City of Sky Scrappers

View Over Caracas
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Another early start today for the drive up to the Caribbean Sea and then Caracas.  We eventually stopped for coffee and a cake stop later in the morning and headed on till lunch.  This wasn`t a great stop but it looked like it may have been possible to find wine, but turned out to be a fruitless search.  Arrived in Caracas a little earlier than planned at 4:30 and was pleasantly surprised by the hotel given some of the comments in guide books and from other people.  Caracas, the captial of Venezuela has been suffering from riots lately and there has been action following a recent kidnapping. Went out in Sabana Grande, where the hotel is located, to find a cash point.  This was in groups, as per the warning, and we managed to find a few but there are lots of problems with different cards in each machine.  Afterwards headed back to the hotel and got ready for dinner.  This was the last night of the tour for 10 people and we had a group meal organised in the restuarant in the hotel.  The food was good but slow and a little of the expensive side.  Stayed up for quite a while saying goodbye and enjoying the wine.

View Over Caracas
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Following morning got up early and headed to the postoffice in town with Kim, Sally and Renee.  The postoffice was interested and in a large building but pretty deserted.  Once trying to neogiate an English speaker we were able to then try to locate boxes (not postal ones but cardboard ones) to put our stuff in.  We then had a sweet elderly lady at the shop helping us with paper, tape and scissors before the guy helped us wrap these again.  I think he was amused at the gringos trying to send large packages back.  We eventually managed to complete all this and headed back to the hotel.  After a while of sorting more things out and dropping laundry off headed out of the hotel in search of the big shopping mall.  This was not to be found as we went the wrong direction however came across another nice mall and had lunch.  Then a visit to the supermarket (lots of American goodies here) and a fantastic bakery before heading back to the hotel.  Met with a few people for a drink later on as it was Johnny`s last night.

View Over Caracas
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Following morning had a lie-in (will be the last for a while) before saying goodbye to Johnny and Baudh.  I then headed in a taxi with Julie and Scotty towards the Parque Central area and Mirador de la Torre Ouest.  The taxi driver dropped us off and told us a building on the right was the correct building.  We asked then if we could visit the top as the Lonely Planet mentioned there were 260 degree views from here.  They let us up but it was not as we thought.  The floor was derelict with two security guards and we were told we could walk around.  The windows had large concrete bars on them so photos had to be taken through them.  When wandering to one section we came through an area with a basketball court and to another room that had three guys in the corner in discussion.  After a few photos they warned us that the area was dangerous and not to have cameras out.  We then left this building but saw another taller one which was actually the building we were first looking for.  Again we asked if we could go to the top and were told this was OK.  A fast lift took as to the 49th floor and from there it was again derelict.  We then went up an esculator that wasn`t working and up an fire escape and then down a spiral staircase to the floor we were looking for.  This was empty offices but had the 360 degree views we had been promised.  Caracas is a city of skyscrapers with moutains in the background. Afterwards headed towards some museums but came across a really nice Italian restaurants where we stopped for lunch.  Afterwards headed back to the hotel and then internet before going to the big shopping mall.  Later met for a group meeting about the next part of the trip and to meet the two new passengers before relaxing and packing for leaving the next day.