Some Observations

The following are some recurring themes I have noticed while wandering around Latin America.

1)The dreaded 50 peso note:
Stop at any bank in any city and the ATM will gleefuly burp up your withdrawl denominated in as many 50 peso notes as will fit in you request. The problem is that when you produce one of these 50`s for payment someplace it creates pandemonium. A look of panic comes over everyone`s faces behind the counter. A hain reaction ensues which involves much talk amongst all of the employees in the establishment. Momentarily somewhat will dart out the door with your 50 and go across the street, next door and maybe even upstairs in an effort to break that bill at a neighboring business. If you happen to find youself in a time-sensitive situation the 50 dollar bill is useless to you. Note this situation occurs sometimes with 20s but not as frequently.

2)The Tyrany of the Receipt:
Recibos, facturas, whatever you want to call them are a required part of any business transaction. There are signs up everywhere imploring customers to make sure they have their receipt with them when the leave. I can understand the importance of a receipt with a big ticket item like for instance - a laptop. You are most likely to want and/need that receipt. However if I walk into a kiosko and ask for a small bottle of coke it is no different than if I were purchasing a laptop. Once I have handed over the 50 cents for the small glass bottle of Coca Cola, the dot matrix printer behind the counter will kick into action, spitting out an entire page itemizing my Coca Cola purchase. Sometimes when the printour is finished it will recieve a stamp before being handed over to the recipient. If the business is not of the computer printout variety, the clerk will scribble out your purchase on a small triplicate receipt book and hand it to before you leave. Sometimes the hand written receipt will recive a stamp as well. I haven´t a clue what the stamp says as it is always illegible.

3)Flourescent Lights:
There is only one type of light bulb that exists on the continent and that is the Fluorscent variety. Often the long cylindrical ones that sit in metal fixtures on the cieling. There is no socio-economic correlation either as towards where one finds Flourescent bulbs, a bank, a decent hotel, office buildings, and homes. You are never not under the alien green hue emitted by these awful bulbs. Perhaps this light is actually a thing of reverence down. How else do you explain the fact that none of the ceiling fixutres are fitted with the plastic covers that serve to diffuse the harshness produced by these bulbs? Note to General Electric - a massive PR campaign extolliing the virutes of "soft white" lighting in South America would be revolutionary. It would also likely increase profit margins by 900 percent.

Top three questions I have been asked:

1)Do you know/like The Ramones?
I think the Ramones are possibly the most popular band on the continent. If you answer "yes you like and have seen The Ramones many times", the conversation will include alot of smiling and handshaking. If you mention that you have seen Joey Ramone in a Deli on 2nd Avenue they will most likely offer to buy you a beer and start referring to you as friend. Strange but true.

2)Sept. 11th
Where were you? Who do you think did it?
I think lots of folks recently saw the `Loose Change` conspiracy theory documentary here. It seems to be untimely topical.

3)"What language was that they were speaking in Brokeback Mountain?"
Nobody believes when you say they are speaking English its just a dialect. They refuse to believe or seem very suspicous and will retort something along the lines of "I speak English and I didn´t understand a word those guys were saying. Why wasn´t there subtitles?" Ha ha ha. I kid you not.

Anyway where was I ....

C.