Aruba who separated from the other 5 Dutch Antilles islands in 1986 and from that moment on forms a part of the Dutch kingdom as 'status separate', is a very tourist orientated island. At the westcoast, near its' capital Oranjestad, are several very luxury, big, american-orientated hotels situated, which are all out of my budget (and where I would not feel at home too!). In Oranjestad itself however are still some old hotels, remaining from the pre-tourist period, which started a few years after Exxon abandoned its' refinery and thus took away the islands' most important earnings- and labor-source.

At the airport of Aruba I book for one night a room in one of these old hotels; it is however not a very comfortable place to stay: a tiny, musty room with only cold water and this for the price of HFL. 90,00 per night (without breakfast). So the first thing I do in the morning is look out for other accommodation, for which I go, after a quick look in the Yellow Pages, to the YMCA. Youth-leader Percy helps me really fantastic, and assisted by his wife, he manages to find, after several phone-calls, accommodation for me which fits better in my budget, and as will appear later on, is even better than the hotel I spent last night.

The accommodation found concerns a bed in the so called 'Sport-Hotel' in Seroe Colorado, at the other side of the island at the east-coast on a 30 km distance of Oranjestad. The Sport-Hotel is a kind of (youth-)hostel with 160 beds divided over 15 rooms, and has two large respectable bathrooms with hot showers. It is mainly orientated on accommodation for groups, e.g. for when there is a sport-event on the island. At the moment the only other inhabitants besides me are about 50 Venezuelans, who all work at the refinery situated near. The refinery is, after the shut-down by Exxon and being abandoned for some years, 5 years ago re-opened by Coastal, who 'bought' it for the symbolic price of $ 1. Coastal also managed to settle an arrangement with the Aruban government for not having to pay taxes. Recently this arrangement is prolonged under condition of extra investments in the refinery. And because of these investments the in the Sport-Hotel lodging Venezuelans work temporarily at the refinery. It seems there are also several people from Turkey and the Phillipines working temporarily at the refinery, which are accommodated on the refineries' ground in large tents. and where about has risen some upset, as it seems they are being paid less than the Aruban minimum-wage. Dirty business that oil business....

The town Seroe Colorado, by locals also called the Colony, is a small village with an own church, an own beach (Baby Beach), own tennis courts and in earlier days also an own hospital. Completely independent thus! This all especially for the (higher), mostly Dutch Exxon-staff; the ordinary working-class-people of the Lago-refinery (Exxon operated under the name 'Lago' on Aruba) lived mainly in the close to the refinery situated town Sint-Nicolaas, a town who flourished for many years, but now offers a disconsolate sight. The government however seems to give all priority to Oranjestad and the tourist-center nearby. And not without success: tourism flourishes well and Oranjestad has a nice, convivial, busy center with plenty shopping possibilities, terraces and many restaurants (including especial for the Americans several of their own fast-food-restaurants)...

By the way, I have to come back on my earlier suggested fat-percentage in Whoppers (see travel-report I, Boston). According to information of Subway, where I eat for a change fast and healthy, the fat-percentage in a whopper is much higher as I assumed. Shame I didn't discover Subway in the U.S.A. (although seen a lot I never stopped). The north of Aruba is almost uninhabited and is home to the national park 'Arie Kok', where it is good mountainbiking. The park is hilly, and knows, just as the rest of the island, a rather dry, barren and dusty climate, and is covered with many cactuses. You also see a lot of birds and many, many lizards. Every single km you cycle a (small) lizard flees away for your iron horse.

In total I stay eight days on Aruba, of which I cycle two days, spent two days on translating my travel-reports (nos. 2 and 3) in English, and making it mail-ready. Further I visit Oranjestad several times, on one hand for sightseeing, on the other hand for preparing my trip through South-America (e.g. I buy the excellent 'South America Handbook' of publisher Footprint, which turns out very soon to be a real travel-bible), and... for the first time since years I visit the beach! The beach, named Baby Beach as it is situated on a shallow lagoon and so rather save for children (and me!), is only on five minutes cycle-distance from the Sport-Hotel. As it is far away from the tourist center and not accessible by public transportation, it mainly attracts locals and it is rather quiet. The water is very nice and warm, and there are also possibilities to rest in the shade. However I have to confess I didn't sustain a complete day on the beach; around 3 o' clock I left. Within a year of five I will visit a beach again... perhaps!.

