Ciudad Bolivar is now behind me although I had a lot of fun there. Lots of Beer and Gin Rummy. The town itself is pretty small and perched on a wide brown river. It has the usual Venezuelan love of extremely loud sound systems. I met up with Gillian and Rory who were in Santa Fe and wandered round town with them looking at touristy things as you do ... the usual type of thing colonial houses, churches, art galleries (very poor) and the ubiquitous fort. Rut turned up just as I left and is heading to Angel Falls something I am going to miss due to the usual lack of funds.

I got a bus from there to Santa Elena which is very close to the border where I am now. It was a local bus and stopped at seemingly every town on the way but was a nice journey. The roads on the way up were hugged by jungle before falling away to farmland briefly and then back again. On top of the mountains it is flat like Table Mountain and grassy with white sand in parts. There is a strange atmosphere up there and very beautiful. Just empty space where it looks like you can step off the edge of the world. The clouds both underneath you and above. Oh and I passed through El Dorado on the way too.

Santa Elena pretty much consists of one main street and have seen everything in town already I think. Met a slightly dodgy Irish American guy called Jim in the bus up and I am staying with him at the moment to save on costs. We hit almost all the bars in town that were open last night. Most of them consist entirely of pool tables, it seems like a very popular past time and I guess there is not much else to do. Also went to the only nightclub which was open but it turned out to be a strip joint slash brothel. The music was just ok. There is another but I do not think that Monday night is a big night to go out anywhere. There was an absolutely gorgeous soldier in there that said. Under sights my guidebook lists only tour agencies!

So today I just have to change money and sort out my bus ticket for tomorrow to Manaus. And then I guess a few beers ... its a hard life I tell you.

ros from URL @ 1:48 pm