Wednesday, December 11, 2013

Wednesday December 11 , 2013 In Jail

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Wednesday December 11 , 2013 
Yesterday we had a post-mortem gathering to discuss the Christmas Gala.  Mostly everything was positive and most of the things within our control were handled well.  The music, dance and Premium Bar were all smash hits.  The downside was the disappointing main course served up by Villa San Carlos, when they knew that this was their chance to shine, to erase the memory of the bad food at the Happy Dogs fiasco.  It is so disappointing that they have failed everyone so miserably.  They do buffets well, but not sit-down dinners.
While I was there I got a call from Marco that there was a Coopera meeting at 8pm with the reporter from El Tiempo again.  I hung around downtown, had a good burger at the Eucalyptus CafĂ©, bought 13 classic movies for $20, then contributed zero at the meeting.
When we were leaving the meeting they informed us that we would be meeting with an El Mercurio reporter a 9am so I was determined not to be a wallflower this time.   I prepared a written statement in both English and Spanish and turned that in.  It will be interesting what they consider worth printing after getting the stories from nine of us.
Then it was decided that we were going to jail…….  Yes, we went to the “traffic” jail north of downtown to visit lawyer #4, Dr Orellana, the constitutional expert, and city councilor who is on the wrong side of the Mayor (and President Correa’s political machine).  He got nailed for drinking and driving and the Mayor is getting his revenge.  Yet, his jail cell was more like a cute apartment with all the amenities.  Entering the jail, the sign says “no cel phones” yet our main contact talked on his cel all the way through on entry, then the lawyer was using his cel, iPad and laptop in his cell…   This was definitely not a Turkish prison.
We were not done yet as we went to the San Joaquin SEPS office to try to confront Coopera’s liquidator, Diego Aguilar on behalf of a disabled person that won the right to his money in court but who hasn’t been paid yet.  To our chagrin, Aguilar is working elsewhere now.  I wanted to see his face again, after I threatened his smug ass with jail the last time we met….
I made it home and got a message from our Canadian realtor that the first person to view our house is apparently interested in making an offer but want a later possession..  Brace yourselves..  I may be in Canada until the end of March…       
I was also home in time to meet with my neighbour Raoul and we had a nice lunch and chatted, then he got a call from another friend.  The friend wanted to go to a “Vehicle Fair” to the east of the city and see if there would be any action on his Nissan Van.   They asked me to join them, so I did.   Being a former car salesman I wanted to see what this “fair” was like.  Well it was a mountainside covered with about 200 vehicles for sale, with owners, plus about 20 vendors, and maybe 3 buyers…..   We poked around a bit and wished we could import used cars here, because what they sell used vehicles for here is just plain insane!  I took a photo of a 1973 Datsun pickup in pretty darn good shape, but that probably retailed for $4,000 brand new, tops,… and these guys wanted $6,500 for it!   Dream on, and have another toke fella! 
Anyway, it has been an interesting day.
Hope you enjoy the photos.  That was the day's excitement,   Cheers, Al 


This year's Xmas card

Our curly cats, Pancho & Peso

Santo Domingo church

Our mountains are soft here, digging is by hand.

It was nice to see they had safety ropes 

Talking to the El Mercurio reporter, second from the left

They have this lovely building on Las Americas

Here we are deciding to go to jail

This is a jail for traffic offenders

I had no idea what to expect...

This cell was more like a cute apartment

The inmate is on the left, lawyer Dr. Orellana

A peek into the bedroom

Lots of eating, toilet & shower facilities

Next we went to the old Coopera main offices in San Joaquin

I went with Raoul and his buddy to a Vehicle Fair

There were about 200 vehicles and owners on this mountainside

But I saw maybe 3 buyers while we were there

This old country home on stilts was nearby

Rows and rows of cars, some very old by our standards

They wanted $6,500 for this 1973 Datsun pickup!!!