Here are some other observations from the visit to Caracas. My first in 4 years after having lived there from 2005 - 2012, or also known as the golden years of Chavismo or ``we were happy and we didn't even know it'' phase: 
Driving up from the Maiquetia airport the only new, shiny thing you see is Maduro's election propaganda promising to fix the problem - together. There was also an armored car ad and a ripped Falcon billboard. The rest is decay, including the shuttered socialist arepa shop.
In many parts of Caracas there's no water. Buildings and homes have to fill tanks themselves by contracting private services and even then you'll often get 10 minutes of water three times a day. The reservoirs have water but the pumps are broken.
While many restaurants are closed, many of the classics are still open and full. Ascugasi, a great underground Italian place in Bello Monte was serving and just short on seafood. El Maute Grill had everything but palmito.
One big change I saw is that no one can afford to drink Scotch whisky anymore meaning that rum is becoming more common to drink. That of course makes sense since it's made there but historically Scotch was drink of choice for many due to the import economy.
This breakfast at the Danubio was 905,000 bolivars, or about $0.90 cents. That's nearly half a minimum wage. A semester at university costs less than 1 kilo of meat. Utilities for a full month can cost only 300,000 bolivars or about $0.30 cents.
There's really no cash. If you need cash you have to pay a huge premium to obtain bills. Most everyone gets by with debit and credit cards but struggle constantly with the limits set by the banks. Visitors should have a friend to lend a card or dole out USD in small denominations
Guacamayas (macaws) appear to be multiplying in the valley of Caracas. They can be seen all over the place. And where there were a couple before, there are now 4-6 flying together. It's quite a contrasts with the number of people leaving the city.
While I had no problems, the military is everywhere and the feeling of a police state and being monitored has increased substantially since my last visit. Chalked down to the Cuban influence. Someone called overall economic situation a ``self-imposed special period.''
People are terrified of having a problem with their car or motorcycle since replacement parts are so incredibly expensive or unavailable. That's caused once gridlocked to traffic to flow rather easily now.
On the way out of town, the infamous Boqueron tunnel, at its time the longest, curving highway tunnel in Latin America, is so dark that it feels like you're in a mine wearing a headlamp. (Picture is before getting to said tunnel but equally dark)
Most friends have left, some have stayed and are planning to leave, while a few have even returned since they have some foreign currency earnings that makes it very cheap to live there. But even they are working on a two-year horizon to potentially pick up and leave again.
Most people say change will come when the government falls under the weight of its own inefficiencies but no one knows how long that will take or if it will ever happen. No one really knows what's happening inside the armed forces.
There are two worlds co-existing. One where people have access to dollars or some foreign FX income and are able to live well. And those with bolivar incomes that can't keep up with inflation or those with no salaries at all depending on handouts and struggling.
Old money is very low-profile and doesn't flaunt what's left. New money is ostentatious and comfortable showing it despite the obvious moral dilemma of so many compatriots struggling to eat three meals a day.
The government seems to have given up trying to control prices and the resulting chaos of price gouging and black market reselling has ironically resulted in the ``savage capitalism'' that Maduro claims to be so against. After all, there really isn't any official FX rate anymore
Finally, peak absurdity: A friend says that he keeps a pack of cigarettes in the car to use as monetary units. When he fills up his tank at the gas station, the cost (150 bolivars) is so insignificant, he pays with a cigarette which is worth 15,000 bolivars ($0.01). So it goes...
In conversations with some people still in the public sector or who have recently left, I tread lightly when talking about the economic situation but they openly talked about a ``free fall'' and ``disaster.'' Even handouts, bonuses and raises in bolivars can't maintain people.
