Isla Paraiso, El Morro Complex

November 10

Previous meager opinion of Venezuelan people, however ill conceived, has taken a gratifying leap forward today with return of expensive, favorite sunglasses. Left them hanging in bano stall this morning after engaging in personal hygiene and before cleaning senoras arrived. ("Yes, Dear, you are absolutely correct and, if I may call on your forebearance the next time we speak, it will be redundant to issue a speech that, after 34 years of marriage, I have by memory - see, I do still have one"). Marina office said they would check. Fifteen minutes later a dock guy came by to return them.

Also, in a spirit of full disclosure, the English expat who runs a little food market at Bahia Redonda informed me that eggs were a thousand. Huh!? Each!? Oh, yeah, old bolivars. Immediately clicked that gasolina guy, yesterday, was quoting price in old Bs per liter, rather than new Bs for 60 liters. Oops! My comprende was compromised, but since departure papers will not be ready until tomorrow tarde (and I so want to do right by Hugo), have a chance to go back and correct that little snafu. By the way, how many non-military out there know the accurate words to that acronym? Hint, knucklehead begins with a "K".

One last mea culpa. Laundry lady had to take her daughter to the hospital and inexperienced, but trying-to-be-helpful, girl left in charge couldn't cope. Laundry is now clean and jammed into various lockers, eager to once more collect dirt, dinge and detritus.

Except for papers and fuel, systems are go for lift-off Thursday AM. With a little knowledge of what is occurring in this country, plan to be more attentive to its dissolution... er progress. Glad I came, met nice people, won't be back.

Jack