An excellent
virtual tour of Venezuela, presented by Vensamit,
the Venezuelan Student Association at MIT.
Gran Sabana Portion of CIA Map of Venezuela.[jpg-5.2023k]. Try the
Xerox Parc Map Viewer for a user
defined (by me) map of Venezuela waiting to be further modified
by the next user with zoom and feature adding capabilities. Basically you define and create the map you want of any part of the world.
The chalana across the Rio Caroni just south of Puerto Ordaz, the last major town until St. Helena
de Uairén near the border with Brazil.[jpg-16.691k]
The tug boat used to maneuver the ferry barge or "chalana"
across the river.[jpg-23.447k]
In a very isolated spot in the Gran Sabena (Guyana), a service sorely needed. [jpg-17.986k]
The Venezuelan flag flies over a government frontier post near the gold mines on the river.[jpg-24138k]
A curious electric(?) or poisonous ray that grabbed our hook left in the Caroni River one night while we slept. Don Fulgencio, a denizen of the wilds along the Caroni, would only laugh when we asked about the sting and said he would eat it after we left. This I don't doubt as I saw him eat armadillo and chiwiri the worlds largest rodent. [jpg-13441k]
A family compound with a beautiful painting on an outer wall.[jpg-16.349k]
Somewhere on the southernmost highway in route to Ciudad Bolivar, an art exhibition a la Burma Shave.[jpg-14.656k]
An indigenous couple working at an isolated mine on the frontier with Brazil survey an inundated jeep with contained
amusement. This cargo loading point on the river leads to the mine upstream a couple of
Klicks upstream. Photos were discouraged at the mine.[jpg-23.680k]
A lonely fellow out for a walk in Bolivar State.[jpg-15.377k]
Some kind and dedicated sisters who had the only available beds and showers for hundreds of miles
who let us sleep and shower. Their community based convent serves this isolated parish where they provide medical and social services and fight against malaria (they had the proper anti-malarial drug for the type that pops up in the area) and other scourges of humanity. Their work extends to Indians from across the disputed border with Guyana .[jpg-22.220k]
A waterfall not far off the Pan-American Highway in Guyana.[jpg-24.653k]
The last leg of the tortuous land and river trip to the mine begins here on the edge of the Gran Sabana.[jpg-27.169k]
Picture of Choroni, my favorite beach town. The beautiful fishing town with its fortifications from the days of the Spanish Main and palm lined beaches is an unsung marvel perhaps because it has no airport and is out of the way. [jpg-26.059k]
Another picture of Choroni, taken by a photographer who sold me these upscale postcards. I believe her name is Sylvia Shiff, but it is hard to read and I can't remember. I was given permission to place on web with appropriate credits and now must rely on viewers or my return to make sure I have the name correctly spelled here. Please inform if you know, dear reader. Also- better scans will replace these poor ones soon. [jpg-7,032]
Yet another picture of Choroni, taken by the same photographers above, Sylvia Shiff, I believe, but it is hard to read and as described above I am not certain. Please inform if you know, dear reader. [jpg-6,008]
A chinchorro or hammock hung at the puesto fronterizo( frontier post) with
Brazil near the gold for the night.[jpg-22108k]
An Indian house in the Gran Sabana.[jpg-27.280k]
A photo of yours truly where the Gran Sabana gives way to jungle near the Brazilian border.[jpg-19.288k]
The view from the barrio behind "El castaño" in Maracay.[jpg-8.075k]
A future Jose Feliciano? He was very good.[jpg-23.772k]
A view up the hill , away from the sea towards the church from the old telegraph depot in Choroni.[jpg-27.811k]
A once proud Caracas mansion, a little worse for wear but a good example of early 29th century architecture.[jpeg-22.992k]
Windows Paintbrush Recollections of Venezuela.[gif-18.963k]
An attempt to capture the
charm of Choroni with a mouse and Window's paint. The fishing town which has a small fresh water river to wash off the salt from the beaches in a park that joins the beach pictured above. It is only 30 or 40 miles from the airport and harbor below Caracas as the crow flies along the coast but no road exists and it is a 1 and 1/2 hour trip over the coast range to Maracay and then two to three more hours over the range and down again to sea level on a winding road. A beautiful drive and worth the time and effort- in my estimation anyway.[jpg-18.963k]
A constantly changing presentation of pictures of all things Venezuelan and some from abroad from the
Venezuelan Spanish Language on-line magazine "Analitica".
Send a Venezuelan postcard with soundtrack!
Maracay from atop the coastal range on the road to Choroni.[jpeg-150,310k]
The sugar plant near Maracay .[jpeg-126,310k]
The main road to the gold mine referred to in above photos.[jpeg-150,310k]
The statue of a fighting bull called "Toro" that El Benemerito Gomez commissioned for placement next to his zoo in Las Delicias, Maracay.[jpeg-6,310k]
The little sister of a friend on the beach in Choroni after her all important 15th birthday
"quincaneria" coming out party.jpeg-13kb]
I posted the following congratulation to President Chavez soon after his election and before his inauguration. It is difficult for many to remember the almost universal excitement this development caused in people from all political persuasions. Even "Puntofijistas" were excited by the possibility that dramatic and positive change was possible and might actually happen! At the time I remember thinking this was asking too much of any government. The expectations were too high and the event horizon was thought to be within a year for progress- at last. The improbable ascension to power created the expectation of an equally unlikely major turn around of a country that had slipped far and over a long period of decline and had a certain weighty momentum that all but prohibited the rapid turnabout into prosperous winds of change that was the unreasonable expectation. As things have progressed I have received a few mails demanding I remove the following text and photo.........
