CP, S&M - Of Cell Phones, Smoke and Mirrors

We arrived in the city around 1:00 p.m., Nino checked us into the posh Radisson Hotel and left us with instructions not to leave the hotel unescorted. Felipe called saying he would meet us at the hotel for lunch — at 5:00 p.m.! This was our first introduction to the Venezuelan time clock — or maybe it was just Felipe’s clock, we never did figure it out. It seemed morning lasted until around 3:00-4:00 p.m. Lunch and the afternoon went until somewhere around 10:00 p.m., whereupon the evening began with dinner and activities lasting well past midnight. One would think morning started late, but no, everyone was up and running around again by 7:00 a.m.

 

We killed the afternoon with growling stomachs until our host arrived. It was worth the wait. Felipe is a guy who commands a presence when he steps into a room. Tall, shaved head and broad shouldered, he speaks loudly and moves quickly. His ever-present, slightly devious smile and boisterously friendly manner draw one to immediately like him. Adding to his likeability (at least for me anyway) was his ordering two complete meals for his entree and insisting we do the same. Like many Venezuelans, Felipe loves life and all the pleasurable aspects of it like good food, good friends and adventurous experiences — and he is most generous in sharing these interests with strangers. After this enjoyable first visit he said he was off to meetings, but would call on us for dinner around 11:00 p.m. Chris and I staggered out of the restaurant under the load of two meals and major jetlag. Both of us knew what the other was thinking; “Like hell we’ll be alive at 11 p.m. to do this all over again!” Fortunately, Felipe must have sensed the same, as he didn’t call and we crashed hard all night.