Thread: Isla Margarita
+
Add Report
Results 31 to 45 of 317
-
07-14-22 16:59 #287
Posts: 395Originally Posted by MaraCucho [View Original Post]
A huge problem I have seen across Latin America is hugely talented, smart, capable individuals just working dead end severely low paying jobs because there is a massive lack of opportunity in their countries. Really sad to see. And on the other end, for the most part they seem happy, content, and healthy and are usually a pleasure to interact with.
-
07-14-22 16:37 #286
Posts: 159Originally Posted by JustTK [View Original Post]
-
07-13-22 22:29 #285
Posts: 6447Societal Ills
Originally Posted by JustTK [View Original Post]
-
07-13-22 22:19 #284
Posts: 1819Originally Posted by MaraCucho [View Original Post]
I don't have any option but to pay bills by card bcos I can't get cash. So far the people are very friendly and helpful in the limited roles that they can play. I have not seen any desperation. Just people getting along w their simple lives.
-
07-13-22 19:52 #283
Posts: 159Originally Posted by JustTK [View Original Post]
Another thing, what you say about the use of cash (and by cash = USD, nobody gives a damn about bolivares) is true, I'd be wary of using a credit card anywhere, even in high end places. OK, paying your stay in a five star hotel is probably safe, but even a luxury restaurant in the nicer parts of Caracas, (like Las Mercerdes or La Castellana) the people serving you are as downtrodden and desperate as those you see selling stuff in the streets, and the temptation of pulling a "chanchullo" on a guy that they perceive as rich would be too great.
-
07-12-22 13:03 #282
Posts: 1819Hands tied
You can see all around how Veneluela was a deeply class-ridden society. You see pockets of shining glory. Huge opulent hotels, gated communities of marine-side detahed houses with privately owned yachts, decadent shopping malls selling designers goods at prices way above neightbouring countries. And all surrounded by squalour. Flithy neighbourhoods with broken pavement and roads, taxis with cracked windscreens and wornout seats, with downtrodden people trying to grind out an existence.
This is a Hellscape. A dystopian future for us all under capitalism, that funnels all cash to the top, the 1%, and the exploitation of an ever widening pool of underclasses. This is not caused by socialism. It is caused by rampant authoritarian capitalism. The type we can see taking over the entire world.
So I came to have a look. To play my small part in trying to support the local economy to recover. But it is hard work. The banking system is completely isolated from the international financial system. This means it is not possible to use the ATMs to withdraw cash, there are no foriegn exchange bureaus, no ready access to cash that nearly all of us take for granted. The only mechanisms are to send money via Western Union (but they won't allow you to use foreign ID to accept the cash, you need to send to a Venezuelan that you trust. And in any case its super expensive), or to make a foreign exchange swap with a local that can give you dollars inside the country in exchange for a bank depsoit to their USD bank in the US somewhere (again, quite a lot of trust required).
The people are friendly, and tourists are certainly a novelty at this stage, but if you want to visit, my advice is to bring big bags of cash. USD only. You can use bank cards to pay for goods in hotels, big supermarkets, and higher quality restaurants, but you need cash for street action and day to day living. Venezuela is a very cash based society, and you need cash to access it. For ths reason, I will have to leave earlier than I had hoped, and return once the USA-led crippling financial sanctions ease.
-
01-30-18 20:27 #281
Posts: 33Originally Posted by Tavares [View Original Post]
Yes, I am in Canada, so travel is a bit long, specially because Porlamar doesn't have any internationl flights (not that I'm aware of).
Here are the answers to your questions:
1. I used Avior to get into Venezuela. They have international stops of Miami, Panama, Bogota and Lima. So I flew to Panama from Canada, and took avior from there on. So it was Canada. Panama. Valencia, then Porlamar. I believe Copa Air also does PTY to Caracas, so that is another option too. Some of the other smaller Venezuelan airlines also go around that area, but I didn't check up on that.
2. I stayed at the same place as before, but paid less as I paid them in Bolivares, and not thru Airbnb. Hotels are also available for around 5 $ a day.
3. I didn't really need much cash, as I used bank card or transfers to pay for everything. If you need cash, you pay about double the price for it. Example, you pay 200.000 in transfer to get a 100.000 bill. A RIF is illegal to get for foreigners on tourist visas, so had to grease some palms to get it. If you want to know the details, you can PM me.
