Island Vacation 2010

Hello Again!

Well the countdown is on as I write our last blog. As you will see we extended our vacation and decided to make a 4 day stop over in Toronto to visit our son Chad.

Our last days on Margarita were rather quiet and relaxed as the busy Easter season came to an end and many of the tourists left the island.

Being on the island for 6 weeks we learned many interesting things about Margartia and Venezuela in general:

- gas is 20 cents a gallon!

- public schools and universities are free, but the quality is very poor so the upper class sends their kids to private schools (they say you can become a docotor in 2 years in the public system!)

-medical care is reasonable but the wait period is outrageous so again the rich go to private clinics

- the official rate is 2.5 bolivars to 1 US dollar, but the black market which is very easy to use is 6 bolivars to 1 US dollar. So tourists bring US cash and easily change it to bolivars for a good rate.

- The Venezuelan people are very friendly, kind, helpful and appreciate tourist business

- Unfortunately there are banditos that prey on tourists after dark, so you need to take a taxi at night. During the day everything is safe but at night it is a little eerie with not much light on the streets

- they say tourism has fallen in the last 10 years due to the present government that does not encourage international trade and relations (aka Chevis)

Our trip to Margartia has been an amazing experience and we met some wonderful people

Enjoying our last few days

Fresh Coconut that had just fallen from the tree

Mr. Henry's Hamburgeusa Stand What a nice guy!

Friends from Quebec.

Ready to Leave

One of the local airlines that flies to the island

Leaving Caracas on Mexican Airlines

A night in Cancun on the way home

Adios to Mexico

View of the hotel strip leaving Cancun

We arrived in Toronto on Friday. Chad and Anna picked us up and we drove to his house in Little Italy and then headed out for supper at a local nearby restaurant.

As you can see Chad lives in a beautiful house.

Dining Room (Chad redid the table that he got from an old library) The table serves as an excellent meeting place for his Ethical Ocean group.

Living Room

Outside of Chad's house (three floors, 5 bedrooms and 4 roommates)

We had a great time in Toronto. Chad took us on some very interesting walking tours of the city and we enjoyed all the sights of the big city. The weather was great - sunny and fresh)

Toronto Neighbourhood around Chad's place