A few new sights

Hello everyone!

I can't believe I've made it to another weekend here. I had one other meeting with a musician (I was supposed to have more, but next week I can start showing up at rehearsals)-Adela, a pianist who is married to the principal oboist of the Simon Bolivar A orchestra. in the Simon Bolivar there is both an A and B orchestra, the A is the older members who remain in Caracas, and the B is the young orchestra that travels around the world. I brought up my orchestra funding question, and she explained to me that Venezuela's black gold makes it a very very rich country. Despite political change, and even the economic crisis of 1983, the orchestras were a cause worth investing in. The government finances the paying of musicians and the tours. She also said that playing in orchestra is the only time Venezuela feels like a rich country-economically and culturally.

These last few days I have also done some more sightseeing. On Thursday I went with a Venezuelan couchsurfer to the Parque Miraflores, a steep hill in the center of the city, near the governmental buildings, that looks like it may have been an old fort. On the upper plateau there is a church, and a plaza Bolivar, with a statue. Here is a view of the city from the top.

Yesterday I went to the Casa de La Cultura Roman Gallegos, with Ceres, a friend from Frisbee, a cultural center that hosts art exhibits, films and theater.

Today I went to the Parque del Este, a huge park here in the middle of the city. There is a little lake with paddleboats, a zoo, and various different gardens, as well as open green and spaces for picnicking and barbeque. I'm really thankful to find some beautiful green places in a city that sometimes is so hostile and ugly.

I made it home just to miss the (almost daily) afternoon rainstorm, which at least I can always see coming in the distance. Tomorrow, my ultimate frisbee women's team here is playing a tournament in Maracay, which is a city 100km (60 miles) outside Caracas. Hopefully I will get to see a little of the city as well, as it's supposed to be beautiful. I will look forward to that, as well as hoping for a musical week, as that's really what I came here for (I think by now I've had quite enough time to adjust...!)