More random shizz

I was on the bus one day trying to get to a hyper market called Sigo, its comparable to a Walmart. I got off the bus because of heavy traffic...thinking I was close. I wasnt. I started walking and walking, finally asking one of the empanada girls where to go. So I started walking in the suggested direction and found myself in a hardcore ghetto. Dirt streets, 3 legged dogs, trash everywhere, and all eyes were on me. Eventually I emerged from the rubble and in the distance saw 4 de Mayo (the main blvd). When I started walking towards it I found an abstract art museum.
The guy that was giving me the free tour didnt speak any english and he asked me if I understood what he was saying. I told him 50% which was more like 25%. Anyhow, he had me stand in front of this photo and concentrate on the nose until I saw the eyes. The eyes ended up being below the nose. He was really shocked that I actually found them. ha

Me in front of a cool painting.

Here, I am at my usual panderia Saint Germain. Normally I order an expresso with my pastery, but today the lady couldnt understand what I was saying...she says "como? cafe pacanio?" I just said yes to get the line moving along. Well... that cup you see there is 100% expresso. I put my cellphone there for size reference. Later when I went home I actually took a nap, but for a few hours after I woke up I was shaking.

1,000 people standing in line at the grocery store. This was on a weekday. baaaaah baaaaah

Great Sunset. This picture was taken from the end of the harbor

How to exit a bus in Venezuela

While some passengers are exiting one bus by climbing over a truck, the bus that I was on is driving over the sidewalk. welcome to venezuela.

Perspective is everything.

I was walking home and just happened to turn and saw this amazing picture of the moon. I have no idea what causes the V shape. I thought i may have something to do with the total eclipse that we are experiencing right now but then i literly turned 180 degrees and took this photo of the sun setting...check it out...

PS. Click here to see how I earn 100% commissions from this simple blog post

great huh? and you will notice that the sun is setting just to the right of the V shape formation in the sky.

PS. Click here to see how I earn 100% commissions from this simple blog post

Around town by bus

The driver is counting his cash while driving. At least this one isnt smoking a grit..

Air conditioning.

In yo face!

lol

This is a castle in Pampatar

That guy down there has a bag of coconuts that he sells for I think.. 10 bsf. Aparently you have to CLIMB the tree to get the coconuts, cant just wait for them to fall. From what Im told, its hard work.

Both signs are broken and the doors arent open, so I presume they closed up shop.

Scooby Dogs! Best hotdog Ive had at one of these vendors. I should have stepped back further so you can see his banner he has of Scooby and Shaggy.
.ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

This place was a trip. 7 stories that had 4 or 5 circular courts. So I guess there are a few hundred offices/stores and about 90% were empty...

The shoes are actually a necessity because there is broken glass everywhere.

This aint the OCTA

Margarita Island Prison?

Nope, es mi casa! All of the people in my neighborhood are millionaires...except for my landlord, and the crazy cat lady that pratices witchcraft who lives next door. Hopefully I can post some pictures of the other houses in my neighborhood, they are really nice. I would also like to mention that the person who built this house 14 years ago was a cocaine trafficer! I found out from one of my students´dad who gave me a ride home from work. He said he knew him because they had a bus business together. A ´bus business´. They called him Cuban Mike. He later died in jail. My landlord is the second owner.
The house is very big. I live with an old couple who are absolutely insane. They yell and scream at each other every day about nothing.. Their 30 year old daughter also lives with them, in the same room, she is just as insane. There is also a couple who rent out a room downstairs. Total there are 6 rooms and 6 bathrooms. If you care to write me a letter, send to;
La casa de azul y blanco en Costa Azul,
Isla Margarita, Nueva Esparta, Venezuela
...your probably better of just sending a message in a bottle.

PS. Click here to see how I earn 100% commissions from this simple blog post

These two pictures are views from on top of the roof. There is a spiral staircase that I take to get up there. Usually at night there are fireworks. I can also view the fireworks from the window in my shower. I accidently deleted the picture of my bathroom from my camera and will probably never get around to taking a new one. If I would have turned a little bit more you would have seen a picture of the ocean behind other apartment buildings, but I didnt cause I like making things difficult.

My room

The area next to my room.

The hallway leading to my room.

