Dreaming of Choroni

Just on the other side of Henri Pittier National Park in Aragua, Venezuela, there is lovely little beach town called Choroni. A tiny mountain road leads you up into the clouds and over, into a forest of tall shade trees, rushing creeks, and lush ferns.

The beach itself is nestled beside the coastal mountains that stretch across Venezuela. Choroni is a favorite destination for nature lovers and sun worshippers alike. Hundreds of varieties of birds live there, and some lizards too.  Visitors pitch tents on the beach and camp overnight. You can rent a chair and umbrella and pass the day watching the waves crash between the mountains. Coconut water is a favorite treat, and occasionally you might see some one climb up a palm tree and get a coconut.

The small town of Choroni was constructed in the Spanish style. On the “malecon” or sea wall, there are remnants of an old Spanish fort, complete with cannons. At night, locals and visitors come together on the malecon, to share music, art, souvenirs, food, and drink. Couples and friends sit on the wall and stare into the sea, dreaming of the next time they come to Choroni.

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Venezuelan Artist’s Work is for the Birds

A Venezuelan-born artist living in Florida was profiled in the Miami Herald over the weekend.

Francisco Sheuat, who owns an art gallery, is making his name in Fort Lauderdale by creating colorful papier-mache replicas of pink flamingos. Embellished with paint or mosaic, each is unique and beautiful. One looks like a motorcycle rider, another features an antique map of the Bahamas.

Sheuat embraces other mediums, too, like the traditional flat canvas. A common theme among all of his work is birds — not surprising for a man whose home country continues to inspire him. Venezuela boasts over 1,300 species of birds, and the country is known among travelers as a haven for birdwatching.

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Nest Pirates of the Caribbean

With more than 1300 recorded bird species within its boundaries, Venezuela promises some of the best bird watching in South America. Its flora and fauna are spectacular too, but rapid growth in the bird-watching industry has taken many by surprise.

One species that you won’t have a hard time sighting is the Turpial, Venezuela’s national bird.

The Turpial is one of about 25 or so species of “New World Orioles,” but don’t let the name fool you. This South American beauty has more in common with a hawk than the bright orange Orioles we are accustomed to seeing in the U.S.

During March and September, the birds breed in a most unruly fashion, steeling the nests of other birds as a part of their reproductive ritual. Violent attacks against native nesters are common, and can even end in the Turpial ingesting the eggs of young hatchlings occupying their newly coveted home. It’s no wonder they have come to be known as the “nest pirates” of the Caribbean.

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