Yesterday, we spent a sunny March afternoon with Borgit and Micheal in celebration of Lucile's first year on this Earth. And like always, interesting stories and reflections of our time in Venezuela typically arise. Sometimes, we are lucky enough to hear the same story, with the same level of excitement and enthusiasm, multiple times! Yesterday was one of those days! Yes, we were in the car with you on the way to Santa Fe, when you bought that crazy ball and we've heard the brownie story....and hope to hear them again & again. Here are some of my favorite photos from our time in Venezuela, as I re-collect photos and written memories from my long lost soggy-wet travel journals lost in the basement flood. Thanks Ali, Borgit, and Micheal for great memories, keeping each other safe, helping each other keep our sanity (per say), for spending endless evenings in the junk yard with me, and for some of the photos used in this post to help keep the memories alive! Thanks to the others for creating entertainment for us to watch and giggle about as we relaxed in the junk yard.
When I think of what I want out of my upcoming Mexico experience, I want lasting memories which cause me to belly chuckle and smile, a local grocery store that is never out of toilet paper and doesn't smell like... (I'm not sure of how to comment on the smell in an appropriate manner but also hope to never smell the 'UniCasa' smell again), and a junk yard to spend endless hours in with friends!
When I think of what I want out of my upcoming Mexico experience, I want lasting memories which cause me to belly chuckle and smile, a local grocery store that is never out of toilet paper and doesn't smell like... (I'm not sure of how to comment on the smell in an appropriate manner but also hope to never smell the 'UniCasa' smell again), and a junk yard to spend endless hours in with friends!
Birthday party with Yelitza & Jenny's family and neighborhood kids. One of my most humbling & unique experiences in Venezuela. Only food made was for the 3 gringo visitors, no indoor bathroom or plumbing, cooked on hand built fire, house made of sheet metal stacked against each other, and time spent with some of the happiest & most giving people ever!
Birthday party bliss!
Street vendors along main highway to the beach. The best vendor is the guy selling ice cold beers to the passing cars!
Our weekend escape to Santa Fe...and the only time we traveled 'Left' out of the high cement walls, electrical fence, and past the armed guards of the compound we called home.
Santa Fe, Venezuela
Isla Caracas just a short boat ride from Santa Fe (Ali, Becca, O, Borgit, Denker, Sam, & yo).
Santa Fe, Venezuela
Isla Margarita, Venezuela
Seriously, how do I not post this picture. The funniest, most disfunctional boat ride ever...don't even know where to begin to explain this one! Few thoughts come to mind: big hair, who brought the drunk guy, what is in the European guys speedo, and looking at the pretty rocks (by laying your face in the sand).
Sam climbed the sketchy school water tower to capture the first glance of the shanty-town constructed around the school, after Chavez told the people to claim their land.
The shanty-town grew very large in the upcoming days.
Protests in front of the school and shanty-town which resulted in 'lock down'.
United States Presidential Elections doing our best to keep a low profile.
