I have never had to stack the suitcases against the bedroom door before bedding down for the night in an hotel before. But I had never been in Puerto la Cruz before. It is five hours on the bus from Caracas plus a ninety minute delay plus check in an hour before departure. We asked the receptionist where we could eat. She suggested a restaurant 300 yards away and called us a taxi because “the street is empty”. This was at 9.30. The door of the hotel had a metal grill in front and was permanently locked. Luggage against the door seemed in keeping with the atmosphere.

The meat here is good. We went to a restaurant where it´s cooked in Llanos style on wooden poles over an open fire. Vegetables seem to be illegal in restaurants and the main snacks are deep fried pasty things.

We met up with some relatives of my sister in law. They have been enormously considerate and helpful. But by god they hate Chavez. Apparently he´s encouraging criminals to attack the rich and take over their houses. It didn´t seem wise to have an argument with them on their home turf.

These lines are being written in a town called Cumana. It is the oldest town in South America and a bit of a dump. Similar towns in Cuba have been much better preserved or restored. However there is lots of pro Chavez propaganda and a huge CP
mural across the street and we have seen a couple of misiones.

After the luxury of an American hotel in Caracas we are now in a ten pounds a night posada in a beach resort called Mochima. Our rooom is at the back of a take away that sells fried food. The staff start work at 5.45am and like their music loud. Yesterday evening I shared a shower with a large but charming cockroach. It took ages to drown in the cold water.