Feliz Ano de Merida!
we have landed! we are situated now in Merida, Venezuela our home for the next 5 weeks and the eco-tourist captial of the country. It is stunningly beautiful! We are are surrounded by the high jagged peaks of the Andes. The day begins sunny and warm, hot actually. around 4pm clouds start to hug the highest peaks and continue to roll down the mountains. The temperature drops significantly but a light sweater can curb the chill. We find the crisp eve. mountain air a treat after the hot days. The longest teleferico in the world (this time its true) is in Merida. Its a cable car ride 7 miles long up to 15,000 feet elevation. We will do that tomorrow. They also have handgliding off the Andes!! my dream come true. I frequently dream of flying, this is my opportunity. I will do a tandem ride with a pilot and if I love it, I can come back and take a week course to be certified to handglide off mountains. Could be a handy mode of transportation. well, a dream for next time. Andy wants to hike Pico Bolivar for his 36th birthday! Its about 17,000 ft and the highest peak in Venezuela. Not sure I can indure the thin cold air. Give me the beach!
We found an apartment today! its tiny but private and fully equiped. zarha has to sleep on bunk beds in the kitchen area but hey Andy and I have a room with a door!! Its only 3 blocks to the language school we will be studying at and in the center of Merida. Its perfect! we will move in Friday and until then we are at a posada owned by the same people, the posada is a total international scene. Many students come to study at the University of the Andes and the town in general is full of tourists we dont stand out the way we did in many small towns along the way. We will check out the University when it opens the second week of Janaury. This would be the perfect place to be offered a job! (footnote to the universe)
Our new year came in the traditional Venezuelan way....lots of fireworks.
most places have been closed here so besides fireworks it was pretty quite.
Zarha was very happy to hear Sample is so loved and having so much fun. Then she started missing her and crying. She was afraid sample wouldnt want to come home when she can "romp" around so free in the Beaurtiful woods of North Carolina. I guess it didnt help that I wondered if we should let our family adopt her. Ok, I am a mean mother. We are happy Sample can have this great experience and come home and share it with us. Thankyou family for giving Sample so much love. we miss her!
I want to buy zarha a bird for the month. A pet we cant have at home becuase of Faithful our panther. Another idea I cant get Andy on board with.
we are posting more photos soon now that we have consistant internet cafe access.
This internet cafe thing is so funny. It is so packed and popular and in any direction I turn the guys are chick surfing. Hey is that you andy? lol.
love you all,