4. Sure PM for contact deails.
5. I wouldn't look at houses, but apartments with security are about 35 k - 60 k (USD) depending on location and size etc.
-
01-30-18 18:55 #280
Posts: 154Originally Posted by Jasoonnn [View Original Post]
Assuming you live in Canada and that Margarita is not around the corner, it has to be a fantastic place for cheap pro's and non pro's mongering. It is your 2nd time there in less than a month...
Because I want to go there myself, the sooner the better, a few questions:
1. How did you get there? If flying, where did you buy the ticket and for which airline? Still Avior?
2. Where did you stay this time? Hotel? Air bnb?
3. How to get around the shortage of cash? How much does a RIF cost?
4. Are you willing to share your contacts - speak fluent spanish - with fellow mongers?
5. Any business opportunities, like buying a house?
Looking forward to your reply, THANKS!
-
01-30-18 03:40 #279
Posts: 332nd trip
Just got back from Margarita again. This time I went with a friend, and was even better. To sum up quickly:.
- Still a GREAT place to visit.
- Still pretty safe place, but of course be vigilant. We always had a couple of locals with us at night, and walked around a bit too. But still no chains / watches / rings etc, to be safe.
- Still not a lot of BVF cash, so NEED a bank card to be able to do anything.
- On the last day I was able to change the dollar for 254 each. The best rate is for 100's and 50's, then goes lower for the 20's and 10's. I was able to get 100.000 bvf for a dollar bill from some bouncers or bathroom stall guys.
- I took a lot of smaller USD bills this time for tips, or for cabs that didn't take transferencia.
- Made some guy friends, who got some of his university girl friends to come party with us at the house and at a couple of the clubs. A night out with 3 bottles, food and drinks + "green and white" for about 8 people cost us about 100 $ at the top club (bora bora).
- One of the male friends spoke English, so my friend (who didn't speak any Spanish) hired him for 500.000 per day to help him translate when he was with girls.
- Had a taxi guy with us when we needed him for about $5 a day (could have negotiated cheaper but he was an awesome guy and had good connections to keep us safe).
- Only had the chance to get one Pro, and I think it was 5. 000.000 ($25) to take out 2 of them from (one for my friend) Mediterranean.
- Most of the other lucky ladies were contacts I had from earlier, or met at clubs, or through guy friends there.
- I paid (a lot) to get a RIF, and was able to open my own bank account now. This helps as I'm looking to go there more often as well as do some business there.
- We had a big lunch with 8 people at a great resto by the water (El Fondeadero), with a mix of steak / pasta / chicken / fish, plus wine, beers, juice etc, and the total came out to under 5. 000.000 ($20).
That is all I can remember for now, but Margarita is a great place. Can't get this type of value for money anywhere in this world that I can think of, at least not in the western hemisphere.
Any questions, fire away!
-
12-27-17 19:36 #278
Posts: 33Originally Posted by Tavares [View Original Post]
This is the link for Conferry, with their updated schedules: https://twitter.com/lanuevaconferry?lang=en.
-
12-26-17 17:29 #277
Posts: 154Originally Posted by Jasoonnn [View Original Post]
Apparently there is a canadian living there who owns a hotel and helps his guests. Sent an e-mail a few months ago but never got any reply. I would like to go there myself, but to get from Europe to IsMargarita is a nightmare and to be frank I do not trust Avior: 35 year old planes, lack of spare parts, cancelled flights a. S. o.
As far as Conviasa is concerned, forget about buying a ticket on line. And at their counters either!
I once did Caracas-Puerto la Cruz by road and then crossed by ferry to Margarita. Everything was perfect but that was a looong time ago, in 1998.
-
12-26-17 17:11 #276
Posts: 33Originally Posted by Tavares [View Original Post]
-
12-26-17 10:52 #275
Posts: 154Originally Posted by Jasoonnn [View Original Post]
-
12-26-17 02:49 #274
Posts: 33Originally Posted by Kazeu [View Original Post]
In the General thread there is some talk about US visas so maybe that might help.
-
12-25-17 12:37 #273
Posts: 516You are my hero.
Jason, thanks for this post. You've earned my admiration. I was wondering what your nationality is? I'm from the USA and wondering if you were as well and what your experience might have been like getting a visa for Venezuela. The USA and Venezuela aren't on the best of terms right now.
Originally Posted by Jasoonnn [View Original Post]