By the way, if you ever visit Aruba and like to do some cycling there, hereby two tips: a) be very careful on the main road between Oranjestad en Sint-Nicolaas as it is a racing-track; b) don't miss the French Men's Pass, which forms together with the road through the Arie Kok National Park the highlights on Aruban routes.

During my stay on Aruba I decide, as I am so close now, to visit Curacao also. Unfortunately there is no YMCA, Sport-Hotel, or something similar on Curacao, so I have to make use of the many tourist hotels, which of course means I am going far over my budget. Yet, I have not a single moment regrets about this extra week on Curacao. Capital Willemstad has, in Punda a very beautiful, historic center, which has reached the world-monument-list very rightly according to my opinion. The old warehouses along Sint-Annabay, where round about Willemstad is build, the many historic buildings in Otrobanda, the pontoonbridge (Queen Emma Bridge), fort Amsterdam, the Synagogue, it all looks just as nice. Yet, there are also, especially outside Punda, many decayed buildings which are much less nice. In the not-to-miss Curacao-museum you will find, next to many historic objects and local art, photographs from Willemstad in the 18th and 19th century, which shows how dynamic the city has been through the ages. Was it in these centuries mainly trade, nowadays tourism leads. As a philatelist, I of course, visit the postal-museum. Also the small coins-museum is worth a visit and displays besides coins also banknotes and precious stones/minerals.

Curacao stretches about 100 km, with Willemstad situated quite central. Therefore I decide to do Curacao by bike in two trips: one day eastwards and one day westwards. The trip eastwards is a bit disappointing as I am not able to cycle further than halfway East-point to the town Fuik. There I find out that some wealthy person owns the rest of the land, which stretches east of Fuik as private property. So I go northwards, where I cycle back along the north-coast to Willemstad, which compensates the trip somewhat and also yields a picture of a nice natural bridge. The trip westwards is much more interesting and goes along several fine, historic plantation-houses (from which there are still about 100 left on Curacao), a bay full of flamingos, the nice area around Zevenbergen (= Seven Mountains), and the little town of Westpunt, where I take a short break to try some juices of manufactures 'Lovers'. This local fruit juice-company, produces excellent juices, which are available all over the island in a large range of flavors. If ever on Curacao try the coco- or tamarinda-flavor: both uncommon flavors and delicious refreshing. On my way back through North-point I cycle through the national park 'Shete Boka'. The track is not suitable for cars or normal cycles, but is excellent for my mountainbike. After about 10 km I join the normal main-road again, which leads me along the national Cristofel Park, which I decide not to enter because of an approaching thunderstorm. What I do enter however is the tiny, as museum arranged, old house near the village 'Barber'. At the end of my trip I visit 'Hatco Caves' nearby the airport, which turned out to be excellent caves full of stagnalites, which you are shown by an excellent well-informed guide.

Gladly I had visited Bonaire too, but the three-day sailing-trip to Bonaire I had planned, was cancelled due to little interest, and visiting the island by normal ferry would mean a stay of seven days on Bonaire as this ferry runs only weekly. This I found a little much (and expensive, as I had to use the normal touristic hotels again) for this in one or two days cycleable island, which is very beautiful, but has historic and cultural less to offer than Curacao. So I decide to take the first ferry to Venezuela, which means i still have three days to spend on Curacao. Three days I use very well and spend mainly in the, modern, excellent library of Willemstad, where I backup my computer-files, read some books on Venezuela and myself orientate, on the world-wide-web, on the many language-schools in South-America. A language-school in Venezuela seems the best option, as it means the smallest number of days without sufficient knowledge of the spanish language. Capital Caracas and tourist- and student-city Merida are herefore the assigned places with both several language-schools. I choose for Merida as it is safer and is situated in the spurs of the Andes, the mountains which are my cycle-goal in South-America.

