|
Summer in Margarita, some are not...
Well, it’s been a while since the ol’ Curmudgeon has spouted off, so I guess it’s about time. I’ll
try to bring you up to date on the island and other things, but first a word from our sponsor---wait, I don’t have a
sponsor. Well, maybe some day...
Hurricane Katrina I usually love “Mother Nature” and the beauty she endows the world with, but sometimes she
can be a real bitch! I’m not sure what made her mad at the Gulf Coast, but she sure was. Unfortunately, we have--oops,
make that HAD property in Biloxi MS and many friends, some of them very special to us (Charlie, Curtis & Donna, y’all
know who we mean). At the time of this writing it’s impossible to find any news about either friends or property so
all we can do is hope for the best.
Looking at the aftermath, if the King George Administration can’t handle a National Emergency (with a week’s warning
and numerous previous “Worst Case Scenario” exercises) any more competently than it has so far, God help America
if there should be another surprise terrorist emergency.
Being from San Antonio originally, I’m not too happy about them sending 25,000+ refugees (very possibly including looters,
thugs, and gang members) to Houston, San Antonio, and other cities. Yes, they had to go somewhere, but what about using some
of those closed military bases? Surely there are some that still have housing, mess halls, security, water and electric systems,
etc. The Astrodome wasn’t designed for daily living!
As if there wasn’t enough confusion, the ubiquitous “turd blossom” (sorry to borrow your nickname, Mr. Rove--)
Jesse Jackson complains of racism in the aftermath of the hurricane. How is this helping the hurricane survivors?
You know, I never considered myself a racist, but guess maybe I am. Several years ago in the Biloxi/Gulfport area they had
a huge “Black Spring Break”. These spring breakers came to the coast from areas all over the country. To see
the way most of these young people acted you would have thought they were all raised in Nigeria ! They trashed the beach,
private yards, urinated and worse wherever they pleased, parked their cars and boogied in the streets causing traffic to back
up all the way to the interstate for hours-- it was a mess! We didn’t hear Jesse Jackson commenting on this “revolting
development”, did we? Bet if they organized a “White Spring Break” he’d scream like a scalded cat!
On the other hand, several of our neighbors in Biloxi were black, and they were some of the nicest families in the neighborhood.
Yet another religious kook, Pat Robertson wants Hugo Chavez assassinated. Those of us who live here in Venezuela are still
apologizing for that idiot. Just imagine the uproar if a religious leader/friend of President Chavez advocated Bush’s
assassination!! Sometimes I’m just plain ashamed to be an American. It’s no wonder much of the world hates us.
Something to smile about--Chavez offers to sell gas to America’s poor at a reasonable price, and he offered to send
doctors and assistance to help the victims of Katrina and Americans who can’t afford U.S. health care.
O.K., o.k., now on to Margarita Island-
I recently saw a website that said Margarita means “pearl” in Spanish. I wonder where they learned their Spanish?
Margarita means daisy or the cocktail, or a woman’s name. Perla is Spanish for pearl.
Summertime- This July & August the island was really packed with tourists. Hotel occupancy averaged about 85% even in the
expensive places. Lots of money is being spent cleaning up the island. Just in our neighborhood alone a crew comes through
and cleans the streets, weeds and grass along the sidewalks and even trims some of the trees.
Beer companies are going to standard size returnable bottles to reduce the littering problem.
As you can see from the photos, even shopping for booze and beer is fun here!
The summer vacation season is over officially September 15, and things slowly get back to normal until Christmas. The island
seems to be booming. Building is going on everywhere. Real estate prices are escalating, but now at the end of the tourist
season, I have seen some reasonable and even bargain prices again.
