Some Pictures of Merida and Venezuela

Factsheet 4×1

Date: 03/08/2012 the 06/08/2012

Saímos of: Ciudad Bolivar – Venezuela

Stop em: Valencia and Merida

Final destiny: Ciudad Ojeda – Venezuela

Total distance: little more than 1.800 km (in 4 days)

* Path: Ciudad Bolivar follow towards Barcelona and then to Caracas until we stopped to sleep in Valencia. Valencia continue to Merida. Merida to Ciudad Ojeda passed by Valera and Agua Viva (different way of moving to Mérida). Roads in good condition with general, entanto not, in general, two-way.

*obs.: We realize that Venezuela would be more appropriate follow signs than the actual GPS. The GPS pointed shortest paths, but we make sure to Venezuelans on road conditions, risks, etc.. with respect to the path pointed, They recommended the roads indicated by the plates. Thus drove 90% time to daylight and following signs.

Where to sleep: Valencia (Tents in a motel), Merida (Posada Switzerland), Ciudad Ojeda (tents inside a motel).

What we eat good: As trout and as cutters with crema (strawberry with whipped cream) Merida.

Filled Tire : The views of the mountains Sierra Nevada National Park on the way to Merida, with beautiful houses, restaurants, fruits and sweets on the way.

Tire murcho: The road signs that forces us to cross the "middle" of Caracas where we took a huge traffic on a Friday late afternoon! In São Paulo there in output extended holiday.

The move by Venezuela was a very full experience in various optical. There were approximately 2.800 km percorridos. We went through savannah, beach and high montanhas. We saw a country stifled by an authoritarian socialist government, but still with very strong traits of American imperialism in its culture. We suffer from abrupt changes in altitude and temperature, and we enjoyed beautiful views and homes in European style. We live facets of a Venezuela that seeks a change, but still suffers from certain paradigms that plague the country.

We left Ciudad Bolivar in the morning after we discourage driving to El Tigre overnight. That morning we realized why: the road has 100km of straight!! That's it, there is only one curve. So we explained that sometimes drivers doze "bored" by the slowness of the way making the stretch a little dangerous. El Tigre proceeded to Barcelona and from there we decided to take a break 20 min in Boca Uchire to see the beach, since we were "glued" to the Caribbean Sea. Mouth Uchire is a clear sand beach, with the sea slightly open and, By being close to an urban center, There is nothing very special. No entanto, it is located in the state of Anzoategui in a region known as the Route of the Sun Country, for its beautiful beaches and being strongly moved by tourism, mainly from Caracas. Puerto La Cruz is one of the major cities and resort still shown with rides to other beaches and islands near the coast. It will be for the next.

As is to be expected, Expedition 4×1 provides us with some interesting feelings that we had before. One is the fact that we do not give much account of what day of the week we are living. Constantly on the road and without rules or defined routine, the difference between 'weekdays' X 'weekend', now and again goes unnoticed and often we find ourselves not knowing what day of the week we. Sooner or later this inattention preach in one piece…We took the sand from feet and jumped inside the Tanajura. We left Boca Uchire following signs toward Caracas and Valencia (although longer, this was the best way to Mérida in the opinion of many Venezuelans who talked). But that day was a Friday and when we realized we were entering in Caracas 17:30!! Pra that?! Those who live in SP knows well what is crossing the marginal at this time, that day of the week. In Caracas was like: approx shot. 60 km em 4 hours!! The worst traffic of the expedition so far! It was already night when we left Caracas and that forced us to stop sleeping in Valencia. With the crowded city (probably because of a speech by Chávez in next days) we set up our tents on a roadside motel since leaving Valencia.

The next morning, yield logo, we went toward Mérida. It was time to enter for the first time in the Andes, which to our astonishment, came to Venezuela - must confess that even before investigation more about the region, most of us are unaware of this information. Mérida is the main tourist hub of Venezuelan mountain ranges and is located 1,600 m above sea level.

The town he lived in agriculture today has its main tourism and economic activity, still, Los Andes University attracts many students and investment in science and technology. Mérida has approximately 300 thousand inhabitants and FICA between Sierra Nevada Sierra La Culata ea. The road that leads there has many curves, some amazing views of the valley and the region's rivers and, when we see less, we were a little more 4.000 meters altitude. It was 11:30 am and the temperature was in the house of 14 ˚ C when we decided to take a break for some photos and buy some sweets that were sold in various shops tidy roadside. There we were approached by a friendly Venezuelan doctor who traveled with his entire family and was surprised by the Expedition 4×1.

He offered us some beers and hit a chat with him for over half an hour! We take that was still clear and we decided to take a quick tour through the National Park of Sierra Nevada, where many tourists were picnicking. The park has many trails and peaks with very high altitudes above 4.000 m. The highest peak in Venezuela - Bolivar Peak, 4.981 m - is the region.

We arrived in Merida late in the afternoon and after much trying and we run partnership decided to stay in the hostel Posada Suiza that had great prices since the city was full due to the weekend. Mérida is also known for having one of the largest and longest cable car in the world (unfortunately that is down a few years ago due to maintenance). Unfortunately our time in the city ended up being short. Primarily because we had even a lean period, because we had definite date to be in Cartagena for sending Tanajura. Moreover, we had to take advantage of the rare moment of good connection in Venezuela to spend a few hours updating our website and meet our activities with some sponsors. But there also had a fright when, on the second day there in the city, Gustav had fever and headache in time very similar to yesterday, when we. That night he vomited a few times and was worried enough to stay, because after all, few weeks ago we were in the Amazon and those symptoms were very similar to Malaria. So the next morning - after speaking by telephone with Dr Karina (Outpatient Travellers in HC, with whom we had contact) - It was early with Andre to the hospital for the specific exam constataria whether he was with the disease. After many hours there and a lot of apprehension received the good news that he lacked the protozoan disease.

Although the passage was short get to know the city well and enjoy a beautiful view on the rise moor The Butt, close to town.

The peak has much frequented, beyond the amazing visual, local handicraft barracks, typical twelve (as delicious as cutters with crema – strawberry with whipped cream), and zipline rides horses for children. In one of the stalls of handicrafts talked for a long time with a Venezuelan who had lived in Brazil and that gave us some costume jewelry made by him – curious was the name of his lovely daughter 12 years - Rodaluna, where the 'Wheel' was in honor of capoeira!

The move by Venezuela was intense and very few things we called attention:

1) The country still lives strong political influence of the authoritarian government of Hugo Chávez. There are more than 14 years in power, President - who took office with ideas for improvements to the poorer classes, such as eradicating illiteracy and malnutrition - could be reelected more than once through plebiscites, taking advantage of its very strong influence these classes before, that makes up the majority in the country. With a strong government with socialist characteristics and nationalized companies, Chávez also has - of course - with broad support from large class of public servants. In a presidential election year could witness a big campaign moving throughout the country and some things we "shocked", such as: songs sung at a gas station in a region humble, close to the borders with Brazil and Guyana, that their lyrics shouted against U.S. imperialism and globalization. Evoking the socialist revolution and armed struggle, talking about the achievements of Chavez in favor of the poorest communities; claiming the likes of Simon Bolivar, Che Guevara, between revolutionaries and other South American countries calling for "sold" to the policies of 'Uncle Sam'. Flyers, paintings on walls and billboards with the image of Hugo Chavez are seen numerous times throughout the country - especially now that the elections are in October - and more frequently as it is the city's economic development. In other words, in larger and more urbanized cities this rate falls slightly and images of your current competitor - Capriles Radonski - begin to appear a little more.

Talking to some Venezuelans feel that the middle class is the most dissatisfied with the authoritarianism of the current president and some of those accused him of exacerbated populism. Therefore the increase of the images of these cities Capriles more 'developed'. Also curious was the fact presenciarmos supporters Chavistas paint or tearing of images and Capriles, sometimes, paint or glue over the Chavez.

2) A curiosity is that we did not know the name of the country contains a reference to Simon Bolivar: Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela - South American liberator important was born in Venezuela and had great political influence in the country. Therefore, many squares, streets, cities and to the highest peak in Venezuela, receive the name of Bolivar.

3) Another thing that caught our attention are very few customs "North Americanized" in the country. One of the country's most traditional meal is fried chicken with potatoes. But it is curious that many restaurants serve fried chicken in buckets or containers, accompanied with coleslaw (English, coleslaw) and fries - very similar to the model of major American networks. We were surprised, also, with strong market penetration of automakers Ford and GM. In a hasty analysis based on days that we were there, would venture to which the two together hold more than 60% market, especially with big cars (SUVs e Pickups) or older models, das decades 70 and 80 as, for example, or Ford Gran Torino. But of course they can afford the "luxury" of walking in big cars fuel consumption: gasoline price is ridiculously cheap!

And speaking of fuel subsidy, although the country has an economy heavily dependent on oil and still live an authoritarian regime, Venezuela is one of the countries most advanced in reducing social inequality in Latin America (according to a study by ECLAC in 2011 (click here If you want to see the study).

The move by Venezuela was very special for us, because we know more deeply a country with a "personality" policy so strong and with such different characteristics of reality that we are used to seeing in our country or in neighboring we are most familiar. We could also witness a nature rich and heterogeneous submitted to us by a people who - heard the very mouth of a Venezuelan - working seeking to change the old impression of a country that, unfortunately, is still seen by many as a strange unknown.

For more photos from our visit to Merida, click here! =)