Carly's Ramblings Blog - Style

Virtually Yours - Day 2 - Caracas, Venezuela

Blogging Challenge - Day 2 - Caracaras, Venezuela

I did a bit of research.... to get my bearings:
Caracas, officially Santiago de León de Caracas, is the capital, the center of the Greater Caracas Area, and the largest city of Venezuela. It is located along the Guaire River in the northern part of the country, following the contours of the narrow Caracas Valley on the Venezuelan coastal mountain range (Cordillera de la Costa). The valley is close to the Caribbean Sea, separated from the coast by a steep 2,200-metre-high (7,200 ft) mountain range, Cerro El Ávila; to the south there are more hills and mountains.

The Metropolitan District of Caracas is made up of five municipalities: Libertador Municipality which is the only administrative division of the Venezuelan Capital District, and four other municipalities, which are within in Miranda State: Chacao, Baruta, Sucre, and El Hatillo. Libertador holds many of the government buildings and is the Capital District (Distrito Capital). The Metropolitan Region of Caracas has a population estimated at over 5.2 million.

Caracas has a largely service-based economy, apart from some industrial activity in its metropolitan area. Caracas is also Venezuela's cultural capital, with many restaurants, theaters, museums, and shopping centers. Some of the tallest skyscrapers in Latin America are located in Caracas.

In 2015, Caracas had the highest per capita murder rates in the world.... most murders and other violent crimes go unsolved.
This information is from: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caracas

My Journal:
We arrived at the Simón Bolívar International Airport very early in the morning. I have to remember we don't get a lot of sleep on these virtual trips, but we do have an amazing time. Lyn has booked us into the J. W. Marriot Av Venezuela con Calle Mohedano. It looks really good... and safe. A few more friends have joined the trip and I feel like I am in good company.
https://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g316066-d299826-Reviews-JW_Marriott_Hot...

Lyn's a Witchy Woman had us all signed up for a tour that started at 8 am. We got to learn about El Libertador Simón Bolívar's life and Venezuelan history as we visited the Caracas' picturesque historic quarter. We admired breathtaking views of the capital while riding the city's famous cable car. Some of the group were wary, and even I was staying well away from the edge... my butt was twitching from the height. Deep breathing and the views helped.

For this tour we started in the historic city center, from Plaza Bolivar. It was originally called Plaza de Armas. The square adopted its current name in 1883 on the 100th birthday of El Libertador Simón Bolívar. The corners surrounding the plaza feature buildings of historic importance: Caracas Cathedral, Government Palace, City Hall, the Yellow House and The Capitol. We were in the heart of Venezuela's history. Something I never even considered before and it was intriguing. I took a lot of pictures.

We got to see Bolívar's birthplace. It is a colonial house that today is filled with period art, including paintings by famous artists like Tito Salas whose work captured highlights of El Libertador’s life. We also got to visit the Capitolio, Palacio Legislativo and Palacio Federal where the golden keys to Bolivar’s mausoleum are kept.

I think the best part was taking the city's famous cable car to the top of the Ávila Mountain range - though it was very high, and I was a bit nervous, the views were so worth it. Ávila National Park borders Caracas, separating the sea from the city. We got to breathe in and admire the pureness of the place. It contrasted greatly from the swarming hub hub of the city. The views were amazing - allowing us to see Caracas on one side and the Caribbean Sea on the other. It truly was a vision I would never forget.. the pictures I took will never do it justice.

The lunch was superb and I was famished by the time we got to eat. A few people were so nervous about the cable car ride that they did not eat too much.
https://www.tripadvisor.com/AttractionProductDetail-g316066-d12465500-Caracas_Si...

Later in the evening we went to the Pestana Lounge in Caracas for dinner and a chance to just relax and take in the atmosphere. I was just happy to sit back and take it all in. I decided to avoid anything more than a glass of local wine. I figured the jet lag would be worse if I had any more than that.
https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g316066-d4378651-Reviews-Pestana_L...

A few people headed back to the hotel to take a dip in the pool. I decided that was a great idea and tagged along. By the time I fell into bed, I was exhausted but happy.