The economy is rebounding and inflation is pretty well under control. Gas is still about 10 cents a gallon, and there is
no sales tax on food-- isn’t that a novel idea? Food prices on things like beef, chicken, & milk are government controlled
and very reasonable. There was a strike a while back and no beef was sold for about a week, prices were adjusted, and now
the stores have plenty of beef. Today I bought 5.064 kilos of Argentine beef for the equivalent of about $16.00 USD and a
whole frozen frying chicken for $1.34.
Try that in the states!
Back to real estate. We closed last week on another condo. One bedroom, one bath, sleeping loft for kids and with a pool.
The building only has 10 apartments and is just a block from our house. It was a good buy. Of course it was--I’m too
damn tight to overpay for investment real estate! I mention this because if I were worried about the political situation
here I certainly wouldn’t be investing more of my hard-earned dollars here. I know that in the U.S. the media is ranting
about Chavez and Castro. But, so far from what I’ve seen is only the “up” side of improving conditions,
and I live here full time. So, enough of the political crap. I think everyone is probably sick of it anyway. For those who
are interested in this stuff, here’s a link to a site you might like. I don’t agree with many of the articles
because some seem to be politically slanted, but it will give you some more information--form your own opinions.
http://www.vheadline.net
The weather- yes, it’s hot and humid this month. However, it’s been cooler here on the average than in San Antonio.
Next month it starts to gradually get cooler here. Meanwhile, it’s summertime, the livin’ is easy, fish are jumpin’
,the booze is cheap the women are beautiful, or the women are cheap, the booze is beautiful. I can get mixed up at happy
hour, but LIFE IS GOOD !
Have a great day, or come join us and have a fantastic one!
Job Comparison
Last month I was talking to an American friend and his girlfriend who were visiting Margarita. I don’t remember exactly
how the subject came up, but I think it had to do with the night life on the island, and mention was made about “Ladies
of the Evening”
I mentioned I have a friend that owns a very nice hotel that has been turned into an all-inclusive Resort/Bordello. and that
the hotel had recently changed from a very small-profit hotel to the present status. I said they had 8 to 10 full-time girls
and the price was $2500 U.S. a week--all inclusive including a girl for the duration or a different girl each day. The American’s
girlfriend stated--out of the blue--”I feel sorry for the girls”.
My reaction was “Good lord, why?” Her reply-”Because of their job”.
So I said “let’s analyze this and compare their job to yours.
First, you work where it’s frozen much of the year.
You get up at 6 a.m. to drive to your job which pays an average salary for a nine hour day with one hour for lunch. Then you
drive almost an hour to get home. You work 5 days and sometimes 6 days a week to afford rent, car payments, utilities, insurance,
etc. Then you get to take a 2 week vacation to a tropical paradise once a year (if you can afford to) to be able to sleep
late, eat out and not have to cook, go to the beach or sit around the pool, and party into the night.
Now let’s see about the girl you feel sorry for.
Her day begins at 10:30 or 11 in the morning. She takes her time over excellent coffee, juice and fresh fruit while the maid
makes up her room. Later, lunch is prepared by a chef and after lunch she might take a nap, a swim in the pool, get some
sun, or just relax, and then spends a leisurely time getting her hair, make-up, and clothes just right.
Later in the afternoon some clients arrive. (Most are between 30 & 50 and are required to conduct themselves as gentlemen
and safe sex is required).
If she is chosen, she accompanies the client to a delicious dinner, after dinner they go to the hotel disco where they party
and dance until they retire to the client’s room, where she might actually have to do a little work--maybe 20 minutes
worth--
(according to Kinsey and Playboy Magazine,the sex act takes an average of 20 minutes). Next morning she sleeps a little late--possibly
she accompanies the client for a round of golf, horseback riding, or deep sea fishing...and for this she gets paid more than
a bank manager. So I believe if you were to ask her to trade jobs the answer would be “No Way!” And she might
even feel sorry for the American working girl.”
Note: what I find most logical is that this is a business and not illegal in this country. These people have the right to
choose their professions without government interference, and the freedom do so as long as they don’t hurt anyone else.
|
