Finally moved into my apartment on Tuesday, you have to pay in cash and it turns out no banks here will let you buy dollars with a bank card and passport. Why? I don't know, but i assume it has something to do with the financial collapse of 2001. Rang Barclays, they said go to a travelex - there aren't any in South America - useless gits.
Panic set in on Monday when i realised i was not going to be able to get the deposit in time. Cashpoints only give you a 1000 pesos per day (180 quid). So there i was wandering around Bs As pondering on how to get cash. Eureka! Every city has at least one place that will bend over backwards to give you cash - yep casinos. 30 minutes later i'd won a bit on craps, cashed in all the chips i'd bought and was ready for a beer.
The flat is fantastic, right in the centre, a terrace the size of a tennis court, cable TV and air-conditioning. Feels a bit strange "having" an apartment again after so long and it's also very weird leaving the tranquilty of it and stepping out into full on chaos. I think maybe i've been spoilt by Tufnell Park where it took a 10 minute walk to reach Camden Rd before the full horror of the hustle and bustle assaulted you.
Dinner party last night, today i have to wash-up and do my laundry - worrying levels of domesticity are already kicking in.
Thursday, March 15, 2007
Saturday, March 10, 2007
Hello Beijing
i just thought i'd say a quick hello to whomever it is that reads my blog in Beijing.
Thanks also to those in the States, Sao Paulo, Argentina, Chile, and the UK.
Thanks also to those in the States, Sao Paulo, Argentina, Chile, and the UK.
Sorry this machine is unable to dispense money for the foreseable future!
Meltdown. On Wednesday there was an armed robbery, unfourtunatley two security guards were shot and one died. The security guards, unsurprisingly weren't best pleased with this and went on strike over safety issues. This led to all cash machines running out of money very quickly. So now you don't have to worry about someone being able to change your notes because you don't have any! No wonder this economy is going absolutely nowhere in a hurry. A weekend indoors is on the cards. What's more i have to find a load of dollars for Tuesday to pay a flat deposit, this could be interesting seeing as the 20 cash machines i've visited today didn't have any. It's amazing how much for granted we take everyday matters.
Thursday, March 08, 2007
Scams
1. It's late, it's dark and you have had a few drinks. You hail a cab and sail swiftly to your destination, the cabbie is friendly and all is well. The bill is 15 you hand him a fifty pesos note, he looks at it gives it back and says it's a fake. You are horrified, apologise and give him a twenty, the same thing happens, you scrabble together and pay with your loose change.
The next day you wake up and realise the only place that money came from was your local supermarket. They are decent people, always checking their notes. You realise the reason the notes were fake was because the cabbie (aka doodgy bastard) had swapped them. A very clever little trick that happened to a bloke called Ian i met over the last 2 days whilst watching Champions League football.
Moral of the story: Never pay cabbies with large notes.
2. This happened to a couple of English retirees. Walking along Puerto Madero (posh area) they passed a nice couple in their forties taking photos. Something landed on them, the couple came over to explain that birds had shat on them and helped wipe them down, whilst removing their wallets taking out only the dollars and then replacing them. The same scam is done in cafes where they spray you with mustard etc.
Moral: Never let anyone into your space.
3. I was touring Santiago with Flower (Enlish woman in her fifties), she was explaining to me how she always got robbed on her last day in a country. Today was her last, i said that i didn't fancy wandering around with a cursed lady. She laughed. I was serious. The problem is that she is a lovely person who trusts people. Whereas i am a dodgy git who trusts no one. We sit down at a cafe she puts her bag next to her on the chair next to passers-by, i point out that that's a bit dodgy she moves it. She then gets something out of her bag and puts it back on the chair. 5 minutes later someone has grabbed it and legged it.
It occurred to me you could have an empty bag, get someone to run off with it, and thus get a free meal at a cafe. Nice scam. See what i mean - i don't trust anyone, she did pay me back for the meal.
Moral: If you want to see your bag again tie it to the chair or put it between your legs. Never carry your passport or credit cards in your bag unless you have to - thankfully Flower was aware of this.
Mind you nothing has ever happened to me, but then again you should never scam a scammer.
The next day you wake up and realise the only place that money came from was your local supermarket. They are decent people, always checking their notes. You realise the reason the notes were fake was because the cabbie (aka doodgy bastard) had swapped them. A very clever little trick that happened to a bloke called Ian i met over the last 2 days whilst watching Champions League football.
Moral of the story: Never pay cabbies with large notes.
2. This happened to a couple of English retirees. Walking along Puerto Madero (posh area) they passed a nice couple in their forties taking photos. Something landed on them, the couple came over to explain that birds had shat on them and helped wipe them down, whilst removing their wallets taking out only the dollars and then replacing them. The same scam is done in cafes where they spray you with mustard etc.
Moral: Never let anyone into your space.
3. I was touring Santiago with Flower (Enlish woman in her fifties), she was explaining to me how she always got robbed on her last day in a country. Today was her last, i said that i didn't fancy wandering around with a cursed lady. She laughed. I was serious. The problem is that she is a lovely person who trusts people. Whereas i am a dodgy git who trusts no one. We sit down at a cafe she puts her bag next to her on the chair next to passers-by, i point out that that's a bit dodgy she moves it. She then gets something out of her bag and puts it back on the chair. 5 minutes later someone has grabbed it and legged it.
It occurred to me you could have an empty bag, get someone to run off with it, and thus get a free meal at a cafe. Nice scam. See what i mean - i don't trust anyone, she did pay me back for the meal.
Moral: If you want to see your bag again tie it to the chair or put it between your legs. Never carry your passport or credit cards in your bag unless you have to - thankfully Flower was aware of this.
Mind you nothing has ever happened to me, but then again you should never scam a scammer.
Wednesday, March 07, 2007
Football
liverpool 0 Barcelona 1
Magnificent performance from the Might Reds sees them through to the next round.
Magnificent performance from the Might Reds sees them through to the next round.
Sunday, March 04, 2007
Money
No hay monedas! You see this sign everywhere you go, it means that the shop doesn't have any small change. The government can't afford to produce more and thus buying anything can prove problematical. You have to hoarde your change to use on the bus. You are frequently offered sweets as change - "no hay monedas quieres comer algo?" - bizarre.
Then there's the other extreme, no shop fancies changing a 100 peso note. The concept of a "till float" has only seemed to reach the big supermarkets. This forces you to keep a constant check on what change you have, many a morning i've had to go and buy something random from the supermarket to get change. Mind you it's quite amusing buying a bottle of wine at 8am - you get some very odd looks.
So basically they can't give small change and can't change a large note - no wonder the economy is buggered. It does, however, match the attitude of the shop owners who clearly aren't that interested in selling anything anyway, not unless you've got the exact money and preferably in small coins in which case they'll thank you profusely - not for the sale but for the change. Mental.
Then there's the other extreme, no shop fancies changing a 100 peso note. The concept of a "till float" has only seemed to reach the big supermarkets. This forces you to keep a constant check on what change you have, many a morning i've had to go and buy something random from the supermarket to get change. Mind you it's quite amusing buying a bottle of wine at 8am - you get some very odd looks.
So basically they can't give small change and can't change a large note - no wonder the economy is buggered. It does, however, match the attitude of the shop owners who clearly aren't that interested in selling anything anyway, not unless you've got the exact money and preferably in small coins in which case they'll thank you profusely - not for the sale but for the change. Mental.
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