Alunecer: goodbye 2009.

Today is the final day of the year. 2009 was a time of mixed feelings. I will not write a resume with the most important events of this season, because it doesn’t have much sense taking into consideration the fact that there are several specialized sites, newspapers, magazines and media that are already doing this job with more time and resources than me.

I consider, however, that a proper way to say goodbye to this bitter sweet year is posting a few pictures of yesterday’s sunset viewed from Caracas. It’s not a common sunset as you will see, because it’s accompanied by the moon.

This is the kind of fact that makes me believe that Venezuela is beautiful despite the sad times that we are facing because of You-Know-Who (And yes, we’re not talking about Lord Voldemort). Nevertheless, let’s keep the faith. Goodbye 2009 and happy new year for everyone!

 

The mountain in the backround is no other than The Avila, inspiration of this space.

Miracle at the Sudeseg

The mission was almost accomplished. One detail remained necessary if we were willing to register the company before the Venezuelan Insurance Superintendence (Sudeseg). We should pay a tax (“timbre fiscal”) if we wanted to complete the request of our client.

You can’t pay the tax directly at the Sudeseg. You must go first to a bank and fill a special form that is hard to find. Also, it’s important to point out that there are certain banks that accept the deposit, is not  a general policy able in the Venezuelan financial system.

First attempt: I went to the bank. According to the Venezuelan Central Bank (BCV) the biggest bank in our country. The result: I was rejected because I didn’t put the correct ID. The curious thing is that the form number 16 allowed the ID that I put. I’ve to return to my office. My boss was angry with me, with the government, with the administration.

Second attempt: the same bank, different cashier. She told me the same observation. But this time I was prepared. I drew from my folder an empty form and ask her to explain me how to fill it as a kinder boy. The result: payment acceptance.

I ran to the Sudeseg. They close at midday and if I didn’t introduce the document before that time I would have to wait until two o’clock with nothing to eat. I made it. The booking office number 2 was open and the employee that received me yesterday was attending the documents reception. Immediately she recognized me. A few stamps and signatures over my copy and the job was done. Whether the new year’s eve or the good mood of the functionary a miracle occurred at the Sudeseg.

Purpose

Four years ago I became a blogger. Venezuelan Compass was created with the purpose to let know to the world the historical and political situation that was suffering my country since the socialist revolution began. First, I started to write in English, but later I realized that the day by day situation of my life, the fact that I’m a Spanish language native, obviously conducted me to the fact that Venezuelan Compass should be written in Spanish. Up to this moment, almost 300 hundred posts have been written in Venezuelan Compass combining my interests in politics, history, literature and diplomacy.

Later I tried to develop an English version of Venezuelan Compass. I don’t believe in electronic translators and I always thought that letting know my ideas in English will extend the readers of my blog. This project, however, must be improved and I need some kind of organization in order to obtain a balance between the two versions of Venezuelan Compass.

But there are certain topics that I can’t expose in Venezuelan Compass because the blog already has its own personality and you just can't force a post because of a post. I created The Avila Walker as a sort of personal diary. Hopefully, I will try to express myself beyond the routine and demonstrate that everyday has its own significance despite our human lives are exposed to a schedule based on food, work, rest and sex.

The Avila is the mountain located in the north of the Caracas valley. I truly believe that is a mystical place. The perfect spot to start this journey that will remain always unfinished.