Wednesday, January 02, 2008

Venezuela is Rich!

Isla Margarita in Venezuela is amazing! The Spanish fought hard for this place and key battles took place here as the Venezuelans led by Bolivar, finally achieved independence from Spain in 1823. There are two other islands close to Margarita called Cubagua and Coche. These three islands compose Nueva Esparta, so named because Bolivar in a letter to the king of England after Independence, said the Venzuelan's here fought like Spartans. In fact a full one quarter of the population of Venezuela died in the fight for it's independence. The first European city in Latin America was on Cubagua because of the rich oyster beds offshore that by 1526 had the processing facility at Coche producing over 800 pounds of oysters a month. These oysters influenced fashion in Europe and more value was gained from them than any gold or silver extracted from South America. The Caribe's were one of the indian tribes in this area and they were known as great fighters. The Carribean is named after this group of fierce warriors who were instrumental in the fight for independence. Below are some captioned photo galleries that delve further into the richness of this beautiful place.
Cast of Characters
Island Life
Fish Dinner
Beach Wedding
Macanao
Island Life 2
Chicken Stand Video on You Tube on the street in Maragarita

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