\n\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tVenezuelans really enjoy their protein food. Beef, chicken make up most meals, as do the occasional pork dish. Most meals are served with fried plantain and rice. Frying and grilling are the preparation methods of choice<\/b>. Fish is also a staple along the coastal towns, such as trout, red snapper, dorado and catfish<\/b>. Here is a sampling of traditional Venezuelan dishes: arepas<\/b> are fried corn pancake, usually stuffed with breakfast fare or meat or chicken; empanadas<\/b> are deep-fried cornmeal pastries, also filled with chicken, meats or seafood; and other stuffed food goodies include cachitos, cachapas and hallacas<\/b>. Venezuela's national dish is the Pabellon Criollo<\/b>, a wonderful mix of shredded beef, black beans and cheese. <\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tDesserts and sweets abound, like various types of rice puddings, mango jelly, churros and tropical ice creams<\/b>. Exotic fruits are grown easily in Venezuela, such as mango, papaya, avocado, coconut, passion fruit, and guava<\/b> are just a few. From these, delicious juices and nectars are pressed.<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t\t\tA glass of sugar cane juice with lemon or coconut milk<\/b> is just about the most refreshing drink on a hot day. Local rum<\/b> is ever popular, as are rum cocktails. Venezuelan coffee<\/b>, produced particularly from the western part, is quite appreciated by connoisseurs.<\/div>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n \n\t\t\t <\/p>\n \n\t\t\tCulture<\/div>\n \n\n\n\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tArt takes many forms in this wonderful country, from music, to dance, writing and painting, and many more. And most forms all have been greatly been influenced by Modernism<\/b>. In literature, many writers gained popularity through political essays following the move for independence. Venezuelan architecture also saw great changes, the first in the 1870s, and second in the 1950s, due to all the new oil wealth that was invested in the renovation of Caracas, making it today one of the most modern cities in the world. Kinetic art, sculptured works that include motion, has sprouted with popularity. <\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tJust about everywhere you go, music usually fills the air, with Latin, African and Indigenous rhythms. Venezuela's most traditional music style is called theGaita<\/b>, made up of improvised rhyming vocals, accompanied by four-stringed instruments and maracas. You will usually ear it at the many festivals and especially at Christmas time. Another similar traditional style is the Joropo<\/b>, and its dance, of the same name, is considered the national Venezuelan dance. Merengue and salsa have gained much popularity in Venezuela.<\/div>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n \n\t\t\t <\/p>\n \n\t\t\tGeography<\/div>\n \n\n\n\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tLocated just above the equator, Venezuela is situated in north eastern part of South America. Both the Caribbean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean lap at the extensive coastline. The capital city of Caracas can be found in the so-called Central region. Regions can vary greatly in altitude, from sea-level along the coast, to 2,500m in the Guiana Highlands and up to 5,007m in the Andes mountains. <\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t\t\tVenezuela is an incredible phenomenon of diverse geographical regions, creating very different and independent eco-systems. Among them are grasslands, rainforest, evergreen forests, tropical islands, massive mountain ranges, giant plains, great water basins and the planets most ancient plateau. Most scenery will take your breath away.<\/p><\/div>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n \n\t\t\t <\/p>\n \n\t\t\tHistory<\/div>\n \n\n\n\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tChristopher Columbus sighted Venezuela on his third voyage of discovery. While navigating along the Orinoco River, he soon realized the magnitude of his discovery. After seeing the stilted houses of the Indians, the land was called' Venezuela, which means little Venice. The Spanish settlers soon arrived, searching for gold, as well as cultivating and farming. As with the fate of most of the Caribbean islands, the Indians and soon black slaves were used to toil the land. <\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t\t\tA second push for independence began around the year 1820 by Simon Bolivar, first led by Francisco de Miranda. Bolivar was successful and liberated what was known at the time as Gran Colombia, in 1821, which encompassed Venezuela, Colombia and Ecuador. All three where later divided into the present countries in 1830. The decades that followed were marked by military dictatorships, and political and civil war uproars. A certain amount of stability was only achieved with the discovery of oil, bringing in large wealth, but only for the few. Much of the masses remained in complete poverty. In 1958, the country had its first free democratic election, making Romulo Bertancourt the first presidents. The political atmosphere remains uncertain at times.<\/p><\/div>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n \n\t\t\t <\/p>\n \n\t\t\tNature<\/div>\n \n\n\n\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t Hundreds of mammal species, 5 reptile species and 1,200 bird species<\/b> can be identified in Venezuela. Most impressive of all of these are the jaguar, puma, howler monkey, sloth, rare giant otter, caiman, boa, anaconda, condor, macaw, toucan, and the rare nocturnal oilbird. Venezuela's plant life is as exotic, with cacti, bromeliads, orchids, lichens, and some species of ferns, rare flowers, palms and fruit trees.<\/div>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n\n\t\t\t <\/p>\n \n\t\t\tSports<\/div>\n \n\n\n\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tThe incredible mountain ranges, like the Venezuelan Andes, offer incredible mountaineering, trekking, horse riding, paragliding, hangliding, mountain biking, rock-climbing, rafting, kayaking and hiking<\/b> experiences. Several places specialize in extreme sport or adventure excursions, such as Merida, Caripe and Gran Sabana. Venezuela offers in total 43 different national parks to play in and discover the natural beauty. Golfers can also take a swing on beautiful golf courses<\/b>, mostly found in big resorts and major tourist destinations. <\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tThe Venezuelans are crazy about baseball and soccer<\/b>. Many professional associations exist and every tiny park will have local games as well.<\/div>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n \n\t\t\t <\/p>\n | | | | | |
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