In early February, we spent the entire day trying to advance work on our Bolivian visas. We got up at 4:30 am to get the early bus to Santo Domingo. When we got there the line for the bathroom was quite long, so we walked across the street to use the bathroom in the mall. Now came the first clue of the day! All of the cleaning ladies were standing in front of the men's bathroom and wouldn't let Philip in. He asked politely to get by, but they kept saying, "No hay - there is none" No hay servicio -there is no service, No hay entrada - there is no entrance". First clue of the day!!
Then we got a taxi to the Bolivian consulate. We found it and got in without any problem. She looked over our papers and we were quite hopeful of a positive answer. She said, "All your papers look good. You have everything you need. Everything seems to be in order". So just as we were getting our hopes up, (GASP!!) she speaks those two dreaded words -- No hay - there is none!! No hay timbres - there are no stamps! No hay sellos - there are no seals! She said it would be about 10 - 15 days until she expected to receive more stamps and seals from Bolivia!
So, on to step three. Since we are going to have to wait for them to get their supplies, we decided to go to the US Consulate to see about getting additional pages put into our passports. We had to wait a couple of hours until that specific office opened. When we got up to the window, the lady looked at our papers and said everything looked ok. She could do it right away, but (GAAASP!!) NO HAY cajero - there is no cashier!! The cashier had gone home for the day. Come back on Monday!!!
So after a 14 hour day, five hours on the bus, six taxis around town, and one meal - No hay - there is none!
This past Friday, Missionary Philip and Kathy received their entrance visas for Bolivia after two additional trips from Santiago to Santo Domingo.
Then we got a taxi to the Bolivian consulate. We found it and got in without any problem. She looked over our papers and we were quite hopeful of a positive answer. She said, "All your papers look good. You have everything you need. Everything seems to be in order". So just as we were getting our hopes up, (GASP!!) she speaks those two dreaded words -- No hay - there is none!! No hay timbres - there are no stamps! No hay sellos - there are no seals! She said it would be about 10 - 15 days until she expected to receive more stamps and seals from Bolivia!
So, on to step three. Since we are going to have to wait for them to get their supplies, we decided to go to the US Consulate to see about getting additional pages put into our passports. We had to wait a couple of hours until that specific office opened. When we got up to the window, the lady looked at our papers and said everything looked ok. She could do it right away, but (GAAASP!!) NO HAY cajero - there is no cashier!! The cashier had gone home for the day. Come back on Monday!!!
So after a 14 hour day, five hours on the bus, six taxis around town, and one meal - No hay - there is none!
This past Friday, Missionary Philip and Kathy received their entrance visas for Bolivia after two additional trips from Santiago to Santo Domingo.
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