See you Canaima! See you Venezuela! Canaima: 6th. Part.

After the great experience of walking behind a waterfall, we went back to the camp by the lake, again in canoe; somebody had brought it to the shore close to Salto el Hacha. First we went to the shore in front of the one we were, Ericka wanted to leave us to swim a bit there… but! As we were starting to go out of the canoe, some Germans complained about this idea, they said for them it has no reason to swim again here, as far as we have done it at the river. :( I have no idea why they shouldn´t want to swim there as well, you see, ok, we have already swim at the river and it was great enough, yes, but this time it was at the lake watching the waterfalls! A completely other story! The point was the ones not willing to swim where the majority so, we all had to lose it! :(

Going back to the camp we went again as close as possible to the waterfalls:



Once at the ranch, the food was already waiting us. We had a very Venezuelan menu: grilled chicken that was so delicious!, potato salad, another salad (sorry! I forget which one!), soft drinks and water. We can eat all what we wanted. All this very well seasoned with tropical music! :D When we finish we had time for rest a bit, just that, again, nobody told us how long it would be or if we could go to the shore of the lake or something. We stayed there, got dressed again, went to the souvenir shop but we haven´t buy anything, you see, from my point of view all seemed to be “made in China” and it´s not about having something against it, but when I travel and buy souvenirs, what I want is to buy things made at the country I am. On the other hand, the prices were completely Europeans. Some Venezuelan friends had already told me that Canaima is a place where just tourist can go, due the prices, very high ones for them. You see, the point is that for tourist the price is not so high, and this is a place that deserves to be visited, so…

We had been also talking with a Spanish there that told us he was the owner of the shops there. After a while Ericka told us that we should wait a bit more but we could do it at the shore of the lake if we wanted. We did it and it was a precious moment, we had been reenergizing us watching this wonderful landscape:



It was time for going back to Margarita, flying over Salto Angel… but! It was so cloudy! :( snif! Snif! Snif! And you see, for me the price was worth enough in case we watch Salto Angel as well! Stop! This deserves an explanation! Of course this travel was great! It was impressive enough to walk behind a waterfall and to swim watching tepuis, of course, and I do recommend this travel, but you see, the cost was around 350 US$ and was just a one day travel. And yes, I know, you can´t blame anybody for having a cloudy day, but, I do think the pilot should tried to fly over Salto Angel at the morning as well, maybe we would watch a bit more then. But well! Anyway it was a marvelous experience and this is part of what we saw going back to Margarita:



That night, already in Margarita Island, we din the 4 together and after that Esther, Rosa and me (Curro was so tired), said good bye to the island in “our own way”. We had been playing Scrabble with Esther while Rosa learned a bit how to play pool, we went to dance a bit to the disco, we went to watch the moon from the shore of the beach and finally we were talking a bit, at the side of the swimming pool, with some of the Scrabble friends that were still there.

Btw: somebody asked me why I haven´t comment a lot about the Dunes Hotel in Margarita Island. You see: the hotel was ok. Not excelent. Not fabulous. Just ok. The place in general, ok, a lot of swimming pools, a lot of activities to be done, a nice beach… about the food of the different restaurants, well, it was ok, I wouldn´t remark anything, actually, when the thematic dinners (where they make the food accordingly of different countries), we said it should be the “free version of the Hotel Dunes” of the food of that country, because the dishes weren´t even a bit alike the ones they suppose to be. So, we eat very well, yes, just nothing to remark and when it´s like that, I don´t think it´s worth to talk about that in my blog. Would I recommend that hotel? It depends. First of all I had no time to meet other hotels there, so I can´t tell if you can find better options or if this was the best one. Would I recommend Margarita Island as a tourist destiny? Uf! So difficult to say! Actually not. If this is for the beach: I had seen betters. Resorts: I had seen betters. But Canaima is a great place really worth view, better for going for several days.

That was our last night in Venezuela, the next morning we went back to Madrid.

See you Venezuela! I wish I would go back there again! :D

Walk behind a waterfall, like the Last of the Mohicans! Canaima: 5th. Part.

We walked to Salto el Hacha after swimming at Carrao River. The road was a bit hard, even having some steps that help to climb, but they were a bit high, but there was a handrail as well.

Here some videos of the road for you to see a bit of it:



This one was coming back from the waterfalls, but here you can appreciate a bit better the difficulties of the road:



Once at the waterfall, Ericka (our guide), explained us that the floor of the road behind the waterfall was rock, so we should take care about what we wear at our feet. The soles of our shoes weren´t appropriated, so she recommended us to wear just socks or even nothing instead of our shoes. I used my socks, but I should say that in case of knowing this in advanced, I would choose ones with a discreet color! ;P Curro decided to use his shoes, no matter if weren´t the appropriate ones.

