studies in Administration, to search for material. I found more than 50 books and articles, so tomorrow I'm going back there to actually look into the material. The library is quite nice, by the looks of it it's like a public university in Poland.
Later I went to the seat of CEDICE Libertad, an organization that focuses on spreading the good word about free market in Venezuela. It's an underground movement; both philosophically and materially - its office is underground a building in the centre. In these elections they're obviously against Chavez, so they are pro Capriles. That explains the subject of this post; "apoyando un chayote" means "supporting a chayote". Chayote is a name of a very basic vegetable, in its taste a bit comparable to kohlrabi. This is how chavistas are calling their opponent. :)
Then in the afternoon I happened to spend some time in the centre of the city. The biggest achievement is that I found a t-shirt of the governing president (in the photo Eugenio which works for CEDICE and daughter of one of the other workers):
There are some interesting things in the centre. Such as tents of chavistas in every corner, dancing, singing, shouting and generally making propaganda for the president (the girl said she's in love with me :D. Too bad she's so stupid to be for the government):
The Chavez' ads are literally everywhere:
Bolivarian architecture:
Bueno. Tomorrow I'm going to work long hours, so it's a good time to begin my rest!
In the morning I went to IASE, which is a private Institute of Higher Studies in Administration, to search for material. I found more than 50 books and articles, so tomorrow I'm going back there to actually look into the material. The library is quite nice, by the looks of it it's like a public university in Poland.
Later I went to the seat of CEDICE Libertad, an organization that focuses on spreading the good word about free market in Venezuela. It's an underground movement; both philosophically and materially - its office is underground a building in the centre. In these elections they're obviously against Chavez, so they are pro Capriles. That explains the subject of this post; "apoyando un chayote" means "supporting a chayote". Chayote is a name of a very basic vegetable, in its taste a bit comparable to kohlrabi. This is how chavistas are calling their opponent. :)
Then in the afternoon I happened to spend some time in the centre of the city. The biggest achievement is that I found a t-shirt of the governing president (in the photo Eugenio which works for CEDICE and daughter of one of the other workers):
Bolivarian architecture:
niedziela, 19 sierpnia 2012
1 2 3 soy un Caraqueño!
After long hours of having no time to write anything, here is the first post from my final destination of this trip!
On Friday I left my house at about 10 am to get to the airport and fly to Eindhoven with Wizzair. First surprise came in the airport - I found out that my friends Kasia and Tomek are taking the same flight in order to get to a concert in the Netherlands!
Eindhoven happens to be a very grey and ugly city with almost every building under construction or reconstruction. It looked really depressing. Actually I was asking myself what would've happened if Amsterdam was like that as well?
In 2 hours I arrived in Amsterdam with a train. Luckily, this city is nothing like Eindhoven. It is lively, prepared for tourists and very beautiful. The canals look amazing, such as this one:
There are also a lot of very narrow and nicely looking streets, and a lot of bicycles:
One of the things that really surprised me was that I hardly saw anyone actually smoking marijuana in the streets. I smelled it maybe 3 or 4 times for the 2 hours I spent in the capital. I also saw maybe 2 coffee-shops in the centre.
In the evening I went to Leiden to sleep at my friend's place and in the very morning took a plane to Curacao, and then another one to Caracas. The plane to Curacao was a KLM Airbus. The service was perfect, the first meal was also very good, because it was of criolo cuisine (the second was continental and it was very bad), but I had really small space for my legs, so my knee hurts awfully.
Today I spent some time with mr Vladimir, who is of Polish descent and he helps me a lot to understand Venezuela. In the very evening we went to eat Venezuelan cuisine in one place. Yesterday I tried an arepa, and today - cachapa. I also tried agua de coco, which means coconut water. It looks like that:
I also saw some very nice view of the mountains:
Tomorrow - it's a good time to start actually working!!!
On Friday I left my house at about 10 am to get to the airport and fly to Eindhoven with Wizzair. First surprise came in the airport - I found out that my friends Kasia and Tomek are taking the same flight in order to get to a concert in the Netherlands!
Eindhoven happens to be a very grey and ugly city with almost every building under construction or reconstruction. It looked really depressing. Actually I was asking myself what would've happened if Amsterdam was like that as well?
In 2 hours I arrived in Amsterdam with a train. Luckily, this city is nothing like Eindhoven. It is lively, prepared for tourists and very beautiful. The canals look amazing, such as this one:
In the evening I went to Leiden to sleep at my friend's place and in the very morning took a plane to Curacao, and then another one to Caracas. The plane to Curacao was a KLM Airbus. The service was perfect, the first meal was also very good, because it was of criolo cuisine (the second was continental and it was very bad), but I had really small space for my legs, so my knee hurts awfully.
Today I spent some time with mr Vladimir, who is of Polish descent and he helps me a lot to understand Venezuela. In the very evening we went to eat Venezuelan cuisine in one place. Yesterday I tried an arepa, and today - cachapa. I also tried agua de coco, which means coconut water. It looks like that:
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