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| ¡Viva Venezuela! by Ronaldo Jiminez |
We landed in Caracas in January of 2005 and stayed for three weeks. I travel on business a few times a
year, usually to Latin America, but this was my first trip to Venezuela and I was looking forward to it.
Traveling on business presents me with a set of people to get to know and with whom I immediately
have something in common: we have work to get done.
As anyone who travels knows, the natives of a place are usually ready and willing to show you their
country. This group was no different, but I’ll get to that in a minute. I found the business culture in
Venezuela really interesting. We usually got started at 9 A.M. each morning and by 10:30 we were
breaking for ‘un cafezito’. While my co-worker thought this a frivolous waste of time, I found it
extremely civilized and a lot more effective than the moronic ‘team-building’ we regularly find ourselves
subjected to at the home office.
year, usually to Latin America, but this was my first trip to Venezuela and I was looking forward to it.
Traveling on business presents me with a set of people to get to know and with whom I immediately
have something in common: we have work to get done.
As anyone who travels knows, the natives of a place are usually ready and willing to show you their
country. This group was no different, but I’ll get to that in a minute. I found the business culture in
Venezuela really interesting. We usually got started at 9 A.M. each morning and by 10:30 we were
breaking for ‘un cafezito’. While my co-worker thought this a frivolous waste of time, I found it
extremely civilized and a lot more effective than the moronic ‘team-building’ we regularly find ourselves
subjected to at the home office.
During these coffee breaks (there was another one
between lunch and quitting time) there
was time to talk and exchange information about
each other. Be prepared for what will seem very
personal questions by North American standards.
This is pretty common in Latin America and you
are expected to ask the same questions of them.
Venezuelan people run the gamut of phenotypes.
You have your natural blondes, but they are in the
minority. This is a country of color. And since I
insist there is more than just Black and White in
the world I use this term. They are comfortable
with people of color and the immediate affinity
they expressed toward me was not only because I
between lunch and quitting time) there
was time to talk and exchange information about
each other. Be prepared for what will seem very
personal questions by North American standards.
This is pretty common in Latin America and you
are expected to ask the same questions of them.
Venezuelan people run the gamut of phenotypes.
You have your natural blondes, but they are in the
minority. This is a country of color. And since I
insist there is more than just Black and White in
the world I use this term. They are comfortable
with people of color and the immediate affinity
they expressed toward me was not only because I
| Enjoying a "cafezito". |
am Latino and speak Spanish. It was also because of my brown skin and curly hair, something familiar.
I was pleased to be in a place where everyone does not aspire to be blond (that gets really tiresome) and
the standard of beauty is not taken from Vogue or Marie Claire.
Caracas is intensely urban and the ‘feel’ of the place reminded me of São Paulo or Miami. The malls,
Centros Comerciales, are vertical skyscrapers, instead of the sprawling one story kind we’re accustomed
to in the States. Sambil and San Ignacio are the two we became familiar with. When you enter a
restaurant in one of these places you forget completely that you‘re in a mall. The elevation (more than
10 stories) is taken advantage of and there is al fresco terrace dining with incredible views over the city.
Caracas is also very cosmopolitan, so don’t expect to be stared at because you are a foreigner. There
are world class Vietnamese, (European) Spanish, Italian and Portuguese restaurants here. Try the Paella,
you won’t be disappointed! Venezuela has Italian and Portuguese populations numbering in the millions,
so it is common to hear these languages spoken alongside Spanish.
I was pleased to be in a place where everyone does not aspire to be blond (that gets really tiresome) and
the standard of beauty is not taken from Vogue or Marie Claire.
Caracas is intensely urban and the ‘feel’ of the place reminded me of São Paulo or Miami. The malls,
Centros Comerciales, are vertical skyscrapers, instead of the sprawling one story kind we’re accustomed
to in the States. Sambil and San Ignacio are the two we became familiar with. When you enter a
restaurant in one of these places you forget completely that you‘re in a mall. The elevation (more than
10 stories) is taken advantage of and there is al fresco terrace dining with incredible views over the city.
Caracas is also very cosmopolitan, so don’t expect to be stared at because you are a foreigner. There
are world class Vietnamese, (European) Spanish, Italian and Portuguese restaurants here. Try the Paella,
you won’t be disappointed! Venezuela has Italian and Portuguese populations numbering in the millions,
so it is common to hear these languages spoken alongside Spanish.
I always chat up the cab drivers
when I travel. They know
everything there is to know about
their city and they’re usually great
ambassadors, wanting to show
you the best of what it has to
offer. Caraqueños are very
friendly and if you speak even a
little Spanish they will gladly
spend time talking. If you are a
native English speaker, trust me,
once the word is out you will
become everyone’s tutor. Nearly
everyone seems to be in school
studying English.
Nationality is an interesting
subject in Venezuela. On any
when I travel. They know
everything there is to know about
their city and they’re usually great
ambassadors, wanting to show
you the best of what it has to
offer. Caraqueños are very
friendly and if you speak even a
little Spanish they will gladly
spend time talking. If you are a
native English speaker, trust me,
once the word is out you will
become everyone’s tutor. Nearly
everyone seems to be in school
studying English.