At my last but one day in Willemstad I have my first real negative, although also educating, experience. On my way back from the library to my hotel, a person accosts me as he wants to sell me something. I say I am not interested in jewelry, souvenirs, etc., as I still have 6 months of cycling ahead. A normal conversation follows, although it takes more of my time as I like. As I see a polite way of ending the conversation, after a half hour, suddenly the tone of the conversation changes. He wants to have money from me, as he has right to some money after talking with me for half an hour, according to his opinion. I don't feel very comfortable with the situation and ask him about what amount he is thinking. When he responds with HFL. 100.= (= US-$ 50) it becomes clear to me that he is not a ordinary beggar who is satisfied with a couple of guilders. I respond I only have HFL. 25.00 with me, and that I also have to buy some food with that money (which is all true if I don't count the US-$ 50 I have also in my wallet). I walk to the Pizza-Hut which is very close, but he keeps following me, however now accompanied by 2 others (who I didn't notice before as his handyman's). I order a pizza at the take-out-desk (it has no restaurant, which can be entered!) and overview my options: a) run away quickly, which I don't see as a good option as I still have to walk to my hotel, for which I have to cross a bridge where the could easily wait for me (and arrive before me, as they are more familiar in the area!); b) ask the Pizza-Hut-waiter to call the police; but I don't know if, how and how fast the Curacao police reacts, which makes me decide to try option c) first: turn around the rolls and threathen him, but in a way he doesn't get the feeling to fail in front of his friends (I like to avoid even more unpleasant reactions by him and his friends) . So I tell him friendly and quitely if he likes to leave if I give him HFL 10, and that I will not take any further measures if he accepts this offer. The strategy works, and with a feeling of power he disappear with the HFL. 10 in one of the alleys, followed by his friends. The Pizza-Hut-waiter and a meanwhile arrived client realize now that I was being blackmailed. When talking with them about what just happend they differ in opinion about how to act. The customer prefers to call the police, who would come immediately (but he knows this, and not I). The Pizza-Hut-waiter thinks my strategy was also not wrong seen the incalculability of the thieves. About one thing we do agree: I should not walk to my hotel by myself, as I have to pass the same alleys the thieves disappeared in. Before I can call a taxi, the customer offers me a lift, and drops me off at my hotel a few minutes later. Looking back at the situation I can conclude it was quite educating (and actually, worth the HFL 10!), although I don't hope to have more of these experiences.

The crossing from Willemstad to Vela de Coro, the harbor-town on 20 km distance of the larger Coro, takes six hours, which leaves me just enough time to reach Coro before dark. I stay in the excellent super-cheap posada (kind of hostel) turistica 'El Gallo', which is owned by a very friendly, helpful, young french/venezuelan family. The next day, in the supermarket, I come aware that not all prices are so low in Venezuela. Food and drinks are similar in price to the Netherlands, with the exception of some local in large quantities available products like tomatoes, bananas and platanos (= kind of banana, only suitable for frying, baking, cooking and similar in taste to potatoes if not over-ripe; I prefer them over-ripe, which sweetens them and makes them more taste like bananas). Peanutbutter, chocolatespread (Nutella) and meat for on your bread you better leave in the supermarkets, as their prices are minimal the double of the dutch prices ($ 4 for a jar of peanutbutter!). Strange enough however are the prices for special breads, filled with e.g. coconutcreme, cheese, raisins, or other fruits rather low and almost equal to the prices of normal bread (without anything). So I quickly changed my eating-patterns and switch to these delicious special bread, which are also very handy as they are ready to eat!

