El Hatillo, Colonial Venezuelan Village

Today we visited El Hatillo, a colonial era village southeast of Caracas. It is about 10 miles away from where we are and took us 30 minutes to get there which is pretty good for Saturday traffic.

On our way there we stopped for gas. We are driving a Ford Explorer that is armored (Kris to Garity "that means it's bullet proof Gert, not that you can start ramming cars just because they tick you off") so it's very heavy and blows through a tank of gas fast. We filled it up for about $2.50...no that's what it cost to fill up the whole tank, not per gallon...yea, I know, we stink. Well what we save in gas gets spent elsewhere...like on milk that is $10 a gallon right now....or chicken breast at $12 a pound...no joke.

So then we decided to splurge on McDonalds for lunch since we weren't sure if Jamison would be cooperative at one of the restaurants in El Hatillo. Despite being 3 times the cost compared to the States, it was EXACTLY the same as McDonalds back home. You can order Happy Meals (Cajita Feliz) with a toy for a boy or girl, Big Macs, small, medium or large value meals, and tasty french fries...and you have to order in Spanish. Yep, just like the States.

We finished our lunch and drove just a little further to our destination. It's an interesting place in that it could be incredible but along with most of the other tourist locations here, it is in dire need of some attention and tender loving care.

This is a statue of Simon Bolivar in the plaza at the center of the town. He is the liberator of Venezuela, Colombia, Peru, Ecuador and Bolivia from Spain. (fun fact: The name of Venezuelan money is Bolivares or Bs from Simon Bolivar) I won't bore you with an extensive history (as much as I'd love to because I find it facinating) so here are the pictures:





These ranchitos were so beautiful painted all of these bright colors. I wish I would have gotten a better picture without all of the wires crossing in front of them. I know it sounds odd to call them beautiful but compared to the others around Caracas, these are beautiful especially since they coordinate with the colors of the town.



This is inside of a huge gift shop full of Venezuelan handicrafts. We were so happy to find this place because the prices were decent and the place was huge! Weston and Braedon picked out some beach shells, wooden flutes decorated with a Venezuelan motif, key chains for their collection and each picked out a hand carved domino set. I bought 3 life size carved wooden cacao pods and some surprises for Kris' siblings.

We got home and when we walked into the apartment, there were 2 little birds flying around inside. We were able to shoo them out eventually but not before they left little surprises all over. I tell you what, I love birds but they are really starting to get on my nerves. Between the macaws yelling at each other all day, the pigeons sharing their parasites and these little guys pooping everywhere I am starting to think birds don't like me! Cardinals NEVER treated me like this!!!!!

I have to mention the dog that lives on the floor below us. It's a little Bichon Friese or something like it. The owner lets it bark all day long and the boys run past that floor when we go up the stairs. (The power goes out so often I don't like taking the elevator, and it's not like the stairs are a bad thing) The kids and I were walking up the stairs last week when it got out as the owner opened the door. It went right after the kids barking up a storm and scaring the boys up against the wall with poor Jamison clinging to me and screaming louder than the dog was barking.

The second time, I had Jamison by both hands helping him walk up the stairs and the mutt got out and bee-lined right for Jamison. I barely got him up in time. I told the owner next time her dog comes after us I'd hurt it. So third time just a few nights ago, I opened the door to our apartment to take the trash to the trash chute in the hallway and the owner was standing there talking to our neighbor with her dog standing next to her. My hands were full so I couldn't get the door closed, Jamison was on the floor behind me as I was walking out the door and the dog again, barking like a fiend, charged straight towards us. Mother Bear reflexes took over and I charged right back at it before it got close to our door and with a well placed kick I launched it down the hall. I should have kicked the owner in the butt at that time for making me kick her dog but I was more concerned with calming Jamison down.

I called the landlady to let her know what happened and that she was probably going to get a phone call from the owner to complain. She said "Good for you! That dog bites!". It hasn't bothered us since and Weston and Braedon walk up the stairs without fear when they hear it barking. I'm still on guard since we can't do anything more. I think the owner got the hint, at least I hope she did because it would break my heart to have to really hurt the poor mutt in order to keep my kids safe. We are keeping our fingers crossed the owner keeps it under control in her own apartment.