I'm Going to Venezuela!

Leaving July 6 with my girlfriend and her son. Eleven days.

Anyone have any suggestions or where to go, what to do, or people to connect with?

Are there any Venezuelan DUers?

When I think "vacation," then "Caracas" doesn't usually come to mind.

It seems like a very interesting city.

I'm really not concerned with political demonstrations any more than I would be about IMF demonstrations -- the buildup to the coup was the most dangerous, and no matter what version of events you believe, the only casualties were a few Venezuelans actively participating in the marches. In fact, Venezuela may be less dangerous than a lot of other places because the government is left-wing populist, so there are no popular uprisings or guerilla wars.

I picked Venezuela partly for financial reasons -- Europe is astronomically expensive this year. Partly because the political history interests me. Never been to South American. And tickets to Venezuela are about half what they are to any other South American country.

There are beautiful Caribbean beaches just a half hour away from Caracas that go for hundreds of miles along the coast. The northernmost part of the Andes is in Western Venezuela. Part of the country is Amazon rainforest, not to mention Angel Falls and the tepuis. There are lots of diverse parts of the country.

The only precautions I plan to take are not going to any political marches and staying far away from the Columbian border.

Can I go, too?

Get that ticket and let's go! The more the merrier.

:party: :toast:

we lived in caracas for a couple of years when i was a kid - dad was in international trade at the time. except for the revolution that was going on (!) it was a cool place. i actually have digitized a two-page "diary" ma kept while we were there. if you're interested i could e-mail it to you. sorry i don't have any more recent first-hand info to give ya.

jackneefus @ yahoo.com

(omit the spaces)

Yes, I'd be interested in your thoguhts and impressions, either on this thread or privately.

down there.

There was once a bloke with a gorgeous Venezuelan girlfriend, but let's not speak of him....

Was that a seagull?

I have strong political feelings, too, but this is a different thread.

I wouldn't mind talking with some English-speaking locals or getting off the beaten track to see how people live. It's so hard to understand other countries from afar.

Who lives on Margarita island. His reports and pictures show it to be a fun, inexpensive, beautiful place.

on the mainland for a couple of days -- some place that's not an island to allow easier transportaion to other parts of the country.

Haven't found the right place yet. But Margarita Island sounds very nice.

But my friend says that once you get to Caracas, a trip to Margarita is not much more. Have fun!

I actually spent a couple days in Venezuela when I went with some college friends to Trinidad a year and a half ago. We went during January and it was hot and relatively dry. I'll post some more in a little bit. I've got to do some stuff right now.

I don't know whether you're "cool" but I read that they either are attempting to or have decriminalized soft drugs there. If they have and it's easier to find(than when I was there) I'll have to go again.

Will have to ask. Surreptitiously.

I do realize it's the rainy season. I actually like rain and am prepared for some showers. But time options are limited. Maybe there will be some nice monsoon flooding.