Los Museos De Arte

This week I became extremely conscious about my spending. On Monday I was discussing my weekend with a local co-worker and she told me that most of her weekend was spent going to different stores in search of shampoo and waiting in lines to get milk and butter. She was explaining that it is getting very difficult because once you find what you need, the prices have more than doubled, but salaries have remained the same. I sympathize with her, but even though we live in the same city and work at the same school, I have it much, much easier. As my new Venezuelan-American friend put it, "I live in a bubble." It is no secret that the expats enjoy a higher standard of living simply because we get paid partially in dollars. However, because the recent spikes in prices and scarcity, I think it is becoming more sensitive. 

When I was doing my weekly grocery shopping right after school on Tuesday. I was amazed that there weren't any lines to check out. Instead, it was in the back of the store and wrapped all the way around to the front. There must have been news that the store was going to release something precious so people were getting ready. I felt bad as I rushed to do my shopping before the items were put out. I knew as soon as whatever it was they had was put out, the whole store would be a mess like usual. A friend of a friend was my cashier as I put all my groceries on the conveyor. Again, I suddenly felt self-conscious. Because of the items I was purchasing, namely, the wine, my bill was quite high. It was probably more than this girl makes in a week… 

The week at school was disappointing. My students definitely "live in a bubble" and they really do not care about learning. That is all I will say about that. 

Friday I was supposed to go to a dinner party at a teacher from another school's house, but it got canceled at the last minute so a few of us just made dinner at home and ate the amazing brownies we bought to take with us. Somehow the panadería next door doesn't seem to have a problem getting sugar or flour or butter or chocolate. 

Saturday I felt sick from my sinuses, but I had promised to go exploring the art museums with some friends. One girl picked the rest of us up in her car so we didn't have to bother taking the bus. Ten minutes from our house and we hit traffic…of course. The unexpected and unexplainable traffic here is one of the most frustrating things for me. I can live without milk. Anyway, after getting through the traffic, we had to park at the Sambil mall and take the metro to the museums because there isn't easily accessible parking I guess. In total, it took us two hours to get to the museums. I really was not feeling great by the time we arrived.

First we went to the Museum of Contemporary Art, which is supposed to be one of the best museums in Latin America. It had some cool pieces, but most of the rooms were closed for an unknown reason so we didn't get to see much. 

My favorite. Sharks?

I can appreciate Pablo Picasso or Jesús Soto, but a lot of contemporary art I just don't understand. For example:

 I feel like if I could make it, 

why does it deserve to be in a museum?

Next, we went to the Bellas Artes Museum, which I liked much better. It didn't have too many pieces either, but they were more interesting to me. Good thing admission to the museums is still free. One room consisted of science art that had pictures of microscopic objects. Another room had photography of an indigenous area of Venezuela that was really cool.

The entrance 

   

The courtyard at Bellas Artes. 

You can see the mosque in the background; 

it's the tallest in South America.

   

Me with the cool "Math" art

   
After appreciating as much art as they had, we took the metro back to the car and went to the Valle Arriba Mall to get Avila Burger, which I have been told has the best vegetarian burgers. They were not the best, but I was pleased that they had a vegetarian option at all. As soon as I got home, I slept the rest of the day. I am really getting tired of my sinuses always swelling; I must be allergic to something here.

Only five more days until a nice long weekend!