Venezuela

Venezuela is a large country on South America’s North coast, named after Venice by explorer Amerigo Vespucci. The official language is Spanish but many indigenous languages such as indigenous languages, including Wayuu, Warao, and Pemón are also spoken, along with Arabic and Portuguese. The terrain includes mountains, rainforest, and plains. As you might imagine, jungle tropics and glacial highlands have different temperatures. Venezuela is counted among megadiverse countries for its vast collection of biological species. Orchids, fungi, and birds are impressive in number, and the wetlands are teeming with caimans, capybaras, piranhas, and anacondas. Oil, natural gas, and gold are very big business in Venezuela. You shouldn’t miss the world’s highest waterfall at Salto Ángel, and if you’re into great adventures, you can go trekking in the Sierra Nevadas. There is culture in Caracas, and you can study it at the Fundación Bigott. Workshops of varying length in traditional subjects as diverse as crafts, music, and cooking are offered, and you can also visit the research library or pick up meaningful souvenirs at their gift shop.

Venezuela has a wide world of foods, but there are some commonalities across regions. Corn, rice, plantain, and yams are popular starchy staples. Typical vegetables include tomatoes, eggplants, squashes, and zucchini. In the East, a lot of seafood is eaten. Beef is popular in most parts of the country, but more game such as deer, chigüire, lapa, and morrocoy are eaten in the grassy plains of the Llanos, and out in the occidente (West) goat and rabbit are common. Hallacas and arepas are both made from cornmeal dough with interesting fillings. Omnivores may enjoy pabellón criollo, the traditional Venezuelan version of rice and beans that usually contains shredded beef and black beans, considered the Venezuelan national dish by some. Try piska andina, a hearty soup with potatoes, eggs, smoked cheese, and fresh cilantro. Whether or not you like to drink alcohol, you can enjoy a chicha, or corn beverage. Sometimes you get a fruit version like grape or apple, or a chicha morada (a sort of corn juice), but chicha de jora has a bit of a kick!