Currency crisis

Day 28: Argentina has a currency crisis -- there is a serious shortage of change. Nearly all stores have signs that say NO HAY MONEDAS, which means you have to pay with exact change. I´m stumped how they continue to have no change even if everyone has to pay with it. I mean, wouldn´t they have some after a few people have paid?? One traveler´s theory is that it´s all tied up in the bus system. Could be! It´s not possible to pay with bills, so not only must there be A LOT of change jangling around in the city buses, but people tend to hoard their change.

Having not learned the lesson of hoarding change, I ended up in the middle of who-knows-where without change for the bus. It´s noteworthy that I was in the boonies because the driver hadn´t told me when I needed to get off, even though I told him the intersection, sat as close to him as possible, and intently stared at him in his rearview mirror. When we got to the end of the line, he said I had to get off. I told him, indignantly, that I had to get off at that intersection. You had to tell me, he said. Gah!

So I wandered the streets looking for a place to change my 2 peso note for some coins. I asked some people sitting outside a restaurant, but they didn´t have any (that they wanted to give me) so directed me to the bakery across the street. Guess what -- they didn´t have any (that they wanted to give me) and directed me to the supermarket down the street. The cashier said that they didn´t have any to give me. Something about it being Sunday. But, get this, the register was open AND FULL OF CHANGE! I stared at her with my mouth opening and closing but no words coming out, then left.

As I was debating what to do next, I again passed by the people sitting outside the restaurant. One of them asked me if I had any luck and I related the two strike outs. He asked me how much change I needed (30 centavos) and gave them to me!! I tried not to start crying again as I thanked him and went to the bus stop. I say again because I started crying after I left the supermarket out of frustration and even more indignation.

(I don´t mean to make light of the real currency -- and subsequent political -- crisis that devestated Argentina in the early 2000s. It was a nightmare.)