Venezuela

Venezuela is a country of Latin America. It has a magnificent Caribbean shore, beaches and coasts where pirates used to arrive, and sweeping extensions of flat terrain. Venezuela has even more to offer, both in the tourist and cultural realm.

If you want to know more about ''the little Venice'' (that's what the Spanish conquerors called it) keep reading!

Geography and History

Venezuela is formed by a continental part and by several islands. The mainland is bordered to the north by the Caribbean Sea and to the south by Colombia and Brazil. Because of its location in the north of South America it has a mild climate. The seasons do not differ much from one another, and the country has a rainy season and a dry season.

Venezuela is a very varied country. It has a mountainous zone in the west where the Venezuelan Andes lie. To the south of the mountains are the Llanos, a flat area with many rivers (the Orinoco is the most important).

Venezuela is a federal state. It has 23 states, the capital district (with the city of Caracas) and the islands (311 islands, many of them uninhabited).

Venezuela was inhabited from prehistoric times. In pre-Columbian times lived several civilizations that left us important ceramics and remains of early constructions.

Later, Venezuela was a colony of Spain. The conquerors saw the beautiful lake houses that the native inhabitants had built in the lagoons. For these constructions they called the new country Venezuela, that is, ''the little Venice.'' The country was part of the Spanish Empire until its independence. During the colonial period, many buildings and universities were built that still remain today.

Venezuela became independent of Spain in 1811 after a war in which the most important figure was Simón Bolívar the libertador (liberator). Bolívar wanted to organize a federation of South American states. All the states that had been Spanish colonies would form part of this federation. However, Bolívar did not achieve his purpose.

Venezuela was organized as a federal republic. Its modern history saw a period of wars and instability that ended in 1958, when a democratic regime and a new constitution was created.

Since then, Venezuela has had various governments and economic and social development along with some crises of political instability.

Places to Visit

There are many places to visit in Venezuela which include:

• Margarita Island: A dreamy Caribbean island surrounded by the transparent waters of the Caribbean and many beaches and hotels.

• Mérida: A university city with magnificent colonial buildings.

• Canaima National Park: One of the largest national parks in the world located on the border with Brazil. Here is the famous Salto del Ángel (Angel Falls), the highest waterfall of the world.

• Coro: A very well preserved colonial city, declared a World Heritage Site by Unesco.

• Maracaibo: If you like pirate stories and have ever dreamed of embarking on a ship with a black flag you have to see this town, port of arrival of the pirate ships and now a tourist center.

Gastronomy

The cuisine of Venezuela features delicious recipes that come from a mixture of cultures and traditions. In Venezuela we can find recipes based on meat, fish, corn, fruits and vegetables.

In each region there are characteristic dishes. Let's see some famous recipes that are spread all over the country:

• Cachapa: A fried corn dough that can be filled with various ingredients such as cheese, sugar, egg, milk or butter.

• Patacón: A dish of fried banana slices.

• Pan de jamón (ham bread): A bread stuffed with ham, bacon, raisins and olives. It's a typical Christmas meal.

• Asado negro (black roast): A beef roast prepared with spices, molasses and wine. The molasses gives it its dark color, which is why it's called black roast.

Linguistic Peculiarities

In Venezuela, as in almost all South American countries, Spanish is spoken. The Spanish of Venezuela has some typical characteristics that differentiate it from the Spanish of other countries. Let's look at some of the more ear-catching peculiarities:

• Different order of words in interrogative phrases: For example, to ask what you want in Spanish, the most common way would be to say tú qué quieres? instead, in Venezuela we hear qué tú quieres?

• Typical expressions include: compái (mate), hijo er diablo (a naughty boy), and ¡mayor! (expression of amazement at seeing a very large thing).

Holidays and Traditions

Venezuela is a predominantly Catholic country, so many of its holidays are related to important moments in the Catholic calendar such as Easter or Christmas.

One of the most characteristic festivals of Venezuela is the diablos danzantes de Yare (dancing devils of Yare). It is a festival well known both inside and outside the country in which both Venezuelans and tourists participate.

The day of Corpus Christi (nine weeks after Holy Thursday) is celebrated in the state of Miranda, in the town of Yare. Several people dressed as devils in red suits and colorful masks go out into the street. There they dance in front of all the curious who attend the spectacle.

Another important festival is the feria de la Chinita. Chinita is the affectionate name that the Venezuelans give to the Virgin of Chiquinquirá, town in the state of Zulia. This festival is celebrated at the end of November. There are musical shows, religious functions, bullfights and many more things.