11/17/2009 5:00:00 AM
Chip Albright: To the end of Venezuela, on to Colombia
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| Chip Albright |
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By Chip Albright
www.chipalbright.org
chipalbright2@aol.com
I stopped and asked a local shop keeper how many white people or tourist ever makes it out this way? He told me I am the first he has seen. That got me thinking that for the past month, I have not had an English conversation or seen another white person. He called me a crazy local green-grow to be biking in this swamp land.
I met a couple at a roadside stand, and we had a small chat. The shop owner gave me a free ice cold bottle of water on my way out. Five minutes later the couple I had the chat with pulled over and gave me $20 for no reason. They told me to get a nice meal and cold fresh drink with the cash. The next day, once again, a person gave me 10 American dollars. He was on a motor bike, and we chatted for 3 kms while going down the road. He got out his wallet and just gave me the cash. It just came from the goodness of his heart. As he sped off in the distance, I was just laughing to myself and asking old Goaso, "Why on earth are people giving us money?" Maybe it was the way I looked dirty and poor, or was it just the warm-hearted people that make up the country of Venezuela?
On my fourth day crossing the swamplands, I came across a sign post that was labeled Laguna Hermosa, which means beautiful Laguna in English. It summed up my day on the bike. I saw numerous different types of birds ranging from four feet tall to little guys, bright pink and yellow. I watched them hunt for fish in the swamplands and fly over my head. I saw two camions that I scared into the water by the roadside. Each one was about five feet long. I started the day at sunrise and saw my first Puma of the trip. I have wanted to see one for ages. The sun was just rising, and there he was, just 50 yards away by a small forest. I hit my breaks to stop, and the squeaking noise made the Puma take one look at me, and in two leaps, he was in the tree cover.
Around mid-day a massive storm rolled in and dumped buckets of cool rain down on top of me and then rolled on out to the horizon making its way across the swamplands. It was beautiful to see the edge of the storm next to the bright blue sky. Mother Nature was at work as the whole day was simple and lovely. With nightfall coming, I had no place to pitch my tent as water covered both sides of the road. I pulled into a farm and asked if I could pitch my tent in their front yard. They had no problems with this. I was setting up my tent when one of the family members, a boy of about 18 or so brought me a plate of food. It was noodles with red spicy sauce, yucca, and beef steak. They didn't even ask me if I was hungry or mention anything about food. They had seven kids in the family and lived in a small wooden shack, took bucket showers at night and had little money, but they felt the need to feed me.
In the morning, I got an early start with the goal of making it to Colombia. I didn't make it though as my back rim was completely shot, wobbling all over the place with two broken spokes. I was 50kms from the border and ran into a man named David. He invited me into his house with his family on the side of the road. I looked at him and went with my gut instinct. I trusted him and did it ever turn out to be a good move. I spent six days with David and his family, eating traditional Venezuelan food. We ate Arapa bread and big lunches and dinners every night. Our days were spent swimming up in the rivers of the Andes, drinking beer with him and his mates, going out at night and dancing at the disco, and enjoying the Venezuelan lifestyle. I even went up to Maracaibo, a 10 hour bus ride up north from his small village, to a Chavez anti-American Revolution meeting. It was pretty funny to think that I was a US citizen at the college. What it was all about was the movement towards Chavez socialism and becoming anti-American. I ate the free food and sipped on the free coffee all day. I wondered what Ol' Mr. Chavez would have thought of that one. David and I didn't tell anyone I was from the good old USA. It was great to get a real insight to the lives of these people and ask them what they think of Chavez as their leader. He must be doing something right as he has been the leader of the country for 10 years and still going.
My six days at David's house flew by way too fast, and I knew I had to hit the road and get back to my trip. I got a late start after eating a huge breakfast and his family stacking my saddle bags full of rice, tuna, oats, sugar, and pasta. David bought me a pack of smokes for the road and six cans of the chewing tobacco Chimo. I was so thankful for the time I spent there. I never spent a penny of my own money. David and his family wouldn't let me. I was their guest, and they made me feel right at home.
