Hotter than Hell.... but cooler.

see all photos »

If Bush needed a new method of torture to be used on suspected terrorists, I think he should consult my aunt and uncle who live in Maracaibo. If you were subjected to unbearable heat and humidity and were being force fed every imaginable Venezuelan delicacy, you would admit your guilt, whether it was true or not. It was so hot, you come out of the shower and already you are sweating. Of course, I don´t sweat, I glow.

Maracaibo is Venezuela´s second city. As the title suggests, it is baking hot. It is so hot that you cannot function without air conditioning and you cannot walk in the sun for more than five minutes without needing about a liter of water and ten bottles of sun cream. Everybody avoids the sun and walks around in minimal clothing with a continual ´I can´t be bothered´look in their eyes. Every so often, I would pass a rotisserie and envy the lucky chucks as they were roasted in the fire. At least they are dead and don´t feel the heat.

If you are not talking politics in Venezuela then you are probably dead.

see all photos »

It´s not all that bad. For me , Venezuela was an interesting experience because I was treated like a queen by my my uncle ( technically my dad´s uncle) and because it satisfied my curiousity for one of the world´s most fascinating political systems. After three months of living rough, it was so nice to hear the words ´eat ! you don´t have anything on your plate !´or ´eat ! this fried piece of cheese won´t make you put on weight´. One thing I have learnt is that Italian women can immigrate to anywhere in the world, but their concept of force feeding people doesn´t change. The phrase ´no aunt, I would just like one cake which appears to be saturated in oil´ , translates roughly as ´aunt, please pile as many as you can of this exquisite looking food on my plate´.

see all photos »

On the food front, Venezuela has some amazing grub. My favourite was Aripa. This is a fried corn bread sandwich with roasted meat in the middle. It has other fillings too but this is the typical version. It is delicious with garlic sauce , lettuce , cheese , tomatoes, and the list goes on. I am also addicted to fried green plantain and the ordinary variety, with cheese and cream cheese. It is so good! So is fried yuka which is like a potato but so much tastier and the texture is much more waxy. That with goats cheese turned me into a wild animal that needed to eat even though it just wasn´t in the slightest bit hungry. The deserts are good too, especially quesillada which is basically condensed milk with eggs wich is then cooked somehow. It turns out a bit like creme caramel but a lot firmer. Hmmmmm the only problem is that it is so hot, once you have eaten all that, you need your bed. A note of warning for any diabetics , people suffering from obesity related problems such as high cholesterol, high blood pressure etc. Your ailments will increase considerably whilst in Maracaibo as the concept of ´HEAL THY´does not exist. Forget exercising as well.

My cousin Beatriz and her husband Alberto, their son Angel Antonio and Carmen
see all photos »

One curious thing about Venezuela is the passion everyone has for talking politics. If you are not talking politics in Venezuela then you are probably dead. The overwhelming majority of people that I met are one hundred percent committed to Chavez and Socialism. Why ? He has built schools , hospitals, clinics which provide free education and health care for everyone. He has increased the minimum wage so that it is the highest in Latin America. He has built affordable housing for ordinary people who can pay in instalments. He has given a political voice to communities which were overwise undervalued and forgotten. Now, a Guajira child can go to university where as before, a member of this ethnicity was not allowed to. He has done a lot of incredible things and one thing is for sure, the poverty in this country is not helping anyone. He is by no means a dictator but I couldn´t help wondering how long this will last. He is hoping to do away with the elections in 2013 and remain as president until 2021. He has also refused to renew the license of a television channel because it opposes the government too much. Finally, he is in the process of creating one unified socialist party and getting rid of the minority parties, even though the opposition can still operate. Some things don´t add up.

see all photos »

For example, the crime rate in Maracaibo is incredibly high. In the past few months , four cars have been stolen from my family. It isn´t unusual that a person is forced out of his car at gun point when he stops at a traffic light so that the robbers can relieve you of your automobile. People live like caged animals, paranoid of being burgled because it is so common. Every house that you see is covered with iron bars at every possible entry point. I don´t know how people cope. Secondly, corruption is a normal part of life. Everyone can be bribed , so I was informed. It is also shocking that in seven days in Maracaibo , I saw five car accidents. People have no idea about driving carefully because many people buy their licences. That shocked me .

see all photos »

On the positive side, Maracaibo is on the shore of a huge lake that leads to the Caribbean sea. The Guajira people  that populate the lake live in tiny houses on stilts and they were the first people that Columbus encountered when he came across this country. The rows of houses perched precariously on the water reminded him of Venice and hence the country was named ´Little Venice´or Venezuela. They have everything they need in this tranquil water world. Schools, churches, restaurants and hordes and hordes of evil mosquitoes. If you want to get away from the chaos of the city, this is the place to go to. Children play happily in the contaminated waters of the lake, sadly giving them several skin related illnesses. People go about their business in tiny canoes. Thankfully, it is the only place where the big yellow sign of Macdonalds doesn´t illuminate a peaceful twilight. Though I didn´t find out a lot about their culture, one slightly saddening aspect of it is that women are sold to the highest bidder. But if they are maltreated, the purchaser is murdered.

The whole lot
see all photos »

For me , Venezuela was great because I got to meet my family there and I had such a great time being spoilt. The people are so warm and friendly, like any Latin American country and that is a reason in itself to visit such a diverse place.