Trip to Central and South America

I highly doubt they were the first whites buried in Africa... There was a Phoenician-Africa Trade route, parts of Africa were Roman, etc.

However, Cool coins with interesting stories

 

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I'll get back to you on that.....Being Irish I have lots of stories..... mostly factual fiction and fictional facts..... "not always easy being Green" { Sorry Ken } & { Kermit} LOL Paddy

 

I'm ancestrally British (all parts, North Irish, South Irish, English, etc), so I know what you mean by stories!

Ever been to Éire?

 

Perhaps the first Brits buried in South Africa.

 

Love the 'green' Paddy, though I dare say there's only a smidgen in me. Happy Saint Patrick's Day dear fellow.......

 

I'm ready to visit Colombia. I even have one of those leper colony coins in case we decide to stop there. I'll bet they don't get many visitors.

 

Here's some bigger denominations for bribe money in case we run into any FARC rebels.

 

I don't know what 12 1/2 centavos will get us in Venezuela, but 500 bolivares sounds like a lot, right?

 

Well, I smoke a pipe, so i would hazard a trip to that region......

 

No unfortunately not yet...one day I will... Family is from Cork.... Parents got there before they passed...The other half is Welsh....another stop while I'm in the neighborhood. As most of my travels have been North ,Central America, and all of the Caribbean. But will admit there 's nothing like a fun ticket in your pocket!

 

Well ya know Ken those dang Leprechauns have a way of getting into everything....somewhat like the Germans!:foot-mouth:

 

Since we are going through Venezuela, it makes sense to continue in an easterly direction into Guyana. Shall we hop over to Trinidad & Tobago for a little R&R first? Please let me know & I'll look for some change to spend on the island. (not Devil's Island).

In the mean time, here is an older coin (1813 Half Stiver) from the territory formerly known as Essequibo and Demerary.

 

Venezuela seems calm this morning. Will be cautious then make plans for Guyana and Suriname. We could look at Trinidad and Tabago if the others are willing.

 

A couple more

 

Here is an executive summary of territory formerly known as Essequibo and Demerary:

The original area of Essequibo and Demerary included present-day Suriname, French Guiana, and parts of Brazil and Venezuela. Essequibo and Demerary was sighted by Columbus in 1498. The region was claimed for the British by Sir Walter Raleigh during the reign of Elizabeth I. For the next 150 years, possession alternated between the Dutch, French, and the British. In 1831 the territories were united as British Guiana. In the mid 20th Century British Guiana won independence and took the traditional name of Guyana. Guyana became a republic in 1970 and is a member of the Commonwealth of Nations.

(Personally, I've been to Venezuela & Brazil but never to Guyana, Suriname, or French Guiana. This information is all according to what I've read in the Krause books).

 

Before I leave Venezuela, Id like to go inside the Guri dam & make sure the equipment I installed in 1999 is still functioning properly. This will probably delay my arrival in Trinidad & Tobago (unless I take the jungle ferry across the river and I REALLY don't want to do that again).

The Guri dam has apparently been upgraded much since I originally worked there. Wikipedia indicates that in 2009 it was the third largest hydro plant in the World. It generates much of the electricity for Venezuela.

 

Tell us more about the jungle ferry.

 

How did you know that there would be a good story?

We arrived at the "ferry station" & there was nothing there (only the mud bank of the fast flowing river). The boat pushed its bow into the shore & we drove the car onto the deck. It felt to me like we had placed a heavy car on the deck of the African Queen. The current was strong so the boat headed at an up-stream angle across the river. I actually was thinking that if the boat capsized, that I wanted to die quickly rather than have a more unpleasant & lingering death in the jungle. True story & I wouldn’t put myself in that situation again.

 

I have two more imaged from Mexico

 

Aruba & Curacao north of Venezuela

I do believe we all ought to visit the islands near the northern coast of South America on this trip!

I've got some Trinidad & Tobago coins that I'll need to photograph. Perhaps someone at CT might have some Aruba coins to contribute.

Just in case any CoinTalkers visit Curacao, here is a 1948 2 1/2 cent coin from the island. Curacao is about 60 miles off the coast of Venezuela. BTW, a vast amount of the fuel used by the Allied forces during WWII came from Curacao refineries. As I recall, the spec was something like 85% of the Allied fuel used during WWII. It was all refined on the two islands just north of Venezuela.