Mr. Julio, a Pemon that had been with us during the whole tour, was carrying a big plastic bag for keeping there all our belongings that we didn´t want to get wet. No way to take the cameras with us… but! I had a waterproof single use camera! You see, maybe it seems silly, but I had been checking in internet and seems it´s not so common and actually I think the point here is that at the travel agencies don´t give advice of it. Actually I had one due the swimming with dolphins experience, they didn´t allowed us to take our own pics… but was wonderful to have it here! :D We got bad habits using digital cameras: to have the chance of checking the pic after taking it, so if it´s needed to repeat it, you just do it… or to take a lot of pics, almost with no limits, that was a problem because we just forgot about it till we had just few pics left! :/

Special recommendation about the camera: this is the kind of experiences that won´t have a lot of times in your life, unless you live close to a place like this, of course! ;) So, if you give a lot of value to the point of having good photo memories and you had decided to take a waterproof single use camera with you and you don´t want to have a bad experience, would be better if you take with you several cameras and take several pics of the places you like most. Even Kodak people recommend that: “Water pictures are a bit unpredictable, so take extra pictures to increase the chance you'll get several that you like.” Source: Kodak.com We were so lucky, all the pics were ok, but if I would have my digital one I would repeat several of them. Also the quality is not excellent. I don´t know if this depends on the kind of camera you choose, the one we used is a very good one (no, hehehe, we haven´t choose it! It was the only option we had!). Anyway, based on this experience, I recommend it to you, is this one:




We start to walk behind the Salto de Hacha. I was quite excited! Ok, ok, we all were! :D I don´t know if I had already comment this in another post, but I have the habit to go close to the guide… and I have no idea why I have the bad luck that my companions usually go at the end! But this time I tried to go close to Rosa and Esther at least, just that not always.

The first almost we all did was to go under a small waterfall, like if we would being in a SPA, actually I told to a couple of German ladies that were close to me at that moment “a good massage, eh?” and one of them replayed: “yes! And for free!” and I thought “well, free, free… we are paying a lot for this tour!” but haven´t told them that, I had no plans to spoil that perfect moment to anybody! ;)

We continue walking and it was marvelous! You can feel the force! The vitality! I went close to Rosa exactly in a moment where she was starting to shout out loud for joy! So I joined her! Hehehe. Yeap! The Germans surely got shocked! ;P

The wall of the hill that was behind the waterfall was 100% rock with a bit of moss. You should take care about where to step (but actually the Ericka´s trick about wearing socks worked perfectly, anyway you should take care about that), take care about your head and also where to touch. I´m not trying to get you scared about doing it, it´s just that in a moment that I was ahead of them, enjoying the beauty of the place and in a moment I turned back and Esther and Rosa were helping Curro… that was with the head bleeding!! He had banged it with a part of the wall! I was really worried because he was bleeding a lot. In seconds I imagined what we should do to take him out of there in case he can´t go by his own! He also felt down when we were going back… due the shoes! Of course! You see, afterwards I had been thinking and I got the conclusion that maybe the place was so romantic and bucolic that he felt the need of giving his own touch to the tour! ;P

Ericka told us this was the place where the waterfall escene of The Last of the Mohicans had been filmed:



Once at the final of the part we can walk in, it was a space where we can took out the cameras without getting them wet (you should take care anyway). Here the video:



It was a real pity to have to go out of there; I was with a strange mix of vitality and inner peace, a strange mix, yes, but… a great one!! :D

(To be continued)

Swimming in Canaima´s River. Canaima: 4th. Part.

After walking in Anatoliy Island, that actually was short, no more than 20 minutes, we went to the opposite side of the Island where the Carrao River is. Ericka invited us to swim a bit there. Due the color that the tanning gives to the water, it was like swimming in a river of tea! :D

The water was great! For European people, got used to find cold water at rivers, lakes and beaches, even in summer time, not always they find nice when the water is cold but not freeze ;P I enjoyed it quite a lot! Actually, my problem is the opposite one: when the water is so cold I can´t go inside!

It was a great moment, we laughed a lot, we also had time to appreciate the views with tepuis, and we even saw a Pemon family navigating the river in a dugout canoe! I really had envy the calm that this people seemed to have! But specially, the happiness and inner peace they irradiated!

Here some images of our experience:



(To be continued).

Enjoying the beauty of Canaima. Canaima: Third Part.

Since we arrived in Canaima I was levitating! That green! That bright in everything! I even had ask my fellows if it was something that someone else had put in my coffee or if they also have been watching everything more brilliant and with more color… but they said I was right.

The small ranch at the resting place was already ready for the lunch and part of its atmosphere was tropical music at the background.



Ericka, our guide, recommended us to wear the most comfortable cloth we had. It was a perfect day thinking about the light and weather, but as far as it´s at the Venezuelan jungle, we could swept a lot after walking a bit, her recommendation, as far as the plans were including to swim in a river, was about being just in swimming suit. They had small rooms for us to change the cloth and even places to leave our belongings. The ranch had a house in front, with some baths, the mentioned rooms and afterwards I discovered also a shop there. Both buildings were at the middle of the jungle. So, being at the ranch, all you can see was the house, the way to the airport and the vegetation… so! It really wondered me a lot to discover we were just few steps from the lake with the beautiful waterfalls we saw from the plane! :D

We went to the shore of Canaima´s lake and while we were enjoying the view, Ericka was explaining us about the place, its settler, the Pemons and about the laws that protect the place (just Pemons could buy lands there, something that from my point of view is quite good, btw), about the vegetation, the animals, that the color of the lake was due the tannin… just that I was levitating so much watching that marvelous place, that I really don´t remember a lot, I´m afraid.

