22.2.06
Weather and clothing in Venezuela
In spite of having almost the same weather conditions all year round, there are certain peculiarities about the way we dress. Listen to my audiomessage to fin
d out about it.When my husband and I were doing our graduate work in Boston, many professors and classmates wore shorts and sandals during the summer and some even took their shoes off in class (in the streets, in parks, on buses). For us it was a complete cultural shock!!!
9.2.06
... sunny almost all year round
s. But when there are, they are terrible indeed like the mudslides in December 1999 from which we have not totally recovered. It is commonly thought that Venezuela has an overall hot climate because of its relatively closeness to the equator. However, its climate varies considerably and temperature depends on altitude above sea level. The tropical heat at low lands gives way to cooler are as at higher altitudes, and seasonal degree variations at sea level are replaced by year-round constant averages in the higher parts of the mountains. Caracas, at an altitude a little over 3,000 feet, has an average of 22° C (74° F), being comfortably cool throughout the year, warm in July and a little chilly on January mornings. There are only two seasons in the country: the rainy season from mid-May to October (Winter) and the dry season, but showers may fall any moment. See today´s weather. (Photo: View from The Avila to the Caribbean Sea)2.2.06
What you see is not always what you get ...
This is the magnificent view I wake up to every morning. Rain or shine, the imposing and majestic Avila Mountain is always there, even if hidden behind dense clouds. In a city of five million people full of high-rise buildings, rush
-hour traffic jams, permanent political conflict and surrounded by slums, it is a natural oasis where multicolor butterflies dance in the air, turpial birds are in tune with swinging bamboo clusters and large tall trees waltz to the cool breeze that embraces this natural giant.
El Avila is part of the northern coastal mountain range that separates the Caracas Valley from the seaside. It rises from the Caribbean Sea to 9,124 feet (2,765 meters). It is a national park that extends 45,000 km2 –an area around the size of Manhattan. Few cities of five million have a national park so close and pristine where you find dense vegetation and crystalline waterfalls and can momentarily leave noise and crowds behind, hike a variety of trails, breathe fresh air and enjoy nature while looking at the scenic view of a complex city of extreme socioeconomic contrasts.
