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Monday, 31 July 2017
VENEZUELA: Caracas The Dangerous City And One Of The Most Violent In The World
Caracas is the capital and largest city of Venezuela. It is located in northern Venezuela, near the Caribbean.
Venezuela's urban spirit can be discovered mainly from understanding Caracas, its capital city.
Caracas , officially Santiago de León de Caracas, is the capital, the center of the Greater Caracas Area, and the largest city of Venezuela. Caracas is located along the Guaire River in the northern part of the country, following the contours of the narrow Caracas Valley on the Venezuelan coastal mountain range or Cordillera de la Costa. Terrain suitable for building lies between 760 and 910 m (2,490 and 2,990 ft) above sea level. The valley is close to the Caribbean Sea, separated from the coast by a steep 2,200-metre-high (7,200 ft) mountain range, Cerro El Ávila; to the south there are more hills and mountains.
The Metropolitan District of Caracas is made up of five municipalities: Libertador Municipality which is the only administrative division of the Venezuelan Capital District, and four other municipalities, which are within in Miranda State: Chacao, Baruta, Sucre, and El Hatillo. Libertador holds many of the government buildings and is the Capital District or Distrito Capital. The Distrito Capital had a population of 2,013,366 as of while the Metropolitan District of Caracas was estimated at 3,273,863 as of 2013.The Metropolitan Region of Caracas has an estimated population of 5,243,301.
Businesses in the city include service companies, banks, and malls. Caracas has a largely service-based economy, apart from some industrial activity in its metropolitan area.The Caracas Stock Exchange and Petróleos de Venezuela (PDVSA) are headquartered in Caracas. PDVSA is the largest company in Venezuela. Caracas is also Venezuela's cultural capital, with many restaurants, theaters, museums, and shopping centers. Some of the tallest skyscrapers in Latin America are located in Caracas.
In 2015, Caracas had the highest per capita murder rates in the world, with 119 homicides per 100,000 inhabitants. Most murders and other violent crimes go unsolved.
Caracas is located under the Avila, a mountain that reaches 2600 meters (7800 ft.), where the Humboldt Hotel is located, which you can reach by cable car. Definitely for tourists, it is the best activity around the city, because of the beautiful view and the nice and cool weather. If you like hiking you can also make a three to four hour excursion, and return by cable car or walking.
Caracas is not one of the top touristic destinations of Venezuela, and travelers often bypass the capital city in order to see the country's amazing natural attractions. However, the Venezuelan capital can be a fascinating city to explore, replete with excellent art, food and a bustling nightlife.
Caracas is also a cultural center. The museum of modern art, is one of the most important in south America and you can appreciate high quality works. Every year Caracas hosts an international Theater Festival, where groups from all over the world meet.
Caracas is known for the quality of its restaurants, where you can have meals from all over the world. It also has several shopping centers, modern and luxurious that make shopping and interesting activity. Among the most popular buys for the tourists are gold jewels and shoes a consequence of the Italian immigration in the fifties.
Caracas has several parks. The biggest one is the Avila National Park, where sport fans can climb 400 meters (1200 ft) in half an hour, and be awarded with a beautiful view of the city.
Caracas is located in a beautiful valley, overlooked by Mount Avila, an impressive mountain that separates the city from the Caribbean Sea and shapes most of the city's landscape. It is a popular weekend destination for the city's residents known as Caraquenos and is easily reached by taking a very modern cable car that goes all the way from the mountain base to the newly nationalized Waraira Repano park, which is situated at the top of the mountain.
The airport that serves Caracas is Maiquetia International Airport,Simon Bolivar. It is a modern airport that connects Caracas to the main cities of the nation and many other cities in south, central and north America.
Caracas inhabitants can enjoy all year long the beaches, located at only half an hour or the nice weather of the mountain, at a similar distance. One of the most popular trips is to Colonia Tovar, a German village in the tropics.
In Caracas the staggering inequalities of wealth that characterize Venezuela's economic situation are on display. They range from very poor neighborhoods in the hills west of the city called barrios, to the modern business district of El Rosal, or even the huge mansions of the rich eastern neighborhoods.
The city's streets and highways are always crowded with vehicles, as Venezuela has the cheapest gasoline in the world. Subsidized gasoline and inadequate infrastructure have helped spur pollution and big traffic lines in almost all of the inner city motorways. Caracas' subway system, once one of the best in all Latin America, is still quick but is often crowded and prone to delays.
Visitors need to be aware that Caracas remains one of the most violent cities in the world, with large parts of the city effectively No Go Areas to outsiders. Murder tallies of as many as 40 are not uncommon on weekends, so exercising caution and common sense,especially at night is essential to a safe visit.
Caracas is a cosmopolitan city and is admired for its gastronomy. It has restaurants and bars inspired by the cuisine of many different countries and cultures due to great waves of immigration from Europe and the Middle East after the Second World War.
The city is filled with centros comerciales and department stores, and the popular restaurants and clubs in the towering malls due to security concerns. In the San Ignacio Mall you'll find the city's young, rich and beautiful drinking whiskey and Las Mercedes and La Castellana districts are also popular late night hot spots.
People often party until 4 or 5 o'clock in the morning, so it's advisable to take a cab that you trust when heading out.
Caracas has a tropical climate with very little variation between summer and winter temperatures. Set in a valley some 900 meters above sea level, its climate is often described as its best feature: never cold, seldom too hot. Average daily temperature in summer ranges from a minimum of 18˚C (64˚F) to a maximum of 28˚C (82˚F). Winter temperatures are only two to three degrees cooler. Most rainfall occurs during the period from May to November and can be accompanied by electrical storms.
A complicated foreign exchange control system creates famous headaches for foreign travellers. Using the official SIMADI exchange rate means paying 3 to 4 times more than is reasonable for all goods and services since prices are set according to the real value of the Bolivar the parallel rate.
The alternative using the more realistic parallel rate renders travel in Caracas quite cheap, although it means you must come with enough dollars to pay for your entire trip, as you cannot obtain them inside the country. Parallel currency trading,exchanging currency as the parallel rate instead of the official rate is illegal, and could potentially get you scammed or into serious trouble, even jail.
However, this is the way that the economy functions and the locals are heavily reliant upon buying dollars/euro since their own currency is subject to 30% inflation per year, so if you have a contact in Venezuela they will certainly know someone who can exchange currency at around the unofficial rate.
If you have a trusted local contact, your best bet is to buy currency discreetly from him or her at the parallel rate. Most airport employees that approach you discreetly looking to sell at the parallel rate are also reliable. Most locals will advise you not to even consider coming to visit unless you have a friend in the area who can help you to navigate the complicated currency situation and move around safely as well.
Note that all credit card transactions are processed at the SIMADI rate, which makes using foreign credit cards about 4 times as expensive in Venezuela as if you had brought cash and converted it to BsF. It will be hard to sell your excess Bolivares, unless you go to border towns in Colombia or Brazil, and you will only be able to get the unofficial rate, no one will convert at the SIMADI rate from BsF into dollars. Cucuta is usually the best place to do so.
If you decide to go the Official-rate route, remember that foreign exchange transactions must take place through exchange houses or via credit cards. Unfortunately, it is no longer possible to exchange money at hotels. Currency exchange for tourists can be arranged at casas de cambio (exchange houses), located near most major hotels. It is technically also possible to exchange money at commercial banks; however, the extensive and painfully slow paperwork required makes this an unrealistic option for tourists.
In other words, if a cup of coffee costs 3000 Bolívares, then it will cost you $1 US Dollar if you used the parallel rate from your contact, but will cost $4.30 US Dollars if you used a credit card which will charge the much lower SIMADI rate per Dolar Paralelo Simadi. Travelers engaging in such activity may be detained by the Venezuelan authorities if they are discovered. Additionally, in accordance with an October 2005 law, any person who exchanges more than 10,000 U.S. dollars or its equivalent in other currencies in the course of a year through unofficial means is subject to a fine of double the amount exchanged.
If the amount exceeds 20,000 U.S. dollars the penalty is two to six years imprisonment. Any person who transports more than 10,000 U.S. dollars into or out of Venezuela by any means must declare this amount to customs officials. Although illegal, trading dollars/euros at the parallel rate is a necessary way of life for Venezuelan citizens who otherwise have few other ways to save money since the Bolivar is subject to 30%+ inflation per year.
Credit cards are generally accepted at most establishments, and will be charged at the SIMADI rate. Due to the prevalence of credit card fraud, travelers should exercise caution in using their credit cards and should check statements regularly to ensure that no unauthorized charges have been made. Caracas has ATMs with 24-hour service where users may withdraw local currency, but many of these ATMs may not accept foreign-issued debit cards.
Maiquetía's Simón Bolívar Airport has three passenger terminals Internacional, Nacional and Auxiliar and is 25 km away from central Caracas via a highway through the coastal mountains. A new road bridge, replacing one that collapsed in 2006, came into service in July 2007, ending months of tortuous journeys to and from the airport. The trip to Caracas should now take around 40 minutes or up to 60-70 minutes during rush hour.
This international airport is served by American Airlines, Aeropostal, Aerolíneas Argentinas, Avianca , Copa, Air Europa, Air France, Delta, Caribbean Airlines, Copa Airlines and Iberia among others. In May 2016 Lufthansa and Latam announced the suspension of flights to/from Frankfurt, Sao Paulo and Lima. In July 2017, Avianca and Delta announced they will suspend all service to Venezuela on August 16, 2017 and September 17, 2017 respectively. As of now31/07/2017 many Airlines including Avianca and Air Frace have suspended flights due to the instability in Venezuela.
Non-stop flights are available to and from Miami, New York, Atlanta, Houston, Havana, Madrid, Paris, Lisbon, Aruba, Curaçao, Port of Spain, Fort de France, Bogotá (3 times a day), Panamá City (3 times a day), Buenos Aires (Twice a week) and other cities.
The non-stop flights to Medellin, Cartagena de Indias, San Jose (Costa Rica), Guayaquil, Lima, Santiago de Chile, Rio de Janeiro, Sao Paulo, San Juan (PR), Punta Cana, Dallas, Toronto, Oporto, Funchal, Tenerife, Rome, Milano and Damascus are no longer operational. These airlines no longer fly to Venezuela: Latam, Air Canada, Alitalia, Aeroméxico, GOL..
Taxi fares to Caracas will be priced in BsF and the price is constantly inflating, but should not be more than $6 when converted at the unofficial exchange rate. There are many unlicensed taxis offering their services and travelers should exercise caution. In particular, it is advised to agree on a price before getting into the taxi, not sharing with anyone other than the driver, with a preference given to the airport's official black Ford Explorer cabs. Check with your hotel to see if they arrange airport pickup, it may need to be booked in advance. There is also a new taxi service that you can book online.
The cheapest and arguably the safest way to the city is using the big red SITSSA buses from the government. You will first need to buy your ticket in the form of a rechargeable card at a kiosk inside the airport or you can ask other passengers to use their card to pay for you and you can pay them cash. The bus takes around 30 minutes and goes directly to Hotel Alba (previously the Hilton Hotel) which is within walking distance to the Bella Artes metro station.
Please be aware that there is an exit fee of BsF 162.50 that must be paid in cash as the office in charge of collection does not accept credit cards. However there are ATMs, currency exchange houses charging the official rate and unofficial brokers willing to provide BsFs at a more advantageous rate.
It is advisable to be at the airport 3-4 hours early and not the normal 2 hours because of arbitrary security checks.
Nice and pretty highways connect Caracas with La Guaira and the airport to the north; Maracay, Valencia and Maracaibo in the west; Barcelona and Puerto La Cruz in the east.
While driving in Caracas can be a hectic experience, renting a car to experience the outlying areas is a wonderful way to leave behind the well-traveled routes.
Car rental is available in the following locations:
Hertz Car Rental, Maiquetia International Airport.Mon-Fri 5am-11:30pm, Sat-Sun 6pm-11:30pm. Hertz Car Rental is available at the international and the domestic terminals, as well as several locations in the city
Budget Car Rental, Budget Rent-A-Car Building, Avenida Nueva Granada. Mon-Fri 8am-12pm and 1:30pm-6pm.
A taxi from the bus terminal to the center will cost you around BsF 30.
Buses from the airport to Caracas cost BsF 18. Passengers have the option of alighting either at Gato Negro metro station,somewhat unsafe at street level or under a bridge at the Parque Central bus terminal, from where you'll need to get a taxi to your final destination or walk about 1 km along a busy road to the Bellas Artes metro station.
There is also a new government-run bus service to the Alba Hotel in Bellas Artes, which costs BsF 8. Passengers do not need to be guests at Alba. Further information is available from the two tourist board offices in the international terminal of Maiquetía airport.
The La Bandera bus terminal connects Caracas with towns and cities to the west of the capital such as La Victoria (1 hour), Maracay (1.5 hours), Valencia (2.5 hours) and Merida (~12 hours). The 800m walk from La Bandera metro station to the bus terminal is unsafe after dark and travelers should exercise caution at all times. For the eastern part of the country there's the Terminal del Oriente.
Beware of the small independent bus services which are announced by voceros on both terminals. Although they have more flexible departure times, the buses can be small and uncomfortable, with speakers that blast loud music even at night.
There are also private carriers that offer more comfort. They also cost a little more. The most well known are Aeroexpresos Ejecutivos, Expresos Occidente, Flamingo, Rodovias which operate from their own private terminals, something to consider if you plan on transferring for a destination they don't cover. There's a shortage of buses for many of the longer routes thus you will see people queuing at the bus terminals both private and public at 5am or earlier. Most bus companies only sell tickets for trips on the same day with the exception of a few eg Aeroexpreso Ejecutivo, Flamingo, Rodovias). Even then you may need to join the early morning queue for your trips a few days ahead.
Taxis can be easily hailed in the street and are generally but not always safe. They have no meters so prices should be agreed on before getting in. Some reports indicate that the situation has improved and there are fixed rates posted. Caracas traffic is notoriously bad and the metro is a better option if your destination is conveniently located near a station. Licensed taxis have yellow plates and while some private cars with white plates are taxis too, it's generally safer to take a licensed cab. Another reliable option is Easytaxi, which is an App where you can order a taxi to pick you up.
Venezuelan taxi cab drivers may quote you about double the actual price when you ask how much a ride will be. Bargaining is totally acceptable in this case. Simply respond with a more reasonable price that you are willing to pay, and it's more than likely you can meet in the middle. If the taxi driver continues to quote an outrageous price, simply walk away and try another.
The Caracas metro is modern, comparatively safe and extremely cheap. A single journey costs just BsF 4, ida y vuelta or round trip is BsF 8 and a 10 journey multi abono ticket is BsF 36. Buying the Multi Abono will save you time from queing up each time you use the Metro. Because prices have changed little in recent years and bus fares have outpaced inflation, the metro is frequently overcrowded, particularly during peak hours.
The metro system is backed up by a network of metrobuses that depart from certain metro stations and take fixed routes to areas of the city not reached by the underground. Like the metro, metrobuses are cheap and clean, but passengers complain of bus shortages. Most services run only about every 20 minutes. The buses have fixed stops and will not pick up passengers elsewhere.
The Metro also connects people from the barrios via the Metro Cable, which are cable cars that goes above the barrios. There are 2 lines in operation as of Nov 2015 and may be a good way to see a different side of Caracas in safety from above.
The Metro is also connected to the less frequently used Cabletren driverless and automated, is of less used for tourist since it skirts along the edges of Petare.
The ubiquitous minibuses, or por puestos, run along many main roads in Caracas, often ending up in obscure residential neighborhoods that are not accessible by metro. They can be flagged down anywhere and you can generally ask the driver to let you jump off whenever he stops, such as traffic lights.
Although sometimes useful for reaching the Sabas Nieves entrance to El Avila from the Altamira metro station, the buses are more expensive than the metro BsF 15, slower, less safe, and are invariably in a very bad condition. It is advisable not to use your smartphones inside buses. Bus robberies are common in Caracas. If you see passengers suddenly disembarking when some young men enter the bus, it is best to alight and wait for another bus.
The South East part of the City,Altamira, La Trinidad, Las Mercedes, El Hatillo is generally much safer and where most of the middle class of Caracas go to spend their time. This is where most of the trendy shops, malls, restaurants, bars, and clubs are located.
Businesses that are located here include service companies, banks, and malls, among others. It has a largely service-based economy, apart from some industrial activity in its metropolitan area. The Caracas Stock Exchange and Petróleos de Venezuela (PDVSA) are headquartered here. The PDVSA is the largest company in Venezuela,and negotiates all the international agreements for the distribution and export of petroleum.When the company existed, the airline Viasa had its headquarters in the Torre Viasa.
Caracas' central business district is Milla de Oro, which is located in the north of the Baruta municipality and the south of the Chacao municipality, it is one of largest financial districts of Latin America, it is home to many companies and is dominated by numerous high-rises. Other important business districts include Plaza Venezuela, Parque Central Complex and El Recreo.
Small and medium-size industry contributes to the Caracas economy. The city provides communication and transportation infrastructure between the metropolitan area and the rest of the country. Important industries in Caracas include chemicals, textiles, leather, food, iron and wood products. There are also rubber and cement factories. Its GDP Nominal, is 70 billion USD and the GDP(PPP) per Capita is.USD 24,000
The Iglesia de San Francisco is of historical value. Bolívar's funeral was held here twelve years after his death. Here he was proclaimed Libertador in 1813 by the people of Caracas. The church has gilded baroque altarpieces, and retains much of its original colonial interior, despite being given a treatment in the 19th century under the auspices of Antonio Guzmán Blanco, which was intended to be modernizing.
It contains some 17th-century masterpieces of art, carvings, sculptures and oil paintings. The Central University of Venezuela, established during the reign of Philip V, was lodged for centuries in the church cloisters next door, which today are the seat of the Language Academy, and the Academies of History, Physics, and Mathematics.
Caracas Cathedral is the seat of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Caracas.
The Mosque of Sheikh Ibrahim Al-Ibrahim is the second largest mosque in Latin America. For many years it was the biggest.
The Union Israelita de Caracas is the biggest Synagogue for the Jewish Ashkenazi community in Caracas. Its mission is to host the religious services and preserve the memory of the Jewish heritage in Venezuela. Similarly, Mariperez is the biggest Synagogue for the Jewish Sephardic community in Caracas.
Caracas is Venezuela's cultural capital, with many restaurants, theaters, museums, and shopping centers. The city is home to an array of immigrants from but not limited to: Spain, Italy, Portugal, the Middle East, Germany, China, and Latin American countries.
Caracas has a gastronomical heritage due to the influence of immigrants, leading to a choice of regional and international cuisine. There are a variety of international restaurants including American, French, Lebanese, Italian, Spanish, Indian, Chinese, Peruvian, Japanese, Mediterranean and Mexican. The district of La Candelaria contains Spanish restaurants, resulting from Galician and Canarian immigrants that came to the area in the mid-20th century.
A 2009 United Nations survey reported that the cost of living in Caracas was 89% of that of its baseline city: New York.However, this statistic is based upon a fixed currency-exchange-rate of 2003 and might not be completely realistic, due to the elevated inflation rates of the last several years.
In 2013, the World Economic forum evaluated countries in terms of how successful they were in advertising campaigns to attract foreign visitors. Out of the 140 countries evaluated, Venezuela fell in the last place. There are multiple factors that contribute to the lack of tourism in Caracas. A major factor that has contributed to the lack of foreign visitors has been poor transport for tourists. Venezuela has limited railway systems and airlines. High crime rates and the negative attitude of the Venezuelan population towards tourism also contributed to the poor evaluation.
In an attempt to attract more foreign visitors, the Venezuelan Ministry of Tourism invested in multiple hotel infrastructures. The largest hotel investment has been in the Hotel Alba Caracas. The cost for the general maintenance of the north and south towers of the hotel is approximately 231.5 million Venezuelan bolivars.
Although the Venezuelan Ministry of Tourism has taken the initiative to recognize the importance of the tourism industry, the Venezuelan government has not placed the tourism industry as an economic priority. In 2013, the budget for the Ministry of Tourism was only 173.8 million bolivars, while the Ministry of the Youth received approximately 724.6 million bolivars.
The tourism industry in Venezuela contributes approximately 3.8 percent of the country GDP. Venezuela's current goal is to reach a GDP of 7.6 percent. The World Economic Forum predicts Venezuela's GDP to rise to 4.2 percent by 2022.
Caracas has more than enough sights and attractions to fill three or four days although it is often overlooked by international travelers.
La Plaza Bolivar, located near the Metro Capitolio. Is located in the city center. It has statues of Simon Bolivar, and is close to Congress and other government buildings. It also displays nice examples of colonial architecture. Look out for black squirrels that roams around the trees in the plaza.
La Casa Natal de Simon Bolivar. Bolivar's birthplace, also downtown. One of the few well-preserved colonial buildings with some great paintings and a museum. Next door is the Museo Bolivariano with some of Bolivar's war relics. Capitolio Metro Station.
Museo de Arte Colonial, Located in the Quinta Anauco on Av Panteon in San Bernardino. this is a lovely old house and garden that hosts small concerts some weekends.
Universidad Central de Venezuela. was designated a World Heritage Site by the UN in 2000. Designed by Venezuela's most famous architect, Carlos Raul Villanueva, the university campus, known as the Ciudad Universitaria is a sprawling complex considered a masterpiece of 1950s and 1960s architecture blended in with art. A stroll around the grounds, keeping an eye open for modern art works by artists such as Fernand Leger. Metro Ciudad Universitaria.
Jardin Botanico, located next to the Central University. is a well-kept garden with an impressive array of tropical plants and trees. Metro Ciudad Universitaria or Plaza Venezuela.
Parque del Este,located near the Parque del Este metro stop. This expansive park stretches on and holds many unexpected treats including a planetarium, a small zoo, and a cafe that is occasionally open to serve you a cafe con leche while you watch the turtles in a pond
Centro de Arte La Estancia, Avenida Francisco de Miranda. An art gallery situated in the middle of the lush and manicured gardens. Rotating exhibits by a variety of artists are shown.
El Hatillo,past la Trinidad in the SE of the city. A beautiful neighborhood still styled in traditional colonial fashion that is home to many shops, bars, and restaurants and is frequented by the middle class of Caracas. A great place to stroll around in the afternoon safe to walk around and grab lunch, as it is to return for the nightlife. Requires a car to arrive as no public transportation comes to this area.
Bulevar de Sabana Grande, in the center of the city near the Sabana Grande metro stop. One of the city's most famous shopping avenues, a charming cobblestone street with countless outdoor and indoor shopping establishments as well as hotels and restaurants. Also a great spot for relaxing and people-watching; on any given day you can observe people bartering at shops, playing chess, or even dancing around dressed like Disney characters.
Cuartel de la Montaña or 4F, on top of Barrio 23 Enero. Hugo Chavez's mausoleum is at the army barracks where Chavez's socialism was incubated. Although in a barrio, there's a heavy army presence which makes it a safe visit. Entry includes a free guided tour of the mausoleum and Chavez's belongings. There's a change of guards every 2 hours starting at 10am, with the last change at 4pm. At 4.25pm (time of his death) everyday, a cannon is fired in front. To get there, one can take the free Metrobus or private buses at Capitolio.
Panteon Nacional, at the end of Avenida Panteon. A modern building fused with an old church. Houses the remains of Simon Bolivar and other national heroes. There's a change of guards every 2 hours.
The Avila mountain to the north of Caracas is highly recommended for hiking, views of Caracas, and its fresh air. The Sabas Nieves entrance, accessible by bus from Altamira, is the most popular. To get there, at Chacao Metro Station walk to Avenida Mohedano and take the Transchacao bus (Ruta #1) to the top of Chacao (you will need to ask the best place to get off to Cota Mil). Then walk along Cota Mil to reach Sabas Nieves' entrance. Since Cota Mil is a highway, Sunday morning is the only practical day to go since the whole highway is closed to cars every Sunday morning.
The Teleferico is a cable-car that takes visitors up the Avila. The ascent provides a beautiful view of the city. At the top (altitude approximately 2600 m), there is a view of Caracas to the south, and of the ocean (Caribbean Sea) to the north on a clear day. It will cost BsF 25 (approx. US$ 5.81) to get a round-trip ticket to the teleferico. Reduced fares are available for students (BsF 15) and children (BsF 10), senior citizens over 60 are free.
