Where we live

[amazondk]

Pivi,

We get both here. For some reason some stores only sell white ones. Interestingly all the eggs produced for Manaus come from Japanese chicken farmers, or the second generation of the Japanese that moved here many years ago.

dk

[Pivi]

Thank for the info Don!

Btw, how much do you pay for eggs there?

Here we pay around US$2.5 or 1,9 Euros for 10 eggs.

Edited March 11, 2009 by Pivi

[amazondk]

Thank for the info Don!

Btw, how much do you pay for eggs there?

Here we pay around US$2.5 or 1,9 Euros for 10 eggs.

Pivi,

I believe it would be about 1.10 USD for a dozen eggs.

dk

[amazondk]

I enjoy reading about everyday life in other places.

My community is a large sugarcane plantation.Everyone knows my name and I will always be called "Gringo" or "Canche" no matter that I have lived here for twenty years.Guatemala is the second most expensive country to live in in Latin America (Caracas Venezuela is #1).Social life and "Community" are strictly influenced by class.Guatemala has the highest ratio of wealth/poverty.I dont remember the exact numbers but what it means is that a very small number of people own all the wealth.We have almost no middle class.Here even men older than myself call me using the title "Don".It is a custom and sign of respect but also shows the rift.

It is still difficult for me to live by these invisible rules.

No matter what social class you are in ,family ties are the most important and the family unit is the strongest .In Guatemala to get anything done you need to "know "people so this involves a complicated system of favors.This is what makes the wheels move here.

I have posted pictures most recently in the Travel area.

Scott,

I am sure there are plenty of similarities between where you live and I do. And, there are maybe even more differences. Costa Rica is a lot like here in some respects, but it is more European than Guatemala. But, Brazil is in it`s own world in many regards as it is a continental country with a different language and a lot different ethnic mix. I will always be a gringo here too, but then many Brazilians call most anyone not from Brazil a Gringo. In fact many people call me a gringo paraguaio. Since most things from Paraguay are Chinese imitations of the real thing they think it fits. I have become I guess so aculturated that I have a hard time telling where I come from sometimes. Here they don´t use the Don name, but call people of respect, or higher social status Doutor, or doctor. I many times say that I never went to medical school, at least used to. Now I just sort of let it ride. One interesting thing about Brazil lis that it is one of the countries with the highest percentage of self made millionaires. I was just in Sao Paulo this week setting up a business venture with an ex employee of mine who started at the company I managed there in 1989 as an office boy. He now is an owner of 100 million USD logistics company with offices throughout South America. I feel great that he has done what he has. I don´t think he even finished high school.

dk

[Really full garden]

Don there are incredible similarities between Brasil and Guatemala.Some of the street scenes you have posted look just like here especially the mish mash of bulidings.

There are 28 Mayan languages spoken here and there are still groups that after almost 500 years still do not speak Spanish.

Most of the wealth in Guatemala is from Coffee,cardomon,sugar and now is very diversified.There are only a few families involved and they are are intermingled so the weatlh has stayed intact for several centuries.

We have a new class of rich and powerful and their wealth is from the drug trade.We are the new Colombia.

[amazondk]

Scott,

I wasn`t aware that Guatemala was part of the drug production world, but I guess it makes sense. In reality security is the major problem in Brazil like it is in most of Latin America. And, the main factor that generates this is the drug trade. Here in Brazil there is a large domestic drug consumption market and the country is also one of the main transit points for traffic to Europe and other parts of the world. Here in Amazonas which borders on Peru, Colombia and Venezuela a lot of stuff flows through the area. There is a virtual civil war being waged in Rio between the police and organized crime. And, in a country where corruption is an integral part of the way things work it is hard to imagine how this can be solved easily. It is hard for people living for example in the USA to fathom what corruption is really like down this way. It is not about paying off a traffic cop. It is about paying off judges, politicians, and many of the very people who are supposed to be controlling crime and protecting the people. But, this is a whole different topic. I wish that I did not have to deal with this, but I do in order to make a business work. Fortunately the other sides of life are so good that they compensate. And, it is a great place to grow palms.

dk

[ariscott]

Those photos of Brazil reminds me so much of home... Indonesia that is.. It is amazing how much similarities between South America and some Asian countries... Indonesia is a land of contrast... so much poverty and yet, there are more BMW and Mercedes on the road than here in Australia. Sometimes, I miss my country... sometimes I don't. I miss my family though...

Scott is called 'Bule' in Indonesia... which means albino. And like in Guatemala, we don't call people by first name, unless we are very good friends or family. It is always Bapak something or Ibu something (Mr and Mrs). It took Scott a while to get used to being called Mr. Scott... Rather funny really...

Regards, Ari

[Really full garden]

Ari, I think one of the similarities is the use of color.The people here have no fear of color and you see an incredible array of combinations and because of the harsh climate people paint every year so it is constantly changing.Street life is very vibrant.If there is a car accident or funeral etc. street vendors arrive almost magically to sell their wares.Life goes on no matter what.

[amazondk]

Ari,

I am sure there are plenty of similarities between Indonesia and here. A lot of differences as well. Being as the climate is so similar and that a lot of people also live close to the water, whether ocean or river combined with the forest should create a lot of simliarities. One thing that is very striking when you see a picture of a street in the USA is that you rarely see any people. One of the things I notice most when I go from here to the States is this lack of people on the streets. I understand the reasons why, with one of the main ones being that people drive everywhere and that the cities to a large degree developed around the automobile.

While driving across town yesterday I thought about this and took a few shots from my car of a street scene a bit different from the ones I posted above. It would be great if more people posted pictures of their streets on this thread. And, put some people in them as well. People are what give life to streets and the neighborhoods where we live.