My first day in Venezuela , in Coro, I visit also two museums. In the 'Museo de Art' is strange enough no art shown, but a special exhibition of Anna Frank! Though interesting and nicely done with both Spanish and English texts, not completely what I expected. In the other 'Museo de CoroGuillesmo Castillo', housed in an old monastry, I get a personal tour, which is difficult to follow for me because everything is in Spanish. According to my travel-guide however, this museum holds an excellent collection of religious relics and art! In Coro-center you also find some interesting, historic houses and churches, which I try to admire from the sidewalks, as a very heavy, one-hour-lasting, shower has turned the streets into rivers. The next day, when I start with my first South-American cycle-stage, some streets are still small rivers, but outside town the waters has disappeared (probably run to Coro-center!). >From my first venezueal city on, Vela de Coro, I notice the many old, patched-up, cars, but during my first stage I also notice the many, small houses where some families live in, and which would serve in the Netherlands only as a chicken-shed (or even be not good enough for this!); there is much poverty in Venezuela, something I hadn't expect in this country full of oil!

In this first day of cycling towards Churuguara is quite heavy to me, as it contains a lot of ascending and descending. I am very tired, hungry, thirsty and have legs of lead and five more km to go as it at seven o'clock starts to glimmer. Five km seems not much, certainly not after 130 km, but in the just mentioned shape and going steeply uphill, this five km can just be too much! I decide to go walking, but even this appears too heavy for me, which leaves me only three options: a) camp where I am, which does not really appeal to me as it doesn't solve my hunger and thirst; b) rest a while and continue walking/cycling in the dark towards Churuguara, an option even less appealing as it is to dangerous without lighting on your bike or along the road ; c) try to get a ride of one of the pick-up-truckdrivers, which pass now and then, which seems to me the best option.

Within 10 minutes I am sitting in a pick-up-truck, and another 10 minutes later I am entering a hotel owned by a friend of the truckdriver. The hotel is very moderate, but not really cheap, but I am glad to have a bed for the night, and see the stay more as a service for a friends' service. The restaurant is also very moderate, but provides me with some entertainment, when I got invited by two men, who ask me to join them and 'their' two ladies. They are eating tapas (= small snacks) from a large plate they have ordered, and I have to try all varieties (people who know me well, know that I don't need much encouragement herefore). While I am enjoying the tapas, the two men are enjoying themselves too, as well with the tapas as with the ladies. But suddenly woman number three appears with thunder and lightning. It is very soon quite clear to me that this is the wife of one of the two men. With a furious wife one man soon leaves the establishment leaving his friend behind to pay the total bill. This friend is not very pleased with it and tries to lower the bill, however without success. Meanwhile both ladies have difficulties in hiding their laughter! Good Times, Bad Times (dutch TV-sequel (soap)) live in Venezuela!.

From the not so interesting Churuguara I cycle the next day towards Barquisimete. However, because of some miscalculation (it appears not to be 100 but 160 km from Churuguara) I have to finish also my second stage with a hike, although this time not in such an exhausted condition. Again it is no problem to get a ride to town, and I even am offered a can of soda during the ride. When the driver stops at the border of Barquisimeto near a hotel he takes 500 bolivars (about $ 1) out of his wallett. I immediately think he tries to show what I have to pay for the ride and/or can of 7-up, nut no... the money is for me, so I can buy another drink from his Venezuelan friend. I don't want to take the money, but he insists on it, so I accept it as I don't want to be rude! It's a pity that this didn't happen after my Spanish course, which would have given us some more possibilities for a conversation... but that is not how it is!. As if this wasn't enough, I am also offered free accommodation in the hotel! What is the case: the hotel was fully booked, but in the room for the staff they had a few beds left, normally not for visitors, but I could use one for free for one night! Although both hikes ended up with very nice experiences I don't want to make a habit of it! With the map I used so far however it is very difficult to estimate distances and riding-times, as this map shows no km or altitudes. In Barquisimeto, with 7,23,000 inhabitants the fourth city of Venezuela, I try to find a better map, but the all come up with that same bad map. So the only option for me is to ask, in broken-spanish, for distances and elevations at locals and stop in time at possible places to sleep.