Nationality is an interesting
subject in Venezuela. On any
| Caracas at the foot of El Avila |
Sunday you can stroll through the Plaza Simon Bolivar and hear President Hugo Chavez haranguing for
hours on end, courtesy of the loud speakers set up almost everywhere. He rails against the Colombians
and the Americans and the list goes on.
On January 22nd there was a half day parade, complete with effigies of Condoleezza Rice and George
Bush, slamming live salsa music and plenty of megaphone. This is the occasion of President Chavez’
coming to power and there was plenty of anti-American rhetoric to go around. Later that day people
who realized we were Americans turned out to be very curious about the States. They plied us with
questions and said how glad they were that we came to their beautiful country. If you are Colombian,
now that is another matter. There is a lot of tension between these two countries and this is the subject
of some pretty heated café talk on Sunday afternoons.
hours on end, courtesy of the loud speakers set up almost everywhere. He rails against the Colombians
and the Americans and the list goes on.
On January 22nd there was a half day parade, complete with effigies of Condoleezza Rice and George
Bush, slamming live salsa music and plenty of megaphone. This is the occasion of President Chavez’
coming to power and there was plenty of anti-American rhetoric to go around. Later that day people
who realized we were Americans turned out to be very curious about the States. They plied us with
questions and said how glad they were that we came to their beautiful country. If you are Colombian,
now that is another matter. There is a lot of tension between these two countries and this is the subject
of some pretty heated café talk on Sunday afternoons.
This is a beautiful country, despite the
grinding poverty in the slums above
and around Caracas. The northern
limit of the city is defined by a
mountain known as El Avila. Our
hosts were anxious to show us the
recreation facilities at the top and so
we planned a trip up via Teleférico
(cable car). Five of us easily fit into a
car and we were off into the clouds.
During the ride up (and down) there is
a point at which you can’t see the city
below or the peak you are rising
toward. Clouds surround you and
there are glimpses of the carpet of
jungle below. It is a sight so sublime
grinding poverty in the slums above
and around Caracas. The northern
limit of the city is defined by a
mountain known as El Avila. Our
hosts were anxious to show us the
recreation facilities at the top and so
we planned a trip up via Teleférico
(cable car). Five of us easily fit into a
car and we were off into the clouds.
During the ride up (and down) there is
a point at which you can’t see the city
below or the peak you are rising
toward. Clouds surround you and
there are glimpses of the carpet of
jungle below. It is a sight so sublime
| The reality of the slums. |
and beautiful and humbling these words fall far short of what I want to communicate.
At the top there is an extensive entertainment complex, with restaurants, gardens, even an ice skating
rink. Go figure! La India, one of my favorite Salsa singers happened to be performing live that day.
Venezuelans don’t miss an opportunity to dance and we all partied for a while with the rest of the
crowd. The ride back down was just as hypnotic, especially when the car came out of the clouds into a
brilliant tropical sun with Caracas waiting for us down below.
At the top there is an extensive entertainment complex, with restaurants, gardens, even an ice skating
rink. Go figure! La India, one of my favorite Salsa singers happened to be performing live that day.
Venezuelans don’t miss an opportunity to dance and we all partied for a while with the rest of the
crowd. The ride back down was just as hypnotic, especially when the car came out of the clouds into a
brilliant tropical sun with Caracas waiting for us down below.
The same day we were driven to a colonial
town east of Caracas called El Hatillo. I
am NOT a shopper! But I couldn’t prove
it that day when I saw all that El Hatillo
has to offer. Woven grass baskets from the
Amazon, pottery from Colombia,
hammocks from Brazil, this place had it
all. El Hatillo has been preserved from
colonial times by ordinances that prohibit
changing the exterior of the buildings,
although every manner of business
occupies the brightly painted shells. I
strongly recommend getting to El Hatillo
and El Avila if you do nothing else in else
in Caracas. Believe it or not one of the
biggest treats for me was running from one
customer appointment to another, eating
town east of Caracas called El Hatillo. I
am NOT a shopper! But I couldn’t prove
it that day when I saw all that El Hatillo
has to offer. Woven grass baskets from the
Amazon, pottery from Colombia,
hammocks from Brazil, this place had it
all. El Hatillo has been preserved from
colonial times by ordinances that prohibit
changing the exterior of the buildings,
although every manner of business
occupies the brightly painted shells. I
strongly recommend getting to El Hatillo
and El Avila if you do nothing else in else
in Caracas. Believe it or not one of the
biggest treats for me was running from one
customer appointment to another, eating
| Cathedral Over Caracas |
at outdoor stands on the way and moving around and among the people. This is the whole point of
traveling for me.
Caracas is a big city, with all the problems of a big city to boot. But a healthy dose of common sense,
an open mind and even a little Spanish will ensure a great time among these generous and big hearted
people.
¡Viva Venezuela!
traveling for me.
Caracas is a big city, with all the problems of a big city to boot. But a healthy dose of common sense,
an open mind and even a little Spanish will ensure a great time among these generous and big hearted
people.
¡Viva Venezuela!
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