Souvenir Photo Studio, by Al Bourassa: Saturday May 8, 2021 Blockades

Saturday, May 8, 2021

Saturday May 8, 2021 Blockades

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Saturday May 8, 2021

I am pretty sure the Pinto was at the back of the pasture this morning and the big black dog came to play but my 4 dogs were not friendly. Too bad. I like to see them all get along.

After lunch, which we shared with Claudia and Daniel, Cristina, Turi and I went for a little drive to confirm the situation around us. Going South was almost a foregone conclusion when the northbound lanes had the odd motorcycle but our southbound lanes were shared by some traffic returning. Near a country school is the sole dirt road exit that goes via Campo Alegre and eventually winds back to Tulua, about 1/2 hour longer. Vehicles from both directions seemed to be taking this option. So we were pretty sure what we would find ahead.

We did get almost all the way south to Tulua following an ambulance until we hit this roadblock. I stayed back because we don't trust these thieves and hooligans. They actually made the people in the ambulance get out, and that is when I turned around. I imagine that the ambulance paid to get through. I stopped to take a photo with the phone to send to a stranded friend (Aram) and that is when a kid in a white t-shirt started to run toward us. Cristina was frantic and we hastily retreated the way we came, as did most of the little traffic coming this way. Many turned off on that dirt road west but we didn't need to go to Tulua that bad, ...this was just an exploratory drive.

Then we went past our town to go to the last exit/entrance where there was a blockade last time. They had blockades and obviously burned tires at night even before the exit, but there was room to get by those. The other 2 barricades past the exit were still there, the farthest one was manned. This is where I would like a semi with a monster cowcatcher on the front to clear these idiots off the road.

Latin Americans have a very blase attitude about their neighbours and how their actions affect others. It is quite infuriating at times, and this is one of them. People can't travel (no gas), can't work (places closing as no stock coming in) and soon, some will be starving because the groceries are empty.

But this is how they cause Government to fall here... Crude, but effective.

Back home we got a visit from a lady who seemed very interested in our house. I am still uncertain if I really want the upheaval of moving again. Cristina had given the realtor a price that I initially thought was OK until alarms went off in my head about today's exchange rate. I went back inside while they were enjoying the patio, dug out our purchase agreement and did the calculations based on the exchange rates, then vs now. It turns out we would need another 13% just to break even, and I have made many improvements since... We had paid 156,500,000 pesos in July 2018 and that is 203,845,633 pesos at today's exchange because the peso is falling in value. The prospective buyer grasped what I was saying immediately and didn't seem upset. If push comes to shove, it could help with negotiations.

I hope you enjoy the pictures (backwards again).

That was the day’s excitement.

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