El Ávila
Caracas, Venezuela
"El pulmón de la ciudad" The lungs of the city, El Ávila shapes life and movement throughout Caracas, a truly awe-inspiring presence |
One cannot get lost in Caracas, because as every true Venezuelan knows, north is el Ávila. A protector of the city, the mountain has never allowed a hurricane to pass the coast, and it provides tons of activities, resources, and sights to keep the people of the city moving. Every Christmas, the magical "Cruz de Navidad" is illuminated, a huge cross of lights that can be seen from afar, reminding people where they can always put their faith.
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High up in the slopes of El Ávila national park, a tiny village-esque region called "el Galipán" has been known for centuries for producing the most beautiful flowers in the country. Flower-pickers would regularly collect the harvest and bring them all the way down to the city, where they'd be sold at plazas and in front of Cathedrals. El Galipán also separated the coast's colder climate from that of the rest of the country.
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Pacheco was a particularly well-known flower seller, and he would often wait until December to come down from the mountain, as the best flowers bloomed in that season. He'd come down via "el Camino de los Españoles" and entered the city through "la Puerta de Caracas," setting up shop in "la Plaza Bolívar de Caracas." When people saw him, they'd yell "Pacheco has arrived!" and thus, they began to associate the chilly weather that often also arrived in December with the old man.
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Pictured to the left is La Chivera, better known as "el merendero de Galipán." Buried in the mountain, the restaurant is particularly famous for its pork sandwiches, and was initally opened to feed those who labored to construct the Hotel Humbolt, also located in the mountain's national park. Other than La Chivera, mountain visitors can eat at one of many eateries, including Casa Pakea, El Jardiín de Luna, Le Galipanier, Granja Natalia and Tarahumara.
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