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Moreover, in the past I felt rather disinclined to give Latin American writers a go whom I was not familiar with. With my boots on the ground in Latin America, my humble self tends to be very fond of giving them a go. A while ago, I finished reading a book by Alejo Carpentier. Even though it fits the bill for the category “heavy going”, I thoroughly enjoyed the exercise. In a nutshell, I am getting increasingly hooked on Latin American literature. My new priorities in literature form just a minor example. There are other – more notable – changes that make my life in Colima more meaningful to my previous life in Auckland and Johannesburg. In Auckland and Johannesburg I was involved in typical business activities ranging from preparing shareholders’ – and licence agreements to spending hours on the phone. In Auckland in particular I started most mornings cold calling. The purpose of the exercise was to generate new business. Whilst cold calling does not really deserve to be called fun, it helps you develop inner strength and get some backbone. In so far I look at it now as a necessary experience. Anyway, at the time when I used to be in my office in Auckland and Johannesburg, I am now in the shower. The following couple of hours are reserved for an extensive brunch at my favourite restaurants. On the whole, yours truly works now in Colima a little less than twenty hours a week, from Monday to Thursday, which are followed by a three day weekend. It is no exaggeration to claim that this sort of lifestyle makes life very pleasant. In terms of work I currently do what I enjoy doing. But I do not work more than necessary. Real Estate In Latin America For these reasons, my humble self can spend more than enough time on sussing stuff out that attracts my interest, one way or another. It has thus recently dawned on me that parts of Latin America – in particular Brazil and Mexico – are experiencing a revival in real estate. Economic fundamentals as well as a welcoming attitude to foreign direct investment appear to be the principal reasons for that revival. As Chuck Bedsole, a Latin American real estate specialist with Price Waterhouse Coopers puts it for Mexico:"….there’s a comfort level there" because Mexico’s economy is so intertwined with the United States and the country enjoys investment grade status. You may now
raise the question which areas in Brazil and Mexico are experiencing a
real estate revival. My humble self prefers to refrain from commenting
on Brazil because I do not know a bunch about the country. Instead read
Roger Gallo’s articles on real estate in Brazil. But I feel confident enough
to make a few remarks about the real estate revival in Mexico.
Even though yours truly does not deserve to be called an expert in finance, let me drop a few remarks anyway. There are both advantages and disadvantages when it comes to debt financing to help finance property acquisitions. An advantage of debt financing – in particular in Latin America – is that it reduces risk because it reduces the amount of equity capital you have to put on the table. On the other hand, debt financing tends to be more expensive than one hundred percent equity financing, which may result in a competitive disadvantage when it comes to attracting and retaining tenants. In case you wonder what my preferences are, there is no doubt for me. The word “debt” comes originally from the word “death”. “Debt” means “death”. I am sure that you know my preferences now. Business Environment In Emerging Markets It has been already extensively debated whether the market revolution in Latin America will last or will be reversed. Even though I do not know the answer, it has recently dawned on me that there may be parallels. The Tories under Margaret Thatcher in the United Kingdom implemented the market revolution there. It has not been reversed by Labour under Tony Blair. The main architects of the market revolution in New Zealand were Roger Douglas (Labour) and Ruth Richardson (National). Even though the current Labour government in New Zealand tends to pursue rather modest objectives, it did not alter the general orientation. The United Kingdom and New Zealand may be promising precedents. Whilst authoritarianism does not have a bunch on offer when compared to open societies, loads of poor in Latin America still appear to be drawn to authoritarianism. However, Stephen Johnson, a senior policy analyst for Latin America at the Heritage Foundation, draws a brilliant comparison: “Authoritarian states resemble parents that never permit their children to leave home, while liberal societies expect citizens to grow up and pursue their own dreams”. I could not agree more. It boils down to the question: “Do you want to be a citizen or a subject? In this context,
it is worth chatting a little about a study by the World Bank, which is
titled “Doing Business in 2005”. The study reflects that red tape is one
of the major obstacles to achieving economic growth in the less developed
world. Loads of less developed countries do have the most amusing labour
standards, with consequences that tend to be less amusing for the local
population.
Restaurants In Mexico City No matter what the reason for your visit is, when you visit Mexico you are likely to fly into Mexico City. In case you are on business in Mexico, you may do business in Mexico City. In case you are on holiday/vacation, you may be tempted to spend a few days there to do the tourist thing. Even though Mexico City does not even come close to my list of the top fifty places to live, when you have to spend some time there it makes sense to spend the time as pleasantly as possible. At least in my humble opinion, choice restaurants always contribute to a pleasant stay. Here we go with a few remarks on restaurants in Mexico City. As you may know by now, my most important meal for the day is brunch. A pleasant enough outfit for brunch in Mexico City may be “Café Pergamino”. It is located in the Marriott Hotel, which is conveniently located in the Polanco district. The breakfast buffet there does not really deserve to be called a bargain. But the selection of food included in the buffet will not disappoint you. “Café Pergamino” may be your cup of tea for breakfast or brunch in case you feel rather disinclined to experiment. In case you need an appropriate venue for a business lunch or you feel like enjoying a lavish lunch, do give “La Pigua” a go. “La Pigua” is also located in Polanco. It may be described as posh and enjoys a stellar reputation for its seafood. “La Pigua” certainly does not lack style. Another restaurant worth giving a go for lunch or dinner is “El Casino Español”. “El Casino Español” is located in the historic center of Mexico City. There is a dining room in the back of the restaurant. There is also a medieval banquet hall. In general, the food there tends to be thoroughly Spanish. It goes without saying that the outfits mentioned here only represent examples for heaps and heaps of excellent restaurants in Mexico City. Despite the vast selection of restaurants there, my entire system is opposed to the idea of living in Mexico City. At least for the time being, yours truly feels completely at ease in Colima. Colima is the most provincial place, in which I have lived so far. There are a few folks in Colima I relate to very well. There are a heap of folks in Colima I cannot relate to at all. They and my humble self live in different galaxies. What goes on in their minds is beyond my limited ability to comprehend. Who cares? My current life in Colima tends to be more relaxed than ever before. So we continue in Colima. The following is a list of articles written by Jurgen for the magazine:
To contact
Jurgen Click Here
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Some
Thoughts On Living In Latin America ~ 
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