It was around 1 p.m. as I headed to the foothills of the Andes with a back wheel that was not looking good. I spent most of the day climbing up the Andes Mountains and my back wheel just gave out. Old Goaso was unridable. It was nightfall and I was on the mountain side. There were cliff edges on both side of the road and no place to put my tent. So, I started walking my bike up the mountainside and was in a real jam. I stopped at a house and asked if I could camp in the front yard. The lady at first was uneasy of me and she had every right to be. As I was a stranger on a bike with a massive red beard. Then for some reason she said ok (must have been my big Chip smile). I was setting up camp in her front yard and she came over and told me that I should put my tent under her front porch and that she had dinner ready if I was hungry. It was just a perfect last night in Venezuela and summed up the country as a whole. Once again, the generosity and good hearted people make this country beautiful. I ate dinner with her and her three daughters and one son. They were interested in my travels and homeland. I said my thanks before hitting the sack, and the family gave me 1 kilo of rice and two cans of tuna for the road. Beautiful people and a Beautiful country.
It was 6 a.m. and I was off, walking my bike up the mountain side, upset that I couldn't ride and that I had become a hitchhiker. To my surprise, I got two quick rides and was at the border of Venezuela and Colombia in no time. I had one small problem however; it seems that a tourist exiting the country needs to pay a fee of 66 Venezuelan dollars. I had no cash left and no way out of the country. Most banks and shops don't take American Visa cards and ATMs don't either. Another one of Chavez's little tricks to stay anti-American. So I went up to the main immigration office and thought to myself, "How can I look like I have no cash and homeless?" Then I saw my reflection in a shop's mirror and laughed. I was chewing the chimo tobacco and was covered in oil from trying to fix my back wheel. I had a quick five minute chat with the immigration office, and they enjoyed hearing the story of my journey. They stamped me out of the country for free, and into Colombia I went. I made my way to Cucuta where they have the size 28 rim that fit my bike.
As I looked back on my one-month journey across Venezuela, I realized it was more than amazing. I have a good understanding of the leader Chavez now. Is he good or bad for the country? Well, he does give out free health care, water and electricity. Public education is also free, and in cities free places to eat for the poor and special super market or food shops for the poor. He comes from a military background, and they have one way of doing things, if you know what I mean. He does enough to keep the country going and makes a pretty penny off of the rest. I have no idea how long he will stay in power, but as long as he keeps the hearts of the young people and his whole revolutionary idea, he could be there for years to come... just a little insight from what I picked up talking with the locals and David's mates and family.
Well, as I sum up the country of Venezuela, I have to say that it's beautiful from the water falls of the Grand Sanaha to the mountain tops and from the swamp lands to the rolling green hills in the middle of the country. Most of all, though, it's the people that make this country what it is. Beautiful and warm-hearted, friendly and curious about what a crazy white man on a bike is doing in their country. Full of smiles and great conversations, they invited me into their homes and into their hearts.
I am happy I biked through this country, and it just goes to show you that all the talk you hear from others is not always true. Go and look up the web page of the USA embassy about Venezuela travel page and see what it says. Think about my story of crossing the country on a push bike. Maybe I got lucky and met the right people, but I can only give thanks and think of all the warm-hearted gifts I received from the locals of Venezuela. Simply a beautiful country made up of beautiful people. Amazing, my friends!
For more info or pictures go to my website.
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Posted: Friday, November 20, 2009
Article comment by:
gustavo coronel
I am a senior venezuelan and I know the people the author is talking about: warm hearted and generous. Venezuelans have been like this for many years. It has nothing to do with Chavez, a dictator who has ruined our country.The author seems to be doing him some promotion. He is wrong and or biased.
The geography he describes is very shaky: swamps, Andes, are not anywhere near.Where were the swamps? Give us a name!
Posted: Tuesday, November 17, 2009
Article comment by:
jsb
It's "gringo" !!! Not "Green Grow". :-)
Posted: Tuesday, November 17, 2009
Article comment by:
Leo Boogie
I lived for 1 year in Venezuela I am a singer & musician--I performed at Juan Sebastian Bar in Caracas I also had an offer made to me to record a track with GUACO-- if you know Venezuela--you know they are the most popular group from that nation-- I needed $5,000.00 to do the project which I sadly did not have-- I would have been the first USA singer & musican to record a track with a famous Venezuelan group--My experience with the people of Venezuela was similar to yours-- they are a beautiful people-- generous -loving--respectful-- the women are sensual--feminine-- know how to treat a man & retain their femininity even when they have a profession-- & the children are very normal-- no one on Ritalin etc--all in all a splended nation--- the music is also awesome & very romantic--I an not surprised at your experience in Venezuela-- if you desire more info on me-- my website is--Leoboogie.com-- I wish you well in your travels
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