A picture of the spiral staircase that I forgot to turn so you can see it.. lol

This is what you see if you walk in the front door and turn left

Kitchen

This is if you turn right..

BBQ aaaand

Pool.
PS. Click here to see how I earn 100% commissions from this simple blog post 

Photo shoot

Photo shoot at Play El Caribe. For those of you wondering, mainly my mother, yes..I do eat. As a matter of fact, the last two meals Ive eaten were both hamburgers and one of the burgers came with egg, ham, and baccon. That aside..Kelly is awesome! Shes one of my students and is a real estate/insurance broker/super hot. That was a long day and night of partying. Still awaiting for the rest of the pictures. I think one of them includes me kissing a fish..

RAR

No pictures for this mission

Yesterday marked the 89th day of my stay in Venezuela. My tourist visa expires after 90 days. There were a few options for me. 1. I could have gotten a working visa, which would have meant a 30% pay cut due to taxes and and other bullshit thats comparable to whats taken out of an American paycheck. 2. I could have paid for an extention, which would have cost me 300 B.s.F. ($47) plus proof of a plane ticket back to the United States ($700). Lucky for me there was a thrid option; corruption,with one low cost of 300 B.s.F. Through a friend of a friend of a friend, I managed to find someone on the inside (imigration official) who had a ¨stamping business.¨ One stamp says you have left the country and the second says you have come back. We had an arangment to meet this morning at the airport. It is important to know that what I did was extremely illegal. Extremely. The day goes as follows:

9:00AM. An Italian friend picks me up from my house to drive me to the airport.
9:10AM. A stop at the bakery for a pastery and expresso.
9:20AM. Its raining really hard. This isnt really an important fact, but I thought it would help paint a better picture.
9:50 We arrive at the airport. I text my contact. ¨buenas dias Sinor Jose. Yo soy aqui.¨-good morning sir jose, i am here. (at a specific spot in the airport.)
10:00 AM Still no answer. I am now on my second cigarette. Getting nervous..
10:15AM Cigarette number 4. There are millitary personel everywhere and there is a millitary truck that is doing loops in the parking lot and each time they pass, the flick on the siren. Im extremely nervous at this point. Where the hell is this guy, Im thinking.
10:18AM ..the time is going veeeery slow.
10:25AM My Italian friend calls my contact. Aparently he didnt get my text because he said (in spanish) oh you are here? ill be right out.
10:30AM I meet my contact and hand him my passport with payment.
10:45AM He comes back with my passport. 1 stamp says I left Venezuela 11-22-10 and the other says I came back on 11-24-2010. My reentry papers say that I came from Frankfurt.

The weather in Frankfurt was lovely.

Costa Azul Harbor

I am standing at the end of the harbor. If you look close you can see mainland Venezuela.
Usually the skys are very blue, not sure why they arent today..

The blue and white building was orriginally planned to be a hotel, but forsome reason they turned it into an appartment complex. half the apartments are empty..

Straight ahead where the white dome is; thats where I work. I live 5 minutes from work.

I really want to go sailing.

Speak Up Kids Halloween Party!

Scary teacher!
more pictures to come...internet is still slow, due to the hamster on the wheel conection.

Scary Student!

bobbing for tangerines

random photos..

The internet at work has been really slow lately. And there is no internet at my new pad. I know, I know, "what the hell do you do without internet!" Twiddle my thumbs and stare at the wall.
I will try to post more pictures tomorrow or Monday. Please standby.
This arc is awesome by the way.

The sand was really deep

Small fishing village...cant remember the name

MAAAAA BOSS

The crew having a few drinks at Mia's

Fun night out with mi amigas

This was an art display at the local mall, Sambil

Mother would have been in heaven! 5 barrels full of sunflower seeds at the market!

This was some type of bicycle racing. People in the red shirts below are not to be mistaken for the Chavista's! They are team Mexico.

I have never been to a drag race, but I could imagine that the level of intensity is about the same

Sinor toad is back!

Aside from having no door to my room, a wall that didnt connect to the ceiling, and having to shit in a bucket, I also had to wash my clothes in a bucket. A very spiritual experience. And after reading what I just typed...I should probably mention that the shitting took place in a different bucket.

Tide? nope. ACE!

Margarita's supply of cocaine.

There are a lot of inside jokes surrounding this event. ...not sure why I even bothered posting it.