Take the ride up to Avila as early as possible before an afternoon haze obstructs your view from the top of the mountain. There are a few restaurants, many food kiosks, and numerous attractions suitable for children. These include a small skating rink, some small rides, and jungle-gyms. There is a well known fondue restaurant also located at the top. Some hiking trails branch off from the teleferico station, but without a map it is not easy to find them or know where they go, as they are not marked.
The MetroCable close to Parque Central. It is colocated in the Parque Central Metro station. It's free and provides a fantastic view of the city and life in the barrios.
Watch a baseball game during the baseball season (Oct-Jan) at Estadio Universitario de Caracas. A game between Magallanes and Leones is a great way to observe Venezuelan's baseball fever. Tickets are only sold on the day for this matchup and the queue begins in the early morning. Tickets are also sold by touts around the stadium.
Paragliding Colonia Tovar Venezuela, Colonia Tovar the road between LaVicotria and Colonia Tovar. 10 am to 5 pm. Tandem Paragliding Flights with Expert Pilots in one of the most beautiful mountain sites in the world. $60,00.
Most ATMs will ask you the last two numbers of a local ID, type 00 when it asks this to make withdrawal with a foreign card possible. CitiBank's ATMs don't ask this information. There is one CitiBank branch in El Recreo shopping mall, Avenida Casanova, in Sabana Grande. Keep in mind that withdrawing from an ATM will be at the official SIMADI exchange rate so $10 = 4500sF. If you change dollars at the parallel rate which is an illegal but integral part of daily life in Venezuela, $10 = 11000 BsF (as of 4 March 2016), that would buy you a meal for 2 in a top class restaurant in Caracas.
Centro Comercial Sambil. One of South America's largest shopping malls, with two movie theaters, dozens of restaurants and probably hundreds of shops. Popular destination for shopping and hanging out. Metro Chacao.
Altamira. An exclusive neighborhood and shopping district in the eastern part of the city. Can be accessed easily by metro.
Centro Comercial San Ignacio. Many boutique stores here, as well as lots of good bars and restaurants. A hub of Caracas nightlife.
Centro Comercial El Recreo. Another large mall, located next door to the Gran Meliá Hotel. Metro Sabana Grande.
Centro Comercial Millenium Mall, Av. Romulo Gallegos. Los Dos Caminas.. Another great mall with an amazing infrastructure, located next to the metro station Los Dos Caminos, have a great shopping stores, cinema and fast food restaurants.
Centro Ciudad Comercial Tamanaco (CCCT). An old but popular complex of shops, offices, restaurants and a couple of nightclubs. Take a Metrobus from the Altamira metro station.
Centro Comercial El Tolón. An upmarket mall in the Las Mercedes neighborhood. 15 minutes walking from Chacaito metro.
Centro Comercial Paseo Las Mercedes. A bit old fashioned but a good art house cinema and Oscar D'Leon's Mazukamba nightclub is here.
American Book Shop, Centro Comercial Centro Plaza, Jardín level, Altamira. A bookshop with a decent selection of English books and magazines.
On Saturdays, there's a farmer's market with food and trinkets to buy at the street at Palos Grande (next to Wendy's).
On Sundays there are the Chinese Market at Club Social del Chinos at El Bosque; Peruvian Market at Colegio de Ingenerios; Antique & Collectables Market at the Museo de Transporte.
Wine And Dine
Las Mercedes
El Granjero del Este, Av. Río de Janeiro. Open late. One of the better of the dozens of areperas dotted around town. Specializes in arepas, a savory corn-flour bread that doubles as Venezuela's traditional staple food. Pick from a dozen types of filling,including the classic Reina Pepiada - chicken, avocado, spring onions and mayo. Or try a cachapa (a sweet corn pancake with a choice of toppings) or a nice steak with yuca. Wash it all down with beer, or with freshly made tropical juice. To do it the traditional way, go at 3 a.m., after a night out dancing. Cheap.
Maute Grill, Av. Rio de Janeiro. open late. A very nice place, often crowded but rightfully so, the food and wine are outstanding and Expensive.
Malabar, Calle Orinoco. Expensive but very good cuisine, mostly French, with a relaxed but trendy atmosphere.
Aranjuez, Calle Madrid, Qunita Anacoa. One of the older steak houses in Caracas, with top quality Argentine and Venezuelan cuts of beef.
Cafe Ole, Calle California at Calle Jalisco. This open air candlelight cafe is a popular haunt for after dinner cafe and some excellent desserts.
Mamma Mia, Avenida Principal. A perennially popular though noisy restaurant with a good selection of Italian dishes.
La Castellana
Avila Tei, Avenida San Felipe, Centro Coinasa. Excellent and authentic Japanese restaurant. Operated by Japanese immigrants.
Chez Wang, Plaza La Castellana (facing the roundabout). Very good Chinese restaurant.
Chili's, Calle Jose A Lamas, Torre La Castellana. A branch of the American Tex-Mex chain.
La Estancia, Avenida Principal La Castellana. A famous beef/meat restaurant with traditional Spanish decor.
La Romanina, Av Avila (between Calle Miranda and Av Mohedano, just west of Plaza La Castellana). A simple setting but very good thin crust pizzas.
New Spizzico, Av Principal La Castellana (one block north of the Plaza). Very pleasant Mediterranean style decor with a lovely outdoor terrace. Good mostly Italian food but not with very generous portions.
El Budare de la Castellana, Avenida Principal de La Castellana, con 1ra Transversal. Traditional Venezuelan Restaurant. Moderately priced and open 24 hours. About one block north and west of Plaza Altamira.
Avila Burger, Avenida Los Chaguaramos. A famous burger chain that sells gourmet burgers at reasonable prices. Queues for tables during lunch hours. There's a few spread around Caracas.
For quality and authentic Chinese restaurants, go to El Bosque which is within the vicinity of the Chinese Social Club. Casa Deli, Chef Chino & Lai King are excellent choices.
Cafe-Trattoria Mediterraneo, 1ra Avenida Los Palos Grandes, Edificio Oriental. Great retro decor, and a minimal but excellent menu.
Rey David, 4ª Transversal de Los Palos Grandes, entre Av. Alfredo Jahn y Av. Andrés Bello. Excellent menu. Great delicacies and desserts. Highly recommended.
La Praline Chocolatier,Alcabala, Caracas, Venezuela.In an area of La Candelaria populated by Spanish restaurants, this popular establishment is renowned as one of if not the best. Outstanding paella, tortilla espanola, and jamon serrano. As with most places, in Caracas, English speaking is very limited so be sure to go with a Spanish speaker.
Hotel Shelter Suites, Av Libertador and Av Jose Felix Sosa, Chacao (opposite Sambil shopping mall). Individual listings of clubs, bars, pubs, etc are preferred here. Rooms starting at $100.
El León. On the corner of La Castellana roundabout, this Caracas stalwart benefits from one of the best open air terraces in Caracas. Plastic tables and chairs are simple and the service is slow, but the beers are cheap and the atmosphere is good. This is a favorite hangout for Caracas' college crowd.
Whiskey Bar. Located in the Centro Comercial San Ignacio Shopping Center, it has a similar layout to a typical East Coast lounge in the United States. This place is a popular hang-out for uppity Venezuelans. If you feel comfortable around posh and preppy crowds and you have certain buying power and trendy casual wear, this is a great place to enjoy people-watching while listening to great rock-alternative music.
El Mani Es Asi. Located in a side street behind Sabana Grande, this remains Caracas' best-renowned salsa club where lower middle-class locals and tourists like to show off their moves, accompanied by live bands, till the early hours. To get a table, you'll probably have to pay servicio, i.e. agree to buy a bottle of rum or whisky. Sadly, the area around the club is not safe after dark and visitors should arrange taxis to avoid walking in the area.
Modern nightclubs:
- La Quinta Bar.
- Sawu.
- Discovery.
- Triskel.
360º Roof Bar - Rooftop bar with views of Caracas. It's on the top floor of Hotel Altamira Suites. Entrance is by the side of the hotel no signs, yell at the security guard to let you in.
- Bar Hotel Pestana Another rooftop bar at the top of Hotel Pestana.
- Teatro Bar, Av. Orinoco · Las Mercedes · Torre DyD.
Caracas has many hotels, but lacks youth hostels found in other South American countries. Backpackers will find that Caracas is not a cheap destination and there are not rooms available in the 20-30 USD typical hostel range. While the whole of the city is considered to be dangerous at night, it's preferable to stay near Sabana Grande or farther east.
Many hotels in the Sabana Grande area will offer rooms on an hourly basis,euphemistically known as love hotels which are primarily for unmarried Venezuelan couples.
Most hotels are in Sabana Grande, which is the geographic center of the city or midtown. The true downtown or historic city center, is known as el centro, around Capitolio and Teatros Metro Station, which is not a good place to stay. While Sabana Grande has affordable hotel rates,from $100 to $400 five-star, you need to be wary of occasional street crime in the form of purse snatching on women and pick-pocketing.
A good place to start is the Calle de Hoteles at Prolongación Avenida Las Acacias & Avenida de Los Mangos which has 2 decent and cheap non-love-motel posadas, but they are not well signposted and look like residential houses. The majority of budget hotels you find in Centro and Sabana Grande area are mataderos or love motels. Anyway, the Sabana Grande Boulevard sports high-shining lamp posts and police officers along the way.
However, crooked cops are also known to sometimes harass hippie-looking travelers during the day, searching for drugs. Sabana Grande is a pleasantly walkable promenade, fantastic for people-watching and casual shopping. As for the large shopping malls around Sabana Grande, they are absolutely safe, especially one known as El Recreo. All this makes Sabana Grande one of the best place to stay for many. Neighborhoods further east or south such as Altamira and Las Mercedes offer safer accommodations, but at a much increased cost.
Another option is to stay in a nearby town or city and bus in in the morning, and get the bus out before nightfall. It will be cheaper and safer than staying in Caracas.
Bella Vista Caracas, Colina de Los Caobos, Calle Bella Vista near Plaza Venezuela's subway station. Bella Vista Caracas is a modern and safe place with a relaxed and welcoming atmosphere. It is ideally located near Mount Avila's national park cableway, in a safe and quiet area, just minutes walk from a metrobus stop. The staff speaks fluent English and French and will be glad to help you get around the city. $12.
Nuestro Hotel (Love motel for locals) and Backpackers Hostel for travelers, Avenida Casanova, Calle El Colegio, Sabana Grande near Restaurant El arabito. Self-proclaimed as the only option for cheap travelers in Caracas though this is not true. Rooms clean, much travel information at the reception. Limited English spoken. You must be warned that it's in the redlight,lower west side part of Sabana Grande, popular with thugs and prostitutes at night and a fairly shady area.
Hotel Altamira, Av Jose Felix Sosa, Altamira Sur near Britanica Tower. Some travelers are not impressed with the service. Around $70.
Gilmar Hotel, Calle Guaicaipuro Edificio Hotel Gilmar, next to Gourmet Market. Excellent location in the Chacaito area. Probably the least sleazy of the bunch of hotels most are love motels nearby. Bright clean rooms with good Wifi. Decent indoor restaurant. $5 a night black market rate Dec 2015.
Casa Luisa, Near El Hatillo, some 10-12km from midtown Caracas. Mrs. Luisa has a three bedroom apartment where she rents out 2 of the rooms with space for 3 in each room. She prepares nice breakfasts and shares travel tips. $50 a night, $5 breakfast.
Nelson's Place Nelson is a fully bilingual,English and Spanish traveler and hip college professor who has a nice apartment next to his office on the safest street near Sabana Grande, which he rents out for $60 a night for up to 3 people and a room for $40 for up to 2. He is clearly the most helpful host in Caracas. Nelson's Place is a block away from the Sabana Grande Boulevard, the metro station, and across the street from the El Recreo Shopping Mall. It has free internet. Nelson has a very professional airport pick-up service,included in reservation fee. He also helps you out with currency exchange and budget travel arrangements to all over Venezuela, including Angel Falls.
El Cid. This residential hotel also caters for short visits. Excellently located in the La Castellana district, it offers an alternative to many hotels, though with aged wooden furniture and worn out rooms. The service is poor. BsF 280-360 ($130-167).
Hotel Shelter Suites, Av Libertador and Av Jose Felix Sosa, Chacao (opposite Sambil shopping mall). Great location, clean and modern, this is a popular option and should be booked two weeks in advance. Max 2 people per room. Rooms from BsF 190.
Hotel Savoy, near the Alliance Francaise. From BsF 135.
Hotel Alba Caracas, Avenida Mexico con Sur 25 formerly the Caracas Hilton. This once impressive Hilton hotel has suffered from the deterioration of central Caracas. Although close to the city's best museums, the Bellas Artes area is no longer the capital's finest and should not be wandered at night. In September 2007, the hotel was taken over by the state and aims to provide socialist tourism services.
Venezuela Marriott Hotel Playa Grande, Avenida El Hotel. Playa Grande · Catia La Mar. One of the best Venezuela Hotels, Marriott Playa Grande is only 10 minutes from Simon Bolivar International Airport with a great location and wonderful views.
Pestana Caracas Hotel & Suites, 1ª Avenida Urb. Santa Eduvigis. A modern and stylish hotel with all the amenities you might expect at the price.
Gran Melia, Ave. Casanova, urb. Bellomonte. Upscale 5 star hotel. Located in Sabana Grande, this hotel is connected directly to the El Recreo shopping mall and a block away from the newly-restored Sabana Grande boulevard. Local attractions include Sabana Grande Boulevard, Plaza Bolívar, El Recreo Gallery, Teresa Carreño Theatre, and Cerro El Avila National Park, all in close proximity; and only 2 blocks north, the Sabana Grande metro station.Many international celebrities, CEOs, royals and presidents stay here when they visit Venezuela. It boasts a guest list that includes Sting, Phil Collins, the Black Eyed Peas, the King of Spain and the Saudi Arabian royal family.
JW Marriott Hotel Caracas, Av. Venezuela con Calle Mohedano, El Rosal. Luxury business hotel located in the center of the business district, the JW Marriott Hotel Caracas is the premier hotel in the city, becoming deservedly popular in recent years. Excellent accommodation, exceptional restaurant and good service.
Hotel Intercontinental Tamanaco, Final Av. Principal De Las Mercedes. checkin: 3pm; checkout: 12pm.
Radisson Eurobuilding, Final Calle La Guairita, Chuao Caracas, 1064 A.
Altamira Suites, Transversal con Avenida Urb. Los Palos Grandes, Caracas (Chacao) 1060. A five-star hotel with a popular rooftop lounge. Check for weekend promotions that offer significantly reduced prices.
Renaissance Caracas La Castellana Hotel, Av Eugenio Mendoza con Calle Urdaneta, La Castellana. A stylish Caracas hotel, the Renaissance Caracas one of the newest Venezuela Caracas hotels on the scene. Modern, inviting and a crisp service too, delightful.
Hotel Cayena, Avenue Don Eugenio Mendoza,Entre Calles el Bosque y Jose Angel Lamas. Hotel Cayena is one of the safest luxury 5 star hotels in the La Castellana District of Caracas, Venezuela. Accommodations and amenities include hotel rooms and suites, including extended stay availability, as well as an Italian restaurant, meeting rooms and event space, and more. Hotel deals, packages, and specials are also available from this Caracas, Venezuela luxury hotel.
Safety in Caracas
Violent crime in Caracas is a major problem, and it has been getting steadily worse during the recent years: Caracas is now by some counts the world's most dangerous city, with 130.35 homicides per 100.000 residents in 2016. In case you are robbed, simply hand over what is asked of you.
For this reason it is advisable to carry a decoy wallet with small bills around $50. Venezuela is also one of the only countries in the world in which Blackberry still is the popular phone of choice. If you can get your hands on a cheap one that looks nice, it's also a good thing to bring down and hand over in case robbed,there have been news reports of criminals physically beating car passengers that they rob for having only an iphone to steal. Most thieves carry guns and they will use them regardless of the consequences,there is a sense of immunity due to poor policing.
In the Metro, especially rush hours, do take care of your pockets and handbags. A common tactic is a few guys will seem to be hesitating to enter the train while you are behind trying to push your way in, while the doors are about to close, they will suddenly decide to leave the train suddenly and in the chaos,locals know what's going on, thus they will try to leave the train too, you may find your pocket empty.
Stick to the tourist areas and dress like the average Venezuelans,jeans and short-sleeved shirt and do not wear any expensive looking jewelry. The barrios or poor neighborhoods/shantytowns are to be avoided. They are mostly built into the hills around the west side of Caracas, similar to the favelas in Brazil. These neighborhoods are extremely dangerous, but they are far from the main tourist areas.
Kidnapping is a major problem for upper-class Venezuelans, but is unlikely to be a concern for travelers. As with many other developing nations, petty theft is a problem. Ask hotel management to store your valuables when you leave your room and use a money belt for your passport/extra cash when traveling.
The police in most districts of the city tend to be corrupt, including at the international airport. In the districts of Chacao, Chuao, and La Trinidad, the police are well equipped, trained, and helpful. Venezuelans in general are friendly and helpful and living through the danger on a daily basis, so will not be shy in their concerns for your safety.
Most locals will advise you not to even consider visiting unless you have friends in the area who can help you to move around safely and deal with the complicated currency situation. Caracas is by far the most dangerous city in Venezuela and malandros are coming up daily with new schemes to rob and kidnap.
Be very wary when on the road at all times, always keep your eyes on the lookout for an escape pathway, and be wary of being followed,especially by motorcycles. Over the last few years, the malandros have stopped traffic with a funeral procession in order to go car to car and take wallets/cell phones at gunpoint; staged car accidents with injury so as to rob good samaritans who stop.
If you see a motorycle with 2 men, one wearing a helmet and the other without, keep your distance and drive away. This is a typical robbery setup since the lack of a helmet allows the passenger on the back to have full 180degree vision while scanning for victims while the driver is free to concentrate on the road.
There are many Centros de Conexiones in which you can easily make domestic and international calls. There is also a growing number of internet cafes.
- Free WiFi
- Chili's, Torre La Castellana.
- Tony Roma's, Las Mercedes.
- Cafe Ole.
Caracas has been the staging ground of violent political conflict in the last few years, as well as suffering from a high incidence of crime. While taking appropriate precautions,dressing down, keeping valuables out of sight and avoiding dangerous areas will probably keep you out of harm's way, paranoia abounds. Traveling with a partner or in groups is advisable.
El Litoral, or the narrow band of coast between El Avila and the Caribbean Sea, is also known at the State of Vargas and the location of the best airport hotels. These beaches are not well known with visitors but are popular with Caraquenos on weekends. The area has been slow to recover from the disastrous mudslides of December 1999 which ironically made the beaches better. Still they are of lesser quality than the beaches of Choroni, Morrocoy, Mochima or Margarita.
La Guaira - historic port district
Macuto - long history as the favored among the urbanite Caracenos and most crowded on weekends
Caraballeda - upscale district with yacht marina
Naiguatá - surf and cultural festival zone
Catia La Mar - west of the airport with cheaper hotels that do airport pickup. Marginal neighborhood and beaches
El Hatillo - nice restaurants and pretty colonial architecture.
Yare - Every Corpus Christi, the town comes alive with the Dancing Devils of Yare, listed as a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage. It is easy to get here by public transport by going to the La Rinconada metro station, and taking a train to Cua, where there are Metrobus that goes to Yare.
Venezuela and its capital, Caracas, are reported to both have among the highest per capita murder rates in the world. Caracas is the city with the highest homicide rate in the world outside of a warzone, with a 2016 rate of around 120 murders per 100,000 people.Most murders and other violent crimes go unsolved, with estimates of the number of unresolved crimes as high as 98%.The U.S. Department of State has issued travel warnings for Venezuela (including Caracas) due to high rates of crime.
Tourism Observer
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More or less an opportunity for the Internet to tell us we're wrong, Starting Five is also a challenge: choose five essential songs, films, or books that get to the heart of bands, filmmakers, genres, and writers that we love. Today we look at five essential books from the famed "Lost Generation".
Starting Five: "The Lost Generation"
by Chad Jewett
F. Scott Fitzgerald – The Great Gatsby (1925)
Take all of the many conceptual motifs linked to "the Lost Generation" – a group of American and European modernist writers living and working in Paris in the years following World War I – and you more or less have a working list of the concerns defining the oeuvre of F. Scott Fitzgerald. Post- War weariness; intrepid questioning of old beliefs, credos, and myths; a certain bittersweet relationship with both the past and the future – all were major literary properties for the former Midwesterner and Princeton student whose work, at its best, catalogued a certain modern ennui and its attendant doubts about the American dream. The Great Gatbsy, his masterpiece, and, along with Beloved, Invisible Man, and The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, the most convincing contender for status as "The Great American Novel," found Fitzgerald raising all of those themes and obsessions to a romantically operatic pitch. Essentially the story of a middle-class Midwesterner who reinvents himself as a dashing New York socialite in the hopes of winning the heart of a lost love, The Great Gatbsy manages to make a slight story (it barely breaks 150 pages) about a hopeless romantic trying to recapture a glorious, imagined past into a deeply poignant inquiry into the core of the American dream, complete with the rhythms and energy of the Jazz Age, modernism's experiments with unreliable narrators and impressionism, and an uncanny ear for how people imagine, think, and talk about love. The Great Gatsby absolutely defined a certain kind of wistful, gently romantic American sadness that remains vivid to this day.
William Faulkner – The Sound and the Fury (1929)
Like Fitzgerald and several other "Lost Generation" writers, William Faulkner was also an American of humble origins who just missed active duty in World War I before proceeding to spend formative years in bohemian Paris. But whereas Fitzgerald absorbed modernism's energetic newness more than its formal experimentalism, Faulkner dove with gusto into the era's most difficult, avant-garde stylistic flights. The result was The Sound and the Fury, the story of a once-prominent Mississippi family that slowly corrodes over the course of three decades. Split into four versions of the same story, and, most radically, delivered through the pure stream-of-consciousness of the mentally disabled Benjy and the almost kaleidoscopically untethered Quentin, The Sound and the Fury elevates the Compson family's sad fate to something like the clashing, crashing ballets of Igor Stravinsky. Faulkner would so something similar a few years later with the mythic journey of As I Lay Dying and the grandiose historical mysteries of Absalom, Absalom!, but The Sound and the Fury, with its daring attempts to turn everyday stories into material for complex aesthetic marvels, would remain his central triumph.
Ernest Hemingway – A Moveable Feast (1964, Posthumous)
Although not released in his lifetime, A Moveable Feast is Ernest Hemingway's engaging memoir of life in Paris during the era of "The Lost Generation" and the rise of modernism. The text was assembled from manuscripts and notes after Hemingway's death, and thus doesn't entirely reflect the spartan prose and rugged fatalism of books like The Sun Also Rises (which is certainly the writer's clear masterpiece of the era in question), but it does evoke the era nicely, giving a zoomed-in sense of detail to one of the most romanticized times and places in all of literary history, naming specific bars, hotels, restaurants, and the famous names who haunted them. The book also tells the story of Gertrude Stein, a literary mentor and inspiring figure for many of the scene's best writers, coining the phrase "Lost Generation," her way of describing the confusion, doubt, and shattered confidences that followed the shocking total war of World War I.
James Joyce – Ulysses (1922)
Released in 1922 – a red letter year for modernism that also saw the release of T.S. Eliot's The Waste Land, Virginia Woolf's Jacob's Room, and F. Scott Fitzgerald's Tales Of The Jazz Age – James Joyces' Ulysses was a shatteringly avant-garde breakthrough, defiantly complex in its stream-of-conscious narrative, multi-layered textual codes (a working knowledge of Homer's The Odyssey, which Joyce uses as an ironic frame for the "epic" story of a day in the life of the humble, middle class Leopold Bloom), and mystifying in-jokes and wordplay. Unlike the other texts listed here, Joyce actually wrote Ulysses in Paris, in the milieu of the Lost Generation, though this does little to dull the perfection of the novel's map-like rendering of Dublin. One of few books frequently sold right next to an equally long book devoted simply to decoding its crazy-quilt of voices, allusions, riddles, and tricks, Ulysses is at once endlessly demanding and endlessly rewarding. The book is as beloved an entry into the canon of modern literature as the Lost Generation ever produced – indeed, there is even a yearly walking tour of the novel's Dublin on the novel's June 16th. At once wickedly funny and wholly moving, heroic and tragic, farcical and rueful, Ulysses was somehow able to collect all the various emotions, doubts, frustrations, and obsessions of his literary era into one massive faux-epic.
Virginia Woolf – Mrs Dalloway (1925)
If Joyce's novel insisted on the "epic" quality of a day in the life of an average man, then Woolf similarly insisted on the hidden depths of an upper-class woman, whose day-long preparations for a party string together several characters, stories, histories, and impressions of post-War London. In some ways a conceptual match for Fitzgerald's The Great Gatbsy (which was released the same year), Mrs Dalloway both plumbs the depths of a certain corner of high-society (in this case chic London as opposed to the bustling, nouveau riche New York) and operates as a cross-section of its chosen time and place. This means giving us not only the quietly tragic star-crossed romance of Clarissa Dalloway and her one-time lover Peter Walsh, but also the troubled mental state of traumatized World War I veteran Septimus Smith. For a novel about something as seemingly mundane as preparations for a party, Mrs Dalloway never stops moving, and invests its many characters' thoughts with very real weight and consequence. While less aggressively stylized than the contemporary work of Faulkner and Joyce, Woolf's novel is nevertheless an absolute tour de force in its stream-of-consciousness balancing of several unique characters, all brought together by one woman's day in London.
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subset: commoncrawl