We navigated at the lake to the other shore in a dugout canoe, going as close to the waterfalls as possible. I like to take binoculars with me to this kind of places, it´s always great to appreciate a bit closer them.



We walk a bit in Anatoliy Island, they, the Spanish people, Germans and Americans were quite impressed by the vegetation, for me it was quite alike Guatemala, which is always great for me.



(To be continued.)

From Orinoco´s delta to Canaima. Canaima: Second Part.

The landscapes from the air, going from the Orionoco´s delta to Canaima were just great! :D



The Savannah, viewed from the air, precious! The Tepuis: impressive! And to watch the waterfalls while landing… amazing!! I felt in a dream! :D



In the same airport we found a small handcraft market, the guide told us we have just one more place for buying handcrafts, so we stayed a bit watching there. After that we went to a ranch that was at the same time the place to eat and the place to rest a bit.

Here a video for you to also enjoy it, just I should say it has no comparison with watching it right there.



(To be continued)

Going from Margarita Island to the Orinoco´s Delta. Canaima: First Part.

It was 6:20 in a Sunday morning. Esther, Rosa, Curro and I were already at the Hotel Dunes ´ reception waiting for our taxi. The night before we haven´t went to sleep soon, as far as that was the night of the end of the Scrabble in Spanish World Championship, but our illusion about what was coming up made us to be there that early with a big smile in our faces! :D

When we arrived at the airport they went to take a coffee to at least pretend to be awake! ;P I haven’t, because if I eat or drink something before 9:00 I usually have stomach problems, and wasn´t a good idea to take that risk before travelling by plane! We did the check in so quickly and went inside the waiting room talking about the experiences of the last days. In a point, I don´t remember exactly why, I started to sign and dance a bit of “valió la pena”, the song Esther and I sang at the karaoke… and she placed at my side to sign and dance as well! All this at the airport, full of Europeans and USA tourists! Hehehehe ;D

Our plane was a small one of the company LTA. At the waiting room we meet some Germans that would do the several days tour (lucky them!). Their guide explained all of us our respecting tours.



We should go first to an airport close to the Orinoco´s delta (sorry, I forgot the name!) :/ there the other group would start their adventure and we should continue to Canaima, flying over Salto Angel in our route to Canaima. So, it was important to choose a good window for taking the best photos and videos… something that I´m afraid wasn´t easy even being just few people, due the windows were with a lot of scratches or/and dirty.

The view was magnificent! Quite a lot of green, so brilliant, full of life! Sometimes you don´t released about how big is a country since you watch it from the air. It really wondered me, because other countries of the area, like Argentina or Brazil, exploit a lot their natural resources in a touristic way, but Venezuela, at least as far of what I had heard or watch before going there, doesn’t do it as how they should.

Here a pice of the beauty you can watch from the skye going from Margarita Island to that airport close to the Orinoco´s delta:



We arrived at the first airport, the other group went out and I took advantage to try to find a better place with a window without scratches neither dirty, but actually I haven´t found it, the best window I found was with a sight of a wing and part of one motor and I had to ask for a napkin to clean it up. After few minutes the steward told us that we should go out of the plane as well. We left our belongs at the plane, but nobody told us that more people will come in as well, so, I left the bag at the seat, but actually the right thing was to left them at the lockers of the plain, that´s what Curro did, for example. We went in different seats, in order to have a window of our own each one.

So, we went out of the plain, but nobody told us we should go inside the airport, so we stayed right there, at the side of the plain… till someone told us by signs to go inside. We stayed in a waiting room with a cafeteria, at that time I was able to eat something with no stomach problems, so I went straight to ask for a coffee and something to eat. Another lady came after me and she tried to ask about her food before me. Actually this is something “so Latin-American” so, I had life training on it, so I know perfectly what to do to avoid it (that means I asked about the food the first) ;P

Immediately I went to choose a table, they were doing the line to ask about food as well. I got sit giving them my back, as far as we had no idea of how long we´ll stay there; I started to eat as fast as I can. I wasn’t watching them, so, I couldn´t avoid laughing a lot when I heard Esther claiming so angry: “Ok! Does someone else would like to cut in the line like if I would be invisible! Damn!” :D Yeap, she was out of training for Latin-Americans´ customs! ;P

We were waiting for another group that was coming late from nobodyknows ;P they were a lot, mostly Germans. (Just that nobody explained that to us). Thanks of God we had our seats reserved! Well, more or less, in Curro´s case, as far as he left his belongs inside the locker, the seat looked like an empty one and somebody took it. So he had to sit in another one with the window with a lot of scratches. All this for finally not over flying Salto Angel! They said we´ll do coming back to Margarita, but with no explanations about why. Actually, if there´s something I really should complain about in that tour, is about the constant lack of information.

(To be continued.)