Travel Blog » South America » Venezuela » Capital » Caracas

Caracas Travel Blogs

Background: Venezuela was one of three countries that emerged from the collapse of Gran Colombia in 1830 (the others being Colombia and Ecuador). For most of the first half of the 20th century, Venezuela was ruled by generally benevolent military strongmen, who promoted the oil industry and allowed for some social reforms. Democratically elected governments have held sway since 1959. Current concerns include: an embattled president, a divided military, drug-related conflicts along the Colombian border, increasing internal drug consumption, overdependence on the petroleum industry with its price fluctuations, and irresponsible mining operations that are endangering the rain forest and indigenous peoples.

Venezuela

Map of Venezuela

Venezuela's Flag

Recommended Books:

Hostels in Venezuela
Latest Caracas Blog Entries
Caracas Photos

By EmmaRoundTheWorld
November 27th 2008

The elections came and went. And so did the rain.

South America » Venezuela » Capital » Caracas

Voting
Queuing is everywhere here and of course elections day is no exception.

So the elections came and went and well... nothing much happened. The weekend was the quietest weekend I've ever experienced in Caracas and by monday most things seemed to be back to normal. A bit of music and fireworks on sunday night, long before they'd even announced the results, was all that came out of it. Chavez of course instantly declared himself the winner, based on candidates from his party winning in the majority of the states around the country. But the truth is that he only really managed to win farmlands, causing one newspaper to refer to it as Chavez's [View Full Entry]

By EmmaRoundTheWorld
November 19th 2008

Waiting for elections day

South America » Venezuela » Capital » Caracas

In anticipation of the mayoral elections this sunday, the government has issued a ley seca (dry law), meaning that there will be no sales of alcohol allowed anywhere for the whole of the weekend. While some people here are conjuring up the most gloomy of domesday scenarios for elections day, including the idea that the whole country will be effectively shut down without electricity, internet and water, others believe that absolutely nothing will happen. But most people seem to agree that if the opposition manages to get anywhere near the percentage that they are hoping to get there will be at [View Full Entry]

By EmmaRoundTheWorld
November 8th 2008

I can't believe I just ate an ant...

South America » Venezuela » Capital » Caracas

Chavez, Chavez, Chavez

... a big, fat, roasted, crunchy ant. It was a Colombian snack brought to me by one of my students so I simply had to try it. Although it tasted surprisingly much like a peanut I was not quite able to get over the fact that it was actually an ant and for the following half hour I couldn't stop feeling like Mowgli from the Jungle Book. But at least now I can tick 'eating ants' off of my list of things to do before I die. So far Venezuela has provided me with plenty of first time exeriences but for [View Full Entry]

By cognovi
October 27th 2008

Carcas tour

South America » Venezuela » Capital » Caracas

Hey Leute, Vorweg: Bene und mir geht es super gut! Wir sind SA nach einem total angenehmen Flug in Caracas bei 32 Grad angekommen und gleich im Intercontinental abgestiegen - das den dortigen alten Charme und einen riesigen 3,4 tiefen Pool besitzt. An dem Nachmittag haben wir noch die kleine Altstadt erkundet, die aber leider, im Vergleich zu unseren reichhaltigen eurpaeischen Innenstaedten in ca. 2 Std. abgehbar ist und wenig Spektaluaeres hat. SA abend sind wir schon um 20 Uhr ins Bett und haben bis 7 Uhr am naechsten Morgen durchgeschlafen! ... das war echt toll. Nach meinem morge [View Full Entry]

By EmmaRoundTheWorld
October 10th 2008

Observations from the most dangerous city in the world

South America » Venezuela » Capital » Caracas

Venezuela

Yes, it's official (it's in the news so it must be true); Caracas is currently the murder capital of the world with 130 murders per 100 000 inhabitants (compared to less than 2 in London) - and that doesn't even include prison-related murders or police violence, so it wouldn't be too adventurous to guess that the real ratio is substantially higher (although I'm really not sure what kind of statistic that is... I mean... over what time?). Despite the fact that crime rates have gone up 67% since Chavez took the lead ten years ago, many people here, especially in the [View Full Entry]

By Mr Bills
September 23rd 2008

country or death?

South America » Venezuela » Capital » Caracas

the best thing i saw today, without doubt was a poster of big man chavez. it was him, with a massive grin on his face, holding a baseball bat as if he was about to swing it. glorious. today was also the 2nd time i had walked into a chavez rally of sorts. venezuela has elections coming up, and in plaza bolivar today there was a live band and whatnot, with pretty much everyone wearing red tshirts. hilariously enough, today i wore a red tshirt as well. today was certainly the right day to wear red in caracas. so yes, this [View Full Entry]

By Mr Bills
September 21st 2008

Immense Bolla de Mierde

South America » Venezuela » Capital » Caracas

this entry was originally going to be one line long, because it sounds so bizarre, but then i suppose i´m doing too much to justify that. either way, i´ll start with the aforementioned line, and then get into the details. last night i went out for drinks with my host, a pole dancer and the most german guys ever, and watched venezuela´s version of ozzy osbourne cover iron maiden, led zeppelin, metallica and the stones. and by gum it was hilarious. but we´ll go back to where it was left last i guess, which was friday night. we went out to [View Full Entry]

By Mr Bills
September 20th 2008

i am considerably agitated.

South America » Venezuela » Capital » Caracas

i just saw my first cockroach! wow! anyway, i´ve got lots to update, so i best get started. i bought another watch, so after having no watch for a long time, now i have two. good work john, good work. the flight was loooooooong, but i did get a pretty awesome view of the moon on the flight from london to madrid. that was cool, i took a photo, but its pretty bad. i also bought a new book at the airport, which is all about the planets and the solar system, so i suppose i shall continue to be as [View Full Entry]

By EmmaRoundTheWorld
September 15th 2008

A weekend in paradise and my return to Caracas

South America » Venezuela » Capital » Caracas

The shouts of several dozens of fishermen woke me up and threw me right back into reality. A reality that I must admit was for once very pleasant - despite the fact that my sleeping bag was full to the limit with sand. Close by I could hear the waves hitting the shore and as I opened my eyes I could see the pink sun rising in the east. A flashback from the night before reminded me of rum, dancing to african drums, midnight swims and stars so clear I remeber thinking I must be dreaming. The weekend trip to Chuao [View Full Entry]

By Travelling Fraggles
September 12th 2008

116 days later...

South America » Venezuela » Capital » Caracas

Our route
(bit rough!)

We're here, we made it - overland from Buenos Aires to Caracas in 4 months, more or less on or following the world's largest mountain range. When we've been sat waiting for hours at bus terminals we devised a way to amuse ourselves and here are the results... We have: * Visited 8 countries * Been to the world's driest dessert * Been to the world's largest and highest salt flats * Visited one of the seven wonders of the world * Crossed the equator * Been from zero meters above sea level to 5,012m * Endured temperatures ranging from -15C [View Full Entry]

Travel Blog » South America » Venezuela » Capital » Caracas