Hitting the Hay in Santa Fe
The Venezuelan coast near the fishing village of Santa Fe: We're not in New Mexico anymore.
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After another night at the Posada Don Carlos in Ciudad Bolivar, I get up at seven and hang out with the hotel's two pooches. I have decided to catch a bus. To where? After some thought on the fact that my dream trip is coming to an end soon, I decide to just go to the beach for a few days. So, after some toast, I head for the coast.
The San Pablo Bus Company's fine vehicle is filthy and smells strange, but it does okay for the first few hours. We cross the Angostura Bridge on our way out of town, which is exciting. Just outside Puerto de la Cruz the bus breaks down, which is not exciting. Repairs take about two hours, and then we're off again. When we finally arrive, I hop on a minibus that speeds for 45 minutes through the serpentine roads that straddle the coast, ending up in the little fishing village of Santa Fe.
It's a tiny little rundown town on the Caribbean, and there are all sorts of cheap posadas right on the beach. The islands of Mochima National Park can be seen from the shore and are accessible by boat. I find a place to stay and relax on the sand before heading to a little beach cafe and having a Santa Fe Sundowner (brandy, vermouth, and passionfruit juice). It is good, and its color matches that of the early evening sky.
A short stroll up the beach is followed by a dinner of pabellon criollo, the national dish of Venezuela, which is very similar to the national dishes of other Latin American countries. It's a big plate of shredded beef, rice, black beans, and plantains served with guasacaca, a sweet pepper sauce. This is good and filling and makes me sleepy. I head back to my hotel to find they have no electricity and no water, but I am so tired it doesn't really matter.
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No electricity and no water in your hotel! I guess that's the difference between spontaneity and a web-assisted, Tripadvisor planned getaway.
I'd rather be doing what you are experiencing. Thanks for the posts. It has been fun reading of your travels. Nancy
Posted by: WhataTrip | March 11, 2008 at 02:11 PM
hello and thank you for checking out the blog. it has been a wonderful trip and a fun experience to write about it everyday. cheers.......gene
Posted by: moongoober | March 13, 2008 at 01:44 PM