Spending Bitcoin Block by Block in El Zonte
block #832194
synopsis
Part 2 of the El Salvador series. Ian details the day-to-day experience of spending Bitcoin at Bitcoin Beach — paying the airport entrance fee, hotel, restaurants, pupusas, the Bitcoin Hardware Store, and buying a Block Clock. He describes the "Bitcoin handshake" phenomenon and meets more characters. Discussion of Bukele's controversial reelection, dictators who get stuff done (Roman history detour), and the infrastructure gap in El Salvador. The episode establishes that Bitcoin Beach is still very early but on the right trajectory.
quotes
"Bitcoin is an international word. You say Bitcoin. And that basically means I would like to give you some money."
"It's not Apple Pay. It's not Venmo. Venmo doesn't exist everywhere. Bitcoin exists everywhere."
"We wouldn't be doing this three years ago." — refrain from El Salvadorians
"This person is being called a dictator. Meanwhile, everyone at CPAC is cheering him on."
"We need to figure out what dollar number Bitcoin has to hit so that we move to El Salvador."
"You also got to learn Spanish, so install Duolingo."
topics
Paying the El Salvador airport entrance fee in Bitcoin (first transaction)Hotel, restaurant, pupusa, and convenience store transactions — all BitcoinThe "Bitcoin handshake" — how saying "Bitcoin" creates instant connectionOne convenience store owner refused Bitcoin ("his app wasn't working")Bitcoin Hardware Store — Block Clock purchase, seed plate stamping serviceRonnie's El Zonte Rentals businessEl Salvador infrastructure observations — abandoned buildings in San SalvadorBukele's reelection — 85%+ vote, accusations of voting irregularitiesRoman Empire history lesson: Sulla, Pompey, Crassus, Caesar, Augustus"Dictators get stuff done" — controversial but historically supported argumentEl Salvador as war-torn country rebuildingHope House and community servicesCanadian Bitcoiners fleeing to El Salvador post-trucker protest