The Venezuelan coast (From east to west)
The town of Guiria is Venezuelas eastermost outpost.
Close to the only place Columbus set foot in South America.
Guiria is normally not a place to go ( boring ,NOT as nice as these pics make it out to be ) ,
but itīs where you catch the boat to Trinidad. It goes once a week. We missed it by an hour. A day on busses wasted...
So we decide to check out the famous Paria peninsula next door ,
reputed to have the best beach in Venezuela and interesting remote coastal mountain scenery...
OK , the coast looks fair enough. Mediterranean like. Dry.
The beach , Medina , pretty enough. But the water is murky and icecold !
And curiously void of humans.....Literally not a single tourist in sight ! ?
On Venezuelas best beach....?
All fine & dandy , until this cheeky bastard hops up on the breakfast table
and takes off with half of my breakfast ! ...only one of those disguisting arepas though....
In any case , another wasted effort...
Even our bush posada is oddly overpriced and full of
strange animals and goings on.
One cool thing was seeing all the chocolate trees growing by the roadside. mmmmmmmm
Here are some of the beans drying in the sun. The fruit makes a delicious juice !
Rio Caribe is a popular holiday village painted up to look caribbean colorful...almost quaint.
Plaza Bolivar !
Heading back to the big smoke , Carųpano....
For some tasty SUPER local food !!!
The BEST place in town...clearly !
Heading west through the Cumana gulf area...
and the Parque national Mochima
It has a bunch off islands and coastal bays you can visit.
The waterīs still kinda murky.
Farther west is the somewhat lusher Henry Pittier national park
More or less native habitat for the Royal palm...interesting.
Also natural habitat for average Venezuelans on holiday...
sleeping dogs , occasional surfers and reggae artists.
This is for YOU Rudie !
The town round here is called Puerto Colombia.
The main local beach in all likelyhood probably IS the best beach in V !
The water is clear and warm and the beach is vacant on weekdays.
Weekend
Weekday
The local Mahi catch comes in.
Overall I guess itīs a relaxing place to chill ,
if you donīt mind having to search high and low for anything green to eat.
A place where old colonial heritage mingles with modern military dictatorship propaganda.
Plaza Bolivar !
Our posada / hostel "Colonial". Definately the best value in town. Nice private room for 2 w bath for $ 12/night ...
and huge open courtyard with cafe selling real ( healthy ) breakfasts !
Moonrise over the town
The airport in Valencia and Puerto Cabello , heading for Curacao.
Hasta la vista to bad food and fine scenery.
Parque national Morrocoy.A bunch of low islands with ok diving...supposedly.I doubt it.