[bgl]

Everybody,

Coming back Monday after a week away (to Belize) it was great to see all the additional posts, and I hope there are more to come! I particularly enjoyed Kim's input and of course Don, I was counting on you to add photos and background info from your very unique location and perspective! The type of everyday photos that you posted are of particular interest, and years from now those photos are going to be even more interesting. Most people don't think of taking photos of everyday situations, but those are the ones that truly reflect present reality. I found it particularly interesting that all the motorcycles in Brazil are produced in Manaus, being that Manaus is cut off from the rest of Brazil (well, most of it anyway), except by air and river access. And Don, your car seems to be just a little bit out of place on that street!

I'll be posting some street scenes down the road - pun intended... (don't have any photos right now), and in the meantime I hope others will add to this thread. We have Forum members in many other countries, and it would sure be great to get an insight into life in those places!

Bo-Göran

Oh, and "Scottgt" - when in Belize, we stayed at DuPlooy's Jungle Lodge, which is only a few miles away from the Guatemalan border. Saturday gone (14 March) some of us made an all day excursion to Tikal in Guatemala, about a 2 hour drive. Tikal was an amazing place to visit (incredible Mayan ruins, plus quite a few palms as well!) but what was also very interesting was to drive thru all the little villages on the way there.

[amazondk]

Bo,

Yes my car is a little different from most on my street, which in general do not have cars. But, I guess by now I fit in. It would be nice if more people would post some photos of everyday life around the neighborhood. I use my cell phone for most of my photos which makes it easier to take pictures on the spot. The motorcycle industry in Manaus is a result of tax incentives for the Free Zone of Manaus. This industry has now overtaken the electronics sector in production, which was the leader previously. I always have wanted to go to Tikal. Maybe someday.

dk

[DoomsDave]

I Take the egg holders home to use to start my charcoal in the BBQ grill.

are these chicken eggs?

If yes, I always wondered why do you guys in america (north and south) have white eggs?

Normal chicken eggs here look like this.

Nice pics by the way!

Here, "normal" eggs are white, but they also sell the brown ones. Not that it makes any difference as to how they taste.

And, yes, BRAVO to Don for his pictgures.

dave

[DoomsDave]

Bo,

Yes my car is a little different from most on my street, which in general do not have cars. But, I guess by now I fit in. It would be nice if more people would post some photos of everyday life around the neighborhood. I use my cell phone for most of my photos which makes it easier to take pictures on the spot. The motorcycle industry in Manaus is a result of tax incentives for the Free Zone of Manaus. This industry has now overtaken the electronics sector in production, which was the leader previously. I always have wanted to go to Tikal. Maybe someday.

dk

LOVE YOUR PICTURES!

They're much more interesting to Nortamericanos than mine . . ..

[bgl]

Took a few street photos in Hilo today. Here I'm on Highway 11 (Kanoelehua Avenue) passing by our main shopping center, Prince Kuhio Plaza (see "PKP" in the grass on the slope).

[bgl]

Kekuanaoa Street (airport is a mile behind me) - a very typical street scene here.

[bgl]

And another very typical street scne from Manini Street, one of many little side streets. The second photo shows a vacant lot, and you see many of these, some even very close to downtown Hilo. A vacant lot here will quickly turn into a jungle!

[bgl]

Heading back on Kekuanaoa Street I'm passing by Waiakea Villas, a large complex with condos/apartments, that's been in and out of bankruptcy a number of times just in the 13 years we've been here.

[bgl]

And after turning onto Highway 11 (heading south out of Hilo), here's the Makaala intersection, one of the busier in Hilo. Making a left takes me to Wal-Mart, Safeway, Home Depot and Prince Kuhio Plaza, and a number of other stores.

[Cristóbal]

my city is very interesting. theres no other city like tijuana in this world.

2.3 million people. it grows 7-10% in every year. # 4 most largest city in méxico and soon to be the # 3. on the border of united states, south of san diego california usa.

almost every body comes to here from diferent parts of méxico, and also the world. theres many chinese here and also arabs.

it is the city most visited in the world. most people only come for 1 day and they come here walking or in car from the united states to visit. but many stay for more time.

if you come to here driving from the united states, this is what you see when you cross the border to tijuana:

[Cristóbal]

you can walk to the down town of tijuana from the border also. most people go to revolución street. a very good place for the shopping and to drink dance and party.

this is what you see when you walk to this street.

[Cristóbal]

big clock and arch on revolución (and many palms):

[Cristóbal]

discos, restaurants, stores on revolución:

[Cristóbal]

you can buy any thing in this world on revolución - legal and illegal.

[Cristóbal]

typical store on revolución

[Cristóbal]

they take the fotos for tourists, $3 us dollars.

[Cristóbal]

theres much culture in my city. this is the culture center - centro cultural de tijuana (cecut).

culture in the day -

[Cristóbal]

and culture in the night -

[Cristóbal]

we dont forget our past. old culture in the streets.

[Cristóbal]

and culture of today. in all parts of the city theres big murals on walls in the public areas.

[Cristóbal]

people like very much to play jai alai

[Cristóbal]

and have more modern fun

[Cristóbal]

theres 2 bull rings in the city

[Cristóbal]

[Cristóbal]

nice beaches

[Cristóbal]

coronado islands make the beach pretty place to live. but you cant go there - it is base of the mexican navy.

[Cristóbal]

abraham lincoln

[Cristóbal]

[Cristóbal]

we appreciate very much many types of beauty.

[Cristóbal]

the city is a mix of very new

[Cristóbal]

and very old. this is the catedral de guadalupe in the down town.