For good airplanes do not fly

Surprisingly, to what the chosen circle of people serve some currencies. In the Democratic Republic of San Tome and Principe lives a little more than 100 thousand citizens. And the territory of the state form only two island (and several more rocks) in the Atlantic Ocean at the West Coast of Africa. The Republic is so small that geographers did not even come up for her special name: they simply listed everything in it, from which the country is – the island of Sao Tome and the island of Principe. If you follow this logic, Russia would have to be called not by Russia, but "Federation of Moscow, Leningrad, Novgorod, Vologda, Murmansk and other, other regions".

But if the island republic does not boast of numerous citizens nor the vast territory, nor even an individual name, different from the names of partners in it, then its own monetary unit still has. And this currency is nice to Russian ear – "of good".

True, a pleasant name is the only one, perhaps, for which Santomian money can be respected. The country’s treasury is in a very divergent state, inflation is large, and therefore the good does not differ, neither resistance or fullness. Her official course over the past three years fell 10 times and amounts to DB2.385.13 per US dollar.

Have good, however, another worthy property. Restrictions on her import / export. The government quietly looks at the fact that national denotals move out abroad.

The economic difficulties of the Republic of Sao Tome and Principe have a long history, and in the foreseeable future, it is not necessary to count on radical improvement. Fortunately, there were no destructive military conflicts, as in other countries in Africa, but their political game in the process of gaining independence from Portugal The leadership of the country played very unsuccessfully.

Immediately after separation from the metropolis, the mass departure of the Portuguese colonists happened, as a result, the archipelago did not have literally no qualified specialists: everything was left – from doctors to agronomists. Then the young Republic rushed into an embrace of the USSR. But the Soviet assistance was organized unusual: our country sponsored Cuba, Ta – Angola, and Angolats – Sao Tome. The islanders located at the very end of this complex chain, of course, got material benefits less than everyone else.

If fate will bring you to the archipelago, do not hurry to change large amounts to good. Do it as needed: in this case, your funds will suffer less from inflation. In addition, to proof these amounts from the national currency back to the SLE almost unreal.

By the way, of some spheres of island life, goodness is generally expelled. Thereins them were replaced more stable (and therefore more popular from the local population) foreign currencies.

For example, many hotels insist on payment in US dollars or Franks of CFA – African Financial Community. For the flight from the island of Sao Tome to the island of Principe, too, we must also pay a solid currency ($ 60 one way). And taxi drivers resolutely prefer the last. But, let’s say, in restaurants, on the contrary, they usually want good.

In many situations, pay for services in SLE – this is the only reasonable solution for the foreigner, as in "Dobrov" Sector of the local economy service is very unreliable. In principle, let’s say, on principe, not only aircraft, but also ferries. Sea transport tickets are sold for national currency. But the ferries do not have a clear schedule. They go then when the captain considers that he got enough passengers to justify swimming. And airplanes between the islands fly twice a week by solid schedule.

If you still need to change dollars or other SD to local money, there are a number of institutions where it can be done. Nor paradoxically, banks among them are practically absent.

The only bank changing cash and traveler checks is Banco Internacional De Sao Tome E Principe (Bistp), located in the capital, on the square with the long name Praca da Amizade e Solidariedade Entre Os Povos (Friendship and Solidarity Square).

In the capital of the country and the island of Sao Tome, the city of San Tome, the active black currency market operates. Many people dealing with this business can be found at the Bazaar Feira Do Ponto that on Avenida Conceicao Street. Courses offered by underground variables fluctuate in a wide range: from "a little better than in the bank", before "25% better" or even more. Take US dollars and franc CFA. Additional Advantage of Exchange "with hand" In that everything is happening there faster than in the bank, without unnecessary formalities. There are no problems with the police nor with counting on the black market. But still changing money in front of a policeman is considered among the locals unnecessary arrogance. Because it is formally illegal.

Money can be officially changed in metropolitan stores with a license for this, for example in Tropical on Rua de Mocambique street and Tyk-Tak on Rua Morta Street.

Credit cards on the archipelago are useless. They are not served in a single bank and do not accept in commercial institutions.