text:
So where do you find a Business Objects training provider?
You could use one of the many large general training companies that will be happy to sub-contract their BI training and add a large margin on top.
Or you could use iWare Logic Technologies – specialists in Business Objects Training.
When you attend an intelligence course you are assured of the very highest quality of instruction, materials and hardware.
Our instructors have a wealth of experience in using all the Business Objects toolset. All of iWare Logic instructors are also experienced BI consultants which means that they know how Business Objects is used in the real world and can bring that experience into the classroom.
We offer a wide range of Business Objects Training courses from earlier versions to the latest.
Here are just a few of the BusinessObjects Training courses available:
- Report Creation with Webintelligence
- Advanced Report Creation with Webintelligence
- Universe Design
- Admin and Security
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- Data Services & Data Integrator
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- Crystal Reports Courses
- Desktop Intelligence
Total Duration – 5 Days
Good knowledge of BI and DW concepts.
- BOXI Architecture and its components
- Understanding Infoview Navigation And Components
- Personalizing Infoview
- Navigating To Public Folders And Documents
- Navigating To Personal Folders, Categories And Documents
- Creating Personal Folders
- Copying Public Documents to Personal Folders.
- Printing Reports
- Sending Documents
- Introduction to desktop intelligence
- Report Creation
- Publishing the report
- Creating a document in the Web Intelligence Rich Client
- Viewing a Web Intelligence document in Info View
- Building and modifying a simple query
- Working with query properties
- Restricting data with query filters
- Applying a single-value query filter
- Using prompts and complex filters to restrict data
- Working in the Report Panel
- Displaying data in tables and charts
- Using breaks and cross tabs
- Formatting break, calculations, and report filters
- Using default and custom sorts
- Ranking data to see top or bottom values
- Organizing a report into sections
- Copying data to other applications
- Preparing document for PDF and print
- Document formatting
- Accessing Info View
- Introducing Designer
- What is Universe
- About Semantic layer
- Class and Object
- Creating a universe
- Setting Parameters
- Different types of Connection
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- Setting up Universe Parameters
- Adding Tables
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- Creating Classes and Subclasses
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- Understand Aggregation in BO
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- Applying Restrictions to Tables
- Creating and Controlling List Of values
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We at iWare Logic run classroom sessions at locations across India and also offer quick start and custom courses. To discuss your training requirements, or if you are interested in a course which isn't listed here, contact at email@example.com to get in touch with a representative of our training team to discuss your needs.


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Former Mustad stalwart joins Scientific Anglers
Article Media Click images to enlarge +
Former Mustad Americas stalwart Jeff Pierce has joined Scientific Anglers to spearhead its sales drive outside the US.
Pierce, a veteran of 15 years with the Norwegian hook manufacturer, has been appointed Foreign and OEM Sales Manager for SA, which was acquired by Orvis last year from 3M.
Most recently Sales & Portfolio Manager – North America Global Sourcing & Product Development Manager at Mustad, Pierce left the company in August last year. He told Angling International: "After leaving a few opportunities popped up in both the fishing and hunting businesses.
"However, when I got the call from SA it had my full attention and focus. I've been a hardcore fly angler for over 30 years and during that time have fished with its lines.
"To be able to slide into the fly fishing business full-time for a powerhouse like SA is as good as it gets."
Pierce added that he has been brought on board to manage two critically important parts of the business. "I will be handling all sales of SA products outside the US. There are dealers and distributors spread all over the world and with Orvis's acquisition of SA there is a renewed commitment to build the brand and customers across the globe will see improved service and support.
"Another part of the SA business is the production of high quality custom fly lines. We have customers around the world purchasing SA lines, leaders and tippets and marketing them under their own brands. I will also be responsible for this.
"When Orvis purchased SA, it really took its time analysing the business to see what was working and what wasn't. There is a highly skilled core group and Orvis has built on that to make it even better.
"It has crafted a fantastic team in Midland, Michigan, with a tremendous amount of experience to draw from."


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The apartment is located as well as spa in the beautiful foothills of Beskydy. This is a discrete flat within the house. Apartment is particularly suitable for young families with children, who have decided to spend time actively. Parking directly in front of the apartment for free.
The apartment has two floors. On the ground floor there is a small room and kitchen, hallway, bathroom with shower and toilet. Bedroom, which comfortably sleeps 4 adults, located in the attic and entrance is via a staircase from Folding space living room. There is also the possibility to use a sofa bed downstairs (to us but please let know in advance). You can even cook coffee or a simple cold dishes in kitchen.
The premises of the apartment you are guaranteed complete privacy. But if you want to have fun , you can go to small restaurant connected to house.
From the terrace you can directly enjoy the mountain or walk around and devour the beauty of Beskydy and its foothills in our gallery. If you want more, we recommend you run a car into the Komorni Lhotka and make one of the walks: cottage Prašivá Kotaři cabin, cottage Ropička and more.
There are many possible ways to use leisure time
Because we are very close to nature, you can spot buy some of our natural products.
Smoking is prohibited in all areas.
Current rates for surrounding activities available in our shop.


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SAP Australia and New Zealand have announced the creation of an Asia/Pacific region within the company's structure.
Les Hayman, managing director of SAP Australia and New Zealand, will take a dual role, having been named as president of the region which covers Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines, Thailand and India.
"Many of our customers are preparing to extend their operations through the Asia/Pacific region, and we intend to be right there beside them. The region is now an increasingly important focus for SAP and is large and mature enough to stand more independently in the SAP world," Hayman said.
SAP also created a northern Asia region covering Japan, Korea and Taiwan while a separate organisation will target future growth opportunities in China.


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Mr Keith Burns of K D Burns associates, stepped in to help Hastoe and the main contractor resolve contractual issues, two certified Passivhaus schemes were constructed, one in Essex the other in Norfolk, both schemes had a number of contractual issues that were impeding the successful completion, lists of outstanding items including defects and design issues were all stopping the schemes from delivering what was expected by Hastoe. Many main contractor personnel had tried to deliver an outcome, it was not until Mr Burns stepped in did the situation start to improve, he was able to establish what was needed by both sides and action the required works thus avoiding the need for expensive legal action. I'm impressed with his professionalism.
John Lefever BSc(Hons) MCIH, Regional Head of Development, Hastoe Group
Keith is very much the type of Consultant that you would want on your side in a contractual dispute. He is very knowledgeable with regard to construction, programming and contracts but he adds extremely important qualities to his work, in that he thoroughly researches the issues and can be very tenacious if necessary. I had the privilege of working with Keith for many years and I have no hesitation in forwarding this recommendation.
John Gibson, Chairman
We appointed K D Burns Associates to assist us with managing and progressing two new build extra care homes for an important client, where attention to detail, quality and completion were extremely important.
The risk of not achieving these goals could have put a strain on relationship of all parties including the end users.
The experience that Keith Burns brought to these projects has enabled us to successfully conclude the schemes to the delight of our customers, so much so, our customers are selecting us for another major project and we have appointed KD Burns associates to continue to assist us on other schemes
John Walsh, Managing Director
Thanks for all your efforts on this, without you I think it would have been a complete disaster. I have been very impressed with the service you have provided.
Ian Turner, Managing Director
We appointed KD Burns Associates to help us resolves a very complex situation that occurred on one of our large construction sites in the City of London, the problem we faced required a great deal of coordinated involvement of consultants and specialist contractors. The work involved obtaining a good understanding of the specialist materials involved and keeping a close eye on the financial controls and programme implications. The prospect of not finding a speedy and successful conclusion could have had major consequences on the completion date and financial position of the project together with a risk of putting a strain on relationships.
The work K D Burns Associates have done in firstly getting a firm grasp of the problems we faced, organising approvals and supervising progress and financial control has enabled us to bring this issue to a conclusion of satisfaction, which I'm sure is a view shared by all parties.
We are very pleased with the professional, yet personal, approach taken by K D Burns Associates, together with the Partner level accessibility, so much so we have since further appointed them to assist us on other projects.
Geoff Taylor, Chief Executive
Keith Burns is a pleasure to work with. He gets stuck into and has a firm grasp of the details of a project. His charming and straight-talking manner means that you can rely on him to give you realistic diagnoses and prognoses which are rational and commercially pragmatic.
Alexander Hickey, Barrister
4 Pump Court
I have worked with Keith Burns on several complex construction disputes where Keith has reviewed the facts, considered the merits of the case and devised the strategy for the resolution of the dispute. I must say on several occasions I have thought that the position of those for whom Keith has been acting to be somewhat precarious. However, by stint of Keith's industry and hard work he has managed to recover what has seemed somewhat difficult.
Keith has good knowledge of construction law and particular expertise in construction dispute resolution. I would have no hesitation recommending him to any of my clients and consider that he quickly becomes an indispensible member of any construction dispute resolution team.
Michael Blackburne, Partner
DAC Beachcroft
I first worked with Keith more than twenty years ago when he was the contracts manager and I the project architect on a large occupied residential refurbishment contract for London Borough of Waltham Forest. The scheme was a complex combination of structural strengthening works and general refurbishment works but with the added complication of more than 100 families living in the buildings throughout the contract. Health and Safety was of course the priority for all of us associated with the project. Keith managed the construction process extremely effectively, understanding that the contractors priorities of achieving deadlines and cost expectation were always subservient to the needs of the residents. Inevitably there were challenges to be faced on the contract however these were always dealt with in a good humoured way and in a spirit of fairness and understanding. The popularity of the blocks now is a testament to the efficiency and attention to detail as well as the care for the residents which Keith brought to the construction process
I have worked on a number of projects with Keith since our first experience including both refurbishment and new build contracts. These have all been successfully undertaken and have been characterised by the positive and fair manner in which contractual issues have been addressed and, in recent times, have also seen a wholehearted commitment to design and construction quality.
Keith is an extremely principled and trustworthy person. I have found his commitment to open dialogue refreshing and this, allied to his fairness and contractual knowledge will serve him well in dispute resolution. I offer my very best wishes for his future success.
Mark Bottomley BA(Hons) Dip Arch RIBA
BPTW Architects
Keith Burns is the consummate professional.
His focus and determination to achieve only the best results is widely recognised. Keith will investigate, challenge, question and leave no stone unturned until he fully understands the project/issue/task or whatever new challenge is put in front of him. It is this quality and his vast experience that means that Keith's results are always better than one would normally expect. Most recently Keith has been known to resolve very difficult disputes, however Keith also has many years of experience in Planning and Project Management at the highest levels.
David Westwood, Managing Director
I have known Keith for almost 20 years spanning two companies and have worked very closely with him in that time. We worked together for over 11 years at Galliford Try (formerly Galliford Hodgson) him in the capacity of Contracts Manager & I as Senior Surveyor and for almost 8 years at William Verry with Keith initially running the Public Business Unit and latterly in the position of Director overseeing other unit operations.
Keith is an inspirational and enthusiastic leader for whom no obstacle will deter him in obtaining the most beneficial outcome for the Company, project and client. In all the years we worked together I have never seen him shirk from a challenge and his motivational effect on others was clearly visible.
He is a logical, clear thinker whose background gives him experience second to none in terms of technical construction ability, programming, contract and financial objectives; his views and advice were sought at all levels given a proven record of problem solving, lateral thinking and trustworthiness.
It has always been a pleasure to work with Keith, his credentials are exemplary.
Ian Thurston, Chief Surveyor
I confirm I worked with Keith Burns for just over 4 years at Verry Construction from February 2005 to February 2009, Keith´s role was as Director responsible for delivery, primarily within the public business unit and more recently across all business units, and was also heavily involved in dispute resolution.
My working relationship with Keith has been mainly involved at pre-construction level and I have found Keith to be very experienced, professional and a focused individual at all times always striving to achieve high standards.
Paul Dooley, Director of Estate Regeneration
Poplar HARCA
I have known and worked under Keith for a number of years throughout my working career, and during this time we have worked on a number of contracts together, most of which have been challenging and in some cases contractually very intricate.
I have always had the utmost respect for Keith, in each of his roles during my career as he naturally always displayed a very strong leadership quality, he is a "peoples person and team player" who is totally supportive of the teams he directs.
Keith most definitely leads from the front; he has become the figure head of each and every one of the companies he has worked for. He has always been highly respected and held in very high regard.
I have always known Keith to be committed 100% to the cause. This same commitment is displayed in everything he does.
Keith has gained a massive amount of experience in defending Contractual claims during his working career and has been extremely successful. This in part is simply due to his untiring doggedness and his 100% commitment to the cause.
I will always have the utmost respect for Keith and would happily continue my working career under Keith's guidance.
Andrew Napolitano, Senior Contracts Manager
I have known and had the pleasure of working with Keith Burns for the last 15 years. As director, Keith has always been a proactive leader of our site teams and has demonstrated a depth of knowledge with regards to procurement, design, programme and deliveries. On a personal level, Keith has always been inspirational and a mentor to me; he has always been the first to offer help and to resolve any problems in a professional manner. He is also widely respected amongst the site staff, office staff and the other directors.
Keith's calibre of leadership is second to none and I sincerely hope that I am able to work with him in the future.
Ali Toossi, Senior Project Manager
Having known and worked with Keith for the past 5 years at Verry Construction I can say, with confidence that I am able to describe what it has been like to work with and for Keith during this period. Firstly I would start by saying, that in all my years in the construction industry, almost 30 years in management, I have never worked for a better 'Boss' and I would support this by making the following comments about Keith:
- Strong yet supporting management of his team.
- Extremely knowledgeable, almost always able to offer guidance and advice.
- His technical understanding of the construction process and programme (been there and done it!), commercial and business knowledge etc. all earn him great respect from his peers and subordinates alike.
- An excellent judge of character. I pride myself on my own ability to build and develop my team, and with Keith´s support this has been all the more successful and rewarding.
- Keith makes very clear what he expects from his team, and is fully supportive of them as they strive to achieve what´s expected. This, in my opinion makes Keith an ideal leader, as knowing what is expected and also knowing that support is available when its needed displays a fundamental leadership quality.
In summary I would say that his knowledge and experience in Contractual and Commercial matters and his willingness to share that knowledge has been key to my own progression over this last 5 years, and for that I would sincerely thank him. Without his Testing and Supportive management and guidance over this period I feel sure I would not have achieved the personal success I have.
I would welcome the opportunity of working with him again at some point in the future.
Andy Stewart, Business Unit Director


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Signs of a Burst Pipe
Firstly if you know what to look for regarding burst pipe repairs , you may be able to spot a pipe that's about to burst. As early leak detection and a call to our plumbing team can help reduce costs and keep your home safe from extensive water damage.
Secondly burst pipes repairs perth often starts out as a small leak that gets bigger over time. Subsequently a wet patch in the ceiling, a puddle on the floor or water leak are clear warning signs of a leaking pipe. However it's not always that obvious. As maintenance specialists, our plumbers are able to detect hidden pipe leaks before they become big problems.
Finally a dirty, brown water, dropping water pressure, noisy pipes, a clogged toilet, and banging pipes are other signs that may indicate a weak pipe or another plumbing issue. Don't wait until it's too late, if you suspect there's a problem with your plumbing system call GA PERRY today.


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Today's prompt asks us to create a Pinterest board for our health focus and to pin three things. As my illness affects me differently each day, so does what I think about. This is what I'm thinking about right now.
(Image by Martin Kucera via floridalightning.com)
This image by Martin Kucera at http://www.floridalightning.com reminds me what I am like with brain fog. I can only see what is close to me and, even then, fog has enveloped it. I quickly lose interest in things because it's hard to think and concentrate.
(Image by me using http://www.keepcalm-o-matic.co.uk/)
Even though our chronic illnesses can take over our lives, we must keep living. There will be some bad days and some really bad days. But, we must be aware of, enjoy and appreciate the good things that happen to us and around us, no matter how big or small.
Photo by me from the post of my first attempt at loom knitting
Keep learning!!! This year I am going to learn how to do a few different things to keep the hands and mind active. So far I've tried haiku and loom knitting. That's supposed to be a preemie hat. Don't judge, it was my first attempt. Last week I received my supplies to do jewelry making with resin clay (a.k.a. apoxie clay) and I will get back to drawing.


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Nelson Alexander Foundation Day Win
Nelson Alexander's annual fundraiser 'Foundation Day' supported the Marcus Rosin Fund held with the Children's Cancer Foundation.
Foundation Day has a long tradition of supporting charities whereby each office donates the professional fee from one of their auctions on the day to their chosen charity.
This Foundation Day, the Keilor branch nominated the Children's Cancer Foundation as their preferred charity, donating their $13,682 fee to the Marcus Rosin Fund specifically to support brain cancer research.
The Marcus Rosin Fund honours the memory of young Marcus Rosin who led a beautiful, funny, but short life. Unfortunately cancer took control and on May 15, 2014, nine-year-old Marcus lost his battle.
Thank you Nelson Alexander (Keilor Branch) for your generous support.


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Category Archives: Restaurant
Virtual Tour
Gite divine
Sightseeing in the restaurant.
Proposal #1 – Camminata storico-turistica a Masera;
Life, city, the press and the sausage factory, a walk to discover the history of the City of Alpine Masera. The walk starts from the small station of the train of Vigezzina "from Domodossola or Locarno" develops between the streets of the town of Masera, the aim of the visit is to mettinata villa Caselli, a nineteenth-century residence full of history, located in a beautiful park of over 35.000 sq.m.. full of plants from all over the world. The first part of the walk will end with lunch at the restaurant Divin Porcello made from local products. In the afternoon visit to the wine press of the nineteenth century and the sausage factory Divin Porcello, The tour will end in the afternoon with the return to the station.
A walk with purpose gastronomic and explore a pristine of Ossola. Masera still maintains the rhythms and atmospheres linked to past times. A throwback to a relaxation and a day of culture.
Proposal #2 – Walk of food and wine "La via del taste"
This proposal, unique, includes an agile walk through the streets of the town of cobbled Masera, to finish the stories related to the historical culture explained directly on the table, through the course of the lunch of local products. The vineyards and chestnut, you will find them at the table. A short, healthy walk that will conclude with an equally healthy and jovial lunch at the restaurant Divin Porcello. The guide will accompany you in the room telling and illustrating the Alpine culture linked to the food of the territory. A trip purely wine and food for the hungry of culture.
Proposal #3 – Excursion with MTB pedal assisted
The restaurant will soon be equipped with three MTB pedal assisted, with these mountain bike climbs will be possible even to those not trained. The technology of the pedal assistance will take at altitude, the mountains of the district.
Note: In case of bad weather the transfer will be made with our minibus.
Discounts will be applied to groups midweek.
The proposals are made with tour guides and qualified environmental.
For information on dates and costs call the restaurant at: 0324.35035.
closing day Monday.
Image recharged every 60 seconds
Environmentally friendly
The whole complex is powered by solar energy, two large solar trackers provide a good supply of energy. All of this in favor of eco-compatibility in which we firmly believe.
Event Nice
Dinner for two
25 years with us
Il ristorante tipico Divin Porcello in occasione dei 25 anni di attività sorteggerà ogni settimana tra i propri clienti un buono per due persone del valore di 60 €.
To participate in the weekly draw will be enough to fill two simple cards at the table.
A registry with your name and email for the possible notification of winning and an anonymous liking that will be mailed to you at the exit.
3.000 euro di montepremi per tutto il 2015!


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By Katy Snyder
JVA Consulting Communications/Resource Development Associate
This week, JVA President Janine Vanderburg is attending the Social Enterprise Summit in New Orleans. Janine is twittering from the summit to keep all of us apprised of the brilliant ideas that pioneering social entrepreneurs will be presenting. As a primer, we thought we'd revisit the topic of social enterprise and tell you a little about what it is and how some JVA clients have used social enterprise to bolster their bottom lines (something that's more important than ever as corporate and individual donations decline).
Social enterprise is when mission-driven organizations use revenue-generating strategies to forward their mission. Products or services for sale must be tied directly to the mission of the organization in order for it to be considered social enterprise.
Here's how JVA has worked in the social enterprise arena in the past:
In September 2008, JVA partnered with the National Center for Social Entrepreneurs (NCSE) and the Family Resource Center Association (FRCA) to help build the capacity of rural nonprofit organizations.
As regional facilitators for NCSE, JVA identified three family resource centers in rural Colorado and provided them with the training and resources to develop business plans for social enterprises that helped them develop a product, employ their clients and increase overall sustainability.
La Llave Family Resource Center, Tri-County Family Care Center and Rural Communities Resource Center were selected to participate in an eight-month process with JVA to come up with a marketable product from which their organization could eventually draw revenue. Participants were charged with conducting market research to come up with a unique product that could fill a niche in their community, drafting a business plan and determining costs associated with their product so they could come up with a price point that would allow them to profit.
JVA's director of Planning Services and Social Enterprise said that through the process, participants went from not thinking about marketing at all to becoming entrepreneurs who could look at what they were doing and say, "How do we turn that opportunity into money in a way that not only supports but honors our mission?"
One of the centers selected for participation, La Llave, works with families throughout the San Luis Valley, providing them with support services to help improve literacy levels of both adults and children. After doing market research and conducting a focus group in the heavily Latino San Luis Valley, La Llave found its niche: table decorations for quinceñeras, wedding celebrations and graduations. Although families often make these decorations together, the process is time-consuming and the materials needed require families to travel hours to Albuquerque, Santa Fe or Denver. By ordering products wholesale and assembling them en masse, La Llave can save families time and money.
Sales of the product are keeping two part-time La Llave employees—both former clients—busy, and La Llave anticipated it would break even and begin making a profit by the spring. In the future, La Llave anticipates it will be able to hire seven new full-time employees with profits from sales of its decorations.
Tri-County Family Care Center, whose office is located in Rocky Ford and serves Otero, Bent and Crowley counties, went through several ideas trying to come up with the perfect product. After some coaching from JVA and market research using the NCSE model, Tri-County decided to focus its attention on custom-made computer slide shows. Like La Llave, it targeted family affairs, such as weddings, funerals and graduations. Not only was this product guaranteed to be in demand (research showed that there was no one in the area making slide shows and that many adults were not technologically savvy enough to easily make their own), but it also allowed for a solution to a problem that ails many rural counties: lack of jobs for new high school and college graduates. By employing some of these recent graduates, Tri-County gets the technological expertise that it needs to make its product while also creating jobs for young people who might otherwise leave the community.
Founded in 1983 in Yuma and Akron by women looking for ways to become self-sufficient in a rural community, Rural Family Resource Center originally targeted a niche market to make a profit: sewing ranching clothes specifically made for women. Charged by JVA with coming up with a new product in 2008, the group went back to its roots, making hand-stitched toys, clothes and gadget-heavy snowboard bags that were rugged but stylish enough to go from serious backcountry shredding to a trip through the Aspen airport.
Like the other centers, Rural Family Resource Center's research into market trends in its communities guided its final product choice. As the sewing industry continues to move offshore, companies are no longer able to get a quick turnaround on their product, but handmade, locally stitched products like the Rural Family Resource Center's can be made in as little as three days. Employing local women and clients of the Resource Center to do the sewing helps the local economy and also teaches employees business basics such as bookkeeping, marketing and customer service.
If you are interested in learning more about how you can grow the capacity of your nonprofit or socially responsible business (rural or not), contact JVA at 303.477.4896. To follow Janine's tweets from the Social Enterprise Summit, go to www.jvaconsulting.com. Janine's tweets will be scrolling in a box on the right-hand side of the home page.


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On June 25, we held an event for Logitech (Russia), the global leader of computer peripherals. Naturally, the event was timed to coincide with the FIFA World Cup. The company presented a special Global Fan Collection of computer mice in the colors of the national flags of participating countries.
The World Team of 11 mice were put on the special football mini field. That evening, the installation became an Instagram hit with #Logitech hashtag. Logitech's "Stadium" was aired on Hi-tech show (Russia 24).
G502, 12,000 DPI, 2014 World Cup
In addition to "sport" mice, Roman Monin, CEO of Logitech (Russia), and Mark Chaplin, Marketing Manager for Eastern and Southern Europe, showed the newest G502 Proteus Core cyber sport mouse. It boasts the highest sensitivity among the mice of this class — 12,000 DPI and an integrated 32-bit microprocessor. Such gadget will give anyone a chance to become a world champion in the virtual version of 2014 FIFA World Cup.
X100 and X300, 50 Journalists
The new Logitech X100 wireless speakers and MiniUEBoom speakers of Ultimate Ears subsidiary brand, which allow to listen to music and watch football anywhere, keyboard covers for the latest Samsung tablets, and other devices were also presented.
The event ended in joint viewing of Argentina-Nigeria match.
The event attracted 50 journalists of the leading IT and gaming mass media.
The Russian office of Logitech has been a client of Polylog Consulting Group for eight years.


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A new player can get thousands of gold from gold ads, while paying customers get nothing. (most forumers know that)
But does WG expect everyone to have gold from ads and keep the prices high because of that? Could getting rid of gold ads lower the prices, or should the gold ads be made available for everyone?
I want to hear some opinions.


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Chiles for Benito / Chiles para Benito
by Ana Baca
Illustrated by Anthony Accardo
Spanish translation by José Juan Colín
Category: Picture Book
Published: 30 Nov 2003
Bind: Hardcover
Pages: 32
Age Group: 3-7
Out of stock
- About the Book
- Praise
- About the Author
- About the Illustrator
- About the Translator
- Educational Resources
Chile ristras adorn kitchens and dishes all over New Mexico. In the winter, when the nights grow longer and the winds blow stronger, chiles season meats and stews bringing New Mexico spice to every hungry taste bud. But chiles didn't always grow in New Mexico, and Ana Baca tells a special fable about Benito and the chiles that crawled all over his family's simple homestead.
Benito's mother sends him to the county fair in the hopes of their cow winning the first place prize. This would give them money to buy some seeds for the crop, but the cow misbehaves and they must leave the fair. Suddenly, Benito is stopped by a mysterious man with a peculiar bird on his shoulder. The man offers Benito some powerful seeds in exchange for his cow, which Benito quickly accepts. But when only uncontrollable weeds grow from the ground, Benito begins to feel foolish.
Even the neighboring farmers begin to complain that the relentless weeds are killing their crop. How will the community survive? Will the rapidly growing weeds ever bear fruit to help Benito?
"The text, as good in Spanish as it is in English, reads well aloud."—School Library Journal
ANA BACA, a native of Albuquerque, New Mexico, is the author of three lively bilingual children's books; Benito's Sopaipillas / Las sopaipillas de Benito (Piñata Books, 2007), Chiles for Benito/Chiles para Benito (Piñata Books, 2003) and Benito's Bizcochitos/Los bizcochitos de Benito (Piñata Books, 1999). She graduated from Stanford University (B.A.) and the University of New Mexico (M.A.) with degrees in English Literature and currently resides in New Mexico.
Learn more at anabaca.wordpress.com.
ANTHONY ACCARDO has illustrated more than fifty children's books, including Chiles for Benito / Chiles para Benito (Piñata Books, 2003) and The Last Doll / La última muñeca (Piñata Books, 2001). His paintings have been exhibited in both the United States and Europe. A New York native, he lives in Brooklyn.
Learn more at anthonyaccardo.com.
JOSÉ COLÍN is an assistant professor of Spanish at the University of Oklahoma. His field of expertise is the Latin-American Literature and Culture of the 20th & 21st Century. Born and raised in Mexico City, he has a deep love for his country and culture and enjoys teaching it. He has published articles on contemporary Central American, Mexican and Caribbean writers as well as those of South America.
Learn more at http://bit.ly/1wf0voB.
Accelerated Reader Quiz #73826 | ATOS English: 3.7 | ATOS Spanish: 3.7 | ATOS Interest Level: Lower Grade


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My all-time favourite song, co-incidentally written by my all-time favourite musician, Dave Davies.
My all-time favourite song, co-incidentally written by my all-time favourite musician, Dave Davies.
To tell the truth, I'd love this song even if there wasn't a video.
Picture from Wikipedia
Actually, this is just another excuse to mention The Kinks. This is a real teen snarl, full of envy and descending into rude words about the perfect friend (frenemy?) (I wish I could weeeeeeeee like David Watts..)
I really like The Jam's version of this – but you know what, I'm giving you original 1967 Kinks version too. AND Dave's rambunctious live version from 1997.
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Stories and Photographs of my travels, Tales of friends, family, animals and my life
A Mind Ready to Explode!
Will do just about anything for food
I'm serious, very serious.
I am the angelic darling of Baskerville Manor. Butter would not melt in my mouth (because I've scoffed it already).
I want to know everything. I want to be in charge of everything. I want all the food. I definitely own all the Kongs.
Handsome, debonair. AKA Chunkalove, Big Shiloh is a dog for all couches


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