In Quibor, near Barquisimeto, I try for the first time, on recommendation of my travel-guide, the local drink 'chicha (de arroz)', which is made out of milk, rice, sugar and vanilla. Its really the best-tasting drink I ever had in my life, and I will drink it a lot in the following weeks, as it is also in Merida widely available. I cycle the next days for safety reasons a little less km and stop in time in Guarica (a nice mountain-village), Bocono (with a hotel full of cockroaches), Valera (with finally an ATM) and Timotes (with a beautiful church and excellent, but not expensive, hotel)... The route, especially around Guarica, from Bocono to Trujilo (halfway Valera) and from Valera to Timotes is really beautiful and leads along excellent mountain-roads with breathtaking views, little traffic, tropical valleys and many waterfalls.

Timotes is situated 110 km from Merida on an altitude of 2000 m. However before reaching Merida (1650 m) I first have to continue ascending to 4007 m to take the mountain-pass Pico el Aguilla. I leave early in the morning to avoid the usual heat of the afternoon, but that day it stays clouded, and at an elevation of 3000m I put my jacket on (for the first time since long). A few hunderd meters higher it gets wet due to a thunderstorm. I doubt what to do: descend (at least 500 m) and look for a shelter, or continue and ascend another 600 m to the top and shelter there (I know there is a restaurant, chapel and tourist-office on top!). I decide to continue, as the thunderstorm is not very active yet, and just a hunderd meters higher I am very glad I made that decision, as suddenly in the middle of nowhere there is an souvenirshop/restaurant, where I shelter for the meanwhile in snow changed rain. One-and-a-half hour later, warmed, dryed and with a plate of spaghetti in my stomach, I continue to pedal to the top, which is rather easy as it are just 500 meters! On my way to the top I am encouraged, and even photographed and filmed, by several tourist who pass my by car.

After reached the top it is an easy way to Merida, as it is going downhill for 60 km, passing through several nice little villages, including San Rafael de Muchuchies, Venezuela's highest village (3140 m), and with a very special church. Only the last 15 km I need to pedal a little, as Merida is situated just a little higher than Tabay, the last village I pass before reaching Merida. In Merida, which is built on a terrace of 15 by 2.5 km, it is easy to find a nice posada as there are plenty of them, just as there are plenty of restaurants. The first thing I do in the morning is arranging a language-school, wash my clothes and reading/replying my e-mail. I decide to make use of the home-stay possibilty during my three-week course spanish. Before moving to my home-stay-family I stay another three days in the convivial posada I found. Here I meet many people with many different nationalities: swiss, german, belgian, spanish, french, italian, israelian, danish, norwegian and scottish. In these three days I also visit two museums, which turned out to be very small and a little disappointing, the beautiful cathedral, and a dozen other nice buildings, parks, monuments, and squares.

Merida is as tourist center especially a place from where to make trips to the surroundings. Many tour-operators offer possibilities to paraglide, hike through or climb on mountains, ride horse, fish, etc., all under professional guidance. Merida also offers the highest and largest aerial cableway (4765 m high). But I stick to cycling and make a nice trip to the small village La Mesa, 30 km from Merida situated in a tropical valley, which is reachable by a very beautiful small, twisting mountain-road surrounded by tropical vegetation, waterfalls and breathtaking views. My home-stay-family is the convivial family Lantero-Bricino, with father Carlos (bank-employee), mother Ismenia (housewife) and son Charlie (11). I have a large room with desk to my possesion in their respectable flat, which is situated just outside town-center on a 15 minutes walking-distance. Ismenia has a lot of time for me, and after lunch and/or dinner we talk a lot in Spanish about all kinds of things, which is very learning for me. But I still have to use my dictionary frequently! She also cooks very well and diversified. All together I am very satisfied with my home-stay-family and the choice to make use of the home-stay-possibilty (although posadas are also very convivial, but they are not a good place to study!). The Spanish course is with 18 class-hours a week (exclusive home-work) very intensive but an investment worth both time and money, especially for somebody who will be travelling for many km and months in South-America. After three weeks I already am able to express myself quite well in Spanish, but my vocabulary is rather limited. I intend to do something about this during the rest of my trip through South-America by way of self-studying. The future will show if I succeed in this... and will be continued in my next travel-report.