Venezuela: Further Impressions

Well, following yesterday’s little rant, some much-needed research has been carried out:
Firstly, Chavez has implemented massive programmes of adult education to boost literacy rates, and quality medical care is now available to the poorest sectors of society. So it’s not all doom and gloom here in Venezuela. But somehow the place seems to lack the sheer vibrancy of Colombia, and for all the friendliness of the people we meet, there are far fewer smiles.
Now Coro has some very pleasant facets, but quite frankly, after spending lots of time in Cartagena, there’s just no way it can ever really thrill. But let’s just take a look at face value:

Zamora is the old, cobbled street with the most interesting windows and doorways. We dropped by San Clemente which dates from the sixteenth century, and then proceeded to the cathedral of Coro, which is a Minor Basilica and one of the first sites of Christian worship on the entire continent. There is something about the religious fervour of ordinary people in both Colombia and Venezuela that seems to be on a completely different level to most of the rest of South America, so that’s saying something! Shrines are absolutely everywhere, and treated with the utmost respect. On our first full day in Colombia, we arrived bright and early at the little airport in Pasto. The Avianca crew were just arriving for work, and a smartly uniformed pilot walked purposefully up to a faded wall poster of a famous painting of the Virgen from the shrine near Ipiales, kissed his hand and touched the poster. So all is not lost in the battle with the ‘missionaries’ for the people have their traditions, and hold them dear. And on the subject of mission, this is exactly the word Chavez has used in his crusade for the provision of services to the poor and the outcast.

As we headed back to the sanctuary of the hammocks in El Gallo for a second evening, San Francisco beckoned, with its cloister and soothing lighting. So Coro is a relaxing place to spend a few days, and tomorrow our programme will be an entire twelve hour slot of doing absolutely nothing.

But this lack of action is quite deliberate, for then we are making directly for the very bottom right corner of the country (that’s a technical term, of course) via Caracas. It’s going to involve two consecutive nights on buses, and a transit through one of the most dangerous cities of the world, where La Inseguridad describes the urban terror of opportunistic crime. Once we’ve reached Grande Sabana, there will be Brazilian food to eat and an entire mountain to climb! Wish us luck, keep your fingers crossed, and hope to hear from us by the end of the week.