Is Venezuela Too Dangerous?

Being so close to Venezuela, here in Barranquilla Colombia, I’ve thought about traveling to one of the Venezuelan cities that’s closest to the Colombian boarder. The one that made the most sense for me was Maracaibo Venezuela. From Barranquilla, Maracaibo is only about an 8 hour bus ride, but the entire time I’ve remained undecided because of safety concerns.

There are a few reasons to travel to Venezuela right now. First of all it would be a new adventure. I’ve never been to Maracaibo, and I enjoy exploring new cities and countries. The second would be the high inflation that venezuela experience (25% in 2009), which means the Venezuela is currently at a very steep discount for foreigners with foreign currencies. Finally, I can’t deny that one of the top reasons to go to Venezuela is because of the Venezuelan women.

The last time I was in Venezuela was about 3 years ago. I remember when I went to Caracas that some people had told me it was a dangerous city. I took the normal safety precautions when I traveled there, but it didn’t seem anymore dangerous than other Latin American cities I had already visited.

Since then I know for a fact the Economic situation in Venezuela has declined immensely. In 2009, the official inflation rate in Venezuela was 25 percent — the highest official inflation rate in Latin America. The economic hardship in the country has increased the crime and violence across the Capital city of Caracas, but also across other parts of the country.

One of the benefits of being here in Barranquilla is that there are a lot of people here in Barranquilla who have family in Venezuela, or who have traveled or lived in Venezuela themselves. There are also many Venezuelan people who live in Barranquilla. Anytime I come across someone with ties to Venezuela I ask them if it’s dangerous, and about 60% of the time I’ve gotten reports that it is dangerous.

However, you have to take into consideration that the majority of the Colombians who move to Venezuela move in order to find work. Most of the these Colombians are working class people, who tend to live in the poorer sections of town. These poorer sections of town are undoubtedly the more dangerous sections, but are not sections of any city which I would consider staying in.

Overall, I do think things have probably gotten more dangerous then before in Venezuela, as far as crime goes. However, looking for information on the Internet, I’ve seen that there are still many foreign travelers who venture into Venezuela without a problem. I would only consider traveling to Venezuela if you’re fluent in spanish, and are a veteran traveler. Even still, I think a trip to Venezuela should be taken with extra safety precautions and good planning and research. I still plan on doing some more research including making various online contacts before I make my final decision on traveling to Maracaibo.

Five Things the Dominican Republic is Famous For

The Dominican Republic is located on the island of Hispaniola, which is part of the beautiful Caribbean region. The island of Hispaniola is unique in that it is home to two nations: Haiti and the República Dominicana. The Dominican Republic is the second largest Caribbean nation besides Cuba. The nation has over 48,000 km of land and has an estimated population of 10 million people. While the Dominican Republic is known for producing top notch athletes such as Manny Ramirez and Pedro Martinez, the island offers much more than baseball. The Dominican Republic is famous for their hospitality and friendliness, baseball, beautiful beaches and weather, carnavals, as well as music and dance.

Hospitality and Friendliness
The citizens of the Dominican Republic are very friendly and personable. Whether you are ordering a meal, asking for directions, or conversing with locals, the people are always looking for good conversation. The country opens its doors to millions of tourists each year with their arms wide open. Their hospitable nature extends beyond the beaches and results, even in the busy capital of Santo Domingo, which houses one-fifth of the population.

Baseball
Baseball is a way of life for those in the Dominican Republic, which produces some of the best MLB players in history. The Dominican Republic has several players in the Major League Baseball Hall of Fame, including Juan Marichal, who retired with the legacy that is called the San Francisco Giants. Record-breaking Dominicans include San Pedro de Macoris and Albert Pujols. Overall, the Dominicans have 1,521 players signed to either minor or major league teams in the MLB. Many American teams, including the Cubs and Athletics, have baseball camps in the Dominican Republic.

Beaches and Weather
The Dominican Republic offers beautiful and elegant beaches and resorts, offering five star conditions year round. The tropical weather attracts millions of tourists, as the average weather is 77 degrees. Average temperatures range from 64 degrees in higher elevations to 82 degrees at the beaches. January and February are the two coldest months of the season, while August is the hottest time of year. The rainy season, primarily by the coast, lasts from November to January. Everywhere else in the country the wet season lasts from May to November, however; May is the wettest month in most locations.

Carnavals
The Dominican Republic knows how to have a good time, especially during the months of January and February, Carnaval is a festive celebration in which everyone takes to the streets and participates in circus, masque, and street parties. It is not uncommon for people to dress up in costume, which is used to signify a change in daily life. Carnaval Vegano is the most famous carnaval in the country.

Music and Dance
The Dominican Republic is known for its music and dance, most notably the Meringue, Bachata, Perico Ripiao and Reggaeton. The Dominicans invented the Moquegua, which is a mixture of fast paced beats and rhythms between 120 and 160 beats per minute. The Meringue is composed primarily out of drums, bass, and chorded instruments unique to the region. Bachata was invented in rural and country neighborhoods and focuses on romantic subjects.

Taking A Motorcycle Taxi Through Barranquilla For 75 Cents

This is a typical motorcycle taxi ride around the city of Barranquilla Colombia. The ride costs about $0.75 cents. A long ride would probably cost around $1.00 to $1.50 or roughly 3,000 Colombian pesos. They make you wear a vest with the motorcycles license plate number on it, along with a helmet. They don’t have motorcycle taxis in every Colombian city, but they have them in Barranquilla…

Five Things Argentina is Famous For

Argentina is the second largest country in South America, and one of the most populous. Long a center for immigration, this mixture of different peoples and cultures has created a rich and unique Argentinean culture separate from the rest of Latin America. Although often overlooked in the media, Argentina is actually the birthplace of many world-famous cultural icons that many people will recognize. This article will list five unique thing about Argentina that you may not have been previously aware of.

1. Beef

Argentina has tradition of cattle ranches and cowboys (gauchos) much older than the United States. Raising about 55 million head of cattle, Argentina is the third largest exporter of beef in the world. Argentine beef is world-famous for its quality and flavor. Argentines have the largest consumption of red meat in the world.

Whereas many US ranches contain grain-fed cattle raised in feedlots, Argentine ranches are still largely grass-fed, free-range cattle roaming over the vast rolling pastures of the central Pampas and southern Patagonian plains. Many consider grass-fed, free-range cattle to be tastier and healthier, as free-range cattle are less likely to have hormone injections, get more exercise, contain less saturated fast, and more healthy omega 3 fatty acids which reduce cholesterol.

2. Asado

Argentina has its own, world-famous type of barbeque, known as asado. Asado combines the dry heat of grilling with the humid, slow-cooking method of smoking. The result is grilled, barbequed meat that is very tender and juicy. Many foods Americans consider to be Mexican actually originated in Argentina, including chorizo, empanadas, and Dulce de Leche. Finnally, chimichurri sauce (made of olive oil mixed with parsley, oregano, paprika, garlic, onion, pepper, and salt) is actually an Argentine creation, and is traditionally served with an asado barbeque.

3. Wine

Argentinean wine has become increasingly popular worldwide over the last twenty years. Argentina is the fifth largest producer of wine in the world, and has long been the single biggest producer outside of Europe. The province of Mendoza, Argentina’s primary wine producing region, is considered one of the eight wine capitals in the world. Argentinean wine also reflects Argentina’s diverse ethnic background. The grapes cultivated for wine in Argentina come from Spain, France, and Italy, among others places.

Due to the high altitude and low humidity of the prime Argentinean vineyards in the foothills of the Andes mountains, Argentinean grapevines rarely suffer the problems of insects, molds, fungi, and other grape vine diseases. Consequently, Argentinean vintners rarely use pesticides or herbicides, making Argentinean wine naturally organic and flavorful. Argentina is credited with the finest Malbec wine in the world.

4. The Tango

Almost everyone has heard of this slow, sensual ballroom dance, but many don’t realize it originated in Argentina. Specifically, it evolved in the ports, bars and brothels of Buenos Aires (the capital of Argentina) in the late 19th century. Buenos Aires was a city of immigrants at the time, and the Tango, both the dance and the music, was a fusion of musical styles from Spain, Cube, Africa, Italy, Eastern Europe, and indigenous Argentinean folk music.

This slow, sorrowful, and sexual music and dance spread from the working class slums to the rest of Argentinean society by the turn of the 20th century. In the 1920s, it exploded on the international scene and became wildly popular in Europe and the United States. Like Jazz, the Tango craze flourished until displaced by Rock & Roll in the 1950. In 2009, UNESCO declared the Tango to be part of the world’s “intangible cultural heritage.”

Violin, piano, guitar, flute and bandoneon, sometimes guitar and clarinet

5. Evita

For the average person, the first thing they associate with Argentia is the stage and movie musical “Evita,” a rags-to-riches story about Eva Perón. Eva, nicknamed “Evita” by an adoring public, was the wife of the popular Argentinean President Juan Perón, who ruled Argentina in the 1940s and 50s. Evita’s massive popularity among Argentineans came from the charity foundation she set up to assist the poor and working classes. She also advocated women’s right. The story of Evita hit new levels of popularity in the 1990s, when a movie version of the musical was released starring Madonna in the lead role of Eva Perón,

Latin American Block Party – Barranquilla Carnavales 2010

I took a small video here in Barranquilla on the second to last day of Carnavales, which was a Monday night. People were partying outside of my apartment until the sun came up. It’s not uncommon to see block parties like this one, not just in Carnavales but for birthdays, holidays like New Years as well as other festive dates. This isn’t exclusive to Colombia. It’s a common to see block parties all over Latin America especially during New Years and Carnaval season.

How To Dress When Traveling Through Latin America

Throughout my book The Global Dating Revolution, I give a lot of tips and advice for those of you that will take the leap into International Dating and actually travel abroad to see what the women are like in other countries.

On Page 250 of The Global Dating Revolution I give the following tips on dressing while your traveling through Latin America. I feel most of these will be applicable to Eastern Europe and South East Asia as well:

Don’t dress like a tourist, with shorts, loud Hawaiian shirt and camera around your neck. Dress casual or business casual with a nice pair of khakis, jeans and either a nice button down shirt or nice t-shirt. Dress for your body type. If you’re very thin, you might want to wear more then one layer, and don’t wear clothes that are too loose fitting. By the same token if you’re a husky guy, no horizontal stripped shirts and nothing that’s too tight:

In my book The Global Dating Revolution, I give advice on where to go to meet foreign women, and how to go about doing so. I outline all the obstacles and challenges, and give you step by step instructions so you can meet amazing foreign women through international dating. You can find out more about my book, plus all the bonuses by clicking here

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Why Do These Girls Get So Dressed Up For The Airport?

“Why do these girls get so dressed up for the airport?” That’s what the two American girls behind me were saying about the Latin women who were also waiting on the check in line for our flight to miami. There was a stark difference between the two. The American girls looked like they just hoped out of bed. They both had baggy sweats and baggy sweaters on. Their hair was a mess and they honestly couldn’t care less.

It was a 6:40 am flight and I can understand that maybe they didn’t bother because the flight was so early, but from their attitude I wouldn’t be surprised if they would show like that for a 4:00 PM flight. Even though it was an early flight, the Latin women on the line found the time to “dress up”.

On the flip side, the Latin women were all very presentable and some were even very dressed up. I wouldn’t expect less. An “Americanized” Latin girl may step out in public in her sweats and baggy shirt, with her hair all over the place, but a real Latin woman wouldn’t dream of leaving her house if she doesn’t fix helself up a bit.

It’s part of the Latin American culture. In Latin America there is much more competition among females. I explain in full detail why this is the case in my book, “The Global Dating Revolution“, but I also touched on the subject in a post I made about American Vs Latin women in Miami.

American women “slack off” because they can. But foreign women never let their guard down in this aspect. Even though foreign women may not have as much income to give themselves a Jenny Jones makeover, they do their best with the tools they have to always look their best and always try to draw the attention of men as well as the women they feel they’re competing with. If you doubt my point of view, you can read an article from an American girl who agrees with me, its called It’s not easy being a white girl in Miami.

Five Things Cuba Is Famous For

I’ve wanted to visit Cuba for some time now, but it’s not easy. Hopefully Obama will remove the travel restrictions for American citizens that want to travel to Cuba. The minute they do, I’m heading over! The picture on the left is a picture of the coastal boulevard in La Havana. From all of the pictures I’ve seen I imagine that La Havana, Cuba’s capital, looks a lot like Cartagena, Colombia, maybe a bit more worn down but a very similar architecture. Anyway, for anyone that doesn’t know too much about Cuba, here are five things Cuba is famous for (Havana should be in this list, but I’ll save that for when I actually visit).

#1. It’s cigars. Cuban cigars are known worldwide as the best cigars. As the best they are also very expensive. Cuban cigars have been called the forbidden fruit because of their distinctive flavor and aroma. The Cuban government controls all cigar production in Cuba. Cuban cigars are made from tobacco, fillers, and wrappers grown, made, and manufactured in Cuba. Cuban cigars are for the most part hand rolled by master cigar rollers known as torcedores. Torcedores are considered artists in their field and are respected highly in Cuba and around the world. Although Cuban cigars are considered the best in the world they are illegal in the United States.

#2. It’s Fidel. Fidel Castro has been a polarizing figure for decades. He is at the same time loved and hated by many. Fidel Castro came to power in 1959 as a result of the Cuban Revolution against U.S. backed dictator Fulgencio Batista. After the overthrow of Batista in 1959, Castro took charge of the military and soon became the next dictator of Cuba. From 1959 through 1960 Castro began to make sweeping changes throughout Cuba. Castro nationalized all industrial businesses, made agriculture into a collective community, and took control of all American-owned businesses. It was also during this time period that Castro began to cut times with the United States and form an alliance with the Soviet Union. Although Castro denied being a communist, he had effectively transformed Cuba into a communist country.

#3. It’s rum. Cuban rum just as Cuban cigars is among the best in the world. Cuban rum has been called the spice of life with its smooth but strong flavor. As with Cuban cigars, rum is illegal in the United States because of the trade embargo that was enacted in 1962. Cuban rum is made from the sugarcane by-product known as molasses. This process of making rum was brought to Cuba by slaves from Africa. Cuba was the main supplier of rum in the 1700’s and today the most common brand of Cuban rum is Havana Club.

#4. It’s dancing. Cuba is famous for its spicy and sexy Latin dances. Picture in your mind moving passionately across the dance floor as you step in time to the beat of your dance partner’s rhythm. Cuban dances are about passion and immersing yourself into the story of the dance. The word Salsa was created in New York, however the dance originated in Cuba. Salsa combines a mix of the Danzón from the French, the Rhumba from Africa, and the Són of Cuba. The Cha-Cha-Cha also originated in Cuba. The Cha-Cha-Cha is similar to the Mambo and gained fame in the early 1950’s. The Cha-Cha-Cha is more sensual than the Salsa and can be more complex with its many rhythms.

#5. It’s baseball. Baseball is more than just America’s favorite past time. It is one of the most played sports in Cuba with a long and rich history. Baseball was brought to Cuba sometime around 1860 by Cubans who had studied and played along side sailors in the United States. Some of the greatest baseball players in the world are of Cuban Heritage. Cristóbal Torriente, Martín Dihigo, and José Méndez are all in the Baseball Hall of Fame. Cubans have played baseball in just about every nation where baseball exists in the world. Not only have Cubans played abroad but many baseball greats from other countries have gone to Cuba to play as well.

Do the World’s Most Beautiful Women Live in Venezuela?

Life.com recently released an article titled “Venezuela’s Most Beautiful Women“. It’s a series of pictures of current and past pageant contestants and winners.

Miss Venezuela (Dayana Mendoza featured in the picture) most recently won the title of Miss Universe for 2009, bringing the grand total of Venezuela wins to a whooping 6.

Having been to Venezuela myself, I have to agree that Venezuelan women are amazingly attractive. An afternoon stroll down one of the busy avenues in the center of the city leaves you with more then eyeful of slender, attractive “chamas” (Venezuelan slang for chica or girl).

Night clubs and in Caracas are no different, and my Venezuelan female friends have confessed to me in the past over some drinks that they have to fight tooth and nail for their men against all the other single ladies.

If it wasn’t for the reports of violence and increased crime in Venezuela I probably would have gone back already. I may have to go and verify the reports for myself. But there are many other places including Brazil, Colombia, Argentina, and Costa Rica where the women are just as friendly and attractive, and crime isn’t as much of an issue.

Although there are many pretty women in Venezuela I would say that it’s definitely not a place you want to venture into unless you’re a Veteran traveler, fluent in Spanish, and are a bit more risk averse.

The one negative about Venezuela at the moment, is that the mismanagement of the Economy by President Hugo Chavez, has resulted in high inflation, increasingly difficult times economically, and shortages of basic necessities like water, and electricity. Rolling black outs are common place, and Chavez recently urged all Venezuelans to take 3 minute showers to conserve water.

In part due to these reasons, crime and violence has increased dramatically in Venezuela over the past decade, most notably in the city of Caracas, the capital of Venezuela. Although there are no outright “travel warnings” for Venezuela on the government websites, Venezuela and Caracas still remain high up on the list of crime and homicide rates.

Still having said all of this, I’m reminded of my European friend who told me a story about a team of engineers from his company in Spain who were sent to Venezuela for a six month stint. Out of the team of 11 engineers 7 of them came back from Venezuela married. And no that is not an exaggeration.

Love Beyond Boarders

A few months ago I got a call from a guy name Carlos Duran, formerly from New Jersey, but now living in Costa Rica. It turns out that a short while after I had written my book on foreign women, he too had also written a book on the topic. After reading Carlos’ book on foreign women I have to say that he did a great job covering all of the bases when it comes to meeting foreign women. I’ve read many, if not all, of the books that are out there currently dealing with the topic but Carlos’ book comes out on top as one of the best ones out there.

For anyone that’s looking for a supplemental overview on meeting, dating, and marrying foreign women I suggest you get Carlos’ book. After speaking with Carlos personally I can vouch that he’s a stand up guy who practices what he preaches. He married his foreign girl a few years back and is currently happily living in Costa Rica with his wife and kids.

For more information on the Love Beyond Boarders book you can visit Carlos Duran’s website: http://foreignwomensecrets.